This Relais & Chateaux Yacht Is The Best Way To See The Galapagos Islands

A trip to the awe-inspiring Galapagos Islands is a precious opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and the absolute best way to do it is on a small, (20 people or less) group cruise. The islands remain an unrivaled destination for intimate encounters with nature, encounters that are best enjoyed in a modest size group. Ecoventura is one of the few Ecuadorian-owned companies operating cruises of the islands, and they are the only ones doing so on Relais & Chateaux-affiliated yachts that offer some of the best guest-to-guide ratio’s in the region.

Their fleet of three yachts (Theory, Origin and the newest boat, Evolve) hold no more than 20 guests and their exclusive affiliation with Relais & Chateaux means you’ll be cruising in luxurious style – which has obvious benefits. Each yacht is a self-contained luxury organism with attentive staff, fine dining, and sleek, modern staterooms that boast piles of bedding, uncommonly luxurious mattresses and rainfall showers. On board, the crew to guest ratio is almost 1:1. The guide-to-guest ratio is never more than 1 to 10. You’ll also dine on four-course locally-inspired dinners each night.

All that dining and luxury might seem too much, but take note, you will find yourself exhausted from being in a constant state of awe; the Galapagos Islands just have that effect on people. A morning spent snorkeling with sea turtles, reef sharks and curious penguins (who just might play peek-a-boo with you) will be followed by a hike to the top of a dormant volcano that yields 360-degree views of the region. A hearty lunch (of shrimp, octopus, tuna steaks and salad) restores you for the afternoon’s hike to watch the blue-footed booby’s exotic mating dance followed by a visit to a green beach laced with tiny peridot crystals and, later, yet another chance to snorkel. You’ll finally get to put your feet up before dinner – when your steward will bring you the cocktail of your choice and the guides will go over the next day’s adventures. The days are so packed and the encounters so thrilling, it never gets old letting nature dictate the terms of any encounter.

The number of daily visitors to each island is limited as is the amount of time you can spend in each place. If you are traveling with 50 or more people, that makes things more challenging. Keeping the size of your expedition modest translates into more one-on-one time with your guides and frankly, no waiting. We saw bigger ships and we saw the guests waiting—waiting to board their “panga” – a small craft that ferries guests to and from the ship. There was no waiting on the Ecoventura Evolve – unless it is waiting for your next course in your four course dinner each night. The luxurious comforts and small group vibe on board were also restorative, giving us time to reflect on the day’s marvels.

You’ll witness nature at its finest hour – from scarlet sunsets to frigate birds that fly along with the boat, the Galapagos embrace you and all of your human imperfection, inviting you to become a part of the scenery. On our second-to-last snorkel we attracted the attention of a few penguins, who took a shine to our group, diving and darting around us. Three different (and large) sharks made appearances, as did flounder, starfish and a massive sea turtle, who just floated next to us. A young sea lion pup wanted to play – swimming underneath and flipping on his back to look at us. In one single swim we swam with sea lion, penguin, shark, marble ray, sea turtle and a massive school of fish, all set against the backdrop of an ancient underwater lava debris field. After being immersed in such natural majesty, we made our way back to the Evolve where a hot tub soak and a glass of rosé waited for us. Each night I would fall asleep pinching myself, counting my lucky stars to be in such a place while having such a decadent experience. Smaller, luxurious cruise offerings are a welcome change in this remote place. More importantly, (thanks to the tireless conservation efforts) for the wildlife nothing has changed, and that’s the right kind of progress.