Gen Z Travels PLUS: Ecuador 2027
Unstuck, Empowered, and Inspired: Your story begins here
Do you have big ideas and dreams but are feeling stuck, anxious, and unsure of what your future holds? Would you describe yourself as neurodivergent or navigating a challenging season of life?
You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out on your own. With us, you can travel, explore, and feel supported every step of the way.
Our founder, Jeff “Willy” Willis, has spent a considerable amount of time there, building relationships and learning directly from communities across the country. There’s something about Ecuador’s energy, warmth, and resilience that stays with you. It doesn’t pretend to be perfect, but instead shows what it means to rebuild, reimagine, and move forward with purpose. At Fireside, Ecuador continues to call us back.
PLUS is designed for Gen Z travellers who benefit from additional support, a lower-stimulation environment, and connection with like-minded peers. Whether you’re neurodiverse or simply needing a more intentional way to engage with the world, this program creates space to grow at your own pace. With skilled, empathetic instructors and daily coaching support, participants are guided to build confidence, manage overwhelm, and step into new experiences with care and encouragement.
A Nation of Culture, Adventure & Biodiversity
Few countries offer young people this much in one journey.
Join us for one of our most ambitious World Bound experiences: 21 days across Ecuador, travelling from the Amazon Rainforest to the Highlands, onward to the extraordinary high Andes (Cotopaxi) and through the historic streets of Quito.
Ecuador is one of the world’s great biodiversity hotspots. Participants can experience the Amazon and Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (yes where the pink dolphins can be found), horseback among Andean landscapes shaped by volcanoes such as Cotopaxi, learn alongside Indigenous and local communities, and explore one of South America’s great historic capitals.
But Ecuador is more than incredible geography. It is a country shaped by culture, community, stories, resilience, and change. Young people experience this through the people they meet, the food they share, family homestays, local knowledge, conservation projects, and the everyday realities of life in communities very different from their own.
That combination is what makes Ecuador such a powerful place for World Bound. Climate change isn't just discussed. Culture isn't simply observed. Leadership isn't taught from a worksheet. Participants experience them through the rainforest, mountains, communities and islands they travel through.
One country. Amazon. Andes. Highlands. 21 days that can change how you see the world—and your place in it.
Wait... No Galápagos? That’s Intentional.
We get it. The Galápagos Islands are extraordinary, globally important and for many people the first place that comes to mind when they think of Ecuador. But World Bound has made a thoughtful decision to travel differently.
Rather than adding to the pressure on Ecuador’s most visited destination, we choose to spend our time in the Amazon, Andes, Highlands and Indigenous and local communities where our presence can support smaller operators, local families, knowledge keepers and community-based tourism. These places offer just as much wonder—rainforests, volcanoes, rivers, wildlife, culture, food, homestays and stories—while giving young people the chance to experience an Ecuador that many international visitors never get to know.
If we are going to talk seriously about climate change, sustainability and responsible travel, we also have to be willing to make choices about where we go and where we don't.
We treasure the Galápagos. We simply believe the rest of Ecuador deserves our attention too.
View Itinerary
DATES
May 2 - 22, 2027
AGES
18+ (co-ed) Minimum of 8 to participate
LOCATIONS
Ecuador: Quito • Otavalo • Cuicocha • Cotacachi • Cayambe • Cotopaxi • Cuyabeno• Napo River Region
PRICE (USD): $5499 + GST
Non-refundable deposit: $1000 + GST
Book before November 15, 2026, and save $300 USD
Includes:
– Pre-course Zoom orientation
– 12-hour Spanish lessons
– 12-hour 1:1 support and coaching
- climate change and cultural workshops
- 3-day reforestation and volunteer projects
– 21 days in Ecuador exploring three distinct environments
– 24/7 instruction and support by Fireside and Ecuador staff
– Most meals
– All accommodation (eco-lodge, hotel, homestay)
– Private ground transportation
– Flight coordination and guidance
– Admission into all parks
– Horseback riding in Cotopaxi
– City tour of Quito
– 5-day Highlands Community Homestay
– Amazon water safari connecting with local Indigenous communities, full day
Does not include:
– Flights to and from Ecuador (departing from Vancouver or Toronto)
– Anything not mentioned above
More info: office@firesideadventures.ca
Why this hits different
Travel P.L.U.S. – Adventure with Support, Built for Gen Z
We believe every young person deserves the chance to see, feel, and experience the world. Gen Z Travel P.L.U.S. is designed for participants who might benefit from a little extra support, patience, and understanding, whether they may be neurodiverse, navigating life challenges, or simply seeking a more grounded and supported way to explore. Adventure doesn’t mean being thrown in the deep end. At Fireside, adventure means being met where you’re at, supported daily, and guided forward so you can expand your comfort zone.
