3 independent reviews for Ecuador & Galapagos active adventure vacation
Reviews for Ecuador & Galapagos active adventure vacation
Carolyn Dean review 1 Feb 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
I LOVED being in the Amazon rainforest and I wish I had spent more time there. Omar, our guide, spoke excellent English, and is so knowledgeable on all aspects of nature. It was a delight and a privilege to be guided around such a stunning part of the world by someone who has such enthusiasm for the rainforest and all who dwell within it.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take some good mosquito repellent for the rainforest! If you do the cruise on the small motorised yacht, be aware that on several of the days, one of the activities is snorkelling, and sometimes it features twice a day. I am very much a land-based activities kind of gal, so I - along with three other people from our group of 16 - was disheartened to find so much time dedicated to snorkelling. If I had known, I would have taken my own goggles so I could have gone swimming. I would also have taken my wetsuit* for the days when the water was cooler. *I own a wetsuit because I do tandem surfing, during which most of the time is spent out of the water :)3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
With the high prices in some of the gift shops, I hope that the vacation benefited the local people by contributing to their income. It is hard to say if environmental impacts were reduced as a result of my vacation because I imagine a good amount of fuel was consumed in dinghy rides along the coastlines of the Galapagos, which would not have happened had there been no tourists. However, the more people who are moved by these experiences to tell others what they've seen and heard first hand, the more it may increase awareness of the need to support conservation.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was unfortunate that I missed the first two days of my vacation due to snow at Leeds-Bradford Airport, but once everything was back on track, the vacation was very enjoyable. The food was excellent, but that is not a priority for me at all, so I felt that a lot of time and money was wasted (on me at least) on fine dining. And the snorkelling put a dampener - no pun intended - on the cruise part of my vacation. But... as I said before, I LOVED the Amazon rainforest. From being met at the airport in Coca, to the beautiful journey by motorised and then paddle canoe to the Sani Lodge, I loved everything about it. The itinerary was varied and wonderful, I enjoyed the spacing and proportions of the meals, and the members of staff were all so lovely. Sani Lodge is beautiful, the sounds of nature at night are amazing, and I felt incredibly happy living in and exploring the rainforest with Omar and the rest of the group.Jill Crow review 23 Dec 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Everyday saw something amazing, loved the boat trips, the abundance of animal, bird and marine life and meeting people (guides and other travelers) with interesting stories to tell, but a head to head encounter with a giant turtle, while snorkelling, had to be one of the highlights.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Check how much to give in tips and have the right money available or can get very expensive!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Galapagos is very conservation oriented and all tourist jobs are filled by locals. Liked having filtered water readily available everywhere to refill our own water bottles, instead of throw away plastic water bottles, as couldn’t drink the tap water.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Outstanding in all aspectsHoliday Reviews
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