Galapagos diving and Ecuador trekking vacation

Planet

Our tailormade Ecuador trips aim for a 'Slow Travel' approach, where we encourage our guests to fly on vacation less often, stay for longer when they are there (don't fly all the way to South America for 10 days!), and when flying is unavoidable (such as reaching the Galapagos) to make sure the trip is a fully immersive and meaningful adventure, that is both enjoyable for the traveler but also benefits the places we visit.

We handpick accommodation with a focus on environmental responsibility, such as the charming mountain lodge in Cotopaxi, and an award-winning Galapagos eco hotel helping to protect the local flora and fauna.

In fact just by visiting the Galapagos, as well as other national parks on the mainland, you are also helping to support important conservation efforts. Indeed, the Galapagos provides a great example in how responsible tourism can thrive, providing both the opportunity for people to experience its wonders, but also limiting the human impact on the archipelago through strict national park regulations.

People

Community based tourism is a key element of our trips to Ecuador, and in fact our ground partners based in Quito are multi-award winners in this field. Throughout the trip we aim to involve local communities in our activities, such as across the Cotopaxi trekking days with where we eat and stay. The aim throughout is to provide non-touristy, authentic cultural experiences, that benefit the people from those communities directly.

We also avoid any international chain hotels or large cruise ships, prioritising independent local owner-run properties where possible. This keeps more money in the immediate area, and helps provides business and employment opportunities to local people, whilst providing us and our guests with a more genuine and enriching stay as part of our trips. All of our guides and drivers are also based out of partners local offices in Quito and the Galapagos, rather than contracting in European or North American guides.