Rick Adamson

Hi Josie, 

Riley and I had a trip of a lifetime in the Galapagos on board M/C Alya. Thank you so much for arranging the trip on relatively short notice. Although the accommodations and service were almost luxurious, this was no pampered trip. We were challenged every day (always within our physical limitations) during excursions up rocky cliffs, hiking across primitive landscapes, and snorkeling in warm clear oceans. M/C Alya is an 8 cabin, 16 passenger sailing catamaran, with crew of 10 including a chef, a hotel manager, and our dedicated naturalist Renny.

Each day started early with buffet breakfast at 7am, followed by a morning hike to one of the islands in the Ecuadorian National Park where we focused on a species or two unique to that island. These excursions were designed for photo opportunities within meters of the wildlife. Each hike was followed by a wetsuit snorkeling opportunity from one of the zodiac boats that took us in close among the reefs. We then returned to the Alya for a great lunch and an hour’s rest before repeating the morning sequence during the afternoon.

Each evening before a table service dinner, Renny provided a short lecture on what we could expect the following day. I was very impressed with the crew’s ability to provide comfort and safety to such a diverse group of guests ranging from 20 to 72 years of age in varying degrees of health. There was only one safety mishap when a guest stumbled on a hiking path and fell into a cactus. All of us pitched in to help with tweezers and she recovered nicely. Several passengers were concerned about the potential for motion sickness (and I do believe some precautions are warranted) but no one became ill.

Thanks again for arranging a most satisfying father-son adventure.