A mythical name evoking a wild and protected nature, where fauna and flora evolve freely, the Galapagos archipelago is a sanctuary accessible under strict conditions.
To explore this unspoiled area, the sea is the only way in. So, let's board the yacht La Pinta for a discovery cruise organized by Metropolitan
Touring, heading towards the western islands. Logbook of a novice explorer...
Life on board La Pinta
La Pinta is a high-end expedition ship, cruising the Galapagos year-round. Designed to accommodate 48 passengers in 24 spacious cabins, the yacht offers comfortable rooms with private bathrooms and large panoramic windows. The staff provides twice-daily room service and enhances each day with animal-shaped napkins. Each day, we discover swans, bear cubs, sea lions, and hanging monkeys placed on our beds—all meticulously crafted by Pedro, our designated butler.
Dining on board is a culinary journey in itself, with menus inspired by South American land and sea. Colorful dishes, tropical vegetables and fruits
such as plantain, sweet potato, papaya and guava, are offered in a friendly atmosphere, under the watchful eye of our regular server Roberto, who
records everyone's eating habits from day one and ensures that each meal is personalized according to their preferences.
On board, numerous facilities guarantee passenger well-being: a jacuzzi, a gym, two dining areas (indoor and outdoor), and an observation lounge for ecological presentations, offering a 360° panoramic view. For water activities, La Pinta has kayaks, a glass-bottom boat, and snorkeling equipment. In line with its commitment to sustainable tourism, Metropolitan Touring has equipped the yacht with technologies to minimize fuel consumption and treat water. On board, there are no plastic bottles, but a recycled water bottle is distributed to each passenger, to be filled with drinking water as needed.
Excursions
Every evening, before dinner, the crew reveals the next day's program, introduced by a presentation on the history and the ecosystem that we are going to discover.
Activities vary depending on the port of call: guided hikes, zodiac boat excursions, snorkeling, kayaking, or glass-bottom boat excursions. A multilingual naturalist guide accompanies each group, passionately sharing their knowledge and making each outing fun and educational.
Itinerary and discoveries
North Seymour Island
A sanctuary for sea lions, black-backed marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and frigate birds, discovered during our walk along the coast, this island winds through volcanic rocks rounded by millennia of erosion.
Isabela Island
The largest island in the Galapagos, shaped like a seahorse, can only be visited by boat on its west coast. We observe cormorants, blue-footed boobies, and iguanas perched on
dark rocks. Snorkeling allows us to swim among turtles, sea lions, and exotic fish, or, for a more tranquil experience, observe the marine life through the boat's glass bottom.
Walk through Urbina Bay, a bay with a spectacular landscape with its black lava rock beach and its sandy and stony paths. Here, time seems
suspended, we walk among century-old turtles and land iguanas with colorful scales, a picture in perfect symbiosis with the volcanic rock.
Fernandina Island
We pass through colonies of iguanas, huddled together for warmth. The trail stretches over black rocks striated by ancient lava flows.
lava. A field of cacti emerges in the middle of this lunar landscape. Further away, a mockingbird looks down on a hawk, a thousand-year-old rivalry between two species with
very different forces.
Rabida Island
This exotic site, with its red sand beach, is a haven for marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and the famous Darwin's finches.
Santa Cruz Island
The adventure leads us to the Dragon Hill, where a brackish lagoon is home to numerous marsh birds, including flamingos. From a path
sandy, we reach a panoramic view of the western islands. This volcanic space is dotted with immense, gnarled and thorny candelabra cacti.
The next day, at Puerto Ayora, a visit to the Charles Darwin Centre stands out, a high place of research and preservation of the national park. This center houses a
giant tortoise breeding and a memorial to Lonesome George, the last representation of an extinct species, carefully preserved in a protected building.
The day dedicated to turtles ends in the northern part of the island where, in a green and misty setting, we visit a farm where land turtles are
raised and live in freedom, scattered over vast areas that were once agricultural.
Floreana Island
The morning Zodiac ride allows you to sail along the coast to admire red iguanas lounging on the steep rocks, pelicans and cormorants fishing, and sea turtles gliding beneath the crystal-clear waters. This "mysterious island" is home to many legends of disappearances and unexplained noises.
At the Post Office Bay, travelers like our group, leave postcards on a wooden perch, hoping that other visitors will play the role of postman. A role we happily took on by bringing back a few cards addressed to France…
The final evening is hosted by a group of local singers and dancers, performing a festive South American musical atmosphere. At dawn, we spot the island of Baltra on the horizon, bringing this logbook to a close.
We depart from this paradise of flora and fauna, aware of the importance of preserving these fragile treasures. A moving farewell to a timeless kingdom, for during this cruise, a bond was forged between the travelers, a shared love for nature emerging from each discovery. It is with a hint of regret that we leave this terrestrial and marine sanctuary to return to our city lives.
A huge thank you to:
The team of La pinta and Metropolitan Touring for their unfailing hospitality and their ecological commitment.
LATAM, one of the largest airlines in Latin America, for the quality and frequency of its flights to the Galapagos on board the most modern and comfortable Airbus aircraft.
Ema Lynnx
Photos: Patrick Koune
