The Galápagos & South America
The Galápagos & South America at sea: the back story
The back story
About The Galápagos & South America at sea: the back story
Darwin’s islands, the great river and a continent of port cities, from Rio’s Pier Mauá to the hills of Valparaíso.
Islands that changed how we see the world
Some 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos are a place where the animals hold their ground. The archipelago has 13 major islands, four of them inhabited, and more than 200 islets and rocks; the national park, created in 1959, covers 97% of the land, and the Marine Reserve protects 138,000 km² of sea around it (galapagos.gob.ec). UNESCO made the islands the very first site on its World Heritage List, in 1978.
How a Galápagos voyage works
Most voyages begin with a flight from Quito to Baltra or to San Cristóbal, where the lines’ naturalists meet you and take you to the ship by bus and Zodiac. The ships are small by design: Celebrity Flora carries 100 guests, HX’s Santa Cruz II 90, Quasar’s Grace just 16. Every landing is made with a licensed guide, and the park’s rules are simple and strictly kept: stay two metres from the wildlife, never touch or feed it, no flash and no drones, walk only on marked trails, and take nothing away. Before you board, budget for the park’s entry fee, US$200 for foreign visitors over 12.
In the Galápagos, the rules are part of the pleasure: two metres from the wildlife, and the wildlife barely notices you.
The great river
The Amazon is the other expedition here. In Peru, voyages start from Iquitos or from Nauta, near the point where the Marañón and Ucayali rivers meet, and sail into the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve on small, beautifully finished river ships from Aqua Expeditions, Lindblad and A&K. Downstream in Brazil, Manaus, with its pink-and-white opera house, is the gateway to the Rio Negro and the port that larger ocean ships reach on long Amazon voyages.
The Atlantic coast
On the Atlantic side, the season follows the southern summer. Rio de Janeiro receives ships at Pier Mauá, beside the Museu do Amanhã and a tram ride from the centre; Santos, the port for São Paulo, has the Concais terminal, open since 1998. Further south, the Río de la Plata brings you to Montevideo, its Mercado del Puerto steps from the quay, and to Buenos Aires, where the cruise terminal sits in the port of Retiro. Punta del Este and Búzios are the beach calls in between.
The Pacific coast
Chile’s cruise season runs from October to April. Valparaíso, whose hillside historic quarter is a World Heritage site, is the country’s home port, with a passenger terminal served by shuttle buses from the ships; San Antonio, further south, also receives cruise ships. Puerto Montt opens the way to the lakes and volcanoes of the south, and in Peru, Callao is the port for Lima, a city that takes its cooking very seriously indeed.
Our advice:
Our advice: treat the Galápagos as its own journey, not a stop. Fly to Quito a day early, keep your park fee and passport to hand, and choose your ship for its naturalists and its itinerary rather than its size. On the coastal voyages, give yourself a night in Rio or Buenos Aires on either side; the cities deserve it.
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Galápagos & South America at sea: the back story before you go.