ME to We Lodges

ME to We Lodges

WHERE MEANINGFUL MEETS UNDENIABLY UNFORGETTABLE. Intimate, immersive experiences that you’ll only find with ME toWETrips.

WWW.METOWELODGES.COM

A LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY BEGINS HERE Connecting travelers to communities and culture.

Our trips to Kenya, India and Ecuador bring travelers onto the beaten path, where the most engaging cultural experiences happen. Not only do they get to enjoy each country’s natural wonders, they also have the unparalleled opportunity to make meaningful connections with the locals, walk alongside them through their daily lives and add to their story. Our travelers not only see the world—they are changed by it. WHAT MAKES ME TO WE TRIPS DIFFERENT? With more than 20 years of working closely with communities and WE Charity, we give our travelers the one-of-a-kind chance to be welcomed as an extension of our friends and family. Our balance of luxury accommodations, cultural immersion and the option to give back to local communities makes our trips uniquely unforgettable. WHO ARE OUR TRAVELERS? Cultural connection seekers (Age 30+) Experienced travelers who value interacting with locals while also checking items off their bucket list. Volunteer-light (Age 30+) Travelers who want to give back to local communities in a tangible way, while still enjoying an immersive travel experience and a high level of comfort. Socially conscious families (Kids aged 8+) Parents who love travel and are looking to expose their kids to the world beyond theme parks and resorts. Retired boomers (Age 55+) A generation that has grown up with travel as part of their lives. They are financially secure and want an immersive experience without sacrificing high- end comfort and service. *ME to WE also offers group travel experiences for high school and university/college-aged youth to Kenya, India and Ecuador, along with four other destinations. Contact ME to WE for more information.

DISCOVER KENYA The sweeping savanna.The wondrous wildlife. The opportunity to see Kenya through a different lens.

Our accommodations Our luxurious Bogani Cottages and Tented Camp—situated on the edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve—awaits our travelers at the end of each adventure-filled day. They’ll find all the comforts of home in their beautiful accommodations, from en suite washrooms and delicious meals to expert local guides and friendly staff. We take care of every detail, letting our travelers focus on being present and connected. Our cuisine Our chefs, Wesley and Shake, invite guests to join them on a culinary journey through Kenya, preparing rich and savory Kenyan favorites like ugali, polenta and barbecue. Travelers will enjoy a hot cup of Kenyan chai while watching the sunrise on our al fresco dining platform and reflect on each day with the backdrop of the sunset over the savanna. Western-style dishes are also available, as well as options to suit any dietary need. SAMPLE ITINERARY Starting at $5,995 USD per person Day 1 • Arrive in Nairobi in the evening and hotel check-in. • Meet the ME to WE guide. Day 2 • A visit to the Kenya Giraffe Centre and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, home to orphaned baby elephants. • Fly from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara. • Arrive at Bogani with a welcome by our team. • A lesson in Swahili, the local language. • Settle in to Bogani. • Enjoy a delicious welcome dinner. Day 3 • Walk side-by-side with local women to collect water from the Mara River. • Take part in a local community project. Day 4 • Visit Mulot Market, an authentic Kenyan market. • Volunteer on a local community project. • Visit Baraka Hospital, a project owned by our charity partner.

Day 6 • Embark on a sunrise safari through the Maasai Mara to look for giraffes, lions, elephants, hippos, buffalos, gazelles and resident zebra herds. • Visit Oleleshwa Farm to learn what is grown sustain- ably to supply nearby schools with lunches and Bogani with fresh ingredients for delicious meals. Day 7 • Visit the Duka, our on-site shop, which offers locally sourced gifts, Kenya-exclusive products, and beaded accessories and homewares made by local Maasai women. • Visit Kisaruni, an all-girls high school opened by our charity partner in a nearby community. • Take a drive through the Mara on a sunset safari. Day 8 • Take part in a community project. • Say a final kwaheri —farewell—to the local community. • Head out on a leisurely hike and learn about medicinal herbs from a local Maasai warrior. • Train in the art of Maasai weaponry. • Relax and enjoy a traditional Nyama Choma dinner—Kenya’s barbecue. Day 9 • Depart from Bogani. • Check in to a hotel day room in Nairobi. • Relax, recharge and enjoy lunch. • Depart Nairobi or book an optional extension, including a multi-day safari or a retreat to the Kilifi coast. *Please note that this is a sample trip itinerary and details are subject to change. We are happy to work with you to customize an adventure.

Day 5 • Take part in a community project.

• Join Maasai women and practice traditional beading, learning how it is helping them earn a sustainable income.

DISCOVER ECUADOR In the emerald jungle of the Amazon, the Kichwa people—who have lived there for generations—welcome our travelers as family.

Our accommodations At our stunning Minga Lodge in the lush Amazon Rainforest, our travelers can return to their home away from home after each exciting day. From creature comforts like gorgeous, comfortable accommodations with en suite washrooms and delicious meals to expert local guides and friendly staff, we look after everything so that our guests can be truly immersed on their trip. Our cuisine Travelers will start each day with fresh Ecuadorian coffee served alongside an array of tropical fruits, and will enjoy delicious, savory meals prepared by our chefs using fresh local ingredients. Our menu includes Ecuadorian favorites like fresh papaya, yucca, rice and beans. Western-style dishes are also available, as well as options to suit any dietary need. SAMPLE ITINERARY Starting at $4,995 USD per person Day 1 • Arrive in Quito and check in to your hotel. • Meet your ME to WE guide. Day 2 • En-route from Quito, travel through the cloud forest on a scenic and relaxing bus ride into the Amazon basin. • Travel by motorized canoe down the Rio Napo and arrive at Minga Lodge with a welcome by our team. • Learn some Spanish and settle in. • Enjoy dinner on our al fresco dining platform. Day 3 • Take part in a local community project. • Meet a local artisans’ group and learn more about opportunity projects they’re working on with WE Villages. • Enjoy delicious meals on our terrace, which offers stunning views of the Napo River. Day 4 • Have the option to continue volunteering on a community project. • Visit a farm to experience a day in the life of a family. • Amazonian night walk with a guide to discover the fascinating creatures of the rainforest.

