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This was an excellent holiday in every possible way. The thought that had gone into the planning paid off as we got to see many of the animals, birds, fish and other wildlife that we had hoped to see. The nature guide was friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and attentive to individual needs. We learnt so much from him in many ways The crew of the motor yacht were efficient, thoughtful, and all excursions were on time as were the delicious meals. The travel to and from the jungle went smoothly and the staff and guides from the lodge were efficient and thoughtful giving us another opportunity to see amazing wildlife. It was a great end to the holiday. Good information online about the holiday including tour reports from participants on past trips. This gives such a good indication of what the trip entails. They answered all are questions in a timely manner and their arrangements went without a hitch.
J.B. Queensland, Australia, Nov 24
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Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands - Deluxe
Tour Code: ECU15A 20-day holiday including a 2-week cruise around the 'Enchanted Isles' in our first class motor cruiser 'Beluga', plus a visit to Antisana or Otavalo, and an optional 3-day extension to the Amazon Jungle.
£10,395
£9,495
Highlights
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Summary
The Galapagos Islands form a volcanic archipelago straddling the equator some 960 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador. They consist of volcanic peaks, strange lava fields, beautiful sandy bays, and clear seas. Their natural history is outstanding, and much of it is endemic. There are Giant Tortoises, prehistoric-looking Land and Marine Iguanas, and countless breeding seabirds; most appealing of all is the ‘tame’ and obliging nature of the islands’ extraordinary wildlife.
- The most comprehensive Galapagos cruise on the market
- 28 endemic bird species such as Small Ground Finch
- Led by expert natural history guide, born & raised in Galapagos
- Daily landings at wildlife-rich visitor sites for Giant Tortoise, Blue-footed Boobies & more
- Ample time & superb opportunities for photography
- Snorkel in crystal-clear, fish-filled waters with inquisitive young Galapagos Sea Lions
- Visits to Espanola, Genovesa & Fernandina
- Waved Albatrosses nesting & courting during July/August
- Look for seabirds & cetaceans as we cruise between islands
- Exciting Amazon rainforest extension at Sacha Lodge
Grading
Day walks only. Easy and optional, although terrain can be rough.The Galapagos Islands, surely, need no introduction. Ancient seafarers called them the Enchanted Isles, recognising their unique landscape and extraordinary fauna, but it was Charles Darwin who drew them to the world’s attention. By observing the fascinating changes and adaptations made in the birds and reptiles through thousands of years of isolation on these predator-free islands, Darwin was able to formulate his theory of evolution.
The Galapagos Islands form a large archipelago straddling the equator some 960 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador. Of volcanic origin, they are beautiful islands with great variety and often bizarre form; each island with its own peculiar shape and charm. There are volcanic peaks, strange lava fields, beautiful sandy bays, and clear seas, perfect for snorkelling in the sheltered coves. Their natural history is outstanding — so much of it endemic. 28 bird species, from the Small Ground Finch to the magnificent Waved Albatross, occur nowhere else in the world. There are giant tortoises, prehistoric-looking Land and Marine Iguanas, colourful crabs such as the Sally Lightfoot, and even a Galapagos Snake. Most appealing of all is the tame and obliging nature of this extraordinary wildlife; it is a photographer’s paradise — a telephoto lens is usually unnecessary.
Our 2-week cruise is special. We avoid the routine, large and luxury motor vessels, and their noisy crowds, by chartering our own vessel, the elegant First Class motor yacht Beluga, which accommodates 16 passengers in 8 comfortable, air-conditioned cabins. This provides a freedom, flexibility and group independence essential to the specialist nature of our holiday. Moving at our own pace, we will have a greater chance to enjoy these islands to the full, and to benefit from the knowledge of our expert naturalist-guide.
We will aim to visit all the major islands and many smaller ones, starting and ending our cruise on Baltra Island. At Academy Bay, on Santa Cruz Island, we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise breeding station, and make a trip up to the highlands to look for the reptiles in the wild. We will walk amongst spectacular volcanic scenery on Bartolome Island, and we will swim amongst fur seals and Sea Lions from the beaches on James Island. With a mixture of night-time voyages (for the longer navigations) and shorter day-time sailings, we will explore each island for its own peculiar wildlife specialities. On Espanola we should see the magnificent Waved Albatross in November together with thousands of nesting seabirds and colourful Marine Iguanas. Genovesa, way to the north, hosts huge colonies of frigatebirds and Red-footed and Masked Boobies, plus a population of storm-petrel hunting diurnal Short-eared Owls. Fernandina, geologically the newest of the islands and volcanically active as recently as January 2020, offers wonderful scenery with spectacular isolation. Endemic Flightless Cormorants breed here and we must keep an eye to sea for the chance of a passing pod of Killer or Bryde’s Whales.
