Galapagos Islands Nature Journal Voyage May 24-31, 2026

Description You might want to pack an extra journal… Join John Muir Laws for an 8-day adventure among the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands lie 625 miles off the coast of Ecuador in South America. The wildlife of the islands is famously tame and wonderful. The sketching and journaling opportunities are like no place on earth. COST: I estimate that the whole trip, including airfare, food, lodging, insurance, voyage, instruction, and incidentals, will probably cost around $7,000. Of this, $5,563 is paid directly to me and the tour company. You will purchase the remainder separately (e.g., you will buy your own plane ticket). For full transparency, you find a breakdown of all the costs below. I have been searching for an affordable vessel with the perfect itinerary. I think this is it. I have selected Adia Maria as it fully meets our needs and is a great bargain, saving each participant thousands of dollars. The route takes us to all my favorite spots. See the full details of the vessel and route here. You want birds? You can’t handle the birds! The islands are home to a discrete set of endemic bird species (more than twenty by current taxonomy, but ever-increasing). Look out for the Galapagos Penguin, Galapagos Shearwater, Waved Albatross, Galapagos Rail, Lava Gull, Espanola, and Galapagos Mockingbirds, and a host of finches, including the tool-using Woodpecker Finch. Aside from these so-called specialties, other birds arguably are as high on the list of priorities like seeing frigatebirds displaying spectacularly at close range, tropicbirds effortlessly hanging in the wind offshore, and Blue-footed Boobies dancing mere inches away onshore. Not a birder? How about enormous Giant Tortoises, unique aquatic Marine Iguanas, and the absurdly confiding Galapagos Sea-Lions? There will also be optional snorkeling during the cruise. We travel onboard the Adia Maria, sailing from island to island, making landfall to explore, sketch, and wonder. When we are not exploring the islands, you can sketch from the deck of the ship, develop your sketches and journal pages, relax on the boat, or participate in relevant natural history and sketching workshops (such as ecology, geology, drawing seabirds in flight and on land, Galapagos finches and how to draw them, how to sketch Marine Iguanas and Galapagos Tortoises, drawing water and waves, watercolor and pencil techniques, and more). Itinerary May 24, Day 1: Flight to the Galapagos and transport to the yacht. Visit Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island. This beach is covered in white coral sand, and it’s a major nesting site for Galápagos green turtles. There’s also a lagoon just behind the sand which often hosts flamingos, ducks, and migratory birds. You can also often find marine iguanas feeding on the rocky outcrops near the tide line. The main beach is perfect for swimming, being very sheltered from the ocean swells, and is a very pleasant spot to cool off and to indulge in some snorkeling.May 25, Day 2. Genovesa Also known as “Bird Island”, Genovesa is literally packed with nesting birds. In the morning, you will make a wet landing at Darwin Bay, a horseshoe-shaped bay at the southern end of the island; in the afternoon another landing will be made at Prince Phillip’s Steps on the southeastern tip of the bay. Tens of thousands of birds nest on the island, which holds, among other things, the largest single colony of Red-footed Boobies in the world. southwest of this one.May 26, Day 3: Bartolome and Santiago Bartolome is the best place for the Galapagos Penguin, so this is the number one target for the afternoon. We will take the pangas around the coast searching for them. We will then spend time walking up through the moonscape of cinder cones and different basalt flows. The scenery is spectacular. Around the landing, we will have iguanas, seals, sea lions, and abundant marine life that lend to the overall spectacle. Sullivan Bay is on the eastern coast of Santiago Island. Here we can explore geology and volcanic origins of the Galápagos.May 27, Day 4: Daphne Minor and Santa Cruz. We start the day by exploring the edges of Daphne Minor and Black Turtle Cove to snorkel and study the wildlife by panga (motorized dinghy). In the afternoon, we visit Dragon Hill to observe land iguanas and other Galapagos endemics. May 28, Day 5: Santa Cruz Today we visit the highlands to observe Giant tortoises.May 29, Day 6: Floreana Island We begin our exploration at Post Office Bay (where you may leave your own painted postcard for someone else to deliver anywhere in the world). We explore the island by foot and panga. We will visit Cormorant