Mother-Daughter Galapagos Adventure

Going into this Galapagos trip, I thought for sure that I’d have a strong preference for a small vessel, something in the 16-20 passenger range.  Quaint and cozy, where everybody knows your name.  After my cruise on the 100-passenger Galapagos Legend, I now see major advantages to both and was surprised by how much I loved a larger crowd and more room to roam on board.  In the cruising world, relatively speaking, a 100-passenger ship is still quite small!  But for some travelers who wouldn’t necessarily want to identify as a “cruiser,” it can sound like an intimidating leap in size.

Large ship misconceptions.  Let’s clear the air, shall we?

• Bigger groups?  Not at all. Since the Galapagos National Park service enforces a strict 1:16 guide-to-passenger ratio for all guided services, each ship will have an appropriate number of naturalist guides on board in order to not exceed this ratio.
• Long wait times?  Not to worry!  On the Legend, we were always summoned to the disembarkation area by groups - rotating the order in which we were called - and the process from start to finish would take about 10-15 minutes.  This didn’t eat into our time for excursions, and we were never standing around waiting.  Remember, these cruises are offered year-round, and the crews have it all down to a science.
• Crowded excursions?  Nope.  The guides do a great job of starting in slightly different locations so that the groups aren’t on top of each other, competing for space and air time.  If you’re on a smaller ship, you can expect to see a few other vessels at your landing sites in order to maximize the number of travelers that can be in a location at one time.  The larger ships will usually max out that particular landing site, so you’re rarely landing with other ships nearby.

Would a bigger boat be the right fit for me?

• If you’re seriously worried about seasickness, a larger ship is definitely something to consider.
• If you're an older traveler with more limited mobility, the larger ships will often have more amenities on board to make your experience more comfortable.  Most ships over 40 passengers will have a doctor on board (the Legend did), and the Legend always had the glass bottom boat ready to go for travelers who weren’t comfortable with snorkeling in open waters - a great alternative!
• If you’re looking for a few more creature comforts - fitness center, lounges, bars, pools, libraries, hot tub (all of which the Legend has) - a larger vessel might be for you.
• If you’re stressed out at the thought of sharing each excursion and meal time with the same 16 travelers, you might enjoy the ability to meet more people and/or blend in with your surroundings - nothing wrong with a bit of anonymity when on vacation!
• If you're a large family traveling with young children, the larger ships will usually have more options for triple cabins and interconnected rooms.

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.

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.

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).

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!

6:00 - 7:30 - Plated dinner.  YUM, that's all I'll say!

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!  

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge wildlife person.  Love it, don't get me wrong, but it's not often the sole reason for selecting my next destination.  I can now confidently say that the Galapagos has made a believer out of me!  Travelers are able to interact with the wildlife in a way that very few places in the world can offer.  This is not a spotting-from-afar-in-binoculars kind of experience, this is a in-your-face-try-not-to-trip-on-the-iguanas kind of thing.  When was the last time you went snorkeling with playful sea lions who swim circles around you and curiously bite your snorkeling fin?  Yep, THAT good.

I'm sure you've heard of the Big 5 in Africa?  Well, the Galapagos has the Big 15, and for most visitors to the islands, the goal is to see as many species as possible.  

Here are the Galapagos Big 15:
 - Galapagos Albatross
 - Blue-Footed Booby
 - Nazca Booby
 - Red-Footed Booby
 - Flightless Cormorant
 - American Flamingo
 - Frigatebirds
 - Galapagos Hawk
 - Land Iguana
 - Marine Iguana
 - Santa Fe Land Iguana
 - Galapagos Penguin
 - Galapagos Sea Lion
 - Galapagos Fur Seal
 - Galapagos Giant Tortoise

In just a 5-day cruise, I checked off 13 out of the Big 15 species!  And that's not even including the wildlife that didn't make the list - sting rays, dolphins, Darwin's finches, reef sharks, and more.

Does your list include any must-see species that are endemic to a specific island?  Then let's find a cruise that includes the albatross on the island of Espanola, or the red-footed booby on Genovesa.  But if you're like me and just want to have a good time and see as much as possible, you really can't go wrong!  There's really no set of islands that is inherently better than another.  The wildlife is everywhere in this nutrient-rich paradise, and it may have just changed the way I think about traveling for wildlife.  Who knows, maybe gorilla tracking in Rwanda or polar bear spotting in the Arctic is next!

