Traveler Reviews

• Toni_f 21-Oct-2022

  We had one day to do a tour. I booked this island in July. The night before our tour, it was cancelled. I went to a local tour company on Santa Cruz and got the last 2 tickets to another island. This experience had the potential to ruUnin our entire long, hard trip to the Galapagos. So unacceptable!

• Ekta_c 05-Apr-2021

  So, we were sent to Pinzon instead. And my review is about Pinzon tour which is from the same agency. First- for the pick up they were 40 mins late and we had to wait in the sun and no one was picking our phone. Second- They overcrowded people in a tiny boat. There was barely any space to move. Third- they wasted so much time in the boat. Of the 8 hours, only three hours was snorkeling and the rest was on this tiny boat. They would stop for fishing (i dont know for who) and every time someone had to go to the bathroom. The trip could have been easily done in 6 hours. Not worth is for the price. We are getting more high end tours at much cheaper price. The agency is a fleece.

• Davidlaw 04-Nov-2019

  First, be aware that the boat ride from Puerto Ayora (1 hour 45 min each way) is choppy and will pound you. Other than that a great tour. We went with another couple and our guide. The guide was wonderful and very helpful. He knew the history and lore of the island, spoke very good English and was extremely helpful to my handicapped partner who got assistance climbing over loose and wet rocks in the highlands and the volcanic rocks and sand at the beach. Is you have ever read Margret Wittmer's book Floreana you will now get to see where it happens, including the first pirate cave her family lived in. The snorkeling was beautiful, as was the beach itself...perhaps the most unique and beautiful one we saw, with black volcanic rock, light brown coral sand ,clear blue/green waters and red ground cover. Here you swim with the turtles and sea lions...the latter who like to play with the swimmers. The meal for lunch was simple and satisfying. This is a great day tour off Santa Cruz if you are based there.

• Nealandgail 28-Oct-2019

  WE chose this excursion because it said it only had a short walk as part of the tour. Would not recommend for anyone over 60 unless you are in good shape. The boat ride was long 1.5 hrs in a boat probably 30 feet or less in the open sea - very rough - take sea sickness medicine before you go. After the lunch which was very good we were dropped off to go go snorkeling - had to walk on long trail over rough terrain (rocks) to get there trying to carry all your gear with no help from the tour service. After snorkeling we had to again walk at least two miles back for the return boat ride, again carrying all our gear. This tour is for the young or those in very good shape. The tour guid was knowledgable but in my option talked to much and could have given some assistance to those of us carrying all our gear on the rough trails. Snorkeling was average to below average and there were not very many birds on that we saw on this island.

• Knut A 21-Oct-2019

  We did this excursion yesterday and can highly recommend it! Our guide was very polite, helpful and well- informed about history, flora and fauna of the Galápagos islands. Thus our excursion got a very interesting, informative and enjoyable day trip! Thank you!

• Knut_a 20-Oct-2019

  We did this excursion yesterday and can highly recommend it! Our guide was very polite, helpful and well- informed about history, flora and fauna of the Galápagos islands. Thus our excursion got a very interesting, informative and enjoyable day trip! Thank you!

• Bonnie F 30-Sep-2019

  Boat ride was fun and captain was great. He made the ride as smooth as possible for us. We had a really well informed guide, Jorge. He had much history of the originating families on Floreana and their tortoises that remain there today. Food was great for lunch at a local restaurant. But when we got to the beach, the surf and rocks were very rough. It was really hard to get back to shore (everyone commented how tiring it was). I think we should have skipped the snorkeling under those conditions. And the guide should have not have left one person out there snorkeling alone, especially in those conditions. This part of the tour was definitely not worth the long hike there and back, especially with back packs and snorkel gear we had to carry ourselves.

