May 15, 2002 -- Cruising the Galapagos is one of the world's most fascinating adventures, and fairly exclusive, since the Ecuadorian government allows a limited number of people on the islands at any given time. The largest sailing ship, the Lili Marleen, carries only 48 passengers. You can visit on a small motor yacht for as little as $912 per person in a double through Galapagos Tours & Cruises.
Everyone interested in travel has at some time wondered about visiting Darwin's laboratory, observing such rare species as the red- and blue-footed boobies, lava lizards and flightless cormorants, not to mention swallow-tailed gulls, frigate birds, marine iguanas and sea lions, giant tortoises and penguins.
To avoid the hassle of arranging your own tour, however, you may be willing to pay big bucks. If you do, you might consider Peter Deilmann Cruises, which has its own sailing yacht, the aforementioned Lili Marleen. Every Thursday, his firm's 10-day program departs from the U.S., giving participants seven nights on the ship (all meals on board), Galapagos excursions and guides, and three nights in Quito at the deluxe Marriott Hotel. Included also are breakfasts in the hotel, service charges and taxes, round-trip air transport between Quito and Baltra (the port), round-trip airport transfers and the $100 per person Galapagos National Park fee. Prices for this begin at $3,348 per person, double occupancy. Airfare from the U.S. to Ecuador is not included.
The package features morning and afternoon nature walks on eight islands, and there is snorkeling available at six locations. All cabins are outside, and the ship is fully air-conditioned. The Lili is a three-masted barquentine sailing craft built in 1994 and most recently refurbished in 2001.
They also have a 14-night program, with the same program as above but a five-night extension in Lima, Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Prices here start at $4,688 per person, double occupancy. To contact Deilmann, go to www.deilmann-cruises.com, e-mail them at pdcmail@deilmann-cruises.com or phone 800/348-8287.
By contrast, if you book through Galapagos Tours & Cruises, you can get a high-end cruise of eight nights for between $2,000 and $4,000 per person, double occupancy. A mid-range cruise would run from $1,200 to $2,000 for the same period, and a low-price tour could cost as little as $550 to $1,200. One quote on their Web site (www.galapagosislands.com) for seven nights was $912 high season, for instance.
A good Web site (reader recommended) for the islands, covering several tour operators, is www.cnhtours.com. The folks at the latter will build you an itinerary of your own, offering a wide selection of ships (both sail and powerboat) and hotel accommodations.