When you book your Galapagos holiday with us your are helping to conserve the Archipelago’s future.
We offer a complementary one year membership to the Galapagos Conservation Trust to all our Galapagos travellers.
The Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) is the only UK registered charity to focus exclusively on the conservation and sustainability of the Galapagos Archipelago.
Science, conservation, education and sustainability are focal points of their work, with the vision that the challenges faced by the Galapagos Archipelago can best be addressed using a holistic approach.
Funds support conservation projects in Galapagos, helping to contribute to the overall management of this unique ecosystem.
Galapagos Conservation Trust news: challenges, successes and plans
Unfortunately, the marine life of Galapagos continues to face threats such as over-fishing, illegal fishing and plastic pollution. But research is being undertaken, in collaboration with partner organizations and researchers, to gather more data and secure greater protection for biodiversity.
Galapagos Conservation Trust is also seeing the results of its increased political campaigning and will continue to provide advice directly to the Ecuadorian government. Only 4 short years ago, the issue of plastic was barely acknowledged but the Ecuadorian government is now very aware of GCT’s work, particularly on plastics.
However, it is still critical that marine protection in Galapagos be strengthened. A major milestone was the establishment of the Hermandad Reserve in January 2022, extending the GMR by 60,000km2. But, according to Galapagos Conservation Trust, “protected areas also need science-informed management plans to enhance species recovery, protect sustainable livelihoods, and improve waste management, and managers need to have the capacity and tools available for monitoring, surveillance, and impact tracking. This is the approach we are helping to drive for Galapagos.”
The Trust has been collaborating the Galapagos National Park and other partners looking into and tackling the plastic pollution in the Archipelago. As a result there is a Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme, which is a multi-million pound, multi-year project, feeding into larger projects attempting to tackle pollution in the wider Eastern Pacific region through the Pacific Plastics: Science to Solutions Network.
Andean Trails donates £500 a year to the Galapagos Conservation Trust.
Read more on Galapagos Conservation Trust their website.
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J. Parks, USA, Terra Luna, Aysen Chile 2026
Visiting the Marble Caves has been on my bucket list for some time. With our planned trip to SA ending in Santiago this was the chance I had been waiting for. I started researching how to get to the Marble Caves and stumbled across Andeans Trails and Terra Luna by chance. The more research I did the more this seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. (a shuttle to and from the airport, lodging, food, and other outdoor activities besides the Cave Tour) Plus it had good reviews and seemed reputable. I contacted Andean Trails and Kathy (you) responded immediately, and our conversation continued until we had everything booked and in place. I was extremely pleased at how promptly every question or concern I had was addressed! I was a little nervous about flying to such a remote area where I did not know the language very well. A few days before we arrived our guide Andres sent me a msg that had such a welcoming tone all my fears were erased.
From the minute we landed in Balmaceda until we returned home the trip was magical!!! Part of it was like taking me back to my childhood. A long gravel road I walked often to my grandma’s log cabin in the woods with a wood stove. And so much of the vegetation was the same! I found out Puerto Gaudal is close to the 45th parallel S, and I live on the 45th parallel N! I was like deja vu! (Except for the Andes, GC Lake and Northern Icefield.)
I knew there were other outdoor activities available but I didn’t do any serious research on them, my mind was on getting to the Caves. That lead to a wow moment around every corner! My love of glaciers was rewarded in the trip to Leones Glacier with lunch on the moraine. The horseback ride on Erradica taught me new glacial terms! The time spent in Patagonia NP was very moving, esp Doug Tompkins grave. The hike to the Confluence and the waterfall was awesome. The fossil bed hike was challenging but Andres took his time with us and was so encouraging. Well worth the effort to get there!
To sum this up: Andean Trails very nicely made my dream to see the Marble Caves come true. They were easy to work with, replied promptly and did everything they could to make sure the trip went smoothly.
Terra Luna – A hidden gem in the heart of Patagonia! the lodging - wonderful, the scenery - breathtaking, the activities – invigorating , food – delicious, staff – top notch (every single one), Phillipe – so welcoming, Andres – (guide) top notch!
The only critique would be Terra Luna needs to clean the hot tub. It is a beautiful tub, beautiful view and the water was hot but the boards were a little slimy. Overall the place was awesome and I give them 99.9 rating.
JoAnn
JoAnn Parks, Dec 2025 » Terra Luna Lodge In Aysen, Patagonia
Veera Raghavan, US, Tailor Made Patagonia, Dec 2025 The highlight was the El Chalten Full-Day Trek with family to Laguna de los Tres. It was a very strenuous day trek, but the beautiful views up to Fritz Roy and the iconic shot of the two lagunas at the top made the trek totally worth it. We wanted to visit Patagonia and found Andean Trails with options from easy to difficult, covering both Argentina and Chile. The family had a blast with both the day hikes. Overall organization was impressive, and we really liked the Perito Glacier kayaking. The vegetarian lunch options were excellent, with plenty of protein.
Veera Raghavan, US » Lodge-based Patagonia Hiking Trip