point with a posiblilty of seeing flamingos and end the day snorlkeing in Devils Crown.May 30, Day 7: Espanola Suarez Point is on the western tip of Española and is one of the most wildlife-packed of all the visitor sites in the Galápagos. This is a great place to view the remarkable Galápagos Blue-Footed Booby as well as their cousins the Nazca Booby. You can also see the rare Waved Albatross at Suarez Point, where they use the cliff tops to launch themselves into the air over the ocean. In the afternoon, we. have some wonderful snorleling oportunities with Sea lions and schools of colorfull reef fish at Devil’s Crown. May 31, Day 8: Lobos and San Cristóbal Island, Lobos Island is named after the colony of Galápagos Sea Lions that live here, but they aren’t the only native Galápagos species that calls this narrow island home. You can see Galápagos Fur Seals basking here, and there is a nesting colony of Blue-Footed Boobies that come to Lobos each year to raise their chicks. There are one or two short hiking trails that lead into the center of the island, and this is always a peaceful place to visit. Back on the beach, the swimming and snorkeling is wonderful, and thanks to the island’s position close to the main shore of San Cristobal, the channel between them is sheltered and the turquoise water is crystal clear. I have worked with Galapatours to get my ideal timing and route. This itinerary is unlikely to change significantly, but is subject to change. Weather, wildlife breeding, safety concerns, instructions from the Galápagos National Park, specific abilities and interests of guests, as well as operational matters, may cause our guide or captain to change the time or nature of visits. Our guide and captain will always endeavor to select the best itinerary within these limits.” May 23, Pre-Trip: Arrival in Quito Most flights arrive in the evening. I will be flying in on American Airlines Flight 833 from Miami FL. It arrives at 8:50 PM. I suggest staying at the Quito Airport Suites at Alpaca Farm. It is a mid-range hotel and close to the airport. They provide an airport shuttle. May 24, Day 1: Flight to the Galapagos In the morning, we will take a flight from the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos, the main entry point into the islands. After going through entry procedures, we will meet our guide and take a short bus ride (10 minutes or so), to the dock, where we will connect with our yacht, which will be our base for the next eight nights. We are likely to see our first endemics right by the airport, as Small and Medium Ground-Finches, and Galapagos Doves can often be seen around there. Once we reach the harbor of the bay on Baltra, where the yacht will be waiting for us, we may also see Lava Gull, Brown Noddy, or Elliot’s Storm-Petrel hanging around in the bay. After we get oriented on the ship, we’ll make a short trip to Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island. This beach is covered in white coral sand, and it’s a major nesting site for Galápagos green turtles. There’s also a lagoon just behind the sand which often hosts flamingos, ducks, and migratory birds. You can also often find marine iguanas feeding on the rocky outcrops near the tide line. The main beach is perfect for swimming, being very sheltered from the ocean swells, and is a very pleasant spot to cool off and to indulge in some snorkeling. May 25, Day 2. Genovesa Also known as “Bird Island”, Genovesa is literally packed with nesting birds. In the morning, you will make a wet landing at Darwin Bay, a horseshoe-shaped bay at the southern end of the island; in the afternoon another landing will be made at Prince Phillip’s Steps on the southeastern tip of the bay. Tens of thousands of birds nest on the island, which holds, among other things, the largest single colony of Red-footed Boobies in the world. Unlike their more famous cousins, the Blue-footed Booby, this species nests in trees dotted across Genovesa, which make for great eye-level views and sketching. Some of the other birds that you can expect to see, include Swallow-tailed Gull, Magnificent Frigatebird and Red-billed Tropicbird doing spectacular pair flights along the cliffs.  