We have always wanted to visit the Galápagos Islands and this trip seemed the perfect choice. We booked it over two years before the trip, so had plenty of time to read up about the trip of a lifetime. We had two days before in Quito and visited the City and the Equator Museum, which was very enjoyable. We had a short flight to Baltra where we embarked on the Xpedition with our first experience of the Zodiac boats, which were easier than expected, but caused some hilarity at times! The ship was very comfortable and small. We were very well looked after by a wonderful crew of mostly Ecuadorians, who were very friendly and helpful. The food was excellent with a very good choice and the cruise was all inclusive of drinks, tips etc. The other passengers were very friendly and we all shared a common interest in this amazing environment.

The highlight of this cruise was our twice daily visits to different islands, all with such different landscapes and birds and animals. The expertise and knowledge of the Galápagos wildlife guides who accompanied the cruise was really amazing and once again they were a friendly and helpful team. The incredible variety of birds and wildlife left us speechless at times. They were not intimidated by the humans and it was a memorable experience, which we shall never forget. At night we were able to see a wonderful starlit sky with no light pollution, including the Southern Cross. It would have been good to have more information on the night sky. We would definitely recommend this as one of the best cruises we have done.