Enjoy our blog post on Ecuador by photographer, Lisa Merrill, who is the trip leader of our Ecuador: Culture, Nature & Photography 2018 Summer trip:
Just 10 steps from Sachatamia Lodge in Mindo, Ecuador, we began our hike through the glistening cloud forest, stopping to play, laugh, wonder and photograph. Returning to a delicious lunch and a flute-playing guitarist made the day that much more special. I smile as I remember these and other amazing experiences and adventures my family shared during our time in Ecuador, one of our all-time favorite trips.
I’m eager to return to Sachatamia in July with a group of families (perhaps yours!) on a fascinating trip featuring stunning landscapes, fascinating wildlife and fun opportunities to meet locals and experience their vibrant cultures. Global Family Travels' founder Jennifer Spatz and I developed our Ecuador Nature, Culture and Photography Trip with the Ecuadorian tour company I used in 2008 and it’s a “best of” mix at a family-friendly pace. We’ll explore beautiful historic cities, make new friends and learn about global development issues while volunteering in a rural community.
Weaving workshops, markets, cooking demos, and farm chores are interwoven with visits to butterfly and orchid farms and outdoor adventures in two biodiversity hotspots – the Andean Cloud Forest and the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands. Hiking, horseback riding, and snorkeling get us into new worlds of “wows” and adrenaline lovers will especially enjoy whitewater rafting through rapids and zip-lining over the jungle canopy.
Ecuador is filled with amazing photo opportunities, and shutterbugs of all ages are welcome! I’ll provide fun, optional hands-on photo instruction throughout the trip, helping photo enthusiasts gain new skills and create a wonderful collection of images to treasure and share with family and friends.
I recently lost my mother, an intrepid traveler with a special zest for life. She explored Ecuador with us in 2008 and especially loved its colonial Haciendas and Locro soup. Mom led us in a family tradition of jointly writing a poem during our trips. As a tribute to her adventurous spirit and the special family bonds we develop through travel, here is an excerpt from our special time together in Ecuador:
We arrived in Ecuador on April Fool’s night, our guide Juan met us after our flight... click here to read full poem.
