Galapagos and Ecuador wildlife tour

Planet

Accommodation & Meals:
Most of the trip is spent sleeping on a first class, motor boat and the remaining nights are in hotels and a jungle lodge. The Cachalote Explorer is an environmental conscious vessel that is equipped with a wastewater treatment plant to ensure that no residue goes into the sea. There are tight regulations in place to prevent ecological damage such as: restricting use of electrical products, use of biodegradable products (like shampoo, detergent, soap) and recycling of contaminants (oil and fuel). At the Napo Wildlife Centre, all organic waste is recycled and the rest is sent away to Coca for disposal. They produce gas for cooking from organic waste recycling and there is a solar panel system for water heating.

Conservation:
We visit the Charles Darwin Research Centre on Santa Cruz Island after driving to the highlands to look for wild tortoises. This center is dedicated to protecting and conserving the ecology of the islands and carries out educational projects in support of conservation of the Galapagos Islands. Our entry fees help contribute to all the work going on here by improving demand, facilities and creating employment opportunities for scientists. We are also careful to adhere to National Park guidelines, which, amongst other things, ask that we keep a safe distance from wildlife at all times.

Group Size:
This is a small group tour, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.

UK Office:
It all starts at home where we work towards reducing our carbon footprint in our offices through energy conservation measures, recycling policies and the promotion of cycling and walking as a means for our staff to commute. Our head office has become a plastic-free zone with the use of plastic bottles being banned in our head office and we distributed reusable water bottles and tote bags to every staff member. We also support a large number of community and environmental projects in different parts of the world and try to give something back to the places we visit.

People

Local Craft and Culture:
Napo Wildlife Centre jungle lodge is an Indian community project run by the Kitchwa Indian group in the area of Añangu lagoon. The aim of this is to raise money for local school support and a medical center through means which promote positive cultural interaction and benefit for the environment. Clients will have the opportunity to see and participate in cultural shows, purchase handicrafts and give donations here if they wish. This is a big source of income for the Añangu community and a great chance to celebrate their traditions and craftsmanship.

Community:
The Galapagos and Amazon are renowned for incredibly unique wildlife and conservation efforts. We try to make as little negative impact on the environment and wildlife as possible, but also to leave a positive impact in terms of community and local economy. Guides and other staff are local to both areas, meaning that the state of local employment and economy benefits. Although much of this tour is spent on board the boat or in nature, wherever the opportunity arises clients are encouraged to use local businesses and to engage with people they meet in order to promote positive cultural exchange.