The Galapagos Islands are located 1.5 hours by direct commercial flight from mainland Ecuador.  A lot of travelers don't realize just how remote the islands are!  For any remote destination, the logistics of coming and going can be quite involved.  Then add in the factor of the Islands being very closely regulated for conservation, and you've got yourself a recipe for not only a big investment of time, but also some red tape to be aware of.  I'll break down what you need to know here:

 - Galapagos Transit Card.  Also sometimes referred to as IGALA card or TCT.  Essentially just a $20 visa-like document that is required for all visitors to the islands.  You can purchase these at the Quito or Guayaquil airports on embarkation day, or have your travel agency or ship operator easily coordinate them ahead of time to save you an extra line to stand in.

 - Park Entrance Fee.  $100 for adults or $50 for children under 12.  Some ship operators or lodge-based programs will arrange for this entrance fee ahead of arrival, but regardless you will need to budget for this fee.  If not pre-arranged, you'll want to bring cash to pay for the park entrance as you go through customs upon arrival in the Galapagos.

 - Quito or Guayaquil? All land & cruise programs will start and end in the islands, so a flight from mainland Ecuador is required.  These will depart from either Quito or Guayaquil, and you'll likely need to spend at least one night in one of these cities.  You can fly into either city for your international airfare, though if wanting to spend a day or two exploring before the start of your Galapagos program, there's a bit more to do and see from Quito - Otavalo market, Cotopaxi volcano, Papallacta hot springs, Mindo cloudforest, to name a few.  If you're nervous about the elevation in Quito and don't have time to extend your trip, Guayaquil works great too!  The flights from Guayaquil to the Galapagos are always direct.  The flights from Quito to the Galapagos almost always have a quick stopover in Guayaquil - 30-50 minutes to pick up new passengers while you stay on the plane.

 - Internal flights.  Since the itineraries in the Galapagos run on pretty strict schedules due to the national park permits, you'll want to book the flights suggested by the lodge or ship operator, in order to arrive with the rest of the group and not risk missing your embarkation or group transfer.  The flights are a bit more expensive than what you might be seeing in independent searches, but it's not worth the risk of missing embarkation to save $75 per person.  Believe me, it's expensive to catch up with your ship! 

If you're willing to invest the time and money to visit the Galapagos, it won't let you down.

 

At the completion of our 5-day cruise aboard the Legend, my mother and I had planned to spend two nights in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz to continue our Galapgaos experience and have one more day for an excursion.  A lot of travelers will extend their time on land in the Galapagos for scuba diving excursions or to do a specific day trip that their cruise didn't cover.  It's a great way to see the local culture, go out to eat, stock up on souvenirs, and move at your own pace.

Going out to local restaurants is one of my favorite things about traveling, so I reveled in the opportunity to go big - lobster!  Please and thank you!

We were able to fit a lot into our one full free day on Santa Cruz!  Along with our guide, we started the day with a kayaking tour of the lava channels near Puerto Ayora.  This involved fighting against some pretty strong waves initially, so it's not for the faint of heart.  I was struck by the stunning turquoise water and the lack of crowds with just a 15-minute kayak trip from town.

We also enjoyed a short walk / easy hike (1.5 miles) to Tortuga Bay - most cruises do not visit this site, so it makes a great addition to any free day in Santa Cruz.  It was the closest thing to a white sand beach I was able to find in the Galapagos.  As I've said before, don't go to the Galapagos if your main goal is to just relax on the beach and sip cocktails - you'll spend much less money doing that elsewhere - but for two hours in a free afternoon?  Perfect.

The main thing to keep in mind if extending on land pre- or post-cruise is that it will require extra logistical coordination, time, and flexibility on your part.  If just doing the cruise, all of your group airport transfers are included, and you're corralled from place to place by the ship operator - very little thought required on your part.  Just follow orders!  If extending on land, you'll likely have to remind the ship's crew that you're straying from the group logistics, take a taxi (or arrange a private transfer) from the airport into town, and take a bit more ownership of your schedule to make sure you're in the right place at the right time.  If that doesn't deter you, extending on land in the Galapagos is a great way to complement your cruise experience!