The Wedge-rumped Storm-petrels come to land here during the day, which is rare among storm petrels. If we are lucky, we may find the local race of Short-eared Owl hunting storm petrels in the day in from of us. The island also offers the only shot at Genovesa Cactus-Finch for the cruise, a recently split species. There may be other opportunities to snorkel here, which can yield close encounters with a myriad tropical fish, as well as turtles and harmless reef sharks. There will be a morning and afternoon session on the island, broken up with a break onboard the yacht for lunch. While all of the islands visited offer excellent sketching, painting, and journaling opportunities. After we have finished up on “Bird Island”, we shall set sail for two other islands far to the southwest of this one. May 26, Day 3: Bartolome and Santiago Bartolome is the best place for the Galapagos Penguin, so this is the number one target for the afternoon. We will take the pangas around the coast searching for them. We will then spend time walking up through the moonscape of cinder cones and different basalt flows. The scenery is spectacular. Around the landing, we will have iguanas, seals, sea lions, and abundant marine life that lend to the overall spectacle. This area also hosts the rarest gull in the world – Lava Gull, in addition to Lava Herons, which mimic their volcanic surroundings. The beach visit is likely to see us come into contact with further endemics, with the tame Galapagos Flycatcher, friendly Galapagos Mockingbird, and up to three ground-finches all possible. While rare, Galapagos Martin is also possible, so we should keep an eye on the skies overhead, too. However, the Galapagos is more than just a collection of endemic birds; we are also likely to experience some of the most approachable Yellow Warblers on the planet, and it also offers some good shorebird habitat, where we could see our first Wandering Tattlers, Least Sandpipers, or Black-necked Stilts. Sullivan Bay is on the eastern coast of Santiago Island. This visitor site is all about the geology and volcanic origins of the Galápagos, and although there is little wildlife here, the eerie landscape that was formed only 150 years ago has a real beauty all of its own. On the hiking trail, you will walk along lava that bubbled up from the ground, flowed, and solidified in the second half of the 18th century. We recommend good sturdy shoes for walking in these lava fields. As the trail moves inland, the textures and colors change as you encounter much older lava fields. Here, you can start to see signs of nature beginning to colonize this “new land”. The small green plants that have started to grow in the cracks and crevices are called Mollugo. May 27, Day 4: Daphne Minor and Santa Cruz We start the day with snorkeling near Daphne Minor, a barren, treeless, extinct remains of a tuff cone. There are no visitor sites on Daphne Minor, but a panga ride along her shores will allow some snorkeling. Here is where Daphne Minor shows her true colors – literally. An unusually large number of smaller underwater organisms live on the rocky undersea walls of the island, creating a real multi-colored environment amongst the black and grey rocks. Other creatures often seen here include seahorses, Galápagos sharks, rays, and green turtles. For those who choose not to snorkel, they may journal from the Adia Maria or panga. Later in the morning, we visit Black Turtle Cove. The only way into Black Turtle cove is by panga (motorised dinghy). This “secret” corner of the Galápagos feels like your own personal hideout, and once the panga motor is shut off you’re surrounded only with the gentle sounds of nature as you drift through the mangroves. Rich with wildlife, you’ll often see Galápagos green turtles feeding, or even mating, in the calm water, while Golden and Spotted eagle rays swim by, as well as both White-tipped Reef and Galápagos Sharks. In the afternoon, we visit Dragon Hill, a site of a success story in the history of Galápagos conservation. In 1975, almost the entire population of land iguanas in this part of northeast Santa Cruz was wiped out by packs of feral dogs. The Charles Darwin Research Center swung into action with an emergency breeding and rearing program for land iguanas. The program was extremely successful, and the last captive-bred land iguana was released from the breeding center onto Dragon Hill in 1991. Iguanas continue to be released here every 3 or 4 years from other breeding centers in the Galápagos to ensure the continued success of the Dragon Hill Iguanas. As well as being the landing site to visit the Hill, the rocky shoreline here is a great snorkeling site where you can swim with green turtles, sharks, and rays. A trail leads inland past two saltwater lagoons, which often play host to flamingos. As you continue to circle Dragon Hill on the trail,l you’ll be able to see land iguanas in the wild, and you can find their burrows all along the path. As well as the land iguanas, the area around Dragon Hill is full of other species, including Darwin’s Finches, Galápagos Mockingbirds, and the native Opuntia cactus. This is one of the longer walking trails, and your Galapatours guide will recommend you use good