We visited Santiago Island during low tide, so we walked along to beach to look for wildlife in the tide pools. There were a lot of creatures relaxing in the pools - it was like a day at the spa! I learned that Santiago Island is made of compact ash, not lava, which gives it a very different look & feel. The vegetation was beautiful - there were morning glory vines in full bloom all along the shore and huge cacti further inland. And with an impressive volcano within view on the horizon, the scenery on Santiago was breathtaking.
After our hike, we had chance to snorkel. This was probably the best snorkeling of the trip, because the water was calm and clear and the sea life was abundant. It was the first time I had ever experienced large schools of fish swimming all around me. We also saw a shark and several sea lions in the water - what a treat! I didn't expect the snorkeling to be such a highlight of our trip, but it certainly was.
After lunch, we snorkeled again, just off the shore of La Rabida island. The snorkeling here was great too - we came across a group of playful & curious sea lions in the water. I was struck by how graceful they look in the water, especially given how clumsy they appear on land.
La Rabida Island was beautiful. The earth was a deep red color, and the vegetation was lush and green. We saw a lot of wildlife on our walk, and after exploring a bit on the island, our guide took us for a ride in the zodiak along the shoreline, hoping to spot more wildlife. We saw boobies, a penguin, and several other types of birds. The afternoon was not without a little excitement - our zodiak sprung a leak when we pushed up against a rock to get closer to the penguin. So we had to return to the ship to exchange zodiaks. The guide and driver handled the situation very well, and fortunately we didn't have to test out our life jackets!
Adventure Life has been an extraordinary travel resource for us over the years and today was no exception. Our River Cruise booking was handled by Jess (who has been our personal trip planner for several years) the same day as our inquiry. Suggestions were given for cabin choice and pre-trip options (that were not shown on the cruise line's website) like airport transfers and prepaid gratuities. Trip insurance recommendations followed and we were assigned a travel co-ordinator till the end of the tour. All we have to do is show up! Great service from friendly folks.
APtravelwell
1 day ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
1 day ago
Although there was a lot of paper work, I received help and guidance when I needed it.
Donna Kirby
2 days ago
Our travel was flawless! The rider pickup (airport, hotel, ship) was seamless. Jane's recommendation for Emerald Cruise Sakara was everything I wanted but the experience was soooo much more. Adventure Life took care of each and every detail and this was the easiest of all my travels.
Anne Petty
3 days ago
Follow up was effective any questions were answered in a timely manner