Many travelers who call Adventure Life for help planning a trip to the Galapagos often start by saying, "You know, I heard the cruises are really the best way to see the islands, but we're not really 'cruise people'." And to that I say, a cruise in the Galapagos is not your typical cruise! These ships are all between 12-100 passengers, which is extremely small in the world of cruising. I like to think of them as floating hotels, taking you from island to island to see the best the Galapagos has to offer. No glitzy evening shows, not a ton of unstructured time for relaxation - the Galapagos cruises are all about the excursions! That is, after all, the whole point of traveling thousands of miles to these remote islands on the equator - the wildlife, the landscapes, the geology, the biology! If you're looking for a place to sit on the beach and drink rum swizzles, you'd be missing the point - and paying far too much - to do that in the Galapagos.
Here's what a typical day on the Galapagos Legend would look like (timing can change from day to day depending on planned excursions):
7:00 - 8:00 - Breakfast! Wonderful buffet of omelettes made-to-order, fresh fruit, sausages, pastries and breads, and local sides.
Breakfast omelettes! (Jenna Fedyschyn)
9:00 - 11:30 - Morning excursion! Head to the gear room to grab your snorkeling gear and wetsuit. Take a zodiac to shore for a "wet landing" (disembark zodiac into a few inches of water - water shoes necessary). Walk the beach, snorkel with sea turtles, pose with sea lions, take it all in. The zodiac drivers circle the snorkelers and help take you to shore when you've had enough. Glass bottom boat is available for those who aren't wanting to snorkel.
Ready to snorkel! (Jenna Fedyschyn)
12:00 - 1:30 - Lunch buffet. Just when you thought you couldn't possibly be hungry again, it's time to eat another meal! Today it's a BBQ on the top deck, so don't forget your hat and sunscreen - that equator sun is strong! Order your dinner from a pre-set menu - usually 2-3 options each for appetizer, main course, and dessert (and separate menu for special dietary restrictions).
Grabbed prime seats for the sun deck BBQ lunch (Jenna Fedyschyn)
2:00 - 5:00 - Afternoon excursion! Today it's a "dry landing," so hiking shoes are preferable for the rocky ground. Learn about the flora & fauna of a new island - it's so different from day to day! View breathtaking landscapes, and stop often for photo opportunities. The wildlife is constantly performing!
8:00 - 9:00 - Naturalist briefing. What's coming up tomorrow? What time do we meet? What shoes should I wear? What wildlife will we see? How extreme is the hike? All your burning questions are answered. Grab a drink at the bar or turn in early. It has been a long day!
As you can see, this is not your typical umbrella-drink-drinking, beach-chair-napping, live-show-watching kind of cruise!
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
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
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
