Holiday Reviews
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same trip can have different views!
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Galapagos adventure holiday, independent reviews
 Reviewed 31 Aug 2009 by Elaine Beachill |  |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The highlight for me was definitely the snorkeling, especially when there were sea lions about. I never thought I would be so enthusiastic about swimming with sharks!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take an extra pair of hiking shoes/trainers in case of muddy walks. They take a long time to dry out!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Most definitely. Constant effort was made to remind the group of the importance of taking care of the islands and how to reduce our impact on the environment. Local services were used throughout.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A trip of a lifetime!
| Reviewed 5 Jul 2009 by Stephanie Osborne | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Snorkling with sharks, seeing a green turtle as soon as we got off the boat, the views of the volcano and seeing something new everyday.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Learn some Spanish before you go
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Incredible.
| Reviewed 8 Jan 2009 by Traci Rink | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The fabulous wildlife in Galapagos, our terrific guide (Pablo) and the really great bunch of interesting people with whom we shared our vacation.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
You will be busy from sun up until sun down!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. Definitely. We stayed and ate at establishments most visitors to Galapagos (who go on cruise ships) miss.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fabulous.
| Reviewed 10 Mar 2009 by Judith Godinez | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
1) Meeting the people featured in the book Plundering Paradise and our very knowledgeable guide Minino.
2) The adventurous side....bike ride, snorkeling, hikes.
3) Fellow travellers and their wit and sense of adventure and camaraderie.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be flexible and open.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. I would have preferred to eat at a bigger variety of places, though perhaps the good and reliable choices were limited. Loved the local feel of the places we stayed and ate.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent choice; really liked the land-based way to do it.
| Reviewed 10 Dec 2008 by Elaine Battison | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It's difficult to pick out one thing as I really enjoyed snorkelling with the turtles, walking on the volcano and just enjoying island life. My husband would say snorkelling with hammerhead sharks!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack lightly but make sure that you take a windproof jacket as it can get quite chilly in the evenings. Also the water was very cold for snorkelling and I wish that I had taken a full wet suit with me to the other islands as I got cold very quickly in the water.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the tour was run by a local company and employed local people on the boat. We used local guides at all times who were charming and very enthusiastic & knowledgeable about the islands. We also stayed at small hotels and ate at the local restaurants.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had a great time on the Galapagos. I really enjoyed the different mix of actvities and enjoyed staying on the islands themselves rather than on the boats. I felt that we had more flexibility by staying on the islands and got much more of a flavour of what life is like for the locals.
| Reviewed 2 Oct 2008 by Emma Recchia | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
When I first saw a blue footed boobie and Lonesome George!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Sea sickness tablets, and remember that you are on a boat. Also if you have your own fins and snorkelling gear it is worth taking!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a fantastic experience. I would also recommend staying a couple of days in Quito which is an amazing city. I would suggest Hostal de la Rabida in Quito, an oasis of tranquillity and they have a beautiful cuddly rabbit called Brownie!!! :-)
| Reviewed 2 Jun 2008 by Cliff Eaton | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Swimming and playing with Sea lions and Penguins.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
This multi activity holiday is just that with little down time. Some of the walks are long and include hills. There are also long trips 2 to 3 hours on small boats between islands.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
This particular holiday ensured that the local community were involved with tourism using locally hired guides, drivers and boats. We discovered that some cruise based holidays to the Galapagos were not so inclusive.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The Galapagos Islands are something you must experience. This holiday gave a small group (13) of like minded people the opportunity to enjoy the island's wildlife and scenery. Accompanied by a local guide with great English and a passion about the Islands and their welfare. A MUST DO holiday!
| Reviewed 11 Feb 2008 by John Farmer | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Swimming with sealions and turtles. Plus amazing scenery and beaches.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Beware it’s a pretty active holiday. But that’s why I went. Lots to do each day, not much lounging around. But to be fair it wasn’t over the top - and there was even a 76-year-old grandma on the trip who managed to do everything. So don’t be put off.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We always stayed at locally run hotels and eat at local restaurants, while the guides used were also from the local area.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Often trips around the Galapagos are based on cruises. But this one also allows you to see the islands which are beautiful. There's so much wildlife going on. Dolphins, whales, sharks...giant tortoises and turtles. I’m not a wildlife boff but it was brilliant to see and there was also other stuff to do like mountain biking and hiking up a volcano. It's a well worked out and varied trip.
| Reviewed 19 Nov 2007 by Tracey Day | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Snorkelling with juvenile sea lions.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't think about it - just do it. It was fantastic.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I feel that the team leader did his best to minimise impacts on the environment but was surprise that the locals didn't do more.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant - never stopped for a moment so crammed in as much as we possibly could.
| Reviewed 12 Feb 2007 by Andrew Roberts | |
I had an excellent time in the Galapagos with a great group of people and an highly enthusiastic and friendly couple of guys, as well as the local guides, running the trip. Nothing was too much bother and they were in the main always keen to assist and help out where and if needed.
It was extremely well organised and I have little or no complaints and would not hesitate to recommend the trip to anyone else who was thinking of going to the Galapagos, especially those who didn't like the concept of being 'stuck' on a boat for a couple of weeks cruising between the various islands and wanted a more 'active' trip with like minded people.
It was extremely well organised and I have little or no complaints and would not hesitate to recommend the trip to anyone else who was thinking of going to the Galapagos, especially those who didn't like the concept of being 'stuck' on a boat for a couple of weeks cruising between the various islands and wanted a more 'active' trip with like minded people.