AGENDA CALENDAR
PRAGUE
EL SEED
WILD WONDER
14 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER JUNE 2014
GETTING THERE
Emirates (emirates.com), Etihad (etihad.com) and Qatar Airways (qatarairways.com) fly direct to New York, from where it’s a six-and-a-half-hour flight with Tame (tame.com.ec) to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where you can pick up a short flight or cruise to the Galapagos Islands
PHOTO: BIJU SUKUMARAN
even golf. Pikaia Lodge (pikaialodgegalapagos.com) on Santa Cruz Island offers an alternative to a night at sea, complete with nearby beaches, restaurants, a spa and a private tortoise reserve located on the property. If water is your element, it’s not restricted to snorkelling and diving. Galapagos Fishing Company’s (galapagosfishing. com) native guides comply with Ecuador’s stringent regulations to take guests sport fishing for tuna and marlin. Located at a confluence of ocean currents, it’s not surprising that the archipelago also exhibits ideal surf conditions year round, and tour operators now put together island-hopping itineraries in search of the perfect wave (surfgalapagos.com). Despite its isolated location, the Galapagos continues to evolve.
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isited by Charles Darwin on his much-ballyhooed trip aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835, these “Enchanted Isles” continue to inspire nature lovers and ecologists alike. But the gritty conditions of 19th-century travel stand in stark contrast to today’s luxury vessels, supplying certified guides and world-class cuisine on multi-stop trips throughout the archipelago. Aboard ships like the Athala II, tour operators manage to merge a wealth of biological information, sumptuous accommodation and ecologically sound practices. And in an emerging response to cruises, land-based tours now offer a fresh new way to see the islands. Based in towns like Puerto Ayora (population 12,000), visitors can grab a drink or a souvenir in the shops and restaurants that line the boardwalk or visit the Charles Darwin Station. Here, teams of scientists conduct research in conservation; their turtle rearing facility (formerly home of the late Lonesome George) helps bolster populations of giant tortoises throughout the islands. Towns like this act as a base for shorter excursions, like to the Galapagos Magic campground, a 25-hectare ranch, where visitors “glamp” in tree houses amid tortoise migration trails and partake in horseback riding, mountain biking and
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The Galapagos Islands have long been known for extraordinary wildlife and picturesque vistas – now unique cruise and glamping experiences add to its charm, finds Biju Sukumaran
Sail the “Enchanted Isles” to discover their natural beauty and unique wildlife JUNE 2014 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER 15