ECUADOR GEN Z+ 2027
The Amazon. The Andes. New Friends. Real Adventure.
Discover Ecuador through a small-group adventure designed for young adults who want more than traditional travel. Explore rainforest rivers, hike the Andes, learn alongside Indigenous and local communities, develop practical life skills and build friendships through shared experiences. With experienced instructors, pre-trip preparation and additional support options, Gen Z+ combines meaningful adventure with opportunities to build confidence, independence and a broader understanding of the world.
Ecuador: Culture, Adventure, Discovery & Biodiversity
Few countries offer young people this much in one journey.
Over 21 days, explore Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest, the Andean Highlands, the volcanic landscapes, and the historic streets of Quito. This World Bound adventure brings together nature, cultural immersion, outdoor exploration, and hands-on learning across some of Ecuador’s most remarkable environments.
Ecuador is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries. In the Amazon, discover extraordinary wildlife and learn about the ecosystems that sustain rainforest communities. Explore Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve (Yes, where the pink dolphins can be found), a protected area known for its remarkable Amazonian biodiversity. In the Andes, experience landscapes shaped by volcanoes such as Cotopaxi and generations of Indigenous knowledge. Along the way, share meals, stay with local families, connect with communities, and take part in conservation and reforestation projects. But Ecuador is more than its landscapes. It is a country shaped by diverse cultures, community connections, resilience, and change. Through these experiences, young people can explore how communities relate to their environment, respond to environmental challenges, and preserve their cultural heritage.
Is Ecuador Gen Z+ For Me? Small-group adventure travel for young adults
You don't need to be an experienced traveller, fluent in Spanish or an expert outdoors person. You do need to be curious. Gen Z+ is designed for young adults 18+ who want to experience another part of the world, meet new people, challenge themselves and become a little more independent along the way. Some people will arrive ready for anything. Others may be travelling internationally for the first time. Some are naturally social; others take longer to find their place in a group. Some participants may be neurodivergent or simply benefit from a little more preparation and support. That's okay. What matters is a willingness to participate, try new things, contribute to the group and be curious about the people and places around you.
What Does the "+" in Gen Z+ Mean?
Purpose. Leadership. Understanding. Support.
International travel can be exciting, but it can also be a lot. From new food to new people to different routines to just being away from home, figuring things out when everything isn't familiar. That's why we created Gen Z+. Before travelling, participants have opportunities to meet individually with our instructors, ask questions, set personal goals and prepare for what's ahead. During the program, our leaders help participants navigate group life, communication, daily responsibilities, new experiences and the inevitable challenges that come with international travel. For participants who benefit from additional support, our PLUS approach creates space for coaching, reflection and practical strategies without making the entire experience about "support." Because this is still an adventure.
Our goal isn't to do things for you. It's to help you discover how much you can do for yourself.
Before: Prepare → Connect → Set Goals
During: Explore → Practise → Challenge Yourself
After: Reflect → Transfer Skills → Bring It Home
Big adventure?
Let’s talk.
Willy & Barnsy are here to help.
Book a 20-minute Zoom or phone call.
View Itinerary
AGES
18+ (co-ed) Minimum of 8 to participate
LOCATIONS
Ecuador: Quito • Otavalo • Cuicocha • Cotacachi • Cayambe • Cotopaxi • Cuyabeno• Napo River Region
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 guidance, instruction and support by Fireside and Ecuador based staff
– Most meals
– All accommodation (eco-lodge, hotel, homestay)
– Private ground transportation
– Flight coordination and guidance
– Admission into all parks including horseback riding in Cotopaxi
– City tour of Quito
– 5-day Highlands Community Homestay
– White water rafting and river canoeing experiences and gear
Does not include:
– Flights to and from Ecuador (departing from Vancouver or Toronto)
– Anything not mentioned above
Group size: 8–12 participants.
More info: office@firesideadventures.ca
What will you do in Ecuador?
Explore the Amazon: Travel deep into Ecuador's Amazon region. Explore rainforest waterways, look for wildlife, learn about biodiversity and discover how local and Indigenous communities live alongside one of the world's most extraordinary ecosystems.
Head Into the Andes: Hike at altitude, explore volcanic landscapes, ride horses and experience the dramatic change from rainforest to high mountains.
Eat. Cook. Try Things: Food is one of the best ways to understand another culture. Visit markets, learn about ingredients, prepare food with local people and try things you probably aren't eating at home.