footwear, especially as the trail can be uneven in places and gets slippery and muddy after wet weather. May 28, Day 5: Santa Cruz Santa Cruz is the only island on the Galápagos that allows you to travel through every habitat type that exists in the archipelago. This makes the journey north from the coast up into the highlands a fantastic opportunity to experience the breadth of life that exists on these islands. Our bus journey starts from Puerto Ayora on the coast, and you slowly start to climb through the agricultural zone where open fields begin to give way to lush, green, mist-covered forests. This is a marked contrast to many of the islands, which are at much lower elevations and much more arid. This rich verdant landscape is predominantly made up of dense Scalesia forest. These higher elevations are home to an array of endemic species, and is particularly rich in Darwin’s Finches; we will especially be on the lookout for Large Tree-Finch, Woodpecker Finch, Vegetarian Finch, and Green Warbler-Finch. We will visit Rancho Primisias, where we will spend time with the enormous animal after which the islands were named, the Santa Cruz Giant Tortoise. We may also climb down into lava tubes that are over a half a mile long and give inight into the island’s geology. May 29, Day 6: Floreana Island Floreana, like several of the Galápagos Islands, has a history of whaling. During voyages of many months, whaling ships would call here to replenish stocks of food and water, and the sailors were often keen to send news to loved ones that they were still safe. A tradition grew up here where sailors would leave a letter addressed home, hopeful that a ship heading back to port would pick it up and deliver it for them. This tradition of leaving letters and cards, and picking up others addressed to your home port, meant that the location of this letter drop became known as “Post Office Bay”. Decades later, the unofficial Floreana post office is still very active – why not leave a card of your own, or see if you could take one back to your hometown for someone else?! As well as this charming tradition, Post Office Bay boasts a pleasant beach, and there is a short hiking trail down to a cave, which is actually a lava tube that runs down to the sea. You will also have the opportunity to take a Panga through some of the nearby coves and mangroves from which you could see sharks, rays, and sea lions swimming around you. Then on to Baronness Viewpoint. Located on the northern coast of Floreana Island, the Baroness Viewpoint is a wonderful place to soak in the beauty and diversity of the Galápagos. This visitor point is named after the “Baroness” Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (her claim to be a member of the Austrian royal family was never fully confirmed), who came to the island with her two – some say three – lovers in the 1930s. After some disagreements with two other eccentric settler families, the Baroness and one of her lovers disappeared. Local legend has it that murder was involved… Away from this exotic intrigue, the viewpoint has some lovely and easy walking trails that allow you to get really close to the bird and plant life of the island. In the afternoon, we explore Cormorant Point on the northern tip of Floreana, and you’ll land on a beach that sits between two volcanic cones. The sand on one of the beaches here has a noticeably olive-green color. This is due to a much higher than usual concentration of olivine crystals in the sand. Another beach is made up mainly of coral sand and is almost a brilliant white in comparison. This site has a large lagoon which is favored by flamingos, their pink coloring contrasting with the green sand. There is some good snorkeling here, and you can often spot rays in the shallows. There is a one-mile hike available that takes you to higher ground and provides great views over the lagoon, and to both beaches on either side of the Point. We end the day snorkeling at Devil’s Crown. Once a volcanic crater, the Devil’s Crown is now what remains of the eroded crater. The wind and waves have breached the east and west walls, leaving just the northern and southern crater edges showing above the water. Over thousands of years,s a coral reef has grown in the submerged center, creating one of the best snorkeling sites on the entire Galápagos. Exposed to currents, snorkeling in the Devil’s Crown isn’t a sedentary experience, and the surges can be quite thrilling! The marine life you will see is unparalleled, with colorful reef fish, sharks, rays, and more. You really must get into the water as it’s an experience not to be missed. May 30, Day 7: Espanola Suarez Point is on the western tip of Española and is one of the