PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Jan 2010
Travelling on two wheels is a great way to meet the locals and slow down to smell the coffee.

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Yohn Grajeda
"I don't think there are enough words to describe how much we appreciate Yohn. Active is so lucky to have a guide like him. He took such great care of us and always made sure that we wanted nothing. On top of that, we have acquired a great friend and someone who will always be welcome in our homes when he comes to see us in the US. Yohn was always up for the task and always enthusiastic. He made our trip was it was and it was definitely awesome!"
Stacy Rothenberg (Aspen,Colorado,United States) Nov 2008 Jaguar
News Clips and Reviews
Swimming with sea lions
by Bernie Lovejoy

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS, Ecuador — Would you like to swim with sea lions? Sounds interesting. But what if I added, 'And the sea lions will swim with you!' This was exactly our experience when my wife, Francoise, and I tried an adventure (not a vacation) in the Galápagos Islands. It began with sea lion babies checking us out while teething on the mooring lines of our boat and went on to lengthy water ballets with playful 'teenagers' joining divers and snorkelers in dives, twists and pirouettes in crystal-clear water. After a week full of challenges and thrills, we still had no trouble choosing this as the high point of our trip. Read more...

swimming with seals in the Galapagos Islands
"The Incan ruins, the beautiful scenery, the clouds in the mountains changing constantly. But above all, the people in Peru were so friendly and congenial. I did not expect that. I have been talking about little else since I returned. Hope I don't bore people now. Thank you for a truly marvelous vacation."

Paul Edwards (California, USA) Aug 2006 Jaguar

Galapagos Travel and Vacation Ideas

Galapagos Island trips give you the chance to see amazing wildlife up close, hike volcanic landscapes and explore one of the planet's most ecologically significant places

The Galapagos Islands serve up a travel platter to suit the travel tastes of most people. Most trips are pre arranged tours around the Galapagos Archipelago where you'll spend most of your time on a boat, viewing wildlife along the Islands' coastlines with an occasional visit to inland areas to view the hauntingly beautiful volcanic landscapes or animals like the Galapagos Islands Giant Tortoise.

An active adventure tour around the Galapagos Islands is an unforgettable experience. They are a playground for the adventurous at heart and with a comfortable climate, make it an awesome destination for an adventure vacation.

There's plenty of diving to be done in the Galapagos. Sites like "The Devils Crown" and "Kicker Rock" are amongst the most spectacular dive sites in the world. If you're not a diver then you won't miss out as most diving spots in the Galapagos are also fantastic snorkeling spots. You'll find yourself in the water with playful seals, slow moving sea turtles and even a hammerhead shark!

There's also some great hiking to be done on an active tour in the Galapagos. Isabela Island and Santa Cruz Island both have some amazing highland hikes through lush forest and rugged volcanic landscapes. All with incredible views and the chance to get up close to Giant Tortoises in the wild!

Other activities like sea kayaking, cycling and horseback riding are all great ways to fill a Galapagos Islands adventure. The sheer variety of scenery, outdoor activities and intriguing, fearless wildlife in the Galapagos make for a unique adventure vacation you won't forget. Bring a camera, your imagination, and your hiking shoes - you'll go home with an experience you'll never forget!


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Quick Tip: Stay on One Island or Boat Cruise?
You don't have to choose! On our Tortuga trip you'll cruise and explore the Galapagos Islands with local guides by day, but stay on dry land in comfortable local hotels each night.
Still not sure? Give Phil or Dawn (the folks on the right!) a call. Even if you're not looking at taking one of our trips - they're always happy to give advice to fellow travellers. Contact us
Meet giant tortoises and iguanas · Swim with manta rays at Kicker Rock · Snorkel with reef sharks at Floreana and Santa Fe Islands · Cycle down San Cristobal Island ·Explore Sierra Negra volcano and Santa Cruz Island on foot · Explore lava tunnels · Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station
Year Round 10 days US$2999
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The Tortuga is a fantastic way to discover the Galapagos Islands. In typical ACTIVE style, you’ll snorkel, dive, hike and cycle the Galapagos, cruising between the multitude of stunning islands in our boat ‘Christine’. We start with a short flight to San Cristobal Island to snorkel with seals and tame reef sharks in crystal clear water, snorkel through beautiful ocean channels and hike up an island volcano with the second largest crater in the world. We get up close to some of the most intriguing and fearless wildlife on the planet, with visits to tortoise breeding grounds and sea lion colonies, and share our beach time with friendly iguanas. We explore amazing lava tunnels, cycle to the local townships and visit the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station.
Tortuga Galapagos Adventure Trip: Quito to Quito
Wed: Arrive Quito
Thu: Cycle San Cristobal highlands
Fri: Snorkel or dive with seals and manta rays at Kicker Rock
Sat: Snorkel Floreana Island, visit pink flamingos
Sun: Hike Sierra Negra Volcano
Mon: Giant tortoise breeding centre, coastal hike, visit sea life
Tue: Hike Santa Cruz highlands and Tortuga Bay, visit giant tortoises
Wed: Visit Charles Darwin Research Station, snorkel Santa Fe Island
Thu: Optional hike and return to Quito
Fri: Quito, depart for home
See video of our Galapagos trip!
Many thanks to Rick Meinig for providing footage from his June 2007 Tortuga trip.