Case Study: A thrilling family adventure in the Galapagos Islands

Ken and Julie from Los Angeles had booked a small excursion with us to Komodo several years ago and through our partners Responsible Travel, he was again seeking something rather special. Odyssey World works with many operators in the Galapagos and we know that one size certainly does not fit all when it comes to this true bucket list adventure. After several investigatory Skype calls with Ken, we knew his wish to take 15 of his extended family on this special excursion called for an equally unique vessel.

Concern of the children’s seasickness, desire for excellent food on board, variety of experience and being away from the crowds was all taken into account. Working with one of our fantastic Ecuadorian partners, we presented the beautiful lady SS Mary Anne – the only true tall mast sailing ship regularly traversing the islands of Galapagos. She’s not the shiniest vessel in town, but Mary Anne offers grace, style, character and elegance in one of the planet’s most awe-inspiring natural environments.

This trip was 18 months in the planning, but the review from Ken after his adventure confirmed that he made the right decision choosing this ship.

Characteristic of the location, the wildlife spotting opportunities were plentiful and frequent. From the outset, their appearances were abundant: “We headed out in 2 pangas (dinghies)”, Ken begun, “Finally we saw one large green sea turtle… pushing deeper into the lagoon, we saw another turtle in the water, then 2 more popping their heads up, then several more, then dozens more, swimming all around us. Then the call – “SHARK!” – as a 5 foot long white tipped shark swam alongside the boat”.

                   

Luckily, the children were enthralled too. “Guess what we saw from our room!”, they yelled the next morning, “from their description it was either a large shark or manta ray”, Ken suspected, before rejoicing in the fact that they weren’t simply glued to their tablets.

By day two, the excitement had only just begun, “we pangaed to Darwin Bay, wandering along the nesting sites of the red footed boobies and frigate birds”, “next came our kayak trip”, Ken continued, “we meandered along the cliff watching the gulls, boobies and other birds dive bombing into the water, as well as marine iguanas clinging to the rocks. Then in the water we began to see sharks, turtles and sea lions”…

The various snorkelling trips were also a hit, with the family spotting “starfish, sea urchins and large schools of fish”, before witnessing a “sea lion swimming towards (them). It slowly circled around and under for at least 5 minutes seemingly trying to play”, “An unbelievable experience!” added Ken.

          

On land, they observed nesting sites of blue footed boobies, iguanas and sea lions and on one hike, up to 50 Giant Tortoises!

Not only were the experiences “unforgettable”, but the 3-masted ship the family were sailing on was a “very special part of the trip”, the highlight being when the crew hauled up the sails before Ken and his family “pangaed to (their) magnificent ship while the passengers of the other boats looked on with envy”.

The culinary options were second to none, satiating the family after jam-packed days of intensive adventure: “Meals were great – a variety of mostly Ecuadorian food with lots of salad,  veggie, carb and meat/fish options”, with the most notable being “lobster tails and a giant baked fish and roast beef lunch”.

                      

The itinerary ensured exciting wildlife encounters that punctuated each day. Each day, the family explored a new island, watching inquisitive sharks, playful penguins swarming around them or a new born sea lion pup cuddling up to mama on the shore.

When Odyssey World gets the chance to be a small part involved in a very personal family experience like this, especially after the uncertainty of the last few years, our hearts glow with the tales of happiness. I’m not ashamed to admit that when I read the next part of his account, I burst into tears. For me, this is why we do this. We are truly in the business of making amazing memories and no-one says it better than Ken…

“We kept asking the kids what their favourite part of the trip was and they would list almost everything. But they would ask me what my favourite thing was and I would say, “My favourite is watching you kids have such a great time together and loving the animals.” I guess that’s what being a grandpa is all about.”