most wildlife-packed of all the visitor sites in the Galápagos. After a wet landing on a beach that’s frequented by Galápagos Sea Lions you can enjoy a 2 mile hike along a trail that will take you up around the cliffs. The range of wildlife on show here is simply stunning. This is a great place to view the remarkable Galápagos Blue-Footed Booby as well as their cousins the Nazca Booby. You can also see the rare Waved Albatross at Suarez Point, where they use the cliff tops to launch themselves into the air over the ocean. Another famous natural feature here is the blowhole. This geological formation funnels the incoming waves into a chamber where it gets compressed, and then the air and seawater are forced out at great speed, making a spectacular plume of water shoot high into the air. The whole day will be spent on this wonderful island, where the single largest colony of Waved Albatrosses is located. Nearly the entire population nests at this location with just a few pairs also nesting on another offshore island in Ecuador. Our trip is timed for the Albatross courtshiip, so there should be intetesting behaviors to observe. Galapagos Shearwater is common in the waters surrounding the island. This island is also home to the super-curious Española Mockingbird, a bird so tame that it will sometimes land right on people. If by this stage, we have not yet seen a Galapagos Hawk well, then we have great chances here too. Gray Warbler-Finch is also regular on the scrub near the beach and the newly minted Española Ground-Finch is normally found bounding around at close range nearby. The afternoon we visit Gardner Bay,  a wonderfully sheltered area on the eastern shore of Espanola Island. It boasts one of the best beaches in the Galápagos, with superb white sand. There is nowhere better on the archipelago to simply sit back, relax, and take in the marvels of the wildlife around you. The beach here is home to a large colony of Galápagos Sea Lions, who seem to love sunbathing on the beach as much as we humans do! As well as the fun-loving Sea Lions you can also find Galápagos Mockingbirds here. These birds are full of curiosity, and have been known to come and investigate bootlaces, camera straps and other equipment! The wonderful Galápagos Green Sea Turtle can also often be seen in the shallows here, and along with a large variety of colorful reef fish, this makes Gardner Bay a great place to swim and snorkel. Then on to Osborne Islet. Accessible only by panga, the tiny Osborn Islet is a great place for snorkeling and swimming.  Large schools of colorful tropical fish are often found in the waters around Osborn, and it’s common to see Angel Fish and Parrot Fish among many others. Look out for manta rays gliding through the waters here, as well as a variety of sharks , and even Galápagos Sea Lions have been known to come and swim with us! May 31, Day 8: Lobos and San Cristóbal Island, and transfer to the San Cristóbal Airport Lobos Island is named after the colony of Galápagos Sea Lions that live here, but they aren’t the only native Galápagos species that calls this narrow island home. You can see Galápagos Fur Seals basking here, and there is a nesting colony of Blue-Footed Boobies that come to Lobos each year to raise their chicks. There are one or two short hiking trails that lead into the center of the island, and this is always a peaceful place to visit. Back on the beach, the swimming and snorkeling is wonderful, and thanks to the island’s position close to the main shore of San Cristobal, the channel between them is sheltered and the turquoise water is crystal clear. Your Galápagos adventure ends with the arrival of your ship back at San Cristóbal Island. After a goodbye to your ship and its crew, you’ll board the transfer vehicle that will take you on the short journey to the airport in plenty of time for your flight back to the mainland. If you wish to stay longer in the Galapagos, it is easy to arrange in advance. Back in Quito, you may join me at the Quito Airport Suites at Alpaca Farm. Alternatively, you may wish to stay in a hotel near central Quito to explore the town or to continue your Ecuadorian adventure. June 1, Post Trip: Departure from Quito Most flights leave Quito in the early morning. I will share my departure information when it is available. Also Joining the Expedition Team: Billie Jo Reid Billie Jo Reid is an outdoor educator based in Ontario, Canada, who has dedicated her entire career to connecting people with the natural world. She began as a canoe trip guide and instructor, leading wilderness expeditions across Canada for over 30 years. Billie Jo later discovered Nature Journaling and quickly recognized its power as a tool for