World Challenge Expedition to Ecuador & The Galapagos Islands

July-August 2009

All Year 10 and 11 students have recently been given the fantastic opportunity of signing up for an expedition to Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands in summer 2009. The expedition will last 4 weeks and it will be led by World Challenge, who have been taking students on long haul expeditions for over 20 years.

Approximately 25 students will be participating in this once in a lifetime opportunity, to gain fantastic experience of visiting parts of the world which few people have the opportunity to see, including the Galapagos Islands which is a world heritage site, an archipelago of 13 islands and islets located 1000 kilometres off the coast. The mainland consists of three principal geographical regions that also influence the climate: the Sierra (Andes) run down the country in a central spine, with an area of Amazonian rainforest to the east and coastline to the west. The volcanic Galapagos Islands have been described as a "living laboratory of evolution" and are home to dozens of species not found anywhere else on earth.

Ecuador is home to many different ethnic groups and although the national language is Spanish, many different indigenous languages remain widely spoken. Overall, this blend creates a fascinating and mixed culture which students will be able to fully immerse themselves within.

Students will actually be given the opportunity to plan their expedition, which will include trekking, perhaps up a volcano, following an Inca trek, or elsewhere at a high altitude. The expedition will also include a jungle phase, so students may wish to explore the region of the Amazon rainforest, based from Tena or Macas. Here teams can explore by foot and sometimes by motorised canoe, and will spend their nights in bamboo stilted huts called Cabanas. Whilst in the rainforest they will get the opportunity to go on day treks alongside local guides who have an incredible knowledge of the ecosystem that they have grown up and lived in.

Students will be in teams, and can participate in a number of different projects either on the mainland or in the Galapagos. Many projects are based in communities and schools where teams can help to repaint buildings and carry out basic construction tasks. In the Galapagos projects are also school or community based and may also involve helping the local children to appreciate the uniqueness of their own environment. There are also an abundance of potential conservation projects on the mainland, often linked to the preservation of the cloud forest and to promoting eco-tourism and agriculture.

Finally, students will be lucky enough to spend their rest and relaxation phase in the Galapagos Islands where they will embark on a 4-day tour taking in some of the amazing wildlife sights and volcanic landscapes along the way. Teams can also visit some of Ecuador’s famously colourful markets on the mainland.

Student Leadership is thriving at The King Edward VI School, and this is a real opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills in a completely different environment. The cost of the trip is almost £4000, and students are now in fundraising teams, and aim t o reach their target over the course of two years. Students will meet regularly with our World Challenge Representative Ali Ions regarding money management and expedition training.

Good luck to all students about to embark on what will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable events in their lives!