Surtrek Ecuador & Galapagos Tours

Overview

Description

Founded in 1993, Surtrek Ecuador & Galapagos Tours is an Ecuadorian tour operator specializing in custom, first-class, and luxury travel for groups and individuals who seek unique and unforgettable experiences in Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and South America. We also organize incentive trips and special events. We have more than 18 years of experience in the field and are dedicated professionals with ample experience in the sustainable development of tourism in Ecuador’s four regions: the Amazon, the Andes, the Pacific coast, and the Galapagos Islands.

We provide first-class service and pay attention to the details to ensure that every trip with us is an unforgettable experience.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 30

Percentage of local employees: 70%

Our corporate social responsibility program works to involve local communities in tourism along the routes that our tours take. We have undertaken sustainable development and education projects to improve natural resource use in those communities, and to conserve the Amazon rainforest. We also support children's education in an Amazonian village.

We have a pilot project in the Cajabamba community, in the Pastaza province, where we helped build a greenhouse for vegetables to supply hotels in the region with fresh, organic vegetables. The initiative is 80% community-managed.

We also have a project to grow and sell balsa wood to create an education fund for children in that community. We have also created the Pastaza Rainforest Foundation, which buys forested land in the region for conservation.

Surtrek is a member of Tour Operators Promoting Sustainability (TOPS), a specialized global platform of tour operators dedicated to promoting and supporting sustainable tourism in their respective markets.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

Travel time to nearest airport: 20 minutes

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.vitalideas.info (available in English, French and Spanish). Vitalideas is an organization created by Surtrek Ecuador & Galapagos Tours to raise awareness and promote sustainable change in natural resource conservation areas and the development of rural communities.
• www.eco-index.org/search/results.cfm?projectID=1475 (available in English and Spanish). Learn more about "Promoting Agricultural Capacity and the Sale of Organic Products in Cajabamba II, Pastaza Province, Ecuador", a project that Surtrek Ecuador & Galapagos Tours is executing or supporting, on the Rainforest Alliance's Eco-Index website.

Date This Information Was Provided

November 2012.

Photos courtesy of Surtrek Ecuador & Galapagos Tours, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.