Day 5 • Spend more time volunteering in the community. • Meet a local Shaman and experience traditional jungle weapons training. • Visit one of our newest projects, the WE Farm, and learn how we are working alongside communities to grow some of the finest cacao in the world while empowering farmers with the opportunity to earn a living and build a legacy for their families. Day 6 • Continue volunteering in the community. • Walk side-by-side with a local farmer as he harvests fresh cacao to supply to fine French chocolatiers and learn the secrets of making chocolate from scratch. Day 7 • Say goodbye to the local community. • Enjoy a Kichwa cooking lesson, transforming local ingredients into traditional dishes. • Take in a grass-skirt-swaying spectacle of traditional Ecuadorian music and dance performed by local community members. Day 8 • Depart Minga Lodge and explore Old Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. • Check in to the hotel and enjoy a final dinner. Day 9 • Return to the airport in Quito to return home or book an optional extension to the Galapagos Islands or nearby Peru to experience Machu Pichu. *Please note that this is a sample trip itinerary and details are subject to change. We are happy to work with you to customize an adventure.

DISCOVER INDIA From Bollywood dancing and samosa- making to giving back to the community that welcomes our travelers like family, we offer a truly immersive experience.

Our accommodations Our stunning Araveli Cottages and Tented Camp, framed by the pink-hued Aravalli Mountains, makes the perfect retreat after every awe-inspiring day. With luxurious amenities like en suite washrooms and services like delicious meals, expert local guides and friendly staff, travelers can focus and reflect on their extraordinary experience in comfort. Our cuisine Guests will enjoy the rich flavors, aromas and spices of Indian cuisine, prepared fresh by our chefs. They’ll taste local favorites like savory samosas and butter chicken, pakoras and freshly baked naan, savoring each meal on our al fresco dining platform that offers an incredible vista of the landscape below. Western-style dishes are also always available, as well as options to suit any dietary need. SAMPLE ITINERARY Starting at $4,995 USD per person Day 1 • Arrive in the evening into Delhi and settle into a hotel near the airport. • Meet the ME to WE guide. Day 2 • Take a morning flight to Udaipur. • Travel in Araveli in the heart of rural Rajasthan, a two-hour drive northeast of Udaipur. • Arrive at Araveli with a welcome by our team. • Settle in and enjoy a delicious dinner. Day 3 • Watch the sun rise over the nearby Aravalli Mountain Range with an optional yoga session. • Learn a few words of the local language, Hindi. • Experience a community welcome with local students and families. • Take part in a poja —a traditional Hindu prayer cere- mony that marks the beginning of an auspicious event. • Enjoy a lunch back at Araveli, followed by jhapki , which is Hindi for siesta. • Explore the nearby mountain foothills with a guide on an optional nature hike. • End the day with a colorful performance from a local dance troupe.

Day 4 • Join local women to share in their daily activities like collecting water, feeding animals and preparing chapatti.

• Try traditional Mewari painting. • Take part in a community project.

Day 5 • Enjoy sunrise yoga. • Take part in a community project. • Try Bollywood dancing, then join local artisans for traditional crafts like tie-dye and block printing. • End the day with a colorful performance that will showcase local folk dance traditions. Day 6 • Volunteer on a community project. • Spend a leisurely afternoon at Araveli. Relax, reflect or play cricket or volleyball. Day 7 • Say a farewell to the community. • Meet locals taking part in goat-rearing initiatives with WE Villages. Day 8 • Take part in sunrise yoga. • Visit Kumbhalgarh Fort, which boasts the second- largest wall after the Great Wall of China. • Enjoy a “dinner cart extravaganza” meal, with a selection of colorful stalls at Araveli serving some of India’s most amazing gastronomic dishes. Day 9 • Say alavida (goodbye) and indulge in a special farewell breakfast. • Explore the old city of Udaipur, known as the Venice of the East, by boat and by foot. • Explore the City Palace and Lake Palace and enjoy lunch on the shores of the beautiful Lake Pichola. • Visit an authentic Indian market and experience urban Indian life. • Return to the airport in Delhi to return home or book an optional excursion to the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world.

*Please note that this is a sample trip itinerary and details are subject to change. We are happy to work with you to customize an adventure.

ATRIP OF A LIFETIME AWAITS Embark on the beaten path and add to the stories of communities around the world.

WWW.METOWELODGES.COM | [email protected]

OUR TRIP OPTIONS 9 Days / 8 Nights • Turnkey experience: everything taken care of from arrival to departure (except flights) • Customizable 4 Days / 3 Nights • For clients traveling to Kenya, India or Ecuador who wish to add on a ME to WE Trip pre- or post-destination • Perfect add-on to an African safari, Galapagos Islands cruise or sightseeing trip to India

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected] 1.855.959.8330 metowelodges.com