Galapagos Islands two week cruise
| country: | Galapagos Islands |
| departures: | 2008: 4 Aug, 18 Aug, 8 Dec |
| price: | From £4295 - £5190 (20 days) including flights from the UK. Four day extensions available. This trip can also be booked without flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A 20-day holiday incorporating a 2-week cruise around the "Enchanted Isles" in our elegant Two-masted Topsail Schooner.
The Galápagos 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 Galápagos 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 — an elegant two-masted Topsail Schooner that accommodates 15 passengers in characterful quarters. 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 local naturalist-guide and expert.
Trip extensions
This cruise holiday is normally 20 days, with an optional Amazon jungle extension making it 24 days. Our 19 Nov 2007 departure is a 13 day holiday, including a one-week Galapagos cruise, which we are running in conjunction with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). £2995 (13 days) or £3690 (13 days + 4 day extension)
The Galápagos 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 Galápagos 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 — an elegant two-masted Topsail Schooner that accommodates 15 passengers in characterful quarters. 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 local naturalist-guide and expert.
Trip extensions
This cruise holiday is normally 20 days, with an optional Amazon jungle extension making it 24 days. Our 19 Nov 2007 departure is a 13 day holiday, including a one-week Galapagos cruise, which we are running in conjunction with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). £2995 (13 days) or £3690 (13 days + 4 day extension)
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London to Quito. |
| Day 2: | Quito. |
| Day 3-16: | Galapagos cruise. |
| Day 17: | Quito. |
| Day 18: | Cotopaxi or Otavalo. |
| Day 19: | Depart Quito. |
| Day 20: | Arrive London. |
this holiday is operated by a wildlife specialist
Typically trips are expertly guided by a leading specialist with a good knowledge of the area to be visited. Inevitably, birds, plants and mammals are the main focus of attention however, the aim will be to incorporate all other aspects of the natural world in an attempt to be as broad-minded as possible. A local guide may often accompany trips.how this holiday makes a difference
 Our cruise is special, not only do we cruise for two weeks rather than one, allowing us to spread our impact as tourists and visit all the more remote bays and islands that other tourists cannot reach on their one-week packages, but we avoid the use of large cruise ships, with their noisy crowds and ever-changing crews, preferring instead to charter our own locally-owned schooner that accommodates just 15 passengers, together with our expert British naturalist leader. We are additionally looked after by a Galapagos National Park guide and a long-serving, dedicated and locally-employed crew. One of the most striking things about the Galapagos Islands is that today's visitor can still encounter virtually all the species that were present in Darwin's day. This is in striking contrast to the catastrophic chains of extinction that have gripped other large oceanic archipelagos following the arrival of man. With well over 15,000 people resident in the islands (including many impoverished families from the Ecuadorian mainland looking for a more prosperous life), daily flights, cargo boats, and increasing pressures from local fishermen, it is certain that, without the tourist dollar, these islands would by now have lost much of their unique and precious natural history. We believe that with our extensive network of local contacts, many of whom have dedicated most of their lives to conservation and responsible tourism in the archipelago, our 2-week cruise is amongst the most comprehensive, educational and enjoyable Galapagos holidays on the market today. As a company we have achieved AITO’s top level, 3-star Responsible Tourism accreditation and we have always tried to operate our holidays in an environmentally responsible manner, striving to contribute to wildlife conservation and habitat preservation at all times. Our policy includes: We also encourage our clients to offset their carbon dioxide emissions. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |