The Galapagos Islands… Finally!

The Galapagos Islands have been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. I have always equated a visit to the Galapagos to an African safari, a continent I have visited 137 times and experienced almost 1,000 game drives. I had no idea what to expect once I reached the Galapagos, however, I am pleased to report it exceeded my expectations and delivered experiences I had not imagined.

I recently led a small group of five tour operators on an educational tour to The Royal Palm Hotel in the Galapagos Islands, the newest clients of KAI. Our journey began on LAN Airlines our partner on this educational tour. Three of our guests used LAN's service from Miami and I along with two other guests originated on their JFK flight to Guayaquil.

Unfortunately, one of our guests who originated in Boston experienced a canceled flight on their connection to New York and she missed the LAN flight. This event proved to be an opportunity for LAN to shine. I immediately spoke with Ana, the customer service representative for LAN at JFK, and she very calmly rebooked my guest on the same flight the following day, despite the fact the flight was fully booked! I was already in the boarding process on my LAN flight so I gave Ana a cell number and requested that Ana communicate directly with my Boston guest. I was very pleased to learn later that she did indeed phone my guest and gave her her cell number as well in the event she encountered any further problems. I found this to be incredibly great customer service which only improved with LAN’s onboard service.

Both the New York and Miami groups flew non-stop to Guayaquil (GYE) where we spent a night at the Oro Verde Hotel which is located a short 15 minute ride from the airport. Connecting through to Santa Cruz Island is not possible due to flight schedules. I quickly learned that using GYE as the connecting point is far easier than Quito as the nearest hotel to Quito Airport is a one hour drive.

The Oro Verde Hotel is a superb five-star hotel, a member of Leading Hotels of the World and provides complimentary transfers between the airport and hotel. Our driver was waiting for us after exiting the arrivals hall and quickly brought us to the hotel and back in the morning. (www.oroverdehotels.com)

We departed GYE at 11h00 on LAN Airlines for the 2 hour flight to Baltra, which is located on Santa Cruz Island. Upon arrival our hosts at the Royal Palm Hotel arranged for us to arrive via a VIP lounge. This facility is available to all guests at a nominal cost. ($30 per person) While the other passengers were standing in a line to pay their $100 National Park Fee, we were comfortably seated in a lounge sipping on a drink and enjoying snacks. The task of paying the park fee and claiming our bags was being handled by one of the staff in the VIP room. Once this was done we all moved directly into our private vehicle for the ride to the hotel. I would urge you to use this VIP facility for all your FIT guests and even groups.

The airport is located on Baltra which requires guests to take a 5 minute boat ride from Baltra to Santa Cruz Island. Once again, guests can be transported in a boat that can accommodate 40 -50 guests or you can arrange a private transfer for a VIP guest, family or small group. Our hosts arranged for a small private transfer which allowed us to circumvent a bus load of guests who had arrived on an earlier flight. We reached the other side of the channel before those taking the larger boat had completed the boarding process. Once again, I recommend arranging a private boat transfer. This can be done by the Royal Palm Hotel or by your preferred DMC.

Once we reached Santa Cruz we boarded the Royal Palm Hotel shuttle for the short 20 minute ride to the hotel which is located in the Highlands. The Royal Palm Hotel is located in the lush Miconia Highland Forests adjacent to the Galapagos National Park of Santa Cruz and equidistant from Baltra Airport and the main town, Puerto Ayora. The hotels spacious villas nestle in the secluded 150 hectare private estate. You are surrounded by indigenous fern and forest. Five-star in the Galapagos is not necessarily like five-star in other, more developed countries, however, my guests who are seasoned travelers were most impressed and fell in love with the property immediately! (www.royalpalmgalapagos.com)

There are multiple micro-climates and these eco systems can change the weather quite suddenly. When it is hot and sunny on the coast, it can be cool, over-cast and sometimes misty in the highlands. This is not your typical, laid-back beach holiday.  We experienced that mist during our stay, however, it did not slow us down one bit as we did all that was possible in the four nights we were on the island.

We reached the hotel and quickly checked into our rooms prior to lunch. We each stayed in a Villa which can best be described as a small home (914 sq. ft.) with one bedrooms, living room, separate Jacuzzi room, a very large bath room, fireplace and a spectacular view of the island and/or ocean.

After freshening up we all met for a delightful lunch at which we were joined by the entire management staff of the property. This was my first opportunity to meet my new colleagues,  who in a short 4 days would become more like family to both me and my five guests. We rushed through lunch as there was much to do and see in our brief visit.

The first site to visit was the Lava Tunnel which is located on the property. All of our expectations were that we were going to enter a cave the size of house and simply walk around and exit the same way we entered. WRONG!! The tunnel is over 400 yards long and we were guided by a member of the Royal Palm staff who was familiar with every crevice of the tunnel. We all found this tour to be absolutely fascinating and clearly a tour that has been under promoted over the years. We navigated the tunnel quickly in about 30 minutes as we were on a tight schedule, however, one could spend much longer, subject to your level of interest in this field.

Following the visit to the Lava Tunnel we drove 15 minutes to see the Giant Tortoise. They roam freely in the highlands. We proceeded to a building where visitors are provided high rubber boots which prove essential as the ground is muddy. Within seconds we encounter the first of probably 100 giant tortoise that are seen throughout the landscape. These imposing creatures have no teeth and spend the better part of the day consuming up to 40 pounds of grass a day. They reminded me of elephants as both have very poor digestive systems, thus, passing through most of what they consume perfectly intact.

The tortoise were living in a perfect environment as they are surrounded by lush grass and water everywhere. We spent about an hour walking among them as they were certainly not fazed with our presence. As you can see from the image below, I got up close and personal with a giant tortoise.

A combination of a visit to the Lava Tunnel and the Giant Tortoise is a perfect half day activity. Spending the balance of the day at the Royal Palm Hotel affords guest an opportunity to relax or explore the 150 hectare estate.

We returned to the hotel where we freshened up for dinner and met for some adult beverages before dinner. We sat in front of the fireplace in the bar where we shared stories about our day and had an opportunity to spend some time with our hosts from the Royal Palm Hotel.

Dinner consisted of a five course meal that was recently introduced. The quality and quantity of  food left us all feeling a bit like a giant tortoise; slow and very satisfied! The ceviche was the first course and was a home run with all of us! Each course was better than the previous.

We woke up early and following breakfast made our way to the pier for our first boat excursion. When visiting the Galapagos Islands on a land based program guests travel on a vessel ranging in size from 36 to 52 feet, subject to the size of your group or specific requirements of your client. We were a group of seven so we traveled on a boat with 14 guests. Local rules require one guide with every 14 guests. The vessel was very comfortable and provided a hot meal for lunch which was very tasty and exceeded our expectations of possibly receiving a sandwich.

Our itinerary today took us to North Seymour Island, where we would see the Blue Footed Boobie and Frigate Bird, as well as the iguana. The island is in close proximity to Santa Cruz Island which meant a cruise of under 1 hour in very calm waters.

The landing on the island was a dry landing and we spent about 1 hour on the island with our guide who was very informative and knowledgeable. The wildlife on this island have no predators so one is able to get extremely close to the birds and reptiles. We returned to the vessel and made the 45 minute journey to Bachas Beach which is located on Santa Cruz Island.

The landing here is a wet landing and affords all the opportunity for snorkeling. It is important to know when visiting the Galapagos that 50% of the wildlife is below the surface of the water. We saw sea turtles, sharks, rays, sea lions and a variety of fish. The beach was white and those who elected not to snorkel walked along the beach. We retuned back to port after an hour on the beach and were back in the hotel by 4:00.

Once again, our hosts at the Royal Palm spoiled us with another fabulous five course dinner. The food was only exceeded by the company as they truly made us feel as though we were at home. It is important to note that the dishes served are the normal menu.

The next day it was a very early start as we departed at 07:00 for the pier. Today we were cruising to Santa Fe Island, a 2 hour cruise on the same vessel as the previous day. Santa Fe Island is located south of Santa Cruz. The waters were indeed rough this morning and made the two hour journey feel much longer. However, when we reached our destination all agreed it was worth the journey. A walk around this dry and rugged island allows us to see the Santa Fe land iguana, only found on this island.

Upon completion of the guided tour we were given one hour for snorkeling. Most of our group jumped in for what was to be the highlight of our trip for one of the guests. One of our guests is originally from Africa and has experienced many safaris and close encounters in the bush. I was pleased and somewhat surprised to hear him state that his snorkeling experience this day was the single most exciting day of his life. While snorkeling he came face to face with a sea lion (the sea lion was literally touching his face mask with its nose) and two of its friends. The three sea lions played with him while he was snorkeling. The excitement of this event was evident in his face and voice. Oh, he also saw sharks, sea turtles and a host of fish!!! Just another day in the Galapagos Islands.

The journey back was 2 ½ hours, however, in calm seas. Most of the guests used this cruise as an opportunity to catch up on some sleep. Some stretched out and left no room for others to sit!!

It is safe to state that the entire group was tired from this long and exciting day. We covered a good deal of “water” and were done with the cruising portion of our Galapagos journey. All were anxious to get to sleep shortly after yet another fabulous dinner.

Today, the last full day in the Galapagos consisted of a full day in the main city of Porto Ayora. This is the hub of all activity in the Galapagos Islands and the site of the Charles Darwin Research Center. Established in 1959, the Charles Darwin Foundation is the world’s leading research institute and center of knowledge dedicated to the conservation of biological diversity and natural resources of the Galapagos Archipelago.

