A walk through the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands

Blue-footed boobies do their slap-happy dance for you. Galápagos penguins dart under your sea kayak. A pod of sea turtles performs their graceful ballet around you. Baby sea lions paddle up for a better look. The giant land tortoises? They’re close enough to touch. If you go wild for wildlife, you’ve found it. AFAR magazine named our Galápagos trips “Best Wildlife Encounter”… in the world. Join our island-based adventure to skip the cramped confines (and back and forth zodiac rides several times a day) of a cruise ship to get up close and personal with the creatures you came to see. Naturalist guides lead you to extraordinary wildlife experiences, minus the flocks of tourists. You have abundant chances to walk, kayak, snorkel – and sip the occasional poolside cocktail. Then we take you a few steps farther – to the rim of the world’s second largest volcanic caldera, and much more. Throughout, you stay in luxury waterfront boutique hotels. And you can feel great knowing that we follow ‘Leave No Trace’ environmental standards and our close ties to the islands means this Classic Journey supports more than 50 local residents and their families.

• Join your naturalist guide for a fascinating walk that introduces you to the lagoons, mangroves and countryside of the islands.
• Come face-to-face with playful baby sea lions, as you snorkel with them as well as green sea turtles and marine iguanas.
• Keep your eyes sharp for blue-footed boobies to see how they hover over the sea and dive for fish.
• Walk through otherworldly volcanic terrain to the awesome caldera of Volcán Chico to experience new lava flows most people never see.
• Take a small fishing boat to explore Tintoreras to snorkel with the world's only warm water penguins.
• Start your days with a walk on the beach, a dip in the pool or a walk among flamingos and other wildlife easily reached from your perfectly-sited seafront boutique inns.
• Walk among giant, 500-pound tortoises as your guide leads you along a trail known to locals.
• Paddle kayaks over turquoise waters where manta rays and reef sharks glide below.