Northern Europe Marine wildlife Trips

From beginning to end this was a fabulous holiday! The ship and its crew were amazing. Spotlessly clean and always attentive 5 days aboard this ship was a great pleasure. The food was 5* all the way, delicious and plentiful, with frequent snacks and creative juices at every break. The tour was well paced with loads of activities, hiking and snorkeling and informative talks. The naturalist guide, Carlos, was one of the best. Enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable, he is passionate about the Galapagos and maintaining it pristine qualities. Wild life was abundant and snorkelling with fish, turtles and even penguins.. it was a trip of a life time. The chef was very attentive to my restrictive diet, being celiac. Did I mention the food??? First class all the way!

From steamy Tortoguero, with the howler monkeys waking us up at 5.00am (no need for an alarm!) to cool, mountainous Savegre thronging with hummingbirds, this was a tour of contrasting habitats each with their own variety of wildlife, plants and flowers. In addition to the wildlife elements of the tour, visits to the Aquiares coffee factory and CAITE research centre were incredibly interesting. The optional visit to the Bri Bri community was well worth it; we learned all about how chocolate is made from scratch and had great fun trying each part of the process. While there were some longer travel days, they were well paced, never felt too onerous and we often saw interesting things en route. The boat trips were fantastic- just getting to Tortoguero and to Drake Bay were experiences in themselves, with opportunity to see lot of wildlife on the way. The snorkelling trip was amazing- we were able to swim above sea turtles, rays and amongst lots of colourful fish. Even if you don't snorkel, the boat trip was worth doing- we saw a pod of humpback whales quite close to the boat, and a variety of birds. The accommodation was comfortable and in all the hotel grounds we were able to spot a variety of wildlife- great for photographers who enjoy having a camera/phone in one hand and a 'sundowner' in the other!

Our guide Mnfred Cyrman was great, the itinery was very interesting and well thought out with a perfect balance of group activity and personal time for relaxation. All of the food and accomodations were great, and the transport bus and driver were also great.

I just completed the Whales & Bears of British Columbia tour and it was incredible. From the first ferry ride to Vancouver Island, I was immersed in wild coastline and ancient rainforest. We spotted humpback whales breaching off the bow and watched black bears comb the shoreline for crabs. A full-day outing to the Orford River treated us to grizzlies feasting on salmon amid misty fjords. The group was small, the guides passionate, and every day brought something surprising. Yes, there were long drives and changeable weather, but it all added to the adventure. I’d highly recommend it

I did this trip in September 2025 and this is by far the best one I have done so far. This trip shows you how diverse the country is with its different ecosystems and wildlife. From the Caribbean coast over to the Pacific. Everywhere you look there is an abundance of wildlife from the colourful birds and larger mammals/primates right down to the tiny frogs and leaf cutter ants.

Ecuador was truly a holiday of two halves. Mainland Ecuador was beautiful to explore, but the Galápagos was an absolutely unforgettable experience. I could have easily spent two weeks there. The wildlife was incredible, with so much to see and experience. Swimming with large sea turtles was a real highlight, and I still can’t quite believe it happened. Watching the birds, playful sea lions, sharks, and iguanas up close felt completely surreal. It would have been nice to see Kicker Rock, but I understand that sightings of hammerhead sharks can be hit or miss. I did feel, however, that the physical rating for this trip wasn’t entirely accurate. It was listed as Easy to Moderate, but I think it should be highlighted more clearly as closer to a level 2 to 3. Our group included a mix of ages, four under 50 and the rest over 60, and many found the hiking, snorkelling, and walking over uneven volcanic rock quite challenging. Despite that, everyone was an absolute joy to travel with, such a great group. The guides were fantastic, but Richard, our Galápagos guide, truly stood out. From the moment we arrived, he made us feel welcome in his home country. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and great sense of humour made every day special, and by the end of the trip, we felt like one big family. Richard’s organisation was exceptional. His daily updates and schedules on WhatsApp kept everyone informed, and he shared wonderful group photos, wildlife pictures, and videos throughout the trip. We always felt safe with him, especially during snorkelling excursions. He was constantly smiling, approachable, and full of positive energy. He even ended the trip with a thoughtful gesture, gifting each of us a Galápagos Islands fridge magnet, which was such a lovely touch. Overall, an absolutely outstanding trip and experience truly unforgettable.