Confirmation from Entheos that you are on the humanitarian trip.
Arrive Day 1 into Manta, Ecuador (airport code: MEC).
In most cases, you will need to travel through Quito (airport code: UIO) to get to Manta. You may want to call your airline to help book through so that you do not get any luggage restrictions from Quito to Manta.
Try to arrive midday or earlier to allow for the possibility of delayed flights.
Please enter your flight information by clicking the button to your right that says “Flight Info”.
Ecuador Humanitarian Trip
Manta
TBD
The total price includes humanitarian trip expenses, supplies, most meals, transportation (not flights), and hotel stay on clinic days.
With the help of our partners, Hearing the Call, and generous donors, we are able to make our humanitarian trips more affordable and accessible to our members, students, and volunteers.
Entheos Member Preferred Price: TBD
Member-Sponsored Price: TBD
Non-Member Price: TBD
* All prices are for double rooms and are subject to change *
Day 1 - Arrive Manta, Ecuador
Day 2 - Training / Local Tour
Day 3 - Clinic
Day 4 - Clinic
Day 5 - Clinic
Day 6 - Local Sites / Beach
Day 7 - Return Home
If you have not been to Ecuador, we recommend you take time to travel to the Galapagos Islands. We will put you in contact with our preferred tour vendor who we have used for several years who can help arrange the tour. You can depart on Day 6 by flying to Quito and then to the Galapagos.
Flight Information
What You Need to Know to Book Your Flight
- The Entheos team usually arrives a day early. If you decide to arrive a day early, you will be responsible for an extra night in the hotel (under $100).
- Due to the flight times to Manta, you may consider staying in Quito overnight and getting a quick tour of the city.
Tips / Additional Info
- Give yourself plenty of time at the airport to check in. The FAA recommends that you arrive 2 hours prior to international flights. Don’t forget to pack any scissors, pocketknives, or liquids over 3 oz. in your checked baggage. For any liquids less than 3 ounces that you will be carrying on, please make sure you put them in 1 quart size Ziploc bag. Whatever liquid items that do not fit in 1 quart size Ziploc bag will be thrown away. Please visit the TSA website for the most up-to-date restrictions prior to packing:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm. - Make sure you have a name-tag with a current name, address, and phone number attached to each luggage item.
- If you use luggage locks (highly suggested on ALL bags to avoid tampering), make sure all locks are TSA approved (it will say on the lock and/or package).
- Please check at the web site of the Airlines that you are flying the Policy on Checked Luggage
- For luggage that weighs over 50 pounds due to personal items, the overage fee is the responsibility of each delegate.
- Entheos may ask to use some of “your space” to transport supplies and we thank you in advance for your willingness to help transport needed project supplies to Ecuador.
- Your carry-on bag should contain all your essentials in case your check-on baggage is lost in transit. Include at least one change of clothes and all necessary medicines and toiletries.
Disclaimer: Submitting an application for a humanitarian trip does not guarantee a spot on the trip. A completed application enters your name into the selection process. You will be notified if you are selected.
Entheos Audiology Cooperative is not a registered 501(c)(3) exempt organization, therefore the trip fee is not deductible as a donation or a charitable contribution.
Please consult your tax advisor if you are deducting any portion of the trip as a business expense. There are limitations as to the deductibility of expenses associated with meals and entertainment.
General Dress Code Rules
Clinic Dress Code
- Please wear long pants and the team t-shirts provided by our partners. We have found that breathable type pants by Eddie Bauer or Columbia are a good option for hot clinic days (jeans are fine). You will receive TWO clinic t-shirts on the first day of the trip. You may be able to do laundry (for a small fee) at the hotel; we also recommend bringing a mini bottle of detergent (can be purchased at the travel section) to do laundry in your room.
- Bring comfortable shoes to wear. No open toe shoes for clinics.
- No shorts in the clinic.
Before/After Clinic
- There will be time for recreation (going out, dinner, etc.) after clinic days.
- Bring a fleece jacket for the mornings and evenings when it could get cool. Days will be fairly warm.
Day-Off
- On our day off, it is fine to dress like an American tourist. Please keep jewelry to a minimum.
One Week Recommended Packing List
Clothing
- 4 – Pants
- 5 – Shirts
- 8 – Pairs Socks
- 2 – Clinic Shirts (will be provided)
- 2 – PJ’s
- Walking Shoes
- Windbreaker or Light Jacket
- Swimsuit (if needed)
- Sandals
Toiletries
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Razor
- Hair Things
- Brushes
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Lotion
- Sunglasses
- Kleenex
- Imodium
- Advil
- Any Medications Needed
Misc.
