Ecuador Terrestrial and Marine Expedition Kit List This document is a guide to the expedition kit you will need for your expedition based on what you will be doing in Ecuador and the experience of previous expeditions. When packing you need to be thinking of the minimum amount you can take whilst remaining comfortable and safe. For Ecuador the flight limit is 8kg of hand luggage and 20kg of hold luggage for the internal flight to the Galapagos, but I would still aim for light, compact, durable, quick-drying and versatile equipment. The list below is essential kit unless stated as optional. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Opwall office on +1 9739200487 or email freddy.herrera@opwall.com or info@opwall.com. Summary Checklist Tick off once you have gone through each section of your kit list Tick Box Kit list video Documentation Hand luggage Terrestrial Kit Marine Kit Clothing essentials Medical Kit Optional extras Resources Purchasing advice Money Food Ensure you watch the kit list video that accompanies this pack: What documentation you are required to bring on site. What to include in your hand luggage. What to bring for the terrestrial part of your expedition. What to bring for the marine part of you expedition. Clothing that you will require on site. Guide to the toiletries you will require. Essential medical kit for the expedition. Items you may want to consider bringing. Suggested resources to learn more about the region before your expedition. Where you can buy expedition equipment. What money you need and the easiest way to bring it to site. What food to expect on site. Documentation Tick Box Insurance documents Passport photo Visa documentation Yellow Fever Certificate A copy of your insurance (if separate to your school insurance). You need to bring 2 photocopies of your passport (N.B. We ask for 2 passport copies in case your passport does go missing, so keep a copy in both your hand luggage and main luggage, separate from your actual passport. Any visa documentation you need ( see http://opwall.com/expeditions/ecuador/ecuadortravel-advice/ for travel advice). This may be requested by airport officials at customs. Can be obtained when you receive the vaccination
Hand luggage Valuables Personal medicine Change of clothes Head torch Sleeping bag/liner Unfortunately, with working in such remote locations often involving numerous flights and forms of transport, luggage can go missing. It is best to be prepared just in case, so here is what we recommend you pack in your hand luggage. Passport, money, camera etc. All documentary and PADI materials In original packaging, waterproofed and clearly labelled with generic (not brand) name. Including spare underwear. Essential for your expedition, so this is not something you want to lose. Tooth brush and wet wipes. If you have to borrow a sleeping bag its always nice to have your own liner to use. Terrestrial Kit Remember you only have 20KG hold luggage for internal flights and 8kg of hand luggage Rucksack or holdall Small rucksack Wellington/Rubber boots Teva style sandals Water bottle/platypus Strong head torch/lamp Light blanket/1 season sleeping bag Rollmat/Thermarest Small towel/sarong Watch with an alarm Hat/Bandana 60L should suffice. Try and get one with a waterproof cover. Avoid hard suitcases. 20 30L for fieldwork and travel Do not bring hiking boots, the trekking is on land next to the river banks and can be flooded and extremely muddy. Allows your feet to breathe after a long day trekking, but still offers grip and useful for the marine site when walking out to dive boats. Flip flops should be an optional extra. 2 3L capacity. Many styles to choose from. Water bottles will suffice but if you have a camelback or platypus these do have advantages to them (i.e. packing flat). Petzl and LED Lenser are ideal for night surveys to see wildlife (can be expensive, but worth the extra cost). There is also no electricity at night in most of the camps/accommodation. Something light to cover you in the tents at night. You ll be sleeping in tents and will need something comfortable to lie on Don t bring a big thick towel, it needs to be able to dry quickly. Electricity is not readily available so something that does not require charging Something to keep you out of direct sun
Marine site equipment: Below is a list of essential equipment required. With spending lots of time in the water so you want to make sure that you have the correct equipment. You will only be spending one full day diving, so unless you have your own equipment, we suggest hiring the required gear. Marine Specific Kit PADI forms You must complete these online via the Opwall portal (http://portal.opwall.com) at least 3 months prior to travel. If you need a form signed by a doctor in order to dive then you must bring this with you. Mask and snorkel Ample supply available for hire but you may want to purchase your own to ensure a good fit Rashvest Swimwear Wetsuit The water will be 18 22 degree which can get cold after prolonged time in the water. Combine with wetsuit (see below). Appropriate for expedition and comfortable underneath a wetsuit. Bearing in mind the waters in the Galapagos will be cold. Not available to rent. Please make sure you bring your own 3mm (shorty or long is ok) Clothing Essentials 7 t-shirts Loose fitting 2 Long sleeved tops See above 2 pairs of trousers Long, baggy and lightweight. Zip-off is better and saves luggage room. 4 pairs of shorts Knee-length, preferably ones you can wear in the water Underwear Walking socks Enough for 2 weeks 7 pairs It is a good idea to keep one set of clothing clean for your flights to and from country, this makes your travel and the people around you more comfortable. Dark colours don t show the dirt, but they do retain more heat than light colours, so we recommend light colours, but not white. Also, a combination of natural and synthetic fibres are advisable whereas nylon has the advantage of drying quickly it can also cause you to sweat more thus causing chaffing and heat rash. Cotton on the other hand is kind to your skin, but can take a while to dry. Both have their strengths and weaknesses seek advice when purchasing. Clothing should be loose for both comfort in the heat and also to act as an extra barrier against biting insects. Label your baggage, clothes and kit; there are many volunteers, and some may have the same or similar items to you. Unfortunately
