Where the Wild Things Are: Advisors Reflect on G Adventures Galapagos Fam

“The Galapagos Islands are probably the most famous wildlife-watching destination in the world. And no wonder — it’s almost impossible to exaggerate the sheer spectacle of the place that provided inspiration for Charles Darwin’s ground-breaking theory of natural selection.”

British conservationist Mark Carwardine

We were ready to turn back in search of shade and liquid when our group of three was told by a park ranger that if we continued to walk 10 minutes up the hot, dusty road, we’d find a massive Galapagos giant tortoise. 

As we got closer we began to hear a loud, rhythmic, primeval noise somewhere between a deep groan and a hiss. We turned a corner and it took a moment to process that we were witnessing two immense tortoises mating, with the male weighing at least 500 pounds and likely alive during the Second World War.

We watched in reverence, knowing we were among a privileged few to witness such an event in the wild. And we gave silent thanks to those who have worked so hard to preserve a precious and unique ecosystem.

That once in a lifetime experience was matched by the rarity of joining a travel advisor fam trip where none of the participants had been to the destination before. Among our group of 16 on the G Adventures Galapagos Island Hopping fam for Canadian advisors, only one had previously travelled to the iconic archipelago – and she lives there.

‘She’ is Sandra Maraquiza, biologist, Galapagos National Park naturalist guide, mother, member of Ecuador’s Salasaca indigenous group and a G Adventures Chief Experience Officer. She is also hands-down one of the best guides Travel Market Report Canada has had the privilege to travel with.

The second G Adventures rep on the trip was Toronto-based Global Purpose Specialist, award-winning photographer and iguana aficionado Anup ‘Nuppy’ Mistry, an acquaintance prior, a friend forever after. 

The rest of the group comprised 13 well-travelled advisors hailing from seven provinces, coast-to-coast. For all of us, the Galapagos Islands was a dream destination, and G Adventures made it come true, in near-flawless fashion.

When many people think of exploring the Galapagos Islands, small-ship expedition cruising comes to mind. That’s how the majority of the approximately 250,000 annual visitors experience the Ecuadorian archipelago located 1,000 km off the South American mainland.

This 9-day G Adventures trip, Quito to Quito, takes a different approach, flying into Baltra Island and staying on land at clean, simple accommodations on three of the four inhabited Galapagos Islands. Transfers between islands – 1.5 to 2 hours long – are done by speedboat. G offers cruise options too – on three different ships – but the land choice makes for a more affordable way to see the destination.

The three islands we stayed at were a study in contrasts. 

• Santa Cruz is the most populated and the main tourism hub, home to approximately 20,000 and featuring a wide variety of restaurants, shops and galleries. 

• Straddling the equator, Isabela Island is the largest of the archipelago, bigger than all the others combined. Its population is less than 3,000, however, and it has that slightly sleepy, beach town vibe.

• Finally, Floreana Island, with a population of less than 200, offered a truly unique experience. Our group of 16 were the only tourists during our visit, and we stayed in locally-owned guesthouses and ate in family-run restaurants that have been encouraged through the efforts of the G-created Planeterra non-profit. (More about that incredible experience in a later story).

Travel Market Report Canada asked our fellow trip participants to share some of the highlights of their experience with advisors across Canada. Here are a few of their comments:

Heather MaCaulay, McPhail Travel, Brandon, MB

“When I was a bit younger I planned my trips all myself and went all over with no tours.

Now that I know how tours like G Adventures work, I feel like they’re the best. I was always the one coordinating everything on each of those other trips and if I would have known the simplicity of small group tours I think I would have also really enjoyed that.”

Michelle Gagné Dubé, Vistago Travel/Travel Only, Brantford, ON

“I can honestly say it was one of the most enriching professional experiences of my travel career. Travelling alongside a group of passionate, like-minded travel advisors made the adventure even more rewarding — we shared ideas, built new friendships, and deepened our understanding of what makes G Adventures so unique.”

Zeeyad (Jilu) Popat, Senior Vacation & Travel Consultant, Surrey, BC

“I found that what made the trip more memorable was the amazing CEO. She was really knowledgeable, friendly and most importantly, patient with all our requests. Being a bit of an animal lover myself and with a degree in Zoology, I was still constantly amazed at the amount of information she had at her fingertips. This enriched the entire experience tremendously.”

Nova Parker, Senior Travel Consultant, Total Advantage Travel & Tours, Toronto

“Galapagos was a dream come true. It was on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, a dream I stole from my dad and absorbed so wholly that it truly became my ultimate bucket list destination. It’s now my aspiration to bring my 70-year-old Dad to experience the islands. G Adventures gave me this incredible opportunity to experience the Galápagos — and honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way.”

Cindie Barlow

TravelBestBets, Vancouver

“My excitement has carried over to my clients as I enthusiastically share my experience on the G Adventure Galapagos Island hopping tour. Bucket-list enthusiasts are coming out of the woodwork and I will be there to share my first hand experiences with them, thanks to G Adventures and the highly trained and charming personalities of their staff.”

Sandra Ayoub, Trevello Travel Group, Ottawa, ON

“A key takeaway for me was the itinerary itself. I had always defaulted to selling cruises to the Galapagos, but I realized that spending extra time on each island is much more enriching. Sampling the wonderful local cuisine, shopping, spending more time observing wildlife, hiking, and snorkelling all contributed to a truly epic experience.”

Katherine Pain, Fareconnect, Saskatoon, SK

“G adventures allowed me to experience my number 1 bucket list location. My absolute favourite thing was swimming with sea lions and seeing the blue footed boobies! I learned that G adventures has trips for everyone and they take care of all the details in destination. I would not hesitate to sell or use G adventures for my own travels.” 

Imran Ali, Trips4less.ca by TTAND, Markham, ON

“All hotel arrangements, transfers and excursions were meticulously planned and organized, and we literally did not have to lift a finger other than just bringing our bags to the coach bus.  

On top of that the excursions, meals and downtime helped to shape one of the best trips I’ve ever been on.”

The last words go to G Adventures Global Purpose Specialist Mistry, who told Travel Market Report Canada that the fam trip demonstrated that travel advisors are becoming increasingly conscious of the kind of socially responsible tourism that G specializes in.

“More than ever, advisors are looking beyond just price and destination; they want to know how a trip impacts the communities, cultures, and environments involved. There’s a growing awareness that travel can be a powerful force for good, and many advisors are actively seeking out partners who prioritize sustainability, local impact, and cultural respect.”