We were dropped off at the research center and spent about an hour to see the Giant Tortoise and various species of iguana that are on the endangered list. The center is on the edge of the town so we walked into Puerto Ayora where we visited the many shops. The town is very clean, friendly and offered many opportunities for retail therapy. We all found gifts to bring back home. We stopped at a local restaurant for lunch. There are numerous places to stop with a variety of cuisine. A few of us were very creative as we stopped for pizza and beers!! I suspect we were having withdrawals for the traditional American junk food after those fabulous five course dinners which consisted of the local cuisine.

Following lunch we ventured to the fish market which was a treat and unlike the many fish markets we have all visited in the course of our travels around the world and within the USA. The lazy sea lions and pelicans find a fish market as the most logical place as a source of food as seen below!

Following our day in Porto Ayora we proceeded to walk to Villa Escalesia, a villa operated by the management of the Royal Palm Hotel which is conveniently located on the edge of the city and directly on the water. (www.villaescalesia.com) This was the venue for our farewell dinner. The villa has four large en-suite bedrooms and a separate building that can accommodate another four guests and is normally used to accommodate children.

The villa can best be described as a five-star property by any standards, with breath taking views and all the amenities required to accommodate even the most demanding clients. All of my guests agreed they had specific clients in mind who would be ideally suited for this villa.

Our hosts put on a spectacular feast that included lobster which was purchased from the fish market that afternoon and brought in a local group to provide entertainment that allowed us to experience the local culture. The dinner was served home –style as we had indeed become a part of the Royal Palm family.

The entertainment consisted of a group of young people dressed in the traditional and very colorful outfits while performing local dances. Their smiles and enthusiasm were contagious and eventually led to all of us joining in the dancing. I am not sure why I did not appear as graceful as our hosts? The evening concluded and we made our way back to the Royal Palm Hotel for the final time on this trip.

The following morning we bid farewell to our new friends and departed for the airport at 10:30 for our 12:45 flight to Quito. Enroute to the airport we stopped very briefly at a crater which is only 10 minutes from the Royal Palm Hotel.  This is a site that is normally included on the tour that includes the Lava Tunnel and Giant Tortoise. We did not include the crater on our first day as we simply ran out of time. The three sites make for a good day for your guests.

Once again after checking in for our flight we were directed to the VIP lounge where we relaxed with coffee/tea and some snacks while having an opportunity to check emails prior to boarding the flight. This was a most comfortable way to end the trip and is a facility I would urge you to offer to your clients.

This was certainly not my last time to visit this magical place. I look forward to bringing my entire family in the near future as my visit confirmed the two best places on the planet for a family vacation are The Galapagos and Africa. Both destinations offer families the opportunity to partake in all the activities together while sharing experiences of a lifetime.

OVERVIEW:

My objective from this educational trip was to obviously learn all I could about the two properties that are now a part of the KAI portfolio; Royal Palm Hotel and Villa Escalesia. I also needed to fully understand how the destination actually works. There is a perception that the Galapagos Islands are synonymous with cruising. Approximately 60+% of the visitors to the Galapagos Islands arrive in Baltra and board a cruise ship.

The trip I had just concluded is categorized as a land based program of the Galapagos and I needed to fully comprehend the major differences versus a cruise of the islands. The reason I brought five travel professionals with me who are currently selling the Galapagos Islands was to get their opinions as well since it could be suggested that my view is somewhat biased.

We had a good look at the many cruise vessels used for the 4, 5, 6 and 7 day cruises and I wish to confirm they are not the traditional cruise ships we have all grown accustomed to. Many of these ships/boats are old and carry anywhere from 30 – 100 guests. I can clearly state that I would not be happy spending a week on any of the vessels. The two full days I spent on our boat allowed me ample time to experience both land and water wildlife. Had I spent six days at The Royal Palm Hotel I would have taken a third boat excursion.

Spending time out at sea every other day was certainly adequate for me. When I left the Galapagos Islands I did not feel I had missed out on anything as a result of not spending the entire time on a boat. I did not see the red footed boobie as that required an 8 hour cruise each way. I think I will photo shop my picture of the blue footed boobie. I actually felt I had a better experience taking in the activities highlighted in this report.

The thought of being in a relatively small vessel for one week in what can be very rough waters was not appealing to me. I prefer a nice hotel room, good food, fully stocked bar and solid ground, especially if you are looking at a multi-generational family trip.

I wish to once again draw an analogy between the Galapagos Islands and an African safari. Please have a look at any tour operators Southern Africa itineraries and tell me how many days are on safari and how many are spent in a hotel that is nowhere close to wildlife. The most popular itinerary to Africa is a combination of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Victoria Falls and 2 – 3 days at Kruger Park or a private game reserve in the Kruger Park area. Thus, guests on a 2 week itinerary have no more than 3 days of safari.

Americans tend to get bored after 2 days on safari. There are certainly a percentage who thrive on a game drive as I and my entire family do, however, most travelers are not interested in a safari every day. The same certainly applies to the majority of those visiting the Galapagos Islands. A combination of wildlife and culture certainly worked best for me. Oh, did I mention that my five travel professional guests felt the exact same way??

Make sure you visit this magical place!!!!!!!