Return Galapagos Trip: Still Wonderful
Douglas Smith from the US' first Galapagos trip was for two weeks in 1988 and he was very aware of what to expect on his return visit from 2-14 March 2008. He sent us his feedback by e-mail...
We booked with CNH Tours via e-mail (make an enquiry). We heard about them from friends who took the tour a year earlier.
We received pre trip info which was very useful.
I believe our CNH tour was excellent and I heartily recommend it to people who have a keen interest in natural history. I believe our guide Juan was fantastic and contributed greatly to our adventure.
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Which accommodations did you stay at?
In Quito we stayed at Casa Sol where the personnel were very helpful and friendly. Language was a problem, however. Generally the hotel was satisfactory and it had internet. We would have preferred a double bed rather than the single beds.
In Puerto Ayora, we stayed at the hotel Hotel Fernandina - it was good.
How was your flight to the islands?
Flights were uneventful.
The Samba is a small (~70 ft) motor yacht with a crew of five - captain, cook, mechanic, and 2 general helpers. Everyone was very helpful although they understood only a little English. Most communication was done through our guide.
The excellent meals were served family style, all you could eat, and had a definite Ecuadorian slant.
The cabins were adequate though small as you might expect on such a boat with 14 tourists. One problem we had was the failure of our air conditioning which they tried to fix but lacked a part. Otherwise we were very comfortable.
There was power on board for battery charging, but you had to have your own charger or borrow one from another tourist. We failed to bring a charger but were fortunate that another tourist loaned me his.
What was your guide like?
Our Galapagos trip guide was superb, very knowledgeable, and went out of his way to ensure a maximum experience.
Did you get seasick and did you use medication?
No on both accounts. The sea was never rough. I don't get seasick anyway.
Snorkeling was generally very good and included swimming with the sea lions, turtles and penguins. A few people got to swim with a giant (~10 ft) manta ray. A wet suit was not at all necessary and I did not use the one I brought with me.
Hikes were fine, although a little slow at times.
Our Angermeyer Point dinner was excellent.
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We were in Ecuador for 3 weeks, first in the jungle, then in the Andes, and finally in the Galapagos and it rained EVERY day! Usually it was short but sometimes it poured, but overall the weather usually did not interfere with our activities.
We didn't expect so much rain.
Galapagos weather: check out the average monthly temperatures and rainfall »
I didn't keep a diary but here's what I remember:
- Up at 5:30.
- Island excursion 6:00-7:30.
- Breakfast on board.
- Snorkeling next.
- Lunch on board.
- Island excursion.
- Supper on board.
- Review of the day and planning for the next day.
- Early to bed.
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Make sure you have explicit instructions for making a collect call to the US from Ecuador. I could not get through to cancel my credit cards when my wallet was stolen in Quito. My wallet was stolen on my first day in Quito via the apparently classic mustard spill. It was Sunday and the US embassy was closed. Fortunately, I was able to cancel my credit/debit cards via e-mail.
I failed to bring a battery charger which would have been useful.
Use our Galapagos packing list to help you pack »
8 out of 10.
Each island was special and had much to offer... I savored the entire experience. Likewise with regards to the animals, there were many wonderful experiences and contacts with the wildlife.
It was a wonderful trip and I would recommend it to others.
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