reflection, observation, and deeper connection to the land. She now runs her own business, Pine & Ponder Outdoors, offering Nature Journaling workshops and programs for students, educators, and outdoor enthusiasts. Billie Jo has twice joined Jack on Nature Journaling safaris in Tanzania and brings passion, warmth, and expert logistical coordination to every experience she facilitates. Her work is rooted in curiosity, creativity, and a deep respect for the natural world. Who should apply, and group norms This will be an amazing trip. The trip is for folks who really want to explore the Galapagos at a journals pace within a community of like-minded naturalists. The trip is open to all skill levels. If you are not into nature journaling, this is not the trip for you. We will travel from island to island by boat. This means we need to cooperate with and accommodate everyone else onboard. A big part of the success and enjoyment of the trip will depend on how we work and play together. We want people who get along well with others and are flexible and kind, even when tired. Our guiding principles are respect and kindness, for each other, for our guides and crew, for staff and community people we meet, and for the places and animals we will encounter. We will do everything we can to take care of you and ensure an incredible experience. Though we plan and prepare, some things will not go as planned. We are all human, and we will have to work together to get along and make the trip work. If you know that you tend to be irritable, have difficulty accommodating others, need lots of alone time, or have difficulty adapting to changes, this is not the trip for you. I have chosen a vessel for this trip that has a great itinerary, meets our basic needs, and keeps our trip costs about 2K lower than other options. We travel on the Adia Maria. It is a good vessel, but on the smaller side. Each room has a pair of bunk beds and you will share a room with another participant. There is not a lot of privacy onboard the vessel. We will need to grant each other extra grace. This trip includes hiking on rough terrain, snorkeling (optional), climbing in and out of inflatable boats to get to shore, moving on slippery rocks, and occasional “wet landings” where we wade to shore from the boat. We will also be traveling by boat from island to island, and the movement of the boat may cause seasickness. You must be physically able to safely handle these conditions. Given these considerations, please contact me if you wish to discuss how I can be of help to accommodate your needs or if you need any clarification. Cost If you are facing a financial hardship. Please send me a private email. I will do what I can to help with a partial scholarship. For full transparency, here is a breakdown of the actual and estimated costs to participate. I estimate that the whole trip, including airfare, food, lodging, insurance, voyage, instruction, and incidentals, will probably cost around $7,000. Of this, $5,563 is paid directly to me and the tour company. You will purchase the remainder separately (e.g., you will buy your own plane ticket). Primary Expedition Expenses (paid to Galapatours and John Muir Laws) total: $5,563 Galapatours $3,563, includes accommodation in a double cabin aboard the Adia Maria, all meals from lunch on day 1 through breakfast on day 8, naturalist guide, all guided excursions, water, tea, and coffee. Nature Journaling Instruction, Logistics: $2000, paid to John Muir Laws through this web page Other expenses (purchased on your own). This assumes you are arriving on May 23rd. You may wish to arrive earlier and explore Ecuador on your own before the voyage. You may even head out to the Galapagos Islands separately and meet us at the airport on the 24th. To give you flexibility, the cost of travel to the islands is not included in the base price for the trip. To help you budget the trip, costs and accommodation suggestions are included below. Airfare to and from Ecuador International Airport in Quito. If you’re visiting Ecuador specifically for this Galápagos cruise, I highly recommend arriving in Quito or Guayaquil at least one day (on the 23rd) before your Galápagos flight (which will depart in the morning of May 24). Most flights arrive in the evening. For your return, while it’s possible to book an international flight late at night on May 31, Galápagos flights can occasionally be delayed, which may risk missing your connection. For greater peace of mind, I suggest scheduling your international return for June 1. I will let you know which planes I am on once I book my flight. At the time of this writing, round-trip economy tickets from the United States cost around $800. I will be flying in on American Airlines Flight 833 from Miami FL on the 23rd. It arrives at 8:50 PM. I return to the USA on American Airlines flight 932 to Miami at 6:40 AM on June 1st. Airfare to and from the Galapagos Islands. Our entry and return flights are out of different airports, so do not get a round-trip ticket. If you are joining us in Quito, we can travel together from Alpaca Farm to the airport for our flight. Please select a flight that will arrive at Baltra (GPS) no later than 11:00 AM (Galápagos time) on May 24th. If you plan to arrive on the Island earlier, please meet the group at the Baltra Airport at 11 AM. Flights from Quito to Baltra cost between $140 and $200.  