Bachas Beach was our last island excursion - and what a way to end the tour. The white sand beaches coupled with the morning light were stunning. We walked along the beach, visited a couple of small lakes to see the pelicans, and swam one last time. It was beautiful. I particularly remember the distinct tortoise tracks from the shore up to the nesting areas on the beach.
When we departed the Galapagos Legend, we made our way back to Puerto Ayora via bus, boat, and taxi. We finally arrived at the dock to catch the water taxi to the Finch Bay Hotel, where we spent our last night in the Galapagos. There are no roads leading to the resort, so you must go by boat. It makes the hotel feel very secluded, even though it's just a few minutes from town. The lodging and food at Finch Bay was outstanding and definitely a highlight of the trip.
After a relaxing lunch by the pool, I headed back to town for more yacht and hotel inspections, while Pete stayed at the hotel to swim and explore the grounds. It was interesting to see more yachts, explore Puerto Ayora, and tour the hotels we use there. Overall, I was very impressed with the town - it was small and felt very safe. It's clearly a tourist town but not over the top. The people I met were all extremely friendly and helpful.
That evening, my dad and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Finch Bay and lamented that our time in the Galapagos was coming to a close.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.