Safari at Sea

On the first sailing of ecotourism brand andBeyond's new cruise in the Galápagos, Chris Schalkx learns a lesson in conservancy

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THIRTY SECONDS. That’s all the time it took for me to come eye to beady eye with my first Galápagoan critter after stepping onto the tarmac of the Galápagos Seymour Ecological Airport. I’d found a land iguana, endemic to this part of the archipelago, with scaly skin slouched around its bones and a grimacing mug only a mother could love, lounging in the arrivals terminal.

It turned out to be a good omen for my sailing around the eastern Galápagos Islands aboard the Galápagos Explorer, a newly launched expedition yacht by South Africa–based travel operator andBeyond. As the first cruise product in the collection for the brand known for plush lodges in Africa, Chile, and Bhutan, it was a risk. For CEO Joss Kent, though, it was a natural next step. “We’ve always been interested in gaining a foothold in the Galápagos,” he told me. “Given the unique differences between each island, you need to visit a broad area in order to understand its diversity. Guests can wake up at a new destination each day.”