Galapagos Islands Cruise

Environment

There are a number of walking tours in some of Ecuador's most charming cities and towns as well as hikes on various islands in the Galapagos on this trip. We request that our travelers do their best to be mindful of their impact during these walking tours and hikes. We ask that they hold themselves responsible when it comes to disposing of any waste as we want to keep the places visited beautiful and clean for future travelers and equally important, the local people and wildlife.

By offering numerous walking tours and outdoor activities accessible by foot, we also reduce our impact on the quality of the air in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Only transfers from city to city are by mini-bus and island to island by motor catamaran. The rest of our visit can be accessed on foot including hikes on islands such as North Seymour, Genovesa, Santiago, Bartholomew and Santa Cruz. These are all led by locals as well as expert Galapagos naturalist guides who have the preservation of this beautiful country and these beautiful islands in mind.

During any of our walks, hikes, and swims, we ask that everyone respects the local plant and wildlife by disposing of trash properly and not disturbing any wildlife they may come across as well as any social norms practiced by the locals as advised by our local guide. We also strongly encourage everyone to adhere to the special laws put into place to protect the Galapagos Islands. These rules include, but are not limited to : remaining on marked trails at visitor sites and respect signs at all times for the protection of wildlife; maintaining a distance of at least six feet (two meters) from wildlife to avoid disturbing them; never feeding wildlife; not introducing food, animals, or plants into the Archipelago; practicing “leave-no-trace” principals in order to maintain the beauty of the environment.

Community

Our local Ecuadorian and Galapagos guides will be with our group from the beginning to end of our stay. We encourage our travelers to communicate respectfully and as peers with all guides as well as asking insightful questions about culture, language, history, etc. in order to promote cultural exchange.

We make an effort to sustain the local craft market by introducing our travelers to as many local artisans and craft makers as possible while enriching their knowledge of the local industry. On the trip, our travelers will have the chance to visit local craft markets as well as learn about the ways in which locals and non-locals can and do protect the unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands.

The restaurants we visit are all locally-owned. We encourage our travelers to eat at these types of restaurants and avoid large chain dining establishments. This is not only to support the local economy and small business owners, but also so that our travelers may have a more authentic dining and cultural experience while in Ecuador.

We have hand-selected all of the accommodations on this trip. It is our belief that in order to have a more meaningful experience while in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, staying at smaller hotels allows for more interaction with the people of each country and helps support the local tourism industry and businesses.