GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS
Few places on Earth reward the traveler like the Galápagos. Scattered across the Pacific at the confluence of three ocean currents, this remote volcanic archipelago is home to wildlife found nowhere else on the planet — species so unafraid of humans that you'll find yourself sharing a beach with a sea lion, or trading glances with a giant tortoise on a quiet trail.
We design private, small-ship journeys that put you in the heart of it, aboard some of the finest yachts sailing these waters.
Yacht-Based Journeys
A live-aboard yacht is, without question, the finest way to experience the Galápagos — and the only way we recommend traveling these islands. Rather than returning to a hotel each evening, you wake up in a new anchorage every morning, with far more islands, wildlife, and remote landscapes within reach than any land-based itinerary allows. Every yacht we work with carries one of the region's top-rated naturalist guides, required for access into the National Park.
We work exclusively with a curated fleet of boutique and luxury vessels — never the larger, impersonal ships that crowd the more popular routes. Each yacht is selected for its comfort, its crew, and the quality of the experience it delivers.
Featured Yachts
The Elite
A 16-passenger luxury catamaran with private balconies in every suite, including one of the region's few true single cabins. Elegant, spacious interiors and an al fresco dining area, with exceptional stability for smooth inter-island travel.
The Origin, Theory & Evolve
Sister ships accommodating 20 guests each, and the only Relais & Châteaux–designated yachts in the Galápagos. Every cabin features expansive windows, unobstructed ocean views, and premium amenities.
The Natural Paradise
An intimate single-hull yacht for 16 guests, with cabins spread across three decks and a jacuzzi on the sun deck.
Island-Based Stays
For travelers who prefer to sleep on solid ground — or who are prone to seasickness — we also design island-hopping itineraries based from a small number of thoughtfully chosen hotels on the inhabited islands, with day excursions by private speedboat.
These trips trade some of the reach and remoteness of a yacht itinerary for a slower pace and a home base to return to each evening. We're happy to walk you through which approach best suits your travel style.
Activities in the Galápagos
-
Snorkeling and swimming alongside sea lions, sea turtles, and reef sharks
Galápagos Wildlife
The islands are a living showcase of evolution in action.
Expect close encounters with:
Land Iguana
A prehistoric-looking reptile found basking on the arid, cactus-strewn slopes of the central and western islands. Land iguanas can grow over three feet long and live upward of 60 years, feeding largely on the pads and fruit of the prickly pear cactus.
Marine Iguana
Found nowhere else on Earth, the marine iguana is the only lizard species that forages in the sea, diving to graze on algae along the rocky shoreline. Colonies bask together in the sun to warm up after each dive, giving many beaches their striking, scale-covered look.
Santa Fe Land Iguana
A distinct, brighter-colored cousin of the land iguana found exclusively on Santa Fe Island. Its pale yellow tone and more slender build set it apart from other Galápagos iguanas, and its isolated population makes a sighting especially rare.
Galápagos Penguin
The only penguin species found north of the equator, thriving here thanks to the cool waters of the Humboldt and Cromwell currents. Small and agile, they're often spotted darting through the water off Isabela and Fernandina islands.
Galápagos Sea Lion
Playful and famously unbothered by people, Galápagos sea lions can be found lounging on beaches, piers, and even park benches across the islands. Colonies are highly social, and snorkeling alongside curious pups is one of the archipelago's signature encounters.
Galápagos Fur Seal
Smaller and shier than their sea lion cousins, fur seals prefer rocky, shaded coastlines and are most active at dawn and dusk. They were once hunted to near extinction for their dense pelts and remain a rarer sighting today.
Galápagos Giant Tortoise
The islands' most iconic resident, and the namesake of the archipelago itself — "Galápago" is old Spanish for tortoise. These gentle giants can live well over 100 years and weigh up to 500 pounds, with shell shape varying distinctly from island to island.
Galápagos Albatross
Also known as the waved albatross, this is the only albatross species found in the tropics, nesting almost exclusively on Española Island. Their elaborate courtship dance — a ritual of bill-circling and clacking — is one of the region's great wildlife spectacles.
Blue-footed Booby
Named for its vivid, cobalt-blue feet, this seabird performs an equally vivid mating dance to show them off. Blue-footed boobies are a near-guaranteed sighting and one of the most photographed birds in the islands.
Nazca Booby
The largest of the Galápagos boobies, easily identified by its white plumage and striking orange-tinted bill. Nazca boobies nest in large colonies on cliffside terrain, often alongside their blue-footed relatives.
Red-footed Booby
The smallest and most numerous booby species in the Galápagos, and the only one that nests in trees rather than on the ground. Their bright red feet and varied plumage color make them easy to distinguish from other boobies.
Flightless Cormorant
Found only in the Galápagos, this is the only cormorant species in the world that has lost the ability to fly. With no natural predators on land, it evolved short, stubby wings in favor of powerful swimming and diving skills.
American Flamingo
The Galápagos' brightest resident, found wading through a handful of saltwater lagoons, most notably on Isabela and Rábida. Their pink hue comes directly from the pigments in the shrimp and algae that make up their diet.
Magnificent Frigatebird
Best known for the male's dramatic red throat pouch, inflated like a balloon during courtship display season. With the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, frigatebirds are remarkable aerial hunters, often stealing meals mid-flight from other seabirds.
Galápagos Hawk
The islands' top natural predator, found perched watchfully across most of the archipelago. With few natural threats and little fear of humans, these hawks are often seen at close range, hunting iguanas, snakes, and small birds.
When to Visit
The Galápagos are a rewarding destination in any season, though peak months — July, August, and late December — should be booked 6 to 12 months in advance.
JANUARY – JUNE
-
Warmer, calmer seas with excellent snorkeling visibility
-
Green sea turtle eggs hatch
-
Land birds display bright, vivid breeding plumage
JULY – DECEMBER
-
Giant tortoises migrate to lowlands to nest and hatch
-
Blue-footed boobies mate; chicks are raised through the season
-
Galápagos sea lions mate and give birth to pups
-
Penguins migrate to Isabela and Fernandina
-
Humpback whale sightings are common along the Ecuadorian coast
A Brief History
The Galápagos were discovered by accident in 1535, when the ship of Fray Tomás de Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, was becalmed and drifted west into the archipelago. The islands remained largely untouched until English-sanctioned pirates later used them as a hideout for raiding Spanish trading ships.
In 1835, the H.M.S. Beagle anchored here, carrying a 22-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin. The subtle variations he observed among the same species across different islands would go on to shape On the Origin of Species, published 24 years later in 1859 — a work that explained the mechanics of evolution rather than introducing the concept itself, as is commonly believed.
Meaningful tourism began in 1935, the centennial of Darwin's visit, when the Ecuadorian government first designated portions of the islands as protected wildlife preserves. The Galápagos were declared a National Park in 1959, with park boundaries and a dedicated park service finalized by 1968. As recently as 1970, the islands saw only about 1,000 visitors a year — a figure that has since grown to more than 215,000 annually, underscoring why traveling here thoughtfully, and with the right partners, matters more than ever.
