Galapagos Islands
This paradise of twisted lava, deserted beaches and prolific wildlife famously inspired Darwin, and continues to offer a fascinating glimpse into the processes of natural selection that gave shape to life on earth. Get up close and personal with curious sea lions, languid iguanas and giant tortoises on a truly unique wildlife holiday guaranteed to leave you speechless.
Where: The Galápagos Islands lie 1000km off the Ecuadorian mainland – around a 1 ½ hour flight away.
Best time to go: The Galápagos Islands are worth visiting at any time of year, but the ideal time is between December and May, when the seas are warm and the weather dry.
How to get there: Flights to the Galápagos depart from Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador, and Lima in Peru.
Combines well with: Mainland Ecuador, including Quito, the Avenue of the Volcanoes and the
Amazon. A direct flight to Peru makes a holiday combining
Machu Picchu with a Galápagos cruise another appealing option.
Where to stay: Although it is possible to stay on the islands, the most popular option is to visit the Galápagos by cruise. There is a wide range of vessels, each offering a different Galápagos cruise experience.
Length of stay: A 5-day or 7-day Galápagos cruise is typical, but they can range from 3 to 15 days. You’ll need another week if you plan to explore mainland Ecuador.
Tailor Made
Cruises and land-based options in the Enchanted Islands
A wildlife holiday in the Galápagos is a totally unique experience, inevitably rewarding, richly educational, blissfully tranquil, and photogenic. Most tourists visit the islands on a cruise of between 3 and 15 days duration, although there are some excellent hotels allowing a more intimate knowledge of island life.
Tailor-made or small group holidays offer a choice of cruise and land-based holidays
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Tailor Made
Choosing your Galápagos Cruise
12-100 guests
A brief outline of the different types of vessel operating Galápagos cruises, with a selection of our favourite boats, most requested by you.
How to find the Galápagos cruise boat that suits you
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Tailor Made
7 days from £1,823
While most people choose to discover the Galápagos Islands on a cruise, there are other ways of enjoying this unique experience. This is an adventurous tour of three of the most fascinating and varied islands, between which you travel by air or by boat.
Hotel-based discovery of 3 Galápagos islands
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Tailor Made
11 days from £2,678
If it’s your dream to take a cruise around the Galápagos Islands, known as the Enchanted Isles, where the wildlife that welcomed Darwin still roams unmolested, sail with us on this high quality ship, with daily excursions on islands of surprising variety: volcanoes, lava fields, lagoons, forests, white-sand beaches. View the wildlife up close: spot(according to season) the iguanas, sealions, exotic crabs, ruby-hued flamingos, giant tortoises and statuesque albatrosses.
A Galápagos Islands cruise holiday in under 2 weeks.
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Tailor Made
9 days from £2,013
This short cruise holiday just takes you to, from and around the Galápagos Islands, with a couple of days in Ecuador’s second city and chief port, Guayaquil, on the way. You maximise your time on a holiday of less than 2 weeks cruising through the archipelago, with 6 days discovering the wildlife and unique volcanic and tropical landscapes of several contrasting islands.
Budget Galápagos cruise is a real nautical adventure
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Tailor Made
8 days from £6,783 for a family
An excellent family friendly way to get a real feel for the Galápagos Islands and have a bit of adventure to boot is to combine a four-day cruise with a few days based at one of the Islands’ charming hotels.
Short cruise and hotel base Galapágos family holiday
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Tailor Made
5 and 6 day cruise from £2,164
16 guestsA sleek, contemporary yacht to escort you round the Galápagos islands in style. There's plenty of light and space allowing you to luxuriate on board, enjoying superior facilities, furnishings and fittings. Excellent land excursions led by qualified guides are supplemented by snorkelling and kayaking. Family departures welcome children.
Stylish, contemporary yacht welcomes individuals, couples, friends and families
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Tailor Made
6 and 8 day cruise from £3,079
16 guests
Following extensive refurbishment the Athala II, a motor catamaran and as such very stable, has stylish, modern interiors and a luxuriant and spacious sundeck. Passengers are accommodated in 8 double state rooms located on two decks. The luxury vessel offers a private and personalised Galápagos cruise experience.
Special offer: Save £696 in May and June
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Tailor Made
4, 5 and 8 day cruise from £896
36 & 20 guests
Small enough to give your experience a real nautical feel and allow you to get in close to the islands, this ship is still able to offer a good range of facilities and relative stability in choppy seas. The fine wood panelling and big picture windows are especially pleasing.
Beautifully appointed and popular mid-range, good value cruiser
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Tailor Made
Isabela is the largest Galápagos island, yet its only settlement, Puerto Villamil, with 2,200 friendly inhabitants has only recently started to welcome land-based visitors. We recommend a stay of between 4-7 days.
Walking in the Galápagos Islands - a different perspective on the wildlife and volcanic scenery
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