As we cruise between the islands, there is time to read, relax and keep a tour diary. There will be time to sea-watch, enjoying our quiet companions the petrels, shearwaters, gulls and boobies, and to keep an eye out for dolphins playfully swimming in the bow-wave of our boat.
In Ecuador, after our cruise, we offer a choice between spending a day visiting and birdwatching on Antisana, a magnificent volcano permanently adorned with snow, and a day at Otavalo, an Indian town to the north of Quito with one of the best indigenous markets in South America. We also offer an extension to Sacha Lodge in the Amazon Jungle, enjoying the rich birdlife of the area and the various trails and dug-out canoe excursions that enable a thorough exploration of this area of the great Amazon rainforest.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
- Food:
Included in the price, except for main meals in Quito. Allow £50+.
Reviews
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The holiday to Galapagos and Ecuador was a fantastic experience and even better than we expected! There were no highlights as it was all so good. The organisation and support from when we set off until our return was excellent. Our first Naturetrek holiday - we will be back for more! The organisation and support from when we set off to our return was first class.
T.S. Nottinghamshire, Nov 24 -
I have recently returned from a trip to the Galapagos and spent two weeks aboard ‘The Beluga’ with a great group led by our guide Juan Tapia. This was an extraordinary adventure—days being spent landing on the islands (2 hour slots), snorkelling, kayaking and viewing from the deck seeing incredible bird and wildlife both on the land and in the sea. I cannot recommend this trip enough and it was everything I had hoped for when I first thought of visiting in2005.I would certainly recommend going sooner rather than later to get the most from this trip. The snorkelling should not be missed-for me it was a real highlight. The trip was extremely well organised.
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A simply magical trip around the Galapagos islands with a wonderful, knowledgeable guide on a quirky but luxurious boat. The crew couldn't do enough for me to make the trip fun, comfortable and memorable. It was truly amazing to see the plant and animal life on these evolutionary petri dish islands, both in and above the water. I will never forget swimming with Galapagos penguins, sealions, 2 species of sharks and marine iguanas. Lovely to see as well the efforts of the authorities and local people to preserve this magical place.
A.P. Italy, Oct 22 -
The Galapagos is a magical place and we were guided through it with great knowledge, expertise and humour. The trip to Sasha Lodge provided a lovely contrast to 2 weeks on the boat, and Condors at Antisana was the icing on the cake.
EH, Gloucestershire, Nov 19 -
All the guides were wonderful, all extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Their depth of knowledge was astounding. Everything about the holiday was seamless and we had a truly wonderful time.
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A truly fantastic 2 week tour of the Galapagos Islands on a small 16 berth tour boat. Both the local guide and the boat's crew were first rate and took great care of us during our stay on board the Beluga. Have used Naturetrek for 6 tours now and they are always well organised, and respond very quickly to any queries. I will continue to use them for future trips.
C.W. Cumbria, Jan 19 -
We stayed for 15 nights aboard the beautiful yacht Beluga. The Beluga is a small yacht with 8 double berths. The Captain and crew provided excellent care and service and nothing was too much trouble for them. Having 15 nights gave us enough time to visit most of the Galapagos islands and to fit in deep sea and off the beach snorkels almost every day (sometimes twice daily). The most amazing and spectacular part of the trip was the landings on the islands and the thrill of seeing the mammals, reptiles, birds and sea life so close that can even pick out each hair, feather or scale. The islands are so different that each day offered a new and exciting experience, helped by our very knowledgeable guide. We would not hesitate to recommend this holiday and cannot praise our experience highly enough. This was truly the holiday of a lifetime.
J.R. Glasgow -
This was an important 'bucket' trip for my 70th birthday. I was recommended to go with Naturetrek by a friend, as he had been with them before and had a great time. From the initial enquiry through the booking process, and the information provided before we left I was confident that we had chosen the right holiday with the right firm. The Galapagos Islands did not, of course disappoint, and the seamless organisation of transport and transfers, the choice of accommodation and day excursions from Quito did live up to the advertised 'de luxe' description. With a great crowd of like-minded people on board, an excellent crew, delicious food, a dedicated tour guide and blue skies, what was not to like?
R.R. East Sussex
Extensions
Sacha Lodge extn
Dates & Prices
2025
2026
2027
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
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Episode 1 of the BBC’s wonderful new series, A Perfect Planet, portrayed a series of amazing natural history stories, connected by volcanic activity. In this article, read about the tours which can take you in search of the amazing species featured in this episode, to such places as The Galápagos, Tanzania, Yellowstone and Kamchatka.
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