I was approached by Ecoventura to experience its unique Relais & Chateaux approach to the Galapagos when I was there this past October, asking to literally jump off one ship and onto one of its yachts. As tempting as it was, my schedule didn’t allow me to do that. But that was then, and this is now. And a great way to start off 2026, Ecoventura’s 35th anniversary of sailing in the Galapagos.

Ecoventura has three essentially identical yachts (Origin, Theory & Evolve), each carrying a maximum of 20 guests across 10 identical staterooms.  All staterooms are on the same deck and do not have balconies. (There is plenty of space on deck.) That is, unless you book a Premium Suite, which interconnects two Deluxe Staterooms, of which two are available. Obviously, between single occupancy and Premium Suites, you may well sail with fewer than 20 guests. Also, an effort is made to curate who is on which yacht, so an active couple is not paired with a family of six or truly less mobile folks. (I’ll let you know how that works…at least on my sailing.)

I will be staying in a Deluxe Stateroom which comes with all the expected amenities plus a Nespresso machine; a nice and appreciated touch.  As I work on the ship, the desk looks challenging, but somehow I think I can make it work for a week. 

If you book a Premium Suite, you receive upgraded seats on the flight from Quito, premium spirits by the glass (excluding champagne), complimentary laundry service, and access to the VIP lounge at the San Cristobal airport. I chose to book my internal flights directly, rather than through Ecoventura, so I paid less than its fixed fare for the flights, and have the premium seats. And with Priority Pass, I also have access to that VIP lounge. Laundry could be nice if on a back-to-back, but not necessary on a one-week expedition unless, as I did last time, you have a pre- or post-expedition experience.

Meals are buffet for breakfast and lunch, and plated Relais & Chateaux four-course dinners. There are also BBQs, cooking demonstrations, cocktail parties, and other parties (pirate or crossing-the-equator, depending on the itinerary). So there will be no complaints about a lack of excellent dining or fun!

I will detail the public areas when I am onboard, but know that they include a beautiful and expansive lounge (where briefings and socializing are held), a large upscale dining room, a covered sundeck, a hot tub, and more.  And, not to worry, al fresco dining for lunch is the norm.

Now, why most people come to the Galapagos: Wildlife and Landscapes.  Each yacht has two naturalists, so not only is it an intimate ship, but you are guaranteed an intimate relationship with the naturalist; something that can make your expedition extraordinary.

There are basically two itineraries, which can be combined for a back-to-back experience; something I highly recommend. Itinerary A is “Beaches and Bays,” spending more time in the South and East, while Itinerary B is “Volcanic Wonders” and spends more time in the North and West of the Galapagos. As each island is unique (with some crossover species), both in wildlife and nature, one is not better than the other. Rather, the focus can be a bit different.

Within each of the itineraries, there are slight variations on each yacht, so that when you land, you have an intimate experience with no more than 20 guests, not all 60 at one time. That said, one thing that I find somewhat curious, at least before heading to the ships, is that I’m not sure which ship I will be on or exactly which itinerary variation within the, in my case, the Beaches & Bays one, I will have. (This may well not be important to most, but I am more of a “planner”, rather than a “does it really matter” kinda guy, so I want the details…whether or not I truly need them.)

While that might have left me wanting some information, the pre-expedition documentation is excellent. Actually, some of the best I have seen, with little, if anything, left out. If you read it all (and I am not sure most will), the experience from meeting at the airport in Quito (or Guayaquil) to the onboard experience, to your return flight is fully and well laid out.

Ecoventura provides you with wetsuits (useful during some months, but not needed in January), masks, snorkels, and fins (though you can bring your own, as I do). There is no scuba diving (locations are strictly regulated), but there is one day on each itinerary where the yacht stays in town, and you can arrange a private experience that day directly or through the yacht’s concierge.

From what I see of the itinerary, there is a good balance between hiking, zodiacs, snorkeling, beach time, and yacht time. While I am confident that with these small groups (pretty much ten or fewer per naturalist), much will be seen in less time, but with higher quality time. So, taking advantage of that not only from an expedition experience, but a yachting one, sounds pretty good to me. I’ll let you know!

I am off to Quito, Ecuador, arriving a day early to both disaster-proof myself and, unlike my last two experiences, head out independently for a day and evening in Quito (with, of course, a unique Ecuadoran dining experience!), before heading to the airport very early in the morning on my way to yachting in the Galapagos!