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Galapagos resources, field guides, books. Untamed Path Galapagos Trip Overview |
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Why travel to the Galapagos with Untamed Path? The Galapagos Islands off of
the coast of Ecuador offer a glimpse into a lost world, where exotic marine life roams freely, unafraid of humans. To your left there may be a mother sea lion nursing her pup, to your right there are 2 iguanas disputing their
territory and perhaps behind you a pair of blue footed boobies are doing their mating dance (they literally dance). The Galapagos Islands are the nature lover’s dream come true. We have spent years researching the different
yachts, guides and islands. We work directly with a small hand picked group of 10-16 person yachts that are well known for their customer care and environmental conservation focus. These smaller yachts can access the less
visited Islands and sites that larger boats cannot. We are in contact with these yachts on a regular basis and over the years have developed strong ties and connections with our contacts. We have been lucky to experience
all kinds of different boats, groups, group sizes and times of year in the Islands and can therefore help you select a yacht and time period that accurately meets your needs. Upon sign up, Untamed Path will provide you with
detailed information to help you prepare for your trip. We know which yachts are running quality trips and which yachts are not and are happy to give you details about the different yachts we work with.
Where are the Galapagos Islands and how do I get there? The Galapagos Islands are located 600 miles West of mainland Ecuador in South America. They are part of the Republic of Ecuador. First step is flying into the capital city of Quito and your next day is a layover (necessary cushion day). The day after your layover is an early morning flight from Quito to the Galapagos (around 2 hours with 1 short stop). When you arrive in the Galapagos there will be a representative from your yacht waiting for you at the airport. What is the best way to travel once I am there? The way to see the most of the islands is travel via a motor or sailing yacht for 8-16 days sleeping aboard the yacht. There are around 40 different visitors sites designated with a trail system at each site. Unless you are chartering a boat for your own group, the yachts are fixed to a fairly strict itinerary. The Islands are part of an extremely fragile ecosystem and therefore you may only visit the visitor sites with a Galapagos National Park certified guide. Natural history is the focus of a trip to the Galapagos Islands. What will we be doing each day? A typical day begins with breakfast in the morning and taking a few essentials in a dinghy to shore. During a one to two hour walk with a naturalist guide there are opportunities to learn about the animals, flora and fauna of the particular island you are visiting. While the pace is quite slow, you must be in moderate physical condition as the ground is often uneven and everyone in the group hikes together. Around lunchtime the dinghy will pick you up and head back onto the boat for lunch. After lunch there is usually a short cruise to the next visitor or snorkeling site. The afternoon is spent snorkeling, walking or relaxing. Sometimes you’ll snorkel in the morning with a walk in the afternoon, but all days are full of up-close interaction with animals or marine life as each island has very specific and different marine and animal life along with flora and fauna. At all times of the year there are different species blooming, nesting, mating or birthing. The activities for the evening consist of a delicious dinner accompanied by a beautiful sunset, a briefing by the naturalist about the following day and usually cruising to your next destination while you sleep. back to top What is a live-aboard yacht like? Each yacht has an inside and outside sitting/dining area and 5-8 double cabins. A few yachts we work with have one or 2 triple rooms. Most yachts have 2 bunks, some of the yachts have rooms with a double bed or two lower beds, some have private bathrooms, some have shared showers, some are with hot and cold showers and most have air conditioning. You can usually swim near the boat while anchored; an early morning swim is a treat! Attire is casual and on many of the yachts you can walk around barefoot. On the boats that we work with the crews are friendly and service oriented. back to top What kind of safety equipment is on board? All of the yachts we work with are equipped with smaller shore boats for accessing the islands and also
function as rescue crafts in the case of emergency. Each boat that we work with has safety equipment, which meets or exceeds US Coast Guard requirements.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer? No. Snorkeling can be as relaxed or as vigorous a form of swimming as you like. The marine-life is readily viewable from the surface where the snorkel allows
you to breathe regularly with your head just under water. Being comfortable around water is a big help though as several of the landings on the islands are wet. A wet landing is where you step out of the "panga" and
into the water to wade ashore. Several of the islands we visit are reached via wet landings. Those that are dry landings require some balance and timing to step from the "panga" onto a rock or other piece of land.
You don't need to be an athlete but being reasonably fit and somewhat agile will help you enjoy all that the islands have to offer. If you have your own snorkeling equipment we recommend bringing it so that you'll have what
you know works for you.
What if I want to come to Ecuador earlier or leave a little later? No problem. If you need some ideas about where to go or what
to do before or after your Galapagos trip let us know and we’ll be happy to help out. Many people find spending a week in the Andes or Amazon to be the perfect activity prior to visiting the Galapagos. Some people like a take a
few extra days before or after their trip to relax or explore Quito. Ecuador is a beautiful country with much to see and do apart from the Galapagos Islands. What is the weather like? The Galapagos Islands have a desert-like climate located close to the Equator. The "wet"
season from approximately December-June sees more sunny days because the rain tends to come in short powerful and refreshing bursts. The "dry" season is usually from June-December. During this time period the air temperature
is cooler (70’s F vs. 80’s F in the wet season) because of the continuous marine cloud layer. Water temperatures tend to be warmest around April and coolest in Sept. Dressing light and comfortable is the norm and good walking
shoes and or sandals are a must. What's included, what isn't? All meals, accommodations and a bilingual naturalist guide are included in your Galapagos trip starting with lunch on the first day in the Islands. Internal airfare, drinks(alcohol and soda), park fees
and gratuities for the crew and naturalist guide are not included. Who would enjoy the Galapagos Islands? People who
enjoy nature, hiking and being outdoors generally enjoy a trip to the Galapagos Islands. As mentioned earlier you must be in moderate physical condition to enjoy this type of active trip. Couples, single travelers, families
and friends all travel to the Galapagos. If you are traveling alone you can either pay for a single room supplement or your roommate will be someone of the same sex who is also traveling alone. If you want to go with a larger
group of friends or family we are happy to arrange a charter for you. Hopefully this answers some of your questions and gives you a better idea of what to a trip to the Galapagos Islands is about. If you have any other questions
drop us an e-mail or give us a call. We have several discounted international airline contacts and are happy to share these with you. We look forward to assisting you in planning your Galapagos adventure.
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