Galapagos Travel

Item Description

Your Dream Galapagos Vacation: A seven night cruise for two persons in the Galapagos Islands aboard a first-class 20-passenger motor yacht operated by Ecoventura - Galapagos Network. Read more about Expedition Yachts here.

World-Class Operator: Ecoventura is the winner of the 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award - Best in a Marine Environment; Conde Nast Traveler's World Saver Awards - Best overall cruise line, 2009; and Travel + Leisure, Global Vision Award - Green cruising, 2009.

Wildlife Paradise: Located about 600 miles west of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands were created five million years ago by undersea volcanic eruptions. In 1535, Tomás de Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, floated into this archipelago and named it Galapagos after the giant tortoises he encountered. The islands’ most celebrated visitor was Charles Darwin, who arrived aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835. The rare life forms he encountered helped him formulate his theory of evolution, which he published in The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

Item Special Note

Included: Cabin accommodation on the M/Y Eric, Flamingo or Letty; All meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages during the cruise; guided shore excursions and briefings; Transfers from dock to ship in the islands; Use of snorkeling equipment, sea kayaks and wet suits.

Not Included: International airfare to Ecuador; Airfare to Galapagos; Accommodations before and after the cruise; Gratuities to guides and crew; Governmental fees; Fuel tax; Transit card; Park taxes.

Availability & Booking Instructions: This offer is non-endorsable, non-transferable and is based on best available cabin at the time of sailing. You should request your cruise at least 30 days prior to your desired date of departure, but not more than 90 days prior, in order to confirm your cabin. This offer is not valid for travel over holiday weeks and other blackout dates. This offer is valid for travel until Dec 13th, 2011.

Auction Package Sponsor

This package has been generously donated by TIES business member, Ecoventura - Galapagos Network.

Ecoventura on Ecotourism Explorer

Ecoventura's Commitment to the Galapagos

Darwin’s Enchanted Isles are one of our planets most precious and unique ecosystems, home to an extraordinary profusion of exotic, often endemic flora and fauna. Tourism to this remote volcanic archipelago is both part of the solution and also part of the problem. Ecoventura has proactively been engaged with various sustainable business practices and conservation initiatives to help preserve the ecological integrity of the Islands for both its scientific value and economic benefit.

Ecoventura's green efforts include:

• Offset all carbon emissions – since 2006
• Reduced cabon emissions by 10% from 2007 to 2008
  
• Established the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund to benefit marine conservation and conservation education in the Islands Installed solar panels and wind-generators to the M/Y ERIC in 2008
• Operate in accordance with the conservation and social standards set by the SmartVoyager voluntary ecological certification program developed by The Rainforest Alliance and Convervacion y Desarollo from Ecuador - since 2000.

---------

If you need assistance with the purchase of this package or any other items on TIES ecoAuction, please contact ecoAuction@ecotourism.org.

If you are the successful bidder, you will receive an email from TIES with the certificate confirming your purchase within 24 hours of the auction close. All TIES ecoAuction items are valid for one year (excluding the blackout dates noted in the item description) unless otherwise stated above. The winner will receive contact details of the trip provider(s) to make travel arrangements.

All proceeds raised from your purchase of this trip will go directly to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) to support their numerous projects in support of responsible travel worldwide.