Billie Jo and I are flying on LATAM Airlines 1415, leaving at 6:56 AM, arriving Baltra at 9:27. You will also be booking your flight from the Galapagos Islands on the 31st. We will depart from San Cristobal (SCY) no earlier than 11:00 AM (Galápagos time) on May 31st.  Billie Jo and I are flying out on Avianca 1631, leaving at 11:25, arriving at Quito at 3:55 PM. You may choose to remain longer on the islands. Lodging on the night of May 23 and 31. I will be staying at Quito Airport Suites at Alpaca Farm and invite you to join me there. $29/night, breakfast included; other meals are billed separately. Ecuadorian Transit Control Card (INGALA card): $20. Apply online before the trip. You must buy your plane tickets before buying your Transit Control Card. You will need to present the card upon entry into Ecuador and when entering and leaving the Galápagos Islands. Entrance Fee for Galapagos National Park: $200 (adults), $100 (children). To be paid in cash at the airport. Bus to Baltra $5 Ecuador Tourist Visa: This is not required for visitors from most countries, including the USA. Check if your country requires a Visa. If so, the cost is $80. Travel and Evacuation Insurance: Each of us is responsible for the cost of our own evacuation. All participants must have fully comprehensive travel and evacuation insurance. To cover both of these, I recommend trip insurance through the  Diver’s Alert Network. You do not need to be a diver to use this service. This plan covers everything from lost luggage to trip cancellation or interruption to medical evacuation. If you upgrade to the Elite plan, you can add the cancel for any reason option.  This offers you total flexibility. Should you change your mind, you can get reimbursed for 75% of trip costs. This add-on must be purchased within 24 hours of the initial deposit.  At the time of this writing, I can get the basic plan for $200. Vaccinations: Here are the latest vaccination recommendations from the CDC. Check with a travel clinic to make sure that you are up to date with all appropriate vaccinations, including your Tetanus booster. I strongly recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccination and the latest booster. Tips: Our Ecuadorian Guides and staff earn a significant part of their income through tips, so it is helpful that each satisfied customer provides a tip at the end of the trip. Here are some tipping guidelines: Boat Guide $15-$20 per day, Boat Crew (as a group, not individual) $10-$15 per day. So set aside about $280 cash for tips at the end of the voyage. Quito Hotel Tip: .50-1 per bag for the porter and $2 for the cleaning staff. Incidentals: Alcoholic beverages onboard, bottled soft drinks onboard (Coke, Sprite, etc.), Snorkeling equipment (US $5 p.p. per rental day) & wetsuit (US $10 per rental day) Payment and Refund Policy To hold your place on the trip, Make a fully refundable $1000 payment to John Muir Laws through this website. Click the add to cart button above and make a payment through this site. and make a non-refundable 20% down payment of $721.60 to Galapatours. Send an email to Micaela Garcias at Galapatours, mentioning Reservation #205980 and Reference: Laws Aida Maria 2026-05-24. Cristina will help you arrange payment. I suggest using a credit card (there is no additional fee). Balance payment paid on or before March 19, 2026 The balance to John Muir Laws of $1000. If you cancel after March 20, 2026, you will receive a refund of $1000, which is 50% of the total invoice to JML. The balance to Galapatours of $2850.40. Send an email to Micaela Garcias, mentioning Reservation #205980 and Reference: Laws Aida Maria 2026-05-24. Micaela will help you arrange payment. I suggest using a credit card (there is no additional fee. If you cancel after March 20, 2026, you will receive a refund of $ 178.15, which is 5% of the total invoice to Galapatours. Note: This is why trip insurance is so important. Please explore the options under the Diver’s Alert Network plan, including the cancel for any reason option (see above).