Galapagos luxury nature cruise
Description of Galapagos luxury nature cruise
Enjoy boutique cruising in the Galapagos. There are just 20 guests aboard, making this small ship cruise an intimate and exciting experience away from the crowds.
You’ll start your adventure on dry land with two nights in Quito to explore the cultural gems of the capital. Then it’s on to the Galapagos to join your boat and spend a week island hopping.
Your cruise will have a strong focus on conservation. You won’t just learn about the animals who live here, but also how to ensure they continue to thrive for years to come. There’s a wonderful variety of birdlife to see as you island-hop, from frigates to Galapagos hawks.
There’s a lot to do – each day you’re out on the Zodiac exploring closer – or heading ashore for sandy beaches and volcanic islands. There are fun adventures around every headland: kayak alongside turtles, snorkel with sealions, and visit the famous Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre.
This cruise is booked with a tailor made specialist who can find exactly the right boat and itinerary that suits you best. You can stay longer than a week if you wish. In fact, we encourage you to extend your stay in South America after this trip – why not consider spending more time in Ecuador, or combine the Galapagos and Peru? Get in touch to be recommended some excellent extensions.
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7 Reviews of Galapagos luxury nature cruise
Reviewed on 30 May 2026 by Philip Rosell
Amazing....Swimming with penguins/ sea lions/ sharks and rays especially the day we saw the sea lions chasing the sharks! Blue footed boobies dancing Read full reviewReviewed on 11 May 2026 by Maureen Rae
Amazing!....Most memorable probably the Galapagos Islands - swimming with sea lions and turtles. All the bird life, both on the islands and the mainland. Read full reviewReviewed on 05 Feb 2026 by Sheji Jacob-Brettle
This was an incredible holiday and I loved, loved, loved it! Read full reviewReviewed on 16 Nov 2025 by Alan Hill
Excellent. Pickups went like clockwork, and all the stress of travel was taken away Read full reviewReviewed on 04 Oct 2025 by Clyde Bennett
Fantastic. All of my experiences were rich in diversity, from seeing so many forms of unique animal and vegetable life, to getting to know my fellow travelers on board from the US, Belgium, Israel, Serbia, and Bulgaria. Read full reviewReviewed on 20 Nov 2023 by Ciara Louw
Once in a lifetime. The cruise was all-round magical from the crew to the itinerary. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
By choosing to visit the Galapagos, as well as other national parks on the mainland if you arrange an extended adventure with us, you are helping to support important conservation efforts. The Galapagos provides one of the great examples in how responsible tourism can thrive, providing both the opportunity for people to experience its wonders, but also limiting the human impact on the archipelago through strict national park regulations.We also choose only small boutique sized boats (up to 20 guests) for our cruise partners. This enhances your enjoyment, but also leaves less of an impact on the flora and fauna when your groups step ashore.
We strongly encourage all cruise-goers to extend their trips, with eco-lodge stays in the Cloud Forest, Amazon Rainforest, and/or Andes Mountains back on mainland Ecuador. This is part of our 'Slow Travel' approach, where we encourage guests to fly on holiday less often, stay for longer when they are there (don't fly all the way to South America for 10 days!), and when flying is unavoidable (such as reaching the Galapagos) to make sure the trip is a fully immersive and meaningful adventure, that is both enjoyable for the traveller but also benefits the places we visit.
People
Ethical community-based tourism is a key element of any responsible travel adventure to Ecuador & Galapagos, and in fact our local partners based in Quito are multi-award winners in this field. The aim throughout is to provide non-touristy, authentic cultural experiences, that benefit the people from those communities directly.In the Galapagos we avoid the large international cruise ships, prioritising independent boutique boats where possible. If you extend your trip on the mainland with us, the same approach applies to hotels and lodges throughout Ecuador. This keeps more money in the immediate area, and helps provides business and employment opportunities to local people, whilst providing us and our guests with a more genuine and enriching stay as part of our trips.
In the Galapagos in particular, ethical tourism operations provide a lucrative and sustainable career path for locals who in previous years would have had to rely on fishing. By moving from fishing to tourism, this has also helped preserve the local ecosystems by maintaining healthy fish stocks for the iconic marine and avian wildlife.
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