Via Natura - WF

Story

For more than 33 years, Via Natura creates extraordinary travel experiences across South America. As a premier Destination Management Company (DMC) and boutique tour operator, Via Natura specializes in designing custom, out-of-the-ordinary journeys exclusively for discerning luxury travelers. Every experience is built on unparalleled expertise and a dedication to exceeding expectations through personalized boutique service. You enjoy carefully selected luxury properties and unique experiences that match individual passions, interests, and travel preferences, creating authentic and unforgettable journeys. With dedicated offices in Guayaquil, Quito, Cusco, and Puerto Ayora, Via Natura combines extensive local knowledge with seamless travel planning and privileged access throughout Ecuador, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands. Every itinerary follows three guiding principles: tailor-made design, immersive experiences, and unique luxury travel. Via Natura also owns and operates an exclusive fleet, including the M/C Hermes Mega Catamaran, the world's largest luxury catamaran in the Galapagos, and the Monserrat Yacht, delivering first-class cruising with personalized service, expert National Park Guides, and exceptional comfort. Every journey invites you to experience South America through luxury, authenticity, and meaningful connections.

Mission

Via Natura creates tailor-made luxury journeys that reflect individual interests, tastes, and travel preferences. You discover extraordinary destinations through immersive experiences, carefully selected accommodations, and authentic cultural, natural, and gastronomic encounters. Every itinerary combines personalized service, local expertise, and exceptional quality to deliver rewarding and unforgettable travel experiences.

Vision

Via Natura strives to remain a leading boutique Destination Management Company and luxury tour operator in South America. You experience exceptional journeys that combine personalized service, unique accommodations, authentic local experiences, and world-class expedition cruising. Every adventure reflects a commitment to excellence, innovation, and creating meaningful luxury travel experiences that inspire lasting memories.

Via Natura places sustainability at the heart of every journey, recognizing the responsibility of operating cruises within the fragile and pristine ecosystem of the Galápagos Islands. Travel with a company committed to protecting the archipelago while introducing you to the people who call these islands home. Discover not only the remarkable wildlife but also the stories of the local communities whose resilience and stewardship continue to support the preservation of the Galápagos.

Hermes Mega Catamaran sets a new standard for luxury cruising while advancing Via Natura's vision of conservation and sustainability throughout the islands. Every initiative aboard the vessel helps reduce environmental impact, strengthen local communities, and create meaningful travel experiences.

Food Waste Reduction

Enjoy served-dish gastronomic experiences instead of buffet meals aboard Hermes Mega Catamaran. This approach reduces food waste by approximately 30%, lowers the cruise's carbon footprint, and helps protect the Galápagos marine ecosystem.

Water Treatment Plants

Travel aboard a vessel equipped with advanced water treatment plants. Hermes treats all dark and gray water through onboard purification systems before discharge into open seas, fully complying with international maritime conventions.

Supporting Local Communities

Help strengthen the local economy through responsible tourism. Via Natura continues to source the majority of food supplies from local stores and community producers, continuing a commitment maintained for more than 18 years. Qualified naturalist guides are hired from the local community, creating employment opportunities and supporting economic development. Continue visiting locally owned coffee farms in the Santa Cruz Highlands to learn how coffee cultivation became a vital source of income for the island's early settlers.

Preserving and Promoting Ecuadorian Culture

Experience the rich culture behind the Galápagos Islands. Via Natura partners with a renowned Ecuadorian chef to present menus that blend local and international cuisine while offering onboard cooking experiences that introduce Ecuadorian traditions and gastronomy. Discover the country's cultural heritage and gain inspiration to explore more of Ecuador beyond the Galápagos.

Reducing Single-Use Plastics

Travel more sustainably by reducing plastic waste. Via Natura provides every guest with a complimentary reusable water bottle that can be refilled at onboard water stations and reused throughout the journey in Ecuador and beyond, helping reduce single-use plastic both in the Galápagos and future destinations.

Environmentally Friendly Amenities

Enjoy luxury amenities selected with sustainability in mind. Via Natura partners with suppliers that provide environmentally friendly, biodegradable products while minimizing unnecessary plastic packaging through refillable dispensers and colorless biodegradable amenities that reduce environmental impact.

Endemic Scalesia Reforestation Program

Become part of Galápagos conservation through Via Natura's Scalesia Reforestation Program in Puerto Ayora. The company has dedicated nine hectares of private land adjacent to the Galápagos National Park to restore native Scalesia forests. Every booking aboard Hermes Mega Catamaran supports this initiative. Visit the project, plant your own endemic Scalesia tree, or witness how this important species protects soil from erosion, creates forest canopy, and provides habitat for the Galápagos Tortoise, Galápagos Dove, and Darwin's Finches.