ECUADOR
TRAVEL TESTIMONIALS,
GALAPAGOS COMMENT REVIEWS
WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE
SAYING ....
Hi
Robin
We made
it home safely.
This is
a note to thank you
for everything. We
had an
incredible time on our cruise to the Galapagos. The Diam[a]nte
was more
than we
expected. The crew and our guide were terrific. Everyone on the
Diamonte was
continually surprised at the beautifully displayed and tasting platters
of food
for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We would recommend the Diam[a]nte
anyday.
The kids
loved it too. They
had a fun jumping off the
side of the boat as well as jumping from the rope. This first class
vessel is
meant for kids as well as adults.
We ended
up with really
interesting people on our
cruise. With only 12 people that could be trouble. For us, it was
terrific.
Thank you for
arranging our
trip to Machu Picchu. Your
"Peru Experts" didn't let us down.
You were also free
with
info on things to do around
Quito.
Thank
you for everything.
Brenda Russett
August 15, 2007
Greetings
Robin,
Just
wanted to thank you
for your help in setting up our trip to Ecuador. We had a
wonderful time and all went well. It was truly a family
experience that
we will cherish. Again, many thanks for making reservations
and
recommendations. It was a pleasure working with you. I
hope to
return to your beautiful country again.
Cheers,
Diane and Rob Cappa
June 25, 2007
Hi
Robin,
Back to
real
life now! Thanks again for everything. I will not hesitate
to recommend Sangay and I plan to post our trip on fodors.com
with an
endorsement. I am sorry for your troubles and I know you are
working extremely hard to avoid affecting your clients, which makes the
smoothness with which the trip cam of from our perspective even more
impressive.
I know we
mentioned it to you, but Carlos was a wonderful guide. Especially
in Quito, I think we significantly altered his itinerary for us and he
took it in stride and was very gracious with his time. He spent a
lot of extra time with us with no apparent expectations of extra
compensation – though I hope we did adequately compensate him in the
end.
Anyway,
I’m off
to a meeting, but I did want you to know how
much we appreciated
everything.
All the
best,
Tom
MacAllister
June 7th, 2007
U.S.A.
Hi
Robin,
Sorry
that we have not sent you an email
earlier but we have been travelling and have just returned from
Patagonia!
We thoroughly
enjoyed our time in the
Galapagos on the Lammer Law in February. It was a great crew and
a
super bunch of people that we cruised with.
Thanks again for organising the trip
for us!
Best
wishes
Marnix
Ravesteijn
March 21st, 2006
Hi
Robin,
Just a note to say that the cruise was truly
wonderful for Erin and me.
Loved the Encantada and its ambience. We had a great group of
people, an excellent guide, fine meals. The reality exceeded our
fantasies.
Thanks for all your
assistance in getting it booked, etc.
Mary Martens
April 3rd, 2006
Hi
Robin;
Just
a quick note to
thank you for your assistance during our wonderful
holiday in Ecuador. Everything went according to plan but the
driving
was a nightmare at times because of the state of the roads; I’ve never
seen so many potholes – and deep too! But I got the hire car back in
one piece (Japanese reliability).
We
broke the journey in two sections with a stop in Santo Domingo which,
incidentally has a wonderful hotel “Zaracay” this is highly
recommended. We called in at the “Tinilandia” but
were not impressed by the accommodation and it cost $85 pn so we went
on to the Zaracay. There is no way I could do the whole trip to Puerto
Lopez in one go. The Mantaraya Lodge was superb but not many guests
when we were there.
The
Eden was fine albeit a little cramped with a small double bed but the
guide, crew and the food were wonderful. The islands are fully up to
their reputation; incredible.
We
have been recounting our experiences with friends and will have no
hesitation in recommending the services of your company to potential
travellers.
Hasta
Luego.
John
and Margaret Thompson
May 29th, 2006
Hi
again,
Just a quick note from me. We really enjoyed
our trip with the Eden,
the guide was good, the cabin(5) was nice, but the double bed very
narrow, maybe for a young loving couple, the food was good, the staff
was very nice. Tangara was very nice with Lidia and Antonio extremely
helpful.
Only one thing was a bit confusing. When we arrived in Galapagos we
looked for our luggage but didn´t find it because there was a
plane that had landed before us. Nobody said anything about this but I
asked and told other people.Maybe a sign telling the flight number so
people knew. We also went to Kapawi with Canodros and really enjoyed
that to, a great project!
As you can
understand we will definitely recommend your agency in the
future.Thanks!
Greetings from
Margareta Lindell
April 27, 2006
Hola
Robin,
Te
escribo para saludarte y agradecerte por los
5 dìas maravillosos
que hemos pasado a las Galàpagos (estuvimos muy bien con
la
Golondrina y con la nostra guìa Priscila). Espero que para otras
vacaciones de poder contar con tu servizio.
Gracias
Nancy,
Fabio y Michelle
May 2nd, 2006
Hi Robin -
Just a note to
express appreciation for your expeditious handling of
our seemingly intractable airline problem in Quito preceeding our
Galapagos vacation.
Even with her good Spanish, Gia couldn't make any headway in
straightening out the problem (because she couldn't figure out what was
awry). In any event - even though the problem was in reality
between the boat operator and TAME - ultimately it was your problem to
fix, and to your credit, you did so promptly.
