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Eco Tour of Central Florida

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Request a quote for an eco tour of Central Florida and South Florida.

Students studying biology, marine science, environmental studies and other related subjects will get excited about this special student eco tour I have designed with a focus on the subtropical environment of Central Florida. This student trip is hands-on with lots of outdoor activities like snorkeling and airboat rides.  It’s a great way to experience the marine life and unique wildlife of Central Florida as well as the swamps and waterways.

Below are some brief highlights of the eco tour of Central Florida, with a day at Busch Gardens theme park to add even more fun to the itinerary.

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park
Homosassa Springs is a Florida state park with a great deal to offer the student tour group interested in adventure.  There’s a hiking and nature trail, ranger guided tours, boat tours, and more. Some of the wildlife students will encounter here includes: manatees, alligators and hippopotamus.  Special wildlife programs explaining the behaviors and habitats of these animals are available for visiting student groups.  Groups will also want to visit the Cougar Habitat and Black Bear Enclosure.

Snorkel Safety Lessons
When students are engaged in a hands on activity like snorkeling, it helps to be educated about the safest snorkeling techniques.  This snorkel safety lesson is provided prior to entering the Crystal River.  Student groups will also have information on how to interact with Manatees and other inhabitants of the River, as well.

Crystal River Snorkeling with Manatees
Students engaged in the study of biology or marine science will love this adventure:  swimming with the Manatees. These large and gentle mammals are numerous in the Crystal River, reaching numbers of 400 or more in the peak winter season.  Swim alongside the Manatees or just watch them feed in the river.  Guides may snorkel with the group to show them the type of behavior that attracts Manatees.

Crystal Springs Preserve Hands on Workshop
Environmental education is a large part of the eco tour itinerary. Trip leaders will want to Schedule a Crystal Springs Preserve workshop to maximize the experience. The Preserve maintains a large Living Laboratory of species common to the Crystal Springs area.  Students will actually hike through Crystal Springs and observe the natural habitat of animals as well as interact with reptiles, mammals and other species unique to the region in the Living Laboratory.

National Park Service Tram Tour and Airboat Ride
Everglades National Park is the only subtropical preserve in North America.  The park provides a 15-mile tram tour so wildlife can be viewed at close proximity.  The tram tour takes a flat road that winds through the Everglades where riders can see:  heron, egrets, deer, turtle and more.  Another way to experience the Everglades firsthand is to take an airboat ride through the waterways and swamps.  Learn about the Seminole tribe that used to inhabit the Everglades, view the alligators from a safe distance, and see the Mangrove trees and other wildlife that live in this swampy wilderness setting.

Busch Gardens Safari Seminar
Not far from the Everglades and Crystal River is a unique theme park, Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, Florida.  Here students can experience a safari where they can watch animals in a natural setting.  They will be thrilled to see: zebras, giraffes, bongo, ostrich, cheetahs, white rhinos, tigers and more.  Students can immerse themselves in the study of rare wildlife in a safe environment on Safari in Busch Gardens — an unforgettable experience. After exploring the safari, student groups can enjoy the SheiKra, Gwazi, or Kumba roller coasters and other rides at the theme park.

Central Florida has a great deal to offer students studying the natural world and the environment.  From swamps and waterways to safaris and snorkeling, this eco tour is a great way to engage students in active learning. Taking the Florida Eco Tour will help students to become stewards of the environment by giving them a reason to care enough to preserve it.

Request a quote for an eco tour of Central Florida and South Florida.

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An Eco Tour of Puerto Rico Designed for Student Travel Groups

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The island of Puerto Rico is an excellent choice for student groups who want to travel to a destination with well-preserved ecological features. Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, students, teachers and chaperones can travel there without a passport.

Puerto Rico is rich in Colonial and native history.  It is also a spectacular destination for an eco tour.  El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. and well worth the visit.  The island is peppered with small fishing villages, offering unique hands on learning experiences for students studying marine science as well.

While student groups are touring Puerto Rico, they can also visit the historic cities of Ponce and Old San Juan, eat authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, take Salsa lessons, and learn about the local culture.
Following is an overview of some of the main sites student groups can visit while taking an eco tour of Puerto Rico.

La Parguera – A Fishing Village with Unique Learning Opportunities
Students will visit La Parguera, a small fishing village in Western Puerto Rico.  There the group will be able to feed Iguanas, identify birds, and even catch starfish.  A local fisherman will speak to the group about everyday life in his profession, and students will interact with marine life up close.  After enjoying a meal prepared by the locals, the group will embark on a bioluminescent night bay tour.   The bay tour is a supervised swim where students will see dinoflagelates (plankton) that glow in the dark and fish that light up underwater.

The Tropical Rainforest El Yunque
Protected by the Federal Forest Reserve for over one hundred years, El Yunque is truly a treasure, since it is a well- preserved rainforest. Like many rainforests, El Yunque has a complex eco system with a wide variety of flora and fauna, animals, insects, reptiles and birds.  Exotic scenery includes large cascading waterfalls, views of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea and a canopy of age-old trees.  Student tour groups will take a guided hike of El Yunque that includes swimming under the waterfalls.  Afterwards, students will have a lunch of Pinchos and spend time on Luquillo beach.

Ponce: Once Spain’s Capital City
Ponce is the second largest city in Puerto Rico and was named after Juan Ponce de Leon’s great-grandson, Loiza Ponce de Leon, who founded it in 1692.    Student travel groups may opt to take a walking or trolley tour of this historic city, where they will explore old and new farmers markets, and see neoclassical buildings and facades, colonial homes, cathedrals and fountains from the 17th Century. Groups will also visit El Parque de Bombas, a Spanish and Moorish inspired architectural treasure that served first as a main exhibit pavilion for the 1882 Exhibition Trade Fair and later as a fire station.

Old San Juan:  A Spanish Colonial City
Founded in 1521 and also known as ‘the walled city,” San Juan is the present day capital city of Puerto Rico.  It sits on one of the largest and most accessible harbors in the Caribbean.  Student groups will visit the old Spanish fort, explore the cobblestone streets of San Juan and view 16th and 17th Century Spanish colonial buildings.

Puerto Rico has a rich Spanish colonial heritage that has been well preserved.  El Yunque rainforest is one of the 28 finalists in the World’s Seven Wonders competition and is a spectacular opportunity for learning about the ecological importance of preserving rainforests – right in this hemisphere.

On tour, there are also numerous opportunities for students to immerse themselves in Puerto Rican culture, cuisine, and lifestyles. The experience of visiting Puerto Rico is rich and varied. Guides are bilingual, so there is no need to be fluent in Spanish. However, for Spanish classes the guides will speak totally in Spanish (if desired) for total Spanish immersion.

Request a quote for a student trip to Puerto Rico by filling out the brief online form, or email info@educationaltravelconsultants.com.