Travel

Longer Natural History Tours of the Galapagos Islands

O ur trips are different. Most of them spend 11 days in the Galapagos Islands. About half a dozen expeditions each year spend 15 days in the islands. These are the longest regularly available tours of the Galapagos.

It is the fate of most voyagers, no sooner to discover what is most interesting in any locality than they are hurried from it.

Charles Darwin, 1845

Our trips are educationally-oriented and are accompanied by a Tour Leader / Biologist in addition to a local Naturalist Guide. The tours are oriented to the passenger who wants to observe and learn as much as possible about the Galapagos - the animals and plants - on land and in the water.

The tours are also oriented to photographers (although you don't have to be a photographer to get full value and enjoyment from our trips). We do offer some light photographic advice and, more important extensive, unique, and excellent photo opportunities.

Our trips are different than most, for several reasons:

1. Most important is that we allow you to maximize and get the most out of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure travel experience. Our Workshops provide an in-depth orientation to the islands beyond the scope of most vacation- type tours.
2. We spend a longer time in the islands than most tour groups. We feel that 11 days is the minimum time necessary to see most of the important Visitor Sites (including the outer islands) and be assured of a maximum viewing opportunity of the significant plant and animal species. We include 3 days in the volcanically-active western islands, where we whale-watch, see penguins, flightless cormorants, and giant tortoises in the wild. For maximum enjoyment and wildlife viewing opportunities, we recommend our 2 weeks in Galбpagos program, incorporating an additional 4 days at key central islands.
3. In addition to the legally-required Naturalist Guide, we provide a Tour Leader/ Biologist who gives daily lectures on natural history. The Guide's role is to escort people on shore, to provide some wildlife interpretation, and to make sure the rules of the National Park are enforced. Having a Tour Leader adds a serious educational orientation to the trip.
4. Our two daily island visits are longer (2-4 hours each) than most tours. We also go on shore earlier in the day (typically landing between 6 and 7am. vs. 8am for most other vessels) to enhance viewing and photographic opportunities.

We have each been to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands numerous times and we get tremendous pleasure out of sharing the Galбpagos with a relatively small number of people each year. We look forward to answering your questions and hope we can share the Galбpagos with you as well.

Saludos!

Mark, Julie, Debbie