• Aledolce 21-Aug-2019

  The ride to Floreana was about one hour and forty five minutes on a fast boat. After being welcomed by marine iguanas and sea lions, we got on a minivan to drive to up on the hill, where we started the walking tour. I didn’t enjoy the guide who took us around Floreana island, Jorge. He didn’t seem to be much knowledgeable about the island because gave vague answers to simple questions, like how and when the Galapagos became part of Ecuador, but what I really disliked was the the cheap way he was trying to be funny when talking about the turtles. He kept making jokes about how and how often they have sex, using inappropriate language which was
  1- not funny
  2- not appropriate since there was a 13 yrs old teenager, my son, and another family with a teenager/ young adult daughter
  3-not interesting
  He didn’t give us any useful and intelligent information about the turtles, the sea lions or the marine iguanas on the island.
  Jorge was also very confusing with dates and events when he was telling the history of Floreana, but at that point I had lost interest in asking questions.
  At the beginning of the tour he told us to stay in group, we were 6 people, and to follow him, which we all did. After lunch we started walking towards the beach, but he was walking so fast ahead of us that we lost track of him and were not sure which way to go. We kept walking and found him on the beach rushing us to get ready for snorkeling. We were able to swim with turtles and it was a great experience, but I wish we had a different guide.
  On the return boat ride more people got on board with us, to fill up the boat to full capacity. We were tight with no space to even switch position for the entire ride. I believe the tour was overpriced, considering that I paid $236 each and the people who got on at Floreana paid $30 just for the transfer to Santa Cruz. At least we should have had a private boat for the tour paying tourists. I wish I could have just paid $60 for a round trip transfer, gone straight to the beach, which was awesome, and avoided the guide, which was useless.

• Alessandra D 18-Aug-2019

  The ride was less than 2hours on a fast boat. At arrival we got on a minivan to drive up on the hill to start the walking tour. I didn’t enjoy the guide who took us around, Jorge. He wasn't much informed about the island, giving vague answers to simple questions, like how and when the Galapagos became part of Ecuador, but what I really disliked was the cheap way he was trying to be funny when talking about the tortoises. He kept making jokes about how and how often they have sex, using a language which wasn't funny and not appropriate for a 13 yrs old teenager, my son, and another teenager/young adult girl with her parents. Jorge was also very confusing with dates and events about the history of Floreana, but at that point I had lost interest in asking questions. At the beginning of the tour Jorge told us to stay in a group, we were 6 people, and to follow him. After lunch we started walking towards the beach, but he was walking so fast ahead of us that we lost him and were not sure which way to go. We kept walking and found him on the beach rushing us to get ready for snorkeling.We were able to swim with turtles and it was a great experience, but I wish we had a different guide. On the return ride more people got on board, to fill up the boat to full capacity.There was no space and was uncomfortable. Considering that the people who got on at Floreana paid $30 for the ride to Santa Cruz and I paid $236 each, I can't justify the price.At least we should have had a private boat

• Alessandra D 18-Aug-2019

  The ride to Floreana was about one hour and forty five minutes on a fast boat. After being welcomed by marine iguanas and sea lions, we got on a minivan to drive to up on the hill, where we started the walking tour. I didn’t enjoy the guide who took us around Floreana island, Jorge. He didn’t seem to be much knowledgeable about the island because gave vague answers to simple questions, like how and when the Galapagos became part of Ecuador, but what I really disliked was the the cheap way he was trying to be funny when talking about the turtles. He kept making jokes about how and how often they have sex, using inappropriate language which was 1- not funny 2- not appropriate since there was a 13 yrs old teenager, my son, and another family with a teenager/ young adult daughter 3-not interesting He didn’t give us any useful and intelligent information about the turtles, the sea lions or the marine iguanas on the island. Jorge was also very confusing with dates and events when he was telling the history of Floreana, but at that point I had lost interest in asking questions. At the beginning of the tour he told us to stay in group, we were 6 people, and to follow him, which we all did. After lunch we started walking towards the beach, but he was walking so fast ahead of us that we lost track of him and were not sure which way to go. We kept walking and found him on the beach rushing us to get ready for snorkeling. We were able to swim with turtles and it was a great experience, but I wish we had a different guide. On the return boat ride more people got on board with us, to fill up the boat to full capacity. We were tight with no space to even switch position for the entire ride. I believe the tour was overpriced, considering that I paid $236 each and the people who got on at Floreana paid $30 just for the transfer to Santa Cruz. At least we should have had a private boat for the tour paying tourists. I wish I could have just paid $60 for a round trip transfer, gone straight to the beach, which was awesome, and avoided the guide, which was useless.