Insect repellent Talcum powder Sun cream Good tip to travelling light is to get into small groups to combine things like toiletries, foot powder and sun block as you don t all need to bring a bottle each! Tooth brush, tooth paste, hair and body wash. Malaria and dengue does occur in Ecuador. Mosi-Guard is an effective, environmentally friendly insect repellent that does not contain DEET, as is Skin so soft by Avon. DEET products are not recommended so we can minimise our impact on the environment and you will be recommended not to wear products containing DEET for many of the surveys where DEET poses a risk to the wildlife encountered. See: www.alternativeinsectrepellent.co.uk/ To thoroughly dry out your feet and avoid nasty fungal infections. SPF30 minimum and coral friendly. The sun is extremely strong at the marine sites and in the more open areas of the forest. Many sunblocks use chemicals which can cause corals to bleach we recommend ones containing natural sun blockers such as Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide instead. An example of this is Solbar Zinc Sun protection cream and can be found on Amazon. Please bring green or biodegradable toiletries to minimize the impact on the environment. Most biodegradable soaps are multiuse. Most shops now sell biodegradable/environmentally friendly toiletries, or alternatively there is lots of options online. Medical Kit Prescribed medication Antihistamines Paracetamol/aspirin Rehydration salts Sea sickness tablets Ear drops Anti-malarials Sanitary towels/tampons Diarrhoea relief (Imodium) Constipation relief Staff will be carrying medical kits and the medical provision on site is excellent. However, there are some items listed below you should carry yourself (as appropriate). You MUST bring sufficient supplies to cover your stay. For example if you are asthmatic you MUST bring you own inhalers, or if you have a history or recognized risk of going into anaphylactic shock due to an allergy, you must supply your own Epipen. Always waterproof and clearly label drugs (with generic, rather than trade names). Occasionally there are restrictions on travelling with certain medicines. If you think this may be relevant to you, please contact your Home Office Drugs Branch (in the UK: 0207 273 3806). Tablets to reduce swelling of any bites. Bite/sting cream will also help Bring a pack with you so you don t have to rely on the on site medic Important Bring 8 10 sachets of dioralyte/electrolade as these will keep you hydrating and feeling healthy throughout your expedition. The boat journey to the marine site can be rough If you are prone to swim ear. Expedition leads should consider bringing these. Malaria is present in Ecuador, and the area that we operate in (the amazon basin) is a high risk area so it is recommended you take prophylactics. There are a range of You cannot take Larium if diving. These will not be available in the jungle. Stomach problems are fairly common on our jungle expeditions, so make sure you have a supply Not as common but see above. Tick box
Optional extras Here are some items you may want to consider brining. Camera If you have one bring it. Make sure to keep it safe from humidity (zip-lock bags) Binoculars Useful to have on surveys. Cheap on Amazon (8x40 stats) music player/cards/book For downtime and the long journey from Quito. Plug adapter (US) If you want to charge equipment, you ll need to bring a US adapter Language/phrase book Spanish is the main language. Very useful to have on site. Resources Law of the Jungle Internet If you want to learn more about the region you will be visiting these resources are a fantastic place to look. Written by Paul Barrett it outlines the struggle between indigenous community, government and a giant oil company. The last time you ll have access to it will be in the San Carlos Hosteria Tick box Purchasing advice (UK) Here are some recommended retailers where you can buy your kit. Nomad Travel 20% off online and in store using code OPW1000 (0207 833 4114) Mountain Warehouse 20% discount in store with support letter Cotswold Outdoor Charity stores 15% off using code AF-OPWAL-9P Cheap/old/borrowed clothes are a much better idea than new, expensive ones! Purchasing advice (US) Cabela s Back Country Gear US Outdoor Stores Used equipment Money Food www.cabelas.com www.backcountry.com www.usoutdoorstore.com www.geartrade.com or www.backpacker.com Spending money is an optional extra to cover personal on-site expenditure only. This may include snacks and souvenirs you may wish to purchase from local shops in the surrounding villages. The local Ecuadorian currency is dollars, it is a good idea to have this on site in small dominations. Changing money to dollars is possible before you leave. You will have to budget for an evening meal on your arrival night in Quito. (NB that any meals/snacks/drinks outside of the start and end point of the expedition is an extra cost). When on expedition 3 meals a day are provided, but please be aware that due to the remote location of the sites and the basic facilities the food can be basic, although is always plentiful. Special dietary requirements are catered for as much as possible, we would suggest if you are a vegetarian or particular about certain foods that you bring cereal bars/snacks/vitamins with you to site. Please make sure you list any dietary requirements when filling in the portal.