Learn Some Spanish: You don't need to arrive speaking Spanish. You'll learn by using it, whether ordering food, meeting people, asking questions, or navigating everyday situations.
Meet People, Not Just Places: Spend time with Ecuadorian families, guides, educators, farmers and community members. Tourism shouldn't just be about looking at a place. It should be about meeting the people who make that place what it is.
Build Real-Life Skills: Manage your gear. Help prepare meals. Make decisions. Navigate airports. Work with a group. Solve problems. Speak up. Listen. Try again when something doesn't work.
Have Fun: There will be ridiculous moments, great food, inside jokes, tired legs, unexpected adventures and probably things none of us can predict yet. That's part of travelling.
Our Journey | View itinerary
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” — Charles Darwin
What Does a Day on Gen Z+ Actually Look Like?
There really isn't a "typical" day in Ecuador, and that's part of the point.
You might wake up to the sounds of the Amazon rainforest, have breakfast with the group and spend the morning travelling by canoe with a local guide. Lunch could lead into a conversation about rainforest conservation before an afternoon swim, wildlife exploration or community visit. Another day could start high in the Andes, hiking or horseback riding through volcanic landscapes before visiting a farm, helping prepare dinner and attempting to use the Spanish you've been practising. Evenings slow down. We eat together, talk about the day, laugh, plan what's next and create some space to recharge. Throughout it all, participants gradually take more responsibility for themselves and the group.
No two days are exactly alike. That's why we call it adventure.
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: PLUS Lead Instructor
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. Ethan has the magic skills to help young people see the bright side of things, co-developing plans and life skills capacity building. Plus, he is a lot of fun to hang out with because of his genuine personality and care for others.
Culture offers alternatives. Different societies demonstrate that the way we currently consume resources and inhabit the Earth is not the only possibility.
- Wade Davis
FAQ
Is Ecuador Gen Z+ suitable for first-time travellers? Yes, and many of our participants are new to Gen Z Travel experiences.
Are there supported international travel programs for neurodivergent young adults? Yes! Reach out to tell us more.
Do I need a backpack? Yes, and please check out the packing list.
How physically demanding is the expedition? We accept all levels
What is the instructor-to-student ratio? 2:10
How do you manage safety in the Amazon? We provide outdoor skills, risk management and 24/7 supervision and support for participants
Are flights included? No, and we can help you with booking your flight.
What happens if I need additional support? We adjust and support accordingly, as well as interview participants beforehand. Ecuador is one of the world's most biodiverse countries.
Time to explore and connect
Shared meals, Spanish practice, rainforest journeys and time with local communities give you plenty to take part in. The group makes room for conversation, reflection and rest alongside the activities. It is a chance to spend more time noticing the people and places around you.
”Young people need agency. Climate education must recognize the seriousness of the crisis without overwhelming the generation that will inherit its consequences.”
- Wade Davis, author of Beneath the Surface of Things
Climate Change Looks Different When You're Standing In It
Climate change isn't something we're going to Ecuador to sit in a classroom and talk about. We're going to experience the places where those conversations are already happening. The classroom is Ecuador itself, with its forests and mountains and waterways, allowing you to ask:
What happens to a rainforest when weather patterns change? How does climate affect food and farming? What does conservation look like when your livelihood depends on the land? What can Indigenous knowledge teach us about relationships with place? How are communities adapting?
We'll explore those questions alongside local people, guides and educators. And we'll connect them to everyday choices, including food, transportation, consumption, waste and the way we travel.
Climate education becomes much more powerful when you are immersed in the Amazon, the Andes, and the communities that live there.
Introducing our Ecuadorian partners!
We're Visitors. They Are the Experts.
Fireside doesn't travel to Ecuador believing we are there to explain Ecuador. Quite the opposite: we arrive as visitors. We learn alongside Ecuadorian guides, educators, families, Indigenous knowledge holders, community organizations and the people whose lives are connected to the places we're exploring. We'll ask questions. We'll listen. We'll probably get some things wrong. We'll encounter ideas and perspectives that may be different from our own. That's part of the experience. Travel should make your world bigger, rather than confirm what you already believe.
The magic of the Ecuador portion of this trip is only possible thanks to our lovely friends from Huasquila 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, Huasquila 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.
Huasquila 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.