- Cash
- Passport
- Passport Holder
- Bank Card
- Credit Card
- Pen (to fill out forms)
- Neck Pilow
- Phone Chargers
- Computer chargers
- Converter/Transformer
- Laundry Detergent
- Wine Opener (for others)
- Head phones
Electricity in Ecuador
Which power plugs and sockets in Ecuador?
In Ecuador, the power sockets are of type A and B. Check out the following pictures.
- Type A: mainly used in North and Central America, China and Japan. This socket only works with plug A.
- Type B: like type A but with an extra prong for grounding. This socket also works with plug A.
Ecuador uses 110 volt, 60 cycle electricity, same as the US. Plugs are typically the 2 pronged flat type so US travelers will not typically need a converter or adaptor. Outlets rarely have 3 holes so if your device has a third prong, bring an adaptor.
Most sockets in Ecuador are Type A
Hotel Information
Best Western Sail Plaza Manta
Km 1.7 via a Barbasquillo,
Manta 130802, Ecuador
Phone: +593 5-500-1000
Click Here for More Info (you do NOT need to book any rooms)
This hotel is near the location of our clinic site in Manta.
Money / Currency / Expenses
- Most expenses will be prepaid for you including: ground transportation, medical evacuation insurance, hotel room accommodations, translators and team meals.
- Each volunteer is financially responsible for paying for and obtaining a passport and visa (it is not necessary to travel to Ecuador), receiving any necessary immunizations, all food/beverage items in all airports and outside team meals, and any other personal expenditures/shopping during the trip.
- You will want to take enough cash with you for personal shopping and recreation in Ecuador. Bring U.S. currency that is as new as possible and undamaged. Traveler’s checks and credit cards (VISA or Master Card) will be good in airports, major hotels and many shops, but cash is the easiest and most convenient method of payment.
- Ecuador uses U.S. currency, so plan on bringing U.S. dollars.
Safety / Security
Here are some helpful guidelines concerning the safety and security of your personal items:
- Be mindful of how you carry your purse or where you place your wallet. Men, keep your wallets in a front or zippered pocket, as keeping it in your back pocket will make it susceptible to pickpockets. Ladies, keep purses across your chest or use a fanny pack (keeping your hands free is also wise).
- An under garment money belt worn around your waist is a safe way to carry your personal cash or passport.
- Stay with a group of people at all times – always go somewhere in pairs.
- Take a minimal amount of jewelry with you – nothing flashy.
- Be a confident traveler even if you are unsure or uneasy in a certain situation; confidence and calmness is key.
- We also suggest that you make copies of all flight itineraries, wallet contents, passport, visa, etc. and carry copies in a separate, secure location. It would also be a good idea to leave copies of everything with someone at home also, just in case. These copies could prove invaluable should your personal documents be lost or stolen.
Food
We hope you will enjoy the local cuisine. Most meals will be eaten at a hotel or local restaurant. All foods that will be provided to you should be well prepared and safe for you to eat.
Meals are supplied on clinic days, but not on travel or recreation days.
- As far as drinking water is concerned, to be on the safe side, always drink bottled water and brush your teeth with bottled water at the hotel. Avoid ice. Bottled water will be available.
- You may want to take some personal snack items with you – good items to take include granola bars, dried fruit, and trail mix.
Time Zone / Weather
WEATHER:
Temperatures in Ecuador are warm this time of year. The average daily high in April in Manta is around 85°F with the average daily low 74°F.
Click here to view the estimated weather.
TIME ZONE:
Ecuador is in the Central Standard Time zone and does not observe daylight-savings time.
Click here to view the current time in Ecuador.
Vaccines
One of the first things you have to be aware of on any international trip is the necessary vaccines. Some of the vaccines are hard to get in a quick time frame. Please make sure you read and check the CDC website for information on vaccines immediately.
As we travel internationally, we may be exposed to certain diseases that are rare in the United States. Fortunately, the risk of catching these diseases is still quite low since we will be on site for only a short time and will be eating properly prepared food, etc. However, since it is impossible to eliminate all risk, there are a variety of vaccines and immunizations that provide prevention against many of the most serious infectious diseases in the world that we ask each delegation member consider receiving.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website www.cdc.gov, there are no required vaccines for Ecuador, but make sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Please refer to the following CDC website for information.
Due to the Zika virus outbreak, some participants may have concerns about the upcoming travel. However, we recommend participants contact their primary health care provider if they have any concerns. We will respect each participant’s individual decision to travel.
As for any international travel, all participants are advised to continue with the precautions advised for travelers in the CDC guidelines: (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention/index.html)