Galapagos luxury travel guide

When you see a sunbathing marine iguana or fully-inflated, red-breasted frigatebird it won’t matter where you’re standing, although doing so from the deck of an ecologically-sound motor yacht or a three-masted sailing ship can really add a certain sense of style to the occasion. Many of the cruisers, catamarans and expedition ships that we feature in this Galápagos luxury travel guide have been chosen for their superb facilities and high standards of environmental care, with boats often owned and captained by Ecuadorians and Galapagueños. En suite cabins on a luxury vessel will be larger than a standard craft and may feature private balconies. These boats also offer passengers a higher quality of service in terms of dining, recreation and guided wildlife watching. The Galápagos are one of the world’s greatest conservation achievements and by undertaking a luxury holiday with responsible tourism at its core you’ll be actively helping to conserve this sensitive region as well as having a jolly nice time in the process.

Find out more in our Galápagos luxury holidays travel guide.

Guy Marks, from our luxury Galápagos cruise experts Tribes Travel, explains what a luxury holiday in the Galápagos entails: “It's like choosing between a 3-star hotel and a 5-star equivalent. The 5-star cruise ship is going to come with better facilities, perhaps a sundeck with Jacuzzi or a private balcony from where to watch the stars. You'll find larger cabins onboard a luxury ship as well as better food and a more extensive wine menu. Service will be slicker with English-speaking guides who are engaging, passionate and personable. This isn't to say that other local guides aren't any good – they are. However, the better guides gravitate to more luxurious ships thanks, in no small part, to larger tips and better facilities as well as improving their career prospects.”

These islands are a world away in relation to sub-species and unique encounters with animals both onshore and underwater. Snorkelling, kayaking and glass-bottomed boats add to the indulgent experience and choosing a ship that has suitable gear and equipment onboard lets you balance your time between relaxing, luxury travel and exciting adventures in nature.

Galápagos National Park is primarily a wildlife watching destination and by staying onboard a cruise ship you'll get to see many more sub-species that can only be found on islands that are out of reach of land-based holiday makers. Tailor made, luxury cruises can last anything up to two weeks, or more, although there are plenty of weeklong itineraries that offer an excellent variety of lesser-visited and popular locations as featured on our map below, as well as the big-name sights visited on regular cruises. In general, the central, larger islands of Isabela, Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal are more commonly visited; but head north to Genovesa or south to Española and you’ll get a much wilder, more unique experience.