Study Abroad | Galápagos Islands

Housing

Homestay

Students will stay with a carefully selected homestay family in San Cristóbal. By staying with local families, you will gain a unique insight into island life and how the locals live and work.

• Daily breakfast and dinner with the families
• Most lunches in town or at the site of the academic visits

Hotel

Hotel accommodation is provided in Quito and Santa Cruz Island with breakfast and lunch provided.

City Facts

Geography

San Cristóbal is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago and has a population of about 6,000 inhabitants.

History

San Cristobal is where Darwin first set foot to write his famous book, “On the Origin of Species.”

Nature

San Cristóbal is home to many animals like sealions, marine iguanas, tortoises, and more!

Site Staff

AIFS in the Galápagos Islands Director, January Term Program

AIFS provides a dedicated Program Director for this program who will assist students throughout. Details and contact information will be available prior to the start of the program.

The Program Director provides academic advice, introduces you to the community and handles communication with the University.

Cultural Activities

Learning does not begin or end in the classroom. Visits and field trips are a key part of your academic study in the Galápagos, while social and cultural activities in Quito give you a better understanding of Ecuador, the South American country which governs the islands. Past activities have included:

• Welcome lunch
• Visit to El Junco, a permanent freshwater lake where you can see frigate birds bathing to preen their feathers
• La Lobería, a coral sand beach where you can see sea lions, a large colony of marine iguanas and birds
• La Galapaguera, a man-made breeding program for tortoises and an information center for visitors. You can see giant land tortoises living in a semi-natural habitat
• Kicker Rock, one of San Cristóbal Island’s most iconic sites and an excellent location for spotting manta rays, sea turtles and sharks
• Frigate Bird Hill to spot the magnificent frigate birds
• The Interpretation Center which focuses on the history of the archipelago from its volcanic origins to the present
• The Isla Lobos to see the nests of the blue-footed boobies
• Quito historic center and Middle of the World Monument guided tour or guided visit to Otavalo Market
• Farewell dinner

USFQ and AIFS promote conservation and sustainable tourism in the Galápagos Islands through education and research. All visits on the islands are to designated visitor sites.

Many activities involve snorkelling – participants should be able to swim and be confident in water.