Selecting the right Galapagos cruise may seem like a game of chance…

If you are like most of the 110,000 visitors who will come to the Galapagos in the next 12 months, you are probably going to visit these islands just once in your lifetime.  You’ve probably been keeping your eyes open and have noticed several ads in travel magazines and in the travel section of your newspaper.  A search on the internet reveals dozens of operators offering cruises to these so-called “enchanted islands”[1].  Doing a little research, you’ll find that there are over 80 ships of all shapes, sizes and qualities that ply the Galapagos waters, that each seems to follow a different itinerary, for different lengths of time, visiting different islands, and that you must be accompanied by one of over 350 Park certified naturalist guides at all times.  Further research reveals a wide range of prices, from as low as US$1000 to as high as US$4,500 for an 8 day cruise, while some include the flight from the continent and/or the Park entrance fee, others don't.
By the looks of things, selecting a cruise in the Galapagos without in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of the industry is very much a gamble.

CNH Tours wants to stack the odds in your favour…

We would like to put our knowledge and experience at your service in helping you select the cruise that best fits your needs. Unlike so many other tour operators, CNH Tours focuses exclusively on Galapagos, and we actually lived on the islands for four years, having worked with the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park Service. During our time in the islands, we helped over 100 people arrange the best cruise according to their particular needs, ensuring that they steered clear of ships with questionable reputations, and directing them towards itineraries best meeting their particular expectations (e.g birders, water lovers, physical activity enthusiasts, generalists). We continue to maintain very up to date knowledge on the conditions in Galapagos and on reputations of various ships thanks to our extensive network of contacts in the naturalist guide community, the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station.
We put our personal knowledge to your service.

Let CNH Tours do the gambling…

Go ahead and contact us for advice.  Our email is:  info@cnhtours.com   Go ahead and ask us a dozen, or several dozens of questions.  We’ll be happy to answer, to provide insights, to tell you about ships, guides, itineraries, the pros and cons of different seasons in Galapagos, prices…  And in the end, you are free to book your cruise with whomever you please.

CNH Tours appreciates feedback…

We gather the latest insights on ships from personal observation, from guide comments, and, most importantly, from past-passenger feedback.  Feel free to send us your comments, both critical and laudatory, once you’ve returned from your cruise.

Doing your homework…

CNH Tours doesn't believe in re-inventing the wheel.  Several web-sites out there contain a wealth of up-to date information on Galapagos, how to select a cruise, ship prices and sailing dates, weather, what to bring and more.  We've assembled the most informative and accurate of such pages to save you time.   Please go to our LINKS to start doing a bit of research. 

[1] Ironically, this overused term was first coined by the Spanish officer Diego de Rivadeneira in 1546, the 2nd documented human encounter with the Galapagos islands.  In his context, Enchanted (or encantadas in Spanish) implied that an evil spell had been cast on the islands – his many efforts to approach them were dashed by shifting ocean currents and low banks of cloud and mist, leading he and his men to believe the islands appeared and disappeared by the will of mysterious forces.   Herman Melville continued with this tradition, referring the islands as enchanted in his several accounts, meaning “evilly enchanted ground”.  The late 20th century tourism industry commandeered the term and now uses “enchanted” as if a  magic wonderland reigns upon the islands - which, from the 21st century visitor's perspective, is not far from the truth!