Galapagos active adventure tour, land based

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

As the company that pioneered land-based tours in the Galapagos, we are proud of our contributions and the positive impacts that we and our guests have made both in terms of the local economy and conservation.

The first hotel we recommend guests stay at on this tour has its Wyndham Green Certification. That means this hotel has addressed and met all the best practices when it comes to waste reduction, water conservation, and energy efficiency.

We have also helped local fishermen finance the conversion of their boats from two-stroke to four-stroke engines making them more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

We are a full member and one of the largest contributors to the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA). In addition to our financial contributions, we ask every single guest who travels with us to add to our contributions as a way to have a positive and meaningful impact on the future conservation of the Galapagos Islands. IGTOA funds conservation projects across the archipelago and is an active participant in discussions on how to best continue responsible tourism in the islands. We also support the USA-based Galapagos Conservancy which funds work in the Galapagos Islands including that of the Charles Darwin Research Center.

On each island, we hire the services of local boat owners and tour operators who support our trips in various ways. Some of these operators are local fishermen who, for the past few years, have been transitioning their livelihood from fishing to tourism. This is a stated goal that the National Park Service fully supports in order to better protect the marine life of the Galapagos, as well as creating better diversification in the local economy. The Park Service has recently created special provisions to encourage fishermen to make this transition and we are glad to be able to help make this a reality for some of them.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We are proud that our Galapagos Islands Tours have a significant and beneficial economic impact in the Galapagos Islands and we leave a large percentage of the trip fee with the communities and business owners on the islands. On these trips you stay in local hotels, eat in local restaurants, hire local guides and buy all our trip provisions and food in the Galapagos. This is sometimes quite challenging as what is available changes from week to week, but we believe in the importance of contributing to the local economy as much as possible.

On the Island of Isabela we include a visit to the Pescado Azul Women’s Association whose principal objective is to increase the quality of life of fishermen and their families in the small town of Puerto Villamil. This association provides a sustainable economic alternative for these women and the 200 fishermen who lack full time employment on the island. We buy their delicious smoked tuna pâté and other items to serve on our trips.

These Galapagos adventures also offer an excellent opportunity for our guests to interact with the local inhabitants, thus providing a cultural element that hardly exists on yacht based trips. If you have an interest in understanding how the local human population lives in the Galapagos encompassed by a National Park, you will gain many insights on this tour.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All our operations are driven by a commitment to create programs that are sustainable and also help improve conditions for the people living on the Galapagos Islands. Our exclusive partner for these tours is on the cutting edge of implementing and practicing meaningful community service in the Galapagos Islands. Staff is offered continual training opportunities to learn skills that not only help them on the job, but in their personal lives as well. This training is available for learning the basics of business finance and budgeting. Employees are taught how to provide superlative guest service which is a much-needed skill in the islands. Language classes in English are taught and sponsorships for local residents who wish to obtain Naturalist Guide Certification through the programs offered by the Galapagos National Park are offered.

We are able to accommodate people with physical limitations, disabilities and medical conditions; please speak with our team ahead of time if you think you will require any additional assistance while on the trip.

All of our group tours in the Galapagos are LGBTQ+ friendly. Everyone is welcome on our tours regardless of identity.