Galapagos

[Fiona]

My regular holiday buddy and I are thinking about a trip to the Galapagos and I am in the process of looking at add-on trips.

Has anyone been and can recommend land based trips so that we extend our stay a little.

It's a long way to go just for the diving :D

[Adrian Kelland]

Galapagos!

You, you , you swine you :)

Ride on a turtle? :D

Adrian

[Fiona]

why do you fancy joining us ?

Ride on a turtle :eek: absolutely not

[Odin]

No good for you Adrian..no Ferrous Oxide...

[davidbwatt]

My wife and I went there in July with a great group from Bath BSAC, on the Lammer Law.

We had a mix of land visits together with the diving. Though the emphasis was on the diving (naturally), particularly as we spent 5 days up at Darwin with the hammerheads, and galapagos sharks, hoping to see whale sharks. Some of our party did eventually get to see a whale shark, sadly not us :(

We also got to see Mola Mola at Vincente Roca.

I think all the dive cruises offer some land trips in the itinerary.

Regards

Dave

[Fiona]

I think all the dive cruises offer some land trips in the itinerary.

Regards

Dave

David I meant extensions after the dive trip, maybe a 4 or 5 day trip somewhere.

The dive part of the trip is the main reason but it's a long way to go for 10 days.

[Ben Panter]

An interesting place nearby? Well Panama is pretty close, and I spent a few weeks there last year. Lots of variation around the country... and pretty cheap to boot.

Dense jungle around Gamboa (next to the canal, access along pipeline road deep into the jungle if you're into your wildlife).

Amazing engineering of the canal itself - you can do tours of the locks.

Relaxation and wild desert-island beaches in Bocas Del Torro (and some pretty average diving).

Native, as-they've-always-been type communities in San Blas...

Drop me a PM if you want more details, there is a very good, very friendly hotelier / travel agent there who we used who can sort you out I'm sure.

[Alison Boler]

Hi Fi
You lucky thing!
You have a number of options really
1. Extend time on land in the Galapagos Islands. It is a long way to go for 10 days and there is a lot to see, maybe add a non diving trip onto the tour to concentrate on wildlife viewing.
2. Otherwise it makes sense to make the extension wherever you are touching down before picking up the boat?? Are you going in through Ecuador??? There are some fantastic side trips to be had there, e.g. Andes for fantastic mountain scenery/hiking and also rainforest trips. Have a look at the Ecuador Tourist Board site for some good ides. It looks fantastic.

Let us know what your itinerary is and we can come up with some more ideas.http://www.vivecuador.com/html2/eng/destinations.htm

All the best

Allie

[Fiona]

Thanks Alison

I think we will be doing the dive trip first we will be flying in to Guayaquil for an overnight stop and then picking up the boat.

The land based extentions will be done after as not everyone will want to do the same ones.

Thanks for the link I'll take a look.

There are actually 14 of us going from a well known webforum :D and we are booked on a boat called DeepBlue which looks fantastic.

[seadeuce]

Macchu Picchu and onwards to Lake Titicaca.

Or you could go down to Tena (Ecuador) for some whitewater rafting - check Rios Ecuador

Enjoy!

Seadeuce

[IainC]

Two of our club dived in the galalagos during a 5 month trip round South America (yes, we hate them too).

Boats and kit were generally OK, prices high, diving very good. Water not overly warm for the latitude, but you've probably researched this already.

Their tales of diving elsewhere in South America were positively frightening!

[Steve W]

There are actually 14 of us going from a well known webforum :D and we are booked on a boat called DeepBlue which looks fantastic.

Correction, 16 now that Andy Grumble and his other half are on board, boat is full and boat is ours all ours I tell you ! Muh haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw...http://www.ctgilles.net/images/pictars/dr.evil_one_miliion_dollars.jpg

[Tony Reavill]

My regular holiday buddy and I are thinking about a trip to the Galapagos and I am in the process of looking at add-on trips.

Has anyone been and can recommend land based trips so that we extend our stay a little.

It's a long way to go just for the diving :D


Hi Fiona,
Please see my recent report, we have 7 places on a trip with Agressor to the Galapagos this November, why not join us, some of our group are extending the trip with an Amazon visit ! We have been before, so get in touch for more info.

Tony Reavill

tajreavill@o2.co.uk

[Fiona]

Thanks for the offer Tony, but we are booked on DeepBlue - October 2007