Galápagos Begins with G: Experiencing the Ideal Operator for a Precious Destination

Done right, travel should be life-affirming, life-changing and reciprocal. The people in the destinations you visit should get as much out of it as you do. 

That’s my preferred way to go when I’m travelling independently. Get stuck in — stay at local places, eat at local restaurants and celebrate shared humanity with local people and travellers with a similar philosophy. 

This kind of travel may mean sacrificing a few creature comforts, but for those with open hearts, open minds and a hunger for human connection, the rewards come tenfold in the depth of the experience. 

In my three decades of professional travel, this ideal has seldom been achieved. Mass travel can overwhelm a destination. Separation of tourists and locals can lead to fear and friction.

‘Authenticity’ has become one of the most used and abused words in the travel lexicon these days. But if you want the real thing, you can find it. 

Consider this: as I write, I’m part of a group of 13 Canadian travel advisors and two G Adventures representatives —Global Purpose Specialist Anup ‘Nuppy’ Khiritbhai Mistry and Chief Experience Officer Sandra Masaquiza. 

We’re on the Galápagos island of Floreana, in the middle of the ocean in the middle of the world, 1,000 kilometres from the mainland of Ecuador. 

The island’s population is 200 — and we are the ONLY tourists here at this time. My one-bedroom apartment back in Canada is going to feel crowded after this. 

I experienced G for the first time last year on an advisor fam to Belize and Guatemala. It was one of the best journeys in a privileged life of travel. Our What’s App group is still active and I’m friends with most of them on Facebook. 

Canadian-born G Adventures has become a global success for many reasons, but a lot of it has to do with its “tread softly and respectfully” ethos. Here in Ecuador, and last year in Central America, G is respected for buying and hiring local, and encouraging its customers to get under the skin of a destination. 

The brainchild of Officer of the Order of Canada Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures has transformed tourism by connecting travellers with local people, their cultures and their economies. G now operates on all seven continents, employing thousands and contracting services from local small businesses worldwide.

The G approach is particularly relevant in the Galápagos Islands, one of our planet’s most precious and fragile settings. 

We’re halfway through the itinerary now, and each day somehow surpasses the previous. As expected, the coast-to-coast group of Canadian advisors is made up of curious, intelligent, easy-going people who are respectful of each other, the destination and our local hosts. They range in age from mid-20s to early-70s. They’re a blast to travel with. 

I’ll have lots more to say in future stories about the specifics of this G journey and our experiences in these magical islands. Follow Travel Market Report Canada on Facebook for more photos and video.