Galapagos Wildlife Cruise: Enchanted Isles, Ecuador

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 19 reviews.

patricia bishop

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written April 2013
Wonderful experience, exceeded my expectations.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Cachalotte is a superb boat and the staff are exceptional, the chef needs a medal the food presented was far superior to any hotel I have stayed in. Nothing was too much trouble , especially helpful getting into the panga's!! Juon was a very knowledgeable guide, friendly and socialable.
The wildlife exceeded all expectations we saw it all as per itinerary, I had never snorkelled but managed to and saw fabulous fish , inquisitive seals and penguins darting round me, turtles and much more. Weather was perfect, no rain, sun protection is a must, only one suffered sea sickness (mildly) Land wildlife, flowers, scenery superb too
Long journey to destination, Iberia OK but boy was it worth it. Quito - go to old town lovely, Cuba hotel was excellent.
Highly recommended.
What did you think of your group leader?
Juan was so knowledgeable really showed his 25 years experience, very friendly and efficient. Sat with us in the evenings to discuss with us what we had seen that day. All transport, transfers went like clockwork
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Sea sickness was not a problem on our trip, but there are tablets available. Altitude in Quito not a great problem just keep drinking water . Bellavista was a nice trip from Quito but only if not raining, it can be very cold and damp there and not a lot to do/see if wet. Must go to the Palace in Quito old town, free guided tour and photo.
Be aware that despite transferring from one plane to another @ Madrid your alcohol will be taken away, insist shops put it in sealed bag, mine was treble wrapped in bubblewrap and they still took it , I lost $52.
If poss take a pillow for the boat, mattress and pillow on hard side!! You can use it on the plane too .
Is there anything else you would like to add?
If you have never attempted to snorkel here is the perfect chance, all the equipment and superb opportunities almost every day- twice a day. I cannot swim but still had a go with a life jacket, had one beach and the mammal's/fish to myself last day !! Superb experience
Beth Kennett

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written March 2013
This trip whole heartedly exceeded my expectations. For those of you who love animals this is certainly the right trip for you. Being able to go around all the islands and be there for two weeks was breath taking and definately worth going for the two weeks, there is so much to see and the west islands were personally better for me. Getting so close to all the animals without feeling as though you were invading their space was so special, nothing was bothered you were around them it really was magical and my idea of heaven.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Being on the islands was such as awe inspiring feeling, knowing how much they are doing to keep the islands and animals protected and knowing that tourists and local communtities are only allowed to be on 1% of the islands and the rest is restricted is wonderful to know.
Swimming with 11 turtles with one falling asleep right beside me and floating into me was magical! The trip has certainly changed me and I feel very lucky and priveledged to have been able to go!
What did you think of your group leader?
Our leader (Juan Tapia) was fantastic. So enthusiastic and knowledgable, he really added to the trip and we felt lkucky to have him as our guide. You felt safe with him and as he had grown up on the islands and was so passionate about sharing them with others you felt even more enthused. He knew everything about all the different species and could never not answer a question about the islands/species!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Pack light, as we were walking and swimming/snorkelling a lot we really didnt need much as things could be washed and hung up on the boat to dry. Take clothes that you dont mind getting dirty or ruined. Take strong suncream factor 50 if possible as i was caught out with factor 30. Certainly wear a top whilst snorkelling, the water was lovely and warm but your back is protected from sun burn.
Michael Cross

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written November 2012
Overall this trip was one wow after another, everyday was another exciting experience. The Galápagos Islands were in one word "amazing" a true and wonderful experience.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The whole expedition was so inspirational, but for me it was being in the ocean with a "mola mola" (sunfish) google it, you will see what I mean.
What did you think of your group leader?
Darwin our group leader was absolutely brilliant, his predictions of what we would see from day to day were always proved right. His knowledge and enthusiasm rubbed off on all our fellow travellers making everyday and every sighting of wildlife, landscapes and flora fauna interesting and exciting. Darwin was magicle!!!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you decide on taking this magical trip. Make sure you have a large memory card. You do not need a lot of clothes just shorts and t-shirts, the ship has a bare foot policy on board so don't waste luggage space on deck shoes. Also a large part of the daily program is snorkelling usually twice a day, make sure this is for you and take your own masks and snorkels(they are available for hire but it's nice to use your own)
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Cheers to Darwin!!!!!
Christine Gau