P.L.U.S. = Purpose • Leadership • Understanding • Support
Purpose: Travel with meaning, not pressure
Leadership: Build confidence through small, achievable wins
Understanding: Trauma-aware, neurodiverse-informed instruction
Support: Daily coaching, check-ins, and a lower-stimulation environment
Our Journey | View itinerary
What you’ll do
Go deep in nature:
Navigate rainforest trails, rivers, and high-altitude páramo (the Andes’ “water towers”), learning how ecosystems store carbon and supply water to millions.
Live the culture:
This is not surface-level travel. Stay in homestays with local and Indigenous families, help prepare traditional meals, learn everyday Spanish phrases, and develop hands-on skills such as weaving, carving, and chocolate-making.
Meet change-makers:
Connect directly with individuals leading meaningful change: reforestation teams, river guardians, and youth leaders who are transforming their communities through creativity, education, and resilience.
Build real skills:
Develop practical, transferable skills including expedition planning, navigation, risk awareness, urban transit confidence, and storytelling. Participants will also create a short “Through-the-Lens” mini-documentary (2–3 minutes) to capture their journey and voice.
Pre-departure Learning & Preparation
Before departure, participants take part in a structured pre-trip program that includes:
12 hours of online Spanish learning
12 hours of 1:1 coaching with a Latin American instructor
This preparation builds foundational language skills while introducing mindfulness and reflection tools to support emotional readiness, confidence, and group connection throughout the experience..
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” — Charles Darwin
What you’ll take home
Climate literacy that sticks:
You won’t just hear about climate change; you’ll see it in glaciers, forests, and streets, and learn what communities are doing right now.
Cultural humility and connection:
Respect, reciprocity, and real friendships—because the best memories are made around kitchen tables and campfires.
Leadership you can trust:
Confidence, purpose, and a plan so you return as a Gen Z Traveller ready to lead at school, at home, and in your community.
Come with curiosity. Leave with courage.
Digital Detox and Screen Offsets
This year, the average youth will spend over 3 months of combined time staring at a screen.
Yes, Fireside is a digital detox. All Fireside child and youth programs are mobile-phone and screen-free. But we want to take it further… this is your “screen offset”; a meaningful step toward protecting the wholesomeness in your kid’s hours, days, months, years and life. This year, we want to help kids spend at least one day outside & unplugged for every day they spend online.
Don’t worry… staff will take photos and videos to share with parents and youth. And your kid can bring an old-fashioned camera.
Put the phone away. Get the experience back.
Wait... No Galápagos? That’s Intentional.
We get it. The Galápagos Islands are extraordinary, globally important and for many people the first place that comes to mind when they think of Ecuador. But World Bound has made a thoughtful decision to travel differently.
Rather than adding to the pressure on Ecuador’s most visited destination, we choose to spend our time in the Amazon, Andes, Highlands and Indigenous and local communities where our presence can support smaller operators, local families, knowledge keepers and community-based tourism. These places offer just as much wonder—rainforests, volcanoes, rivers, wildlife, culture, food, homestays and stories—while giving young people the chance to experience an Ecuador that many international visitors never get to know.
If we are going to talk seriously about climate change, sustainability and responsible travel, we also have to be willing to make choices about where we go and where we don't.
We treasure the Galápagos. We simply believe the rest of Ecuador deserves our attention too.
Your Fireside team
Eva Sarango: Fireside South America Representative and World Bound Instructor
Eva is a proud and charismatic Ecuadorian outdoor educator who believes that protecting the planet means protecting and teaching humanity, especially youth and young adults. However, without willpower, curiosity, hope and social well-being, this mission becomes impossible. From this vision, Conscious Tourism was born as one of the most powerful alternatives to achieve that goal. Her purpose is to show people her country and her continent in all its dimensions, culture and faces. We are not perfect—we are human, with desires and weaknesses—but together, we form a strong and resilient team.
