Darwin’s Playground – An Insider’s Perspective

Darwin’s Playground – An Insider’s Perspective

Few people understand the biodiversity and landscapes of the Galápagos Islands quite like Aura Banda Cruz. As a naturalist and director of expeditions and development on board Silversea’s first destination-specific expedition ship, the 100-passenger Silver Origin, she spends her days navigating Zodiacs near playful sea lions and marine iguanas, and leading unforgettable hikes through ancient lava fields past lumbering giant tortoises.

Banda Cruz’s connection to the Islands runs deep: She’s a third-generation galapagueña and her grandparents were some of the islands’ first settlers. “Galápagos, for me, is family,” she says. “And an expedition here is a very, very special experience. We want to share that with our guests.”

Banda Cruz is one of ten Ecuadorian naturalist guides who combine their expertise and deep appreciation of this remote, wildlife-abundant archipelago on Silver Origin’s seven-night and 14-night round-trip-from-Quito sailings. “There’s no one else like Silver Origin’s experienced, welcoming expedition leaders,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Jonathan Phillips. “They truly make the trip.”

Here, Banda Cruz’s advice on how to make the most of an epic expedition to the Galápagos Islands.

When to Cruise to the Galápagos
Luckily, there’s no wrong time to visit the Galápagos. “Being on the equator, we don’t really have bad weather. It’s like spring all year round,” Banda Cruz says. The dry season, when water temperatures are cooler, stretches from June to December. During this time, the islands’ marine life, including its whales, penguins, dolphins, and infamous blue- and red-footed boobies, is the most active.

Between January and May, the islands experience their rainy season, which is deceptively named – travelers might experience the occasional (and brief) tropical downpour, but it rarely rains more than that. During this time the ocean is warm, and land animals are at their busiest: Iguanas are breeding, and the fearless Darwin’s finches fly so close you think they just might land on your shoulder. “And the giant tortoises move … a little bit faster than usual,” Banda Cruz says.

While she stresses that there really isn’t a bad time to visit the Galápagos, the shoulder seasons (May and December) are her favorites because they offer the chance to see a little bit of everything.

Naturalist Charles Darwin once described the remote Galápagos as “a little world within itself.” This jackpot of biodiversity is home to some 9,000 extraordinary species, many of which can’t be found anywhere else on Earth.

Passengers on the Silver Origin have daily opportunities to see an array of wildlife up close during small-group shore excursions. From hiking to Zodiac cruising, deep-sea snorkeling, and bird-watching, there’s an excursion for every activity level. Prior to each outing, the ship’s expedition naturalists meet with passengers in the Basecamp – an onboard lounge full of information on the island’s flora and fauna – to explain what they can expect from their upcoming pursuits.

On one marquee Zodiac tour, cruisers explore Punta Mangle on the volcanic island of Fernandina, home to giant colonies of flightless cormorants. Near the shoreline, they can scout for stony-faced marine iguanas feeding on the ocean’s rich supply of algae and spot sea turtles bobbing their heads above the waves. Another excursion, cruisers might skirt the shores of Isabela, where mangroves grow in young lava fields and sightings of tiny Galápagos penguins and blue-footed boobies are common.

One of the coolest experiences takes place on Santa Cruz, the Galápagos’ most inhabited island, when Banda Cruz and her team lead cruisers to a sustainable home built by her naturalist colleagues. “It sits in the path of the migrating giant tortoises, so we watch them passing through,” she says. During downtime, travelers can also explore local art galleries and cafés in Puerto Ayora.

After experiencing “city life” in Santa Cruz, it’s back to pure nature on the southernmost island, Española, home to the archipelago’s only colony of hood mockingbirds and waved albatross. It’s also one of the best places to see sea lions on the shore – many of which are so unbothered by humans that they’re likely to swim beside passengers or even try to flop themselves on their Zodiac or kayak. (For an underwater glimpse of these “puppies of the sea,” be sure to sign up for a deep-sea snorkeling tour.)

While every scheduled moment at sea is memorable, the greatest thrills on a Silver Origin expedition are the ones that can’t be planned – those once-in-a-lifetime interactions that only nature controls. “I remember a time we spotted two killer whales hunting and playing with a mola mola fish, tossing it in the air between their jaws,” Gabriela Naranjo, Silversea Ecuador’s vice president, and general manager, says. “Then all of a sudden, the sea lions came. And the birds. It was a frenzy. The killer whales were diving underneath our Zodiac and all around it. It was a magical moment that will never repeat itself.”

Like all the best expedition crews, the Silver Origin’s team will never pass up an opportunity to change course when wildlife decides to put on a show. “If we see something, we’ll stop the ship and turn it around because if we don’t chase those moments down, we’re not doing an expedition,” Naranjo says. “We’re here to create memories that will last.”

Ultra-Luxe Adventure: Life on Board the Silver Origin
“Silversea is all about an extremely high level of service,” Phillips says. The Silver Origin has the highest crew-to-guest ratio in the Galápagos, and every suite has its own balcony, along with a dedicated butler. Those epic private perches, along with floor-to-ceiling windows on every deck, mean passengers have constant views of the vibrant islands, wildlife, and pristine sea – the search for sea lions and blue-footed boobies never ends.

And in an ecosystem so precious, it’s important to know that Silversea treads lightly: The cruise line works with a local waste management company to divert and offload the ship’s garbage outside of the archipelago. That, along with its other sustainability efforts, recently helped Silversea become the first cruise operator in the Galápagos to earn a certification in environmental management.

Onboard menus offered at The Restaurant and The Grill focus on sustainably and locally sourced Ecuadorian cuisine, such as fresh fish and made-to-order ceviche. “We work with local producers to give our guests a truly Ecuadorean experience within a very luxurious environment,” Naranjo says.

“The Galápagos isn’t just a destination; it’s a holistic trip where we engage every one of our guests’ senses,” Banda Cruz says. “It’s a very, very special experience.”