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written November 2012
WOW! This trip exceeded my expectations so much, the trip notes provided the basic itinerary, and guides books help you prepare for what you will see, but nothing prepared me for the WOW factor of swimming with the sealiions & turtles, and that was just the start, seeing the albatross so close and so many, having the chance to see the mating dance, just amazing.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
So many highlights, but I think swimming with just one sealion on our last snorkel trip, he just wanted to play with us, and it was just lovely, he didn't want us to get out.
What did you think of your group leader?
We were lucky enough to have Darwin, and having read other reports about him, we knew we were lucky, and I have to agree with others that have had him as their guide, he is so well prepared, ready to answer any questions, so full of information that he spends the time passing on to you. Will adapt the daily routine to ensure that the guests are happy, and takes into account the likes & dislikes as much as he can.
Nothing was too much trouble for him.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Enjoy every moment of the trip, as well as getting to know your fellow travellers take the time to also get to know the crew, and they will help make it a great holiday, the team on the Cachalote with us just made us laugh so much, Roberto has a laugh that I will never forget.
And a reminder that the storage space in the rooms is very limited, once you get over the shock it is fine, and I think in all cases we all made it work, but don't think we ever got over the initial shock.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
If anyone has space in their bags, then please take me back with you.
Jennie Barton

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written November 2012
One can always count on Exodus to provide the best way to discover new territories, and the Galapagos wildlife cruise aboard the "Cachalote" was awesome! The captain & crew are fantastic, I was even able to steer the yacht at Latitude 0! Our guide Darwin was exceptionnal, and the wildlife was..... WILD!!!!!!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking on the lava fields and imagining how it must have been when the earth was booming with activity. It made me feel very humble towards the magnificence and power of our planet.

What did you think of your group leader?
Darwin rocks!!!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't hesitate: just GO! But do not forget to take good earplugs as the engine is really loud in some cabins.
I had a long wetsuit and was never cold, so consider bringing one too.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We had a fantastic holiday! The opportunities for getting up, close & personal with tortoises, turtles, iguanas, sharks, dolphins, mula-mulas, sea-birds.... are incredible. Everywhere you look, there is something going on! Watching baby sea lions just a couple of hours old sucking away without any worry in the world was so lovely. I just took so many photos and video, it is going to take me weeks to sort them all out!
(sorry, not very well said, but I am french... Anyway, just GO and see for yourself!)
Karen Riddle

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written March 2012
A fabulous trip that allows you to experience the varying scenery and wildlife of the different islands to their fullest.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Snorkling with the turtles.
What did you think of your group leader?
Sylvia was first class and had a wealth of knowledge about the Islands which she was always keen to share. She made sure to tell us about the history, geology and wildlife of each island and was extremely informative.
We were also very well looked after in Quito; airport transfers were reliable and efficient and the guide in Quito (Stefan) provided us with maps and suggestions for places to visit during the free day.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Make sure that you don't take any denominations larger than $20 notes as you will not be able to spend them in Ecuador.
Pack light - there is virtually no storage space in the cabins.
Photographers - you get very close to the wildlife and I nearly didn't take my 70-200mm lens on this trip as I suspected that I would not use it much. However, I actually used this lens more than any other so I would strongly recommend taking a medium range zoom lens, and this lens is vital if you are interested in bird photography.
There was snorkling offered at least once, and often twice every day. The Cachalote has wetsuits, fins and masks that you can hire very cheaply. However, if you are of small build and want a wetsuit that fits properly you should consider bringing your own. Most of the time the water was warm enough not to wear a wetsuit but the sun is very strong and I would strongly advise wearing a wetsuit during all of the snorkeling sessions if you burn easily.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Take insect repellant; mosquitos were in abundance on some (but by no means all) of the islands.
Good quality walking sandals (preferably closed toe ones to avoid stubbing your toes on lava rocks) are adequate for most of the walks; you may want to consider bringing walking shoes if you need ankle support.
This is not by any means a strenuous holiday; most of the walks are on the flat and are not at all hurried. You have plenty of time to experience the wildlife and none of the landings felt rushed. It can, however, be very hot so you need to be able to cope with the heat to enjoy this holiday fully (it was around 35 degrees most days). On most days you have around 2 hours after lunch to relax (sometimes longer) before you get off the yacht for the afternoon excursion so there was a very nice balance between activity and relaxation time.
I was really glad that I chose the 2 week trip on the yacht as it gives you the opportunity to experience the whole variety of the islands. If you can only go for one week then bear in mind that the eastern islands have more abundant wildlife (especially birds) and the western islands are more volcanic. Having said that we still saw most of the variety of species on the western islands that we saw on the eastern islands, just not in the same numbers. The turtles, however, are far more abundant on the western islands.
Margaret Dolan

GALAPAGOS WILDLIFE CRUISE

Written March 2012
A fantastic trip, a true 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience. The locals like to haggle over costs and Taxis agree a price prior to your getting in the vehicle!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The fabulous wildlife. The birds and reptiles are very colourful but the flowers are mainly yellow!
What did you think of your group leader?
The impressive knowledge of Silvia (our guide) and her total enthusiasm holds her followers spellbound.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If travelling 'solo', think hard about a cabin to yourself!
Take as few clothes as possible, things can be rinsed out and dry quite quickly
Do not get pressurised into giving fantastic tips, make up tour own mind and tip privately.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
GET OUT THERE BEFORE YOU ARE TOO OLD OR TO DECREPID TO ENJOY IT TO THE FULL!