Cultural Outdoor Recreational Experiences (CORE) is a unique travel company specializing in custom trips to Ecuador and the Galapagos. All our trips are carefully developed by our trip planning specialists. Rather than force-fitting guests into a rigid itinerary, we tailor travel to your specific interests, tastes and physical abilities. Our CORE team of international and local certified guides is expertly trained and fully empowered to ensure your trip meets your expectations. 

In addition to custom adventure travel, CORE offers a variety of experiential continuing education programs, including professional training for doctors, nurses and paramedics who want to broaden their ability to deliver medical care in remote settings where language is a barrier.

RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL - Our Definition
Many travel companies use terms such as ecotourism, responsible tourism, sustainable travel, but what does it mean? This is what it means for us.

We believe that if we choose to visit a location, the local community benefits from our visit in one or more of the following ways:
1) Sharing and exchanging cultures
2) Developing and contributing to their local economy
3) Providing medical care
4) Providing education for the community
5) Providing a long-term supportive and mutual relationship

Leave No Trace
We not only work with other local operators, we ARE a local operator. We develop our own itineraries, check and mark hiking routes. Where possible we follow the principles of Leave No Trace (LNT) and promote the LNT principles on all of our trips.

Local Guides and Businesses

• We use local guides.
• We provide guide training and certification to local guides (even those who work for other companies).
• We choose businesses that contribute to the local economy.
• We choose local businesses who use sustainable conservation and environmental practices.

Risk Management
Risk management begins by using guides with wilderness medicine certification, CPR, Swift water rescue and other appropriate certifications. The best risk management is preparedness and awareness, and of course, experience.

Cultural Awareness – Your attitude and ours
When we visit someone else’s home, we treat their house, their family and their property with respect. Likewise when we visit another country, we expect that our travelers respect the country of Ecuador and remember that they are visiting someone’s home.