Gap Semester — North Carolina, Ecuador

The 60-day Gap Semester – North Carolina to Ecuador course takes you to the Southern Hemisphere. You’ll learn the skills you need to plan, prepare, and lead outdoor adventure-based experiential education courses. You will develop a wide-range of wilderness and leadership skills, including raft guiding, backpacking, mountaineering, backcountry cooking, wilderness camping, international travel planning, environmental and civic responsibility, leadership and communication styles, decision-making, and teamwork. No other program offers a combination of hands-on experiential educator training in an international setting.

Your group will board a plane bound for Quito, Ecuador where you will be introduced to our local contacts. Soon after your arrival, you will explore some of the most beautiful mountains and rivers in the world. Ecuador is a land of extremes, and you’ll see it all.

Your course may include exploring the countryside and sustainable farming in Quito, Ecuador, paddling the Amazon River, backpacking and mountaineering in Cotopaxi National Park, and community homestays, and the Otavalo market.

No. Previous experience is not required. NCOAE will teach you all the basics you need to know to thrive in the wilderness, and then let you apply them among your group of peers. We will train you in the skills necessary to become a competent wilderness leader.

While there are no predetermined distances, you may travel several miles one day and none the next. You will learn to embrace and appreciate the unknown and unexpected.

In addition to WFR trainings, you will engage in a wide range of experiential wilderness activities focused on outdoor technical skills, leadership skills, and environmental sustainability, including map and compass, wilderness navigation, international expedition planning, paddling, backpacking, mountaineering, camp craft, backcountry cooking, kayaking and wilderness risk management. Specific time is included for relaxing and enjoying nature, journaling, engaging in rich cultural exchange, and reflecting in solitude.

Yes. NCOAE provides all necessary group gear and food, but you will want, or be required, to bring certain items for yourself. We encourage you to contact NCOAE with all of your gear questions as early as possible. Start planning now by viewing the NCOAE pack list for this course.

Physical preparation depends on your fitness level. You don’t need to be a triathlete to participate, but you will be responsible for carrying your own equipment and some of the group gear while maintaining a positive attitude. The backpacking section will require you to carry 40 pounds or more over rough and rugged terrain, through various environments. The paddling sections will require sitting and paddling for long periods of time and walking on rugged, slippery shorelines or through the water while carrying or pulling your boat.

Each group has one to three instructors and eight to 12 students. We maintain an instructor-to-student ratio of no less than one instructor for every six students.

Your tuition covers all major costs related to your room, board, and lodging, except when specified in the itinerary. You may request an optional meal out when we are in an urban area, which you would need to pay for separately. Additionally, you’ll need to budget a small stipend for your personal items, including souvenirs, extra snacks, and gifts.

Ecuador

All travel during the course and to Ecuador is included. Upon enrolling in an NCOAE program, you are responsible for securing your flight to and from Wilmington, NC (Airport Code: ILM). You can do so by either, calling our trusted travel agent partner, Fly My Group, or another outside source if you choose to do so. All flights must arrive on day one (1) of your course between the hours of 11:00am and 3:00pm at ILM airport where you will connect with an NCOAE staff member and the rest of your group.

While NOCAE will manage travel arrangements to Ecuador, since we have many students who choose to stay beyond the course dates or fly to another location, you are responsible for securing your flight back from Ecuador (Airport Code: UIO). Again, you can contact Fly My Group or use another outside source to secure your return flight.

Fly My Group:
Phone: (866) 374-5043
Email: groups@flymygroup.com

North Carolina

All travel during the course is included. Upon enrolling in an NCOAE program, you are responsible for securing your flight to and from Wilmington, NC (Airport Code: ILM). You can do so by either, calling our trusted travel agent partner, Fly My Group, or another outside source if you choose to do so. All flights must arrive on day one (1) of your course between hours of 11:00am and 3:00pm at ILM airport where you will connect with an NCOAE staff member and the rest of your group.

Fly My Group:
Phone: (866) 374-5043
Email: groups@flymygroup.com

The average age range for this course is 18-23 years old.

Part of every NCOAE course is the solo experience. You will have the opportunity to spend a set number of days alone in the backcountry to meet your personal needs and desired outcomes.

Additionally, you will have the free time on re-supply days, in-between expedition portions of your course. You can use this time to run errands, do laundry, or spend some time alone relaxing and preparing for the next leg of your course.

We offer this course and others in a variety of locations and during different periods throughout the year to accommodate the destination and schedule that works best for you. If you are interested in a shorter gap semester/year experience, check out our 42-day Gap Semester course. You can also explore Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, North Carolina, Patagonia, and Ecuador at various times of the year.

At this time, we do not offer financial aid. However, if you are a college student you may be able to use your existing federal financial aid to help pay for your course, and you may receive college credits through a consortium agreement with NCOAE. If you are attending a college or university as part of a degree granting program, your advisor can determine whether your school will accept and transfer academic credits for participating in NCOAE courses from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. If it does, consult your financial aid office to determine if, how, and which funds may be used toward your NCOAE course costs. For more information on the consortium agreement process, contact studentservices@ncoae.org.