Galapagos Island Trip Impressions
Sally Datars went on a Galapagos Island trip and these were the experiences that led her to rate the overall tour as a ten out of ten.
CNH Tours booked the trip; we were on board the M/Y Samba from February 26 to March 4, 2008 (8 days, 7 nights).
And how did you get to hear about them?
My travelling companion found them in the Lonely Planet guide I think. We booked over the internet and email.
Make an enquiry with CNH Tours »
Relatively small boat (78 feet) with room for 14 passengers. Most of the cabins were below deck with one (or 2) one level above the deck. The cabins are small with nowhere to put anything except for two drawers under the bed.
I saw other cabins had somewhere to set a small bag. Lower bunk is larger but gets cold with air conditioning under the lower bunk. Upper bunk is comfortable but a long reach to get down to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Bathroom and hot showers in each cabin. Food was plentiful and usually very good. A large water cooler was available to refill your water bottles each day. Bottled water is available but not encouraged as it is a huge drain on the ecosystem.
The dining room is large but a little cramped with 14 passengers. There are places to sit and read on the upper deck which is covered and the main front deck which is exposed to the sun (or stars).
What was your guide like?
Our Galapagos island trip guide was knowledgeable about the geological formation of the islands and the wildlife. He was good-natured and funny and spoke English well.
Did you get seasick and did you use medication?
I did get seasick one night when the boat was heaving to and fro alot and I took bromamine which helped.
Is Dramamine the best sea sickness remedy?
This is hard to answer. I thought the sea lions were really fun to watch. They are playful in the water and will actually swim with you. The giant tortoises are a treat to be able to see, especially in the wild.
And I was graced with the pleasure of seeing green sea turtles coming to shore to lay eggs. This was amazing. We also saw a pair copulating in one of the quiet bays. I saw one or two swim by while I was snorkeling. Another highlight was seeing the marine iguanas swimming.
What other wildlife did you see (land/sea)?
Penguins, various land iguanas, a reef shark, rays jumping out of the water and one I saw while snorkeling, flamingos.
How was the diving or snorkeling?
The snorkeling was good. Visibility was mostly really good; in one place it was a bit murky.
Back to Questions
It's hard to choose, but maybe Punta Suarez, Espanola because of the blowholes.
What was the non-wildlife highlight of your trip?
I think it was the last full day when we landed on Bartolome late in the afternoon to climb the stairs to view the island from the lookout. Pinnacle Rock.
How was the weather?
Mostly fantastic, hot and sunny. We had three afternoons of rain. I liked that it was always warm even at night.
See what the Galapagos weather is like right now with this real-time readout and the average monthly temperatures and rainfall.
Back to Questions
Get up just before 7:00 for breakfast. First excursion to an island usually starts right after breakfast. You go and prepare and meet around 8:00 to board the pangas. Usually walk the marked trails to see some sort of wildlife.
Return to boat in time for lunch at 12:30. There is free time after lunch then another excursion or snorkeling in the afternoon. Return to boat before dinner at 7:00. Evenings to yourself. Usually spent up on deck or some go straight to bed.
How was the flight there? Any problems?
We flew from Quito to Guayaquil to Galapagos. No problems.
Bring repellant but bugs, mosquitos are not a big problem, especially on the boat. A camera, hat, bathing suit and shorts were the most useful items in my luggage.
Our tour operator (CNH Tours) provided briefing notes with everything we needed to know about the trip. The ship had guides to wildlife, birds, mammals and marine life.
Take a look at this comprehensive Galapagos island trip packing list to make sure you leave nothing behind...
Was there an internet connection anywhere?
No Internet connection but each cabin had plugs for recharging camera batteries or whatever.
Back to Questions
I would have liked more opportunities to kayak. Other than that, no.
I found the stretch between meals a little too long. I would have liked some in between snacks and a lighter lunch, not a big cooked meal. Soup, salad and sandwich for example.
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