Trip of a lifetime: cruising the Galapagos

The newborn sealion suckled greedily at its mother while, yards away in the sea, two pelicans fought over the placenta. It was my first afternoon in the Galapagos, and within moments of our group landing on Ochoa beach on San Cristobal island we felt as if we'd landed in the middle of a wildlife documentary.

As we gingerly edged ever-so-slightly nearer to the group of sealions, our naturalist guide, Galapagos-born Rafael urged us to get closer and closer, while promising that this was just the start of the up-close-and-personal wildlife encounters that we'd have...

Our experiences weren't always so 'nature red in tooth and claw' but they were always gripping. We agreed that we felt privileged to stand among piles of dinosaur-lookalike marine iguanas, to come face to face with sealions underwater, to swim alongside sea turtles, to crouch beside giant tortoises, to step out of the way of blue-footed boobies on a path, to step over golden-hued land iguanas, to watch scarlet Sally Lightfoot crabs scuttle off... Click here for close-up shots of all this Galapagos wildlife.

And beyond the creatures that were so untroubled by our presence, there was an amazing sense of tranquility. The areas of the islands that are open for visits are quite small and, whether viewed from our boat passing by, or from a high point on land, vast landscapes stretched away, provoking the imagination to wonder what kind of lost worlds could be hidden out of reach.  

The volcanic islands lie 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific, and were discovered by accident in 1535 by a Panamanian bishop drifting off course. However, the islands' most famous visitor is, of course, Charles Darwin. He arrived in 1835 and stayed for five weeks, collecting specimens, formulating his natural-selection theories and, tsk tsk, riding and eating the giant tortoises.

Modern visitors are, unsurprisingly, not allowed to touch the wildlife. Visitors are only allowed on the islands in the company of a qualified guide, and no one can land at night. You can't leave anything on the islands, and neither are you allowed to take anything from the islands - not even the smallest shell or pebble. There are checks at the airport when you arrive for prohibited items, such as fruit that's not found in the Galapagos.

The islands became a national park in 1959, the 100th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' , inspired by his trip.

The ship

Our elegant floating home, the Grace, was built by Camper & Nicholson of Southampton and has had a varied life, including ownership by Aristotle Onassis and Prince Grace of Monaco. The yacht is 45 metres long, with accommodation for 16 passengers. From the top down, it has a sundeck with loungers, a bar area at the stern with comfy chairs and sofas, at the front, a Jacuzzi area, indoor dining room, saloon plus bar, and outdoor dining and seating area. Before my trip I was concerned that I might feel claustrophobic aboard, but the ship is very comfortably furnished and feels spacious. I was with a great group of discerning guests who I never wanted to escape from!

My cabin was small but neatly laid out, with classic wooden panelling with neutral decor, plus clever touches like a catch on the shower to keep the door closed when the boat was moving. When the sea was rough the waves came above the level of the porthole and - inexperienced sailor that I am - I had to avert my eyes. Engine noise was noticeable but earplugs did the job.

Given the size of the kitchen and the fact that it's on a boat, the food that emerged from it was deliciously varied. Meals were served in the dining room, buffet style. For breakfast there was the best muesli I've ever had, proper Bircher-Benner style, with bread, croissants, eggs, sausage, pancakes, yogurt, fruit and fresh juices.

Lunch and dinner often included delicious Ecuadorean soups and featured fish bought from local (licensed) fishing boats, imaginative stir-fries, and a menu that spanned the Americas and beyond - culminating in a birthday cake with pineapple cream cheese icing. Perfectly timed were the afternoon and evening snacks ready for us when we arrived back after snorkelling or walking: banana fritters one day, always fresh fruit juices (try guanabana if you get the chance), piping-hot salty popcorn and pizza slivers.

All the staff are supremely attentive and always cheerful, which is great because you do rub shoulders with them every day. From Glenda throwing herself overboard to demonstrate lifebelt use, to Antonio mixing the perfect gin and tonic and remembering how I like my coffee, to Carolina supplying seasickness remedies and answering random questions. The star of the show was Rafael, our naturalist guide, who shared his astounding knowledge of the flora and fauna, in a very entertaining way (with a Sid James laugh), never running out of patience with the umpteenth 'is that a Galapagos dove or a mocking bird?' query of the day. He was also very sensitive to wider issues, like the terrified snorkellers among us, enabling us to enjoy the life underwater and instilling me with the confidence to swim with 6ft-long sharks (white-tip reef sharks to be precise).

Who goes?

My boatload of fellow passengers ranged in age from 40 to 70, with varying levels of fitness and differing reasons for visiting. As Quasar Expeditions is a US-based company, the majority tend to be American. My lovely group had five Brits, four Americans, two Canadians, two Australians, one Kenyan, and one Spaniard.

Why choose a cruise?

Staying aboard a boat allows you to visit more islands as you travel through the night from place to place, rather than spending much of your daylight hours getting from your land-based hotel to your location. It also has the least environmental impact on the islands. Quasar gives you a very detailed breakdown of the activities, including how tough landings are, whether they're wet (ie, over the side of the dinghy into the sea) or dry (step/leap off onto rock or steps), and the fitness levels you need.

What's the routine?

The seven-night itinerary visits 10 of the islands. Early starts are the norm: our earliest was 5.30am, advised by our guide in order to miss another tour group. Our latest lie-in was 7.30am! However, as we tended to go to bed quite early after a seasickness tablet and a couple of drinks, getting up early was no problem!

Into the dinghies, we headed for our destination to snorkel or walk (and take photos!), then back to the boat for lunch, then off for the afternoon's activities, then back to the boat for snacks and some siesta time. Before dinner, a briefing from Rafael, our naturalist guide, about the following day.

A favourite place with the group was the lounge at the stern on the upper deck (left), where we sipped on sundowners while lounging on comfy cushions, sharing our day's photos and comparing patches of sunburn where the wetsuit doesn't reach.

What to take

A camera! You'll never have an opportunity like this for snapping wildlife. And as they're not scared of humans, you don't need a tripod, but a zoom lens is great.

A waterproof jacket: although it's warm all year round, it does rain, particularly from January to May.

Seasickness remedy: despite the islands' official position in the doldrums, there is quite a lot of wave movement. I used Boots Travel Bands (£7.99). A few of us were using them, and there was a lot of discussion about the precise positioning of the acupressure points.

Lots of swimwear: you'll spend a lot of time in the water, and it takes a while to dry out between dips.

Good guidebook: I enjoyed 'Lonely Planet's Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands (£15.99), with its wildlife photo guide.

Find out more

Quasar Expeditions has been running trips to the Galapagos for 24 years. A seven-night cruise on the Grace costs from $5,195 for a C-deck twin room. To find out more visit www.galapagosexpeditions.com or call freephone 0800 883 0827.

Get up close and personal with a gallery of Galapagos wildlife

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