65 years of experience
in the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador

When this modern, minimalist, glass-walled jungle lodge opened in 2012, it changed the accommodation game in South America. Arquitect Alfredo Ribadeneira’s “protective cocoon” would impress in a modern city; in the depths of an Andean cloudforest, it is wild, audacious and beautiful. Though only 70 miles from Quito, Maspi Lodge sits in splendid isolation, perched on a cliff at the end of an unsealed road.

And there, sitting in the middle of Baltra harbour was our floating home – the 63-metre cruiser La Pinta, complete with her own on-board doctor and gym. We would sail around the archipelago before landing on Santa Cruz island and spending three nights at the eco-cool Finch Bay hotel, near its bustling capital Puerto Ayora where I hopped to organise some diving. It was an itinerary perfectly planned to fit into a ten-day half-term.

The 48-passenger La Pinta is big enough for a hut tub and a small gym and sun loungers, yet small enough to feel that you’re getting a very exclusive service from the 27-strong crew and four Ecuadorian naturalists. The ship has a small lecture theatre and also carries tandem kayaks, snorkelling gear and three pangas. Like most expedition cruising our trip was all about the activities.

“Casa Gangotena, a newly restored historic mansion that fuses neoclassical architecture and contemporary design, overlooking the Plaza San Francisco. I love this place, particularly the breakfast where I munch on granadillas (a kind of passion fruit) and uvillas (a fruit similar to gooseberries). The view from the rooftop bar is also splendid.”
“I’m staying onboard La Pinta, a well-equipped yacht with room for 48 guests. It’s nicely furnished, light and airy, and its secret weapon is the incredible knowledge and care shown by the staff and onboard naturalists.”
“After a three-hour drive from Quito, I arrive at the entrance to Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve, which extends over more than 3,000 acres. A huge, fort-like door swings open and I feel like I’m entering Jurassic Park. The Ecuadorian rainforest is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world, home to 1,600 species of bird and more than 400 species of amphibians.”

Larger cruise ships are not only better for the Galapagos’s delicate environment, but also give visitors a better experience. The national park rules limit the number of tourists at any one site, not the number of boats. So if you choose a small boat, there are likely to be several other small boats there with you, whereas on our largest ship Santa Cruz II we almost always have landing sites to ourselves.

This small, secret rooftop of the restored Casa Gangotena mansion peers over Plaza San Francisco in the center of Quito’s colonial Old Town, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Order a Cedrón Spritz, a refreshing mix of rum, lemon, sparkling wine, and fresh lemon verbena (cedrón) syrup and leaf, then revel in the mesmerizing, real-time montage of daily life in Ecuador’s capital as it parades past.

In South America, Metropolitan Touring, a major operator in the Galapagos Islands, reported strong growth among North Americans, up 11 percent June through the start of September versus the year prior.

A Font of information, Klaus has spent decades in the field, leading tours in the Amazon, Andes and Galapagos Islands. He hung up his guiding boots a few years back and now creates itineraries for the tour operator, Metropolitan Touring. Adrift in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from mainland South America, Galapagos is one of the most biodiverse locales on Earth.

The Santa Cruz II, which carries just 90 passengers, made its maiden voyage in the Galapagos at the end of 2015. Fitted with the latest sustainable sailing technologies, this is an expedition ship – although it has elegantly furnished cabins, hot tubs, a panorama deck and spacious communal areas. But after hiking around the islands, disembarking by inflatable dinghies known locally as pangas twice a day, along with other activities such as snorkelling, kayaking and swimming with seals, most of us wanted an early night rather than hankering after the nightlife that is a feature of traditional cruise ships.

Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015.

From the moment you enter the Casa Gangotena lobby, with its plush sofas and chartreuse chairs, and are served a glass of agua de frescos, an infusion drink of herbs and flower petals, the hotel’s heritage hits you. In both iterations of the mansion, plenty of intrigue no doubt passed among Gangotena guests within the courtyard and garden. Today, the glass-covered garden room filled with tropical plants is the place to enjoy high tea (which, here in the land of coffee and chocolate, could mean espresso or hot chocolate) or cocktails while perusing an illustrated book on Ecuadorean flora and fauna.

Humble Ecuador is roughly the size of Nevada but boasts more eco-diversity than destinations twice its size: Deserts, snow-capped peaks, and tropical beaches and rainforest are all within a few hours by car. Casa Gangotena, named for the family that built its Beux Arts mansion on Plaza San Francisco, the boutique hotel combines luxury and sense of place.

Quito has some of the continent’s best examples of colonial art and architecture. Book a room at Casa Gangotena, a newly restored historic mansion with a prime setting that overlooks Plaza San Francisco.

The Galápagos Islands, in Ecuador, offer wildlife and landscapes found nowhere else on earth. The Finch Bay Eco Hotel, on Puerto Ayora/Academy Bay on Santa Cruz Island, also has its own boat. The Sea Lion has its own chef and a capacity for 20 passengers and two guides (many other day-trip boats carry 16 passengers and just one guide). Sea Lion itineraries also encompass all five of the islands that day-trip boats are allowed to visit.