Galapagos Islands vacation
Fascinating two week small group tour featuring fairly shortish treks, island to island flights and motorboat rides, snorkelling, beach time and lots and lots of wildlife.
Quito San Cristobal Las Tijeteras Manglaralto Beach Kicker Rock San Cristobal highlands Isla Floreana Tortuga Island Sierra Negra Volcano Volcan Azufre Puerto Villamil Galapagos giant tortoise breeding center Santa Cruz Tortuga Bay possibility of also visiting Bartolome Island, South Plaza Island or North Seymour
Price
US $6999US $6449ToUS $7449excluding flights
More info
Optional single supplement from £798 - £840.
Minimum age 16.
Minimum age 16.
Offers
Up to US $550 off selected dates.
Late availability on these dates: 14 Oct, 18 Nov
Late availability on these dates: 14 Oct, 18 Nov
Description of Galapagos Islands vacation
Map
Price information
US $6999US $6449ToUS $7449excluding flights
Optional single supplement from £798 - £840.
Minimum age 16.
Minimum age 16.
Check dates, prices & availability
Travel guides
The behaviour of wildlife on Galápagos does vary, so you may want to take this into consideration – whether you want to play with penguins, swim with ...
Vacation information
Small group tour, ideal for solos & couples:
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modeled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, traveling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. For those with limited time, a small group tour will save valuable time in planning, and on vacation.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Galapagos Islands vacation
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 02 Nov 2019 by Mei-Yee Man Oram
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Snorkelling in the Galapagos Seeing the wildlife in the Amazon Camping on a volcano ridge
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Spend more time there if you have it! There is so much more to explore and
see!
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, especially at the Galapagos. Only comments are that a lot of plastic bags
were used for packed lunches both for Galapagos and for Amazon; also, at the
Amazon, would suggest that the awareness of guides for wildlife could perhaps be improved - e.g. knowing when to leave an area, when monkeys are getting agitated with our presence
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Really good experience! However, communication from the operator could be
better and we are unlikely to book with the operator again
Read the operator's response here:
We would like to thank Mei-Yee for her review; we were very pleased to read that she had such a great experience in the Galapagos and in the Amazon. We understand that she has raised some concerns regarding plastic bags and the awareness of local guides regarding observing wildlife. We have shared these comments with the local manager and asked that any necessary training or action be taken as we are currently endeavouring to ensure our vacations operate with as little plastic as possible. We were very sorry to read that she found communication pre-trip to be poor and whilst there are no specifics highlighted we can focus on, we would like to assure her that this feedback has been shared with the relevant members of staff.
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) vacation so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.• By traveling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites. A percentage of the entry fee for the Galapagos funds the conservation of this unique and significant area of the world.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We follow the Galapagos Island’s environmental protection policies.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
Tips for sustainable travel on this trip
• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.
People
Accommodation and Meals:We spend 12 nights in hotels and guesthouses and 2 nights full-service, wild camping in 2-person tents. The hotels on the Galapagos Islands are generally small, family-run establishments, which is beneficial for the local community. Spending part of the trip in non-permanent, low energy accommodation also reduces our carbon footprint of this trip. Most meals are provided with ingredients sourced on the islands and where free meals are concerned, clients are encouraged to try some of the locally run restaurants in the area. This is a great support to the small network of businesses on the Galapagos and we endeavour to spread our commerce to several places so that many feel the benefits. Regional specialties include freshly caught seafood, like sea bass, crab, oysters and lobster.
How this trip helps improve life for local communities.
• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible. The majority of accommodation on this trip is family owned.
• In the Galapagos all hotels have to meet requirements including recycling and waste management procedures on a Ministry of Tourism checklist.
• We stop on Floreana island and the meals there are at a community run restaurant.
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