Galapagos holidays offer an experience of a lifetime for nature lovers. Lying 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, these islands form a unique eco-system and offer close encounters with some of the world's most spectacular wildlife on land and water - you literally come face-to-face with iguanas, penguins, blue-footed boobies, flamingos and giant tortoises. And in the waters you will find marine iguanas, hammer head sharks, whale sharks, manta rays and sea lions... the list is endless. The Galapagos Islands are truly a wildlife enthusiast's paradise.
If you would like to see a particular species at a particular time of year on your Galapagos holiday, then do ask us for advice on when to go and which island to visit. A wildlife expedition to the islands is an incredible journey of discovery and adventure, which will bring you literally face to face with a huge array of inquisitive land and marine mammals and birds.
A Galapagos cruise is one of the best ways to see the different islands and their specific wildlife. The boats we feature range from those with a capacity of 20 passengers to the maximum of 100. The mid-sized to larger boats (carrying between 40 and 100 passengers) will generally have more public facilities such as lounges and Jacuzzis. However, the larger the boat, the longer it may take for embarking and disembarking for shore excursions. The smaller boats have the advantage of landing at islands such as Tower Island where you can see red-footed boobies. They can also sail closer to shore and visit more isolated bays.
On a typical Galapagos cruise, the first excursion might start after an early breakfast and is likely to last for several hours. Passengers then return to the boat before it moves onto the next island or nature site. In the afternoon there is usually another landing and again, several hours spent ashore. At some nature sites there will be a choice of activity such as snorkelling, kayaking or excursions on a glass-bottomed boat. In the evening, dinner is preceded by a talk by one of the boat’s naturalist, reviewing the day, and also previewing the next.
We can offer a range of Galapagos cruise lengths as well as specific trips that are tailored for families, people who would prefer not to be with younger children and those who want a more active trip with diving and marine activities.
Environmental concerns are paramount on our Galapagos holidays and the Galapagos National Park authorities limit the number of visitors to each island to just 100 per day, in groups no larger than 20. Many of the operators we work with have achieved accreditation for their environmental practices.
If you want to visit the islands on your Galapagos holiday but don’t want to spend too much time on a boat, there are some very good hotels in the archipelago, such as the Finch Bay Eco Hotel and the Galapagos Safari Camp, which operate day excursions to nearby islands. If you’d prefer to explore on foot, there are also walking tours that operate on Isabela Island.