ARRIVAL Takeover: Galapagos Islands — Wildlife, Snorkelling and Island Life

A hands-on cooking class in a local kitchen in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the day you arrive in the islands. The class covers the fundamentals of Ecuador's most iconic coastal dish, learning to prepare ceviche from scratch with a local cook who has been making it for years. The lime, the fresh fish, the chilli and the technique are all covered. By the time you sit down to eat what you have made, lunch is included. It will be the best ceviche of your life.

A guided visit to the only freshwater lake in the Galápagos, sitting inside an ancient volcanic crater in the highlands of San Cristóbal. Frigatebirds dip into the water to rinse their wings in the mist. A short hike to the rim delivers one of the best views on the islands.

A coastal trail and secluded beach on the southeastern tip of San Cristóbal where the water is turquoise and the sea lions treat the sand as their own. One of the quieter and more genuinely beautiful beaches on the island.

An open-air conservation sanctuary where giant tortoises roam through native vegetation on wooden boardwalk trails. Entry fees included.

Ride the public speedboat west to Santa Cruz. A salty sprint across open Pacific toward the heart of the islands.

Ancient volcanic tubes running beneath the surface of Santa Cruz, wide enough to walk through and long enough to lose the light at the entrance before you reach the other end. The guide carries the geological story of how they formed and what they tell you about the island above.

A working family farm where sugarcane juice is still pressed by hand and coffee is roasted on site using methods that have not changed in generations. You taste both straight from the source. After a morning in lava tunnels, the farm feels like a completely different island.

Cruise west to the Galápagos’ largest and most laid-back island. Isabela is beachy, volcanic and wild in all the right ways – the perfect base for adventure.

A one-hour boat ride through open water and mangrove channels to the best snorkelling site in the Galápagos. Lava arches rise from the sea in formations that look designed rather than formed. Reef sharks below. Sea turtles through the arches. Seahorses clinging to coral in the shallows. Rays passing underneath you. The water is clear enough to see thirty metres in every direction.

Travel by speedboat back to where your Galápagos adventure began.

Paddle quietly along the mangrove-lined coast, where the water is still, the wildlife curious and the moment yours. It’s solitude, with sea lions.

Spend a full day at Kicker Rock, drifting through narrow channels and snorkelling alongside turtles, rays and sharks in some of the clearest water in the Galápagos.

Spend a full day discovering one of four remote Galápagos gems – North Seymour, Bartolomé, Santa Fe, or South Plaza – each offering unique wildlife, volcanic scenery and blissfully untouched shores.

Rent a bike and ride solo through sandy paths and volcanic vistas. Visit wetlands, iguana hangouts, or just chase the horizon until your legs say stop.