The Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean have for years been the epitome of ecotourism.  Experiencing this destination with National Geographic in conjunction with Lindblad Expeditions was a privilege and a day-by-day wonder.

National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions have formed a partnership in various parts of the world based on their dedication to preservation and exploration.  From the observations of a professional traveler, one of the reasons that partnership works well is the well-educated staff of naturalists on-board.  The three naturalists on the Islander in mid-December traveling thru the Galapagos Islands, Sophia, Silvia and Jonathan, are all native Ecuadorians who have a passion for their homeland, specifically for these very special islands.  Every question throughout the 9-day trip, relative to geology, history or wildlife, was answered in depth; each answer demonstrated a real understanding of the intertwining of all elements of creation and life in the Galapagos.   Even casual inquiries led to discussions that were eye-opening and informative. From the viewpoint of a passenger, it was clear that the entire staff was well-trained, each in their respective positions. 

There were 38 guests aboard a ship that holds 48 when full to capacity; nine of the passengers were a group of family members.  This could be a difficult situation for the staff, but they repeatedly handled it with grace.  While answering the requests of the group, it was clear that the comfort and enjoyment of the remaining passengers was also at the forefront.  From food service staff to naturalists to hotel management personnel, insuring that everyone got the most out of their experience was the primary concern.

The Islander is a relatively small ship and certainly creates an intimate atmosphere for the passengers.  The ship is very classic looking, with lots of dark, polished teak wood everywhere.  There is a large rooftop deck, partly shaded, as well as a smaller deck in back with a couple of hammocks for relaxing quietly.  There are none of the frills that people associate with cruising on large cruise ships: no nightly entertainment, no swimming pool, water slides, kids’ clubs. There are four decks and no elevators, making this a difficult place for people requiring accessibility.

At each destination, the passengers are tendered in on zodiacs, sometimes for “dry” landings, and sometimes for “wet landings”.   The focus is on learning about the Galapagos Islands and experiencing, first hand, the balance of nature and the importance of preservation.  The lack of entertainment quickly becomes a moot point after the first day or two when you realize you have done more by noon each day than you normally do in a full day; you have expended more physical energy than you would have thought possible.  Bedtime by 9 or 10 pm comes as a blessing! 

All excursions are included in the cost of the cruise; a detailed daily briefing provides all the information needed to decide which of the hikes, walks, rides you would like to join.  As there are a variety of ability levels, there are always a variety of ways to enjoy each island.  Whether you have a passion for animals and geology, or you travel there knowing nothing other than that you will see tortoises and weird birds with blue feet (blue footed boobies), you come away with a great appreciation and understanding of all aspects of the Galapagos.  You also bring home some sore muscles and hundreds of award-worthy photographs.

The cabins on the ship range from the smallest, least costly, at probably 140 square feet including the full bathroom, up to suites with private porches and sitting areas.  The internet area is near the lounge; it is not free or quick, but it is there.  The lounge area is equipped with comfortable seating for the daily briefings, and is set up in small conversation groups for casual visiting.  There is always tea, coffee, soda, water and some snacks available in this area. There is even a library and a fitness center.

Meals are served at set times, based on the day’s activities.  Breakfast and lunch are buffet style, but we certainly learned that all requests would be honored if at all possible.  One passenger “needed” chocolate sauce at every meal; that brought great pleasure to the guest as well as to the maitre d’ at each meal.  There was plenty of variety throughout the trip.  Dinners were ordered from a menu, though they often asked you to make your choice in the morning in order to make their job a bit easier.  There were a few theme dinners, which were very successful.  Imagine coming to the dining room for an Ecuadorian themed dinner and finding a roasted pig as part of the menu.  I still can’t imagine how they accomplished that one with such limited space.

Of the excursions that were most informative and fun, the many hikes over the different types of lava are high on my list.  At times, we were walking over smooth lava fields, with occasional crevices, while shortly thereafter there was nothing in sight except huge, porous, craggy boulders that had to be traversed to proceed.  Trails exist everywhere and are very well marked.  No one is allowed to roam freely on these islands, so the trails are not entirely aimed at protecting the tourists. The trails exist to keep the wildlife safe. 

Even then, the most common sites are of iguanas, sea lions and birds within inches of where you are walking.  It would be unusual to participate in one of these hikes where you didn’t repeatedly hear “watch out, there’s a baby sea lion”, or “don’t step on the iguanas”.  Some of the excursions included beach time.  While enjoying the crystal clear blue waters and swimming with turtles, penguins and sea lions, you would also be stepping over them on the beach.  One young lady fell asleep on the beach and awoke to a sea lion walking across her body as if she were part of the landscape. There were snorkel opportunities, where you would find yourself surrounded by varieties of beautifully colored fish, sea turtles, penguins, and sea lions.  Kayaking was a popular choice for the more active guests

The most stunning event of the trip, from my perspective, was watching a cormorant struggle with an eel that he was intent on eating.  The cormorant is a flightless bird, 100 cm in length, approximately four feet.  The eel was easily two feet long.   Once the bird had the eel trapped in its beak, it was a matter of flipping it around to get it in position for swallowing.  The neck of the cormorant immediately swelled to accommodate the eel.

Aside from the cormorant/eel excitement, there was a multitude of other wildlife encounters that remain as brilliant mental images.  The blue footed boobies are a pleasure to watch; their colored feet are a beautiful blue and they waddle in a comical fashion.  The male frigate bird has a bright red pouch under its head that inflates to a huge brilliant balloon as it flies over territory to attract a female frigate bird. 

Closer to the ground, a brilliant red, yellow and blue crab on the black lava is the sally lightfoot crab.  They are often in clusters of dozens and they are visible for quite a distance.  The sea lions are everywhere; you will see bull sea lions protecting their territory along the beach, noisily, and you will see baby sea lions playing in the sand, waiting for their mothers, often for days, to return with food. 

The sea turtles are harder to catch at a glimpse; they are most often in the water.  The areas where they lay their eggs are in the fine sandy beach areas and look like little moguls; it is important to keep a respectful distance there.  The giant tortoises are visible, especially up in the highlands on Santa Cruz.  They are quite large and move slowly; observing them retract their heads and poke them back out again could be an afternoon’s entertainment.

Who should go to the Galapagos?   Everyone!  Even if you have no interest in ecology, nature, animals, you will benefit from exposure to the outstanding destinations.  There is truly something for everyone.  Young children would love this trip, although I would encourage you to find a trip tailored to families.  Older people love this trip because it is still possible to enjoy all the sites and learn all about the islands even if you have limited physical abilities; the tour operators go out of their way to make it happen.

The newest tourism concept under development by enterprising locals is to combine land stays with day trips out to the islands.  It appears that this is in its early stages – there is some if it occurring presently.  It will take some time, money and ingenuity to get the land operations up to international standards, and travel times between islands is not necessarily conducive to daily travel.   Currently, there are all kinds of ships that offer live-aboard and all-inclusive trips, sailing from island to island; there are very small ships, perhaps suitable for a family, and there are ships as large as 100 passengers.
 
However you decide to explore this region of the world, you will not be disappointed.