In addition to her proven passion and commitment to providing exceptional experiences, Eva is bilingual, has traveled extensively around the world, and recently graduated as a development projects specialist.
Eva es una educadora ecuatoriana orgullosa y carismática que trabaja al aire libre y cree que proteger el planeta significa proteger y educar a la humanidad, especialmente a los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes. Sin embargo, sin voluntad, curiosidad, esperanza y bienestar social, esta misión se vuelve imposible. De esta visión, nació el Turismo Consciente como una de las alternativas más poderosas para lograr ese objetivo. Su propósito es mostrar a la gente su país y su continente en todas sus dimensiones, culturas y facetas. No somos perfectos, somos humanos, con deseos y debilidades, pero juntos formamos un equipo fuerte y resiliente.
Además de su demostrada pasión y compromiso por brindar experiencias excepcionales, Eva es bilingue, ha viajado a numerosos lugares del mundo y se graduó recientemente de especialista en proyectos de desarrollo.
Ethan Barnes
A lifelong traveller, Ethan has helped lead adventures with Fireside from the Yukon to Fiji. Along the way, he has also spent hundreds of hours working one-on-one with neurodiverse youth, supporting them in expanding their comfort zones and building life skills. Ethan is also completing his Master’s in Counselling Psychology, graduating in 2027.
Why This Course Is for You
This is the real deal—learning Ecuador by being in it. This is an immersive, place-based experience where culture, nature, and hope intersect. You won’t just talk about change—you’ll witness it, question it, and take part in it through daily experiences on the land and with the people who call it home.
As an Ecuadorian saying reminds us:
“La tierra no nos pertenece; nosotros pertenecemos a la tierra.”
(The land does not belong to us; we belong to the land.)
In short: this course blends Indigenous perspectives, hands-on climate learning, and meaningful adventure travel—so you return with practical skills, real relationships, and the confidence to lead with humility and purpose.
Your Mission: Becoming a Resilient, Knowledgeable, and Adaptive Adventurer
Climate change is both global and deeply personal. Responding to it means learning to move thoughtfully through new environments, listen to different worldviews, and build connections across cultures.
This course is for young people ready to challenge themselves, strive beyond comfort, and learn through experience—developing the adaptability, awareness, and leadership needed to navigate an uncertain future with confidence and care.
Introducing our Ecuadorian partners!
The magic of the Ecuador portion of this trip is only possible thanks to our lovely friends from Huasquilah Amazon Lodge and Equator Face Travels. With their help, we can experience the beautiful country as more than tourists, making authentic and meaningful local connections while leaving the country better than when we found it.
Huasquila Amazon Lodge
Founded by Pablo Marañon and Bastienne Paliz, Huasquilah specializes in offering inclusive and immersive Amazon experiences by combining nature exploration, environmental education, sustainability, and authentic cultural connections. Their work is guided by an understanding that Indigenous perspectives bring generations of knowledge on sustainable living and nature conservation, providing valuable insights to help address climate change.
Huasquilah is committed to working with youth through a climate action lens. This includes teaching young people about climate change through hands-on activities like rainforest hikes, reforestation projects, and cultural exchanges with local Kichwa communities, helping them understand the importance of sustainability and conservation for the future.
Equator Face Travel
Equator Face is a passion project that is 21 years in the making, founded by Diego Orlando Fueres Túquerres - a member of the Otavalo people with long generational ties to agriculture and the Andes - and Huaita Sisa Morales Males - daughter of Indigenous artisans dedicated to the traditional craft of textile weaving. Their mission is to connect youth with the local communities to transmit the ideals instilled in them by their cultural traditions and families.
Equator Face promotes healthy eating by transmitting the Andean diet to new generations, strengthens organic polyculture in family crops to preserve the quality of the land and food, advocates conscious care of humanity's most valuable resource: water, and conveys to all people the feeling of caring for and practicing their beliefs, values, traditions, art, music, literature, and more.
