Brian Sargent, Maquipucuna and Galapagos Cruise, Feb 2024. Andean Trails Ltd. for Ecuador and the Galapagos is absolutely 100% first class and excellent value. I strongly recommend that travellers use them. At over 80, l am not up to the impressive hiking of younger travellers in 2024. So, I researched broadly the Galapagos holiday I wanted, in addition to a trip around South America. Enter Tom at Andean Trails. I quickly realised his long personal experiences in Ecuador & Galapagos could improve on my broad plans. So handed them to him to provide the detailed 3week trip including hotel & transfers at Quito, 12 days on boat in Galapagos, 6days in island hotels, and some days in cloud forest with all transfers & documents.  Oh yes, and when civil conflict broke out, he organised all the changes quickly & without fuss.  Tom at Andean Trails listened, understood and sorted everything for me before, during and after my trip of a lifetime.  Many thanks, Brian

>> Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Eco Lodge, Ecuador >>Galapagos Cruise

Brian Sargent, Maquipucuna and Galapagos Cruise, Feb 2024

A. Schoon, Galapagos, Amazon and Cloud Forest, Jan 2024 I especially was happy that I got to see 3 completely different biotopes that each had their own unique animal and plant species. Accommodation was good everywhere, food was excellent during the Galapagos trip on the Nemo II, less so at the two lodges but still very good. I was happy with the guides (two of the three were very helpful in using their binoculars to make close up pictures and films on my smartphone!) and happy with the perfect organisation of transport everywhere. At Sani lodge I certainly feel I benefited the local people. During the Galapagos trip less so, this felt more luxurious. In the cloud forest I felt less that I benefited the local community but definitely felt I was helping preserve nature there. Next time I’d check out my hiking boots earlier – I discovered too late mine were worn down at the soles so I did not have good ones to take with me. And not get sunburned during snorkeling in the Galapagos. But those things are on me, not on your organisation! I wanted to see the Galapagos Islands and that was the main goal, Amazon and cloud forest were add-ons. When I started looking at possibilities I was overwhelmed by all of the companies and the amount of things to choose from and I almost gave up entirely. I think I ended up with Andean travel through Rosy at Responsible Travel, whose approach of ‘responsible’ travel appealed to me. And with Andean, I really appreciated getting three alternatives for each question I had – it is much easier to choose between 3 clearly different alternatives than being sent 25. So thank you! Thank you for the last minute changes that you made to avoid Quito when the unrest there made it unclear how safe it would be to visit.