Once aboard Cach[a]lote, the experience (seasickness and the need to
develop "sea legs" notwithstanding) was marvelous. The boat and
crew were grand. The food was superb, not fancy - but healthy,
tasty and quite varied from day to day. The pace of the travel
was just right - not too demanding, yet appropriately challenging to me
(I'm not atheletic nor an outdoorsman, but I love wildlife). Our
guide (Juan Tabia) was extraordinary, a 20 year veteran of the guide
service. He knew just how to balance our pace so that everyone
could get questions answered and pictures taken (plus he could sing and
play guitar, as well as teach salsa dance after dinner!)
My greatest delight about the Galapagos has in large measure to do with
the Ecuadoran management plan for the islands. It is clear that
every small boat visits the specified official landings on its
itinerary, and that visitors always traverse regulated, marked trails
on the islands. But this regimen exposes visitors to almost all
of the extraordinary wildlife that we have become acquainted with
through television documentaries and reading. It is an excellent
system, and very rewarding for the visitor.
We had two days in Quito after our return from the islands, which could
easily have been stretched into 3 or 4 additional days (to visit the
hot springs and Otavalo). The B&B (Casa Sol) that Gia chose
in Mariscal was superb - it would be a great place for you to put
guests - and we enjoyed great food at Boca de Lobo and Milano nearby,
as well as overlooking the city at Mosaica another evening. We
managed a visit to Mital del Mundo (and the marvelous cultural museo
next door) as well as a morning over the city via the Teleferique
before returning to the US.
I'm now busily researching ceviche recipes!
Thanks for
facilitating our wonderful family trip.
Bob Upchurch
June 12th, 2006
HI
Robin,
Just wanted to drop you a quick note to THANK
YOU! I had an
awesome time on board the Beagle. You were quick to
respond to
all my questions... and I don´t know of any other travel agent
who gives out his personal contact information in case of an
emergency. If any of my friends decide to visit the
Galapagos, I
will be sure to refer them to you.
Best,
Sachith Wijetunga
July 6th, 2006
Hi Robin
As
promised, feedback from our time on The Beagle. We had a fabulous time,
and really don't have anything negative to say.
Food:
Excellent. The chef catered for the (many) unusual dietary requirements
of the guests.
Itinerary:
Great. We saw a huge variety of animals, snorkelled almost every day,
and had ample time at all locations. You should note also that the
Beagle provided snorkel, mask, fins AND wetsuit free of charge, and the
gear was in excellent condition. The guide was always snorkelling with
us, and the Panga was always close by.
Cabins:
Bed was a tad short for me (6'4") but no sleep lost. Cabins very well
kept with regular towel and linen changes.
Staff:
As you predicted, of the highest quality. These guys thought of
everything before we did.
We also
spent 3 days on Isabella, an extension I would strongly recommend.
Thanks
again for your help. Our time on the Galapagos was so memorable,
largely thanks to you. The Beagle was of the highest quality, and you
should have no hesitation recommending it.
Cheers,
Sarah
and Warwick
June 25th, 2006
Hello
Robin,
I did say I would drop you a line, but just now got a few moments to do
so.
I am back to school now, and my classroom obligations are calling very
loudly. Anyway, thanks again so much for your help booking our
tour this
summer. Thanks
for all the very
professional work in making our tour with the Tip Top
II crew exceptionally memorable.
My daughter and I had a marvelous time! The Tip
Top II crew and guide were, as well, exceptionally professional and
made every effort to make our
cruise the best ever. It was a very
positive experience doing business with your travel
agency. Everyone in your office was amiable,
helpful, and reassuring. It was a pleasure
doing business with Sangay. And again, Robin, I
thank you very much for all the other advice and
information you gave us about travel in
Ecuador.
Sincerely,
Bruce Hitchko
Calistoga Elementary School
5th Grade Teacher
Calistoga, California
September 7th, 2006
Hi
Robin-
We all
loved the trip and had a smooth return to NY yesterday. The boat,
the guide, and the food on the Cachalote were top notch. In
addition, we really enjoyed staying at Cafe Cultura and thought the
food at the restaurants you recommended was excellent. The
eight day trip was definitely the way to go and we look forward to
recommending both you and a similar itinerary to friends.
Thanks
again for everything and we very much look forward to returning to
Ecuador.
Kind
Regards,
Daniel Flax
August 4th, 2006
Hi
Robin
Just
wanted to say a
huge thank
you for organising my trip on the Nemo II. The boat was
lovely,
and extremely well maintained and run. The crew were superb
and our
guide, Juan Carlos, was fantastic. I am delighted that I booked
that
second week out in the Galapagos, the land tours really were excellent.
I
will definitely have to come
back and visit again as soon as I can!
Many
thanks
Gail Reardon
July 19th, 2006
Hi
Robin, hope all is well in Quito.
Just a quicky to give you a bit of feedback on Nemo 2.
Generally, everything was excellent. On a whole, very very happy with
the tour. The boat was great, the crew excellent (especially
Rual), and the Naturalist, Juan Carlos was first rate.
Guide: I dont know if you have met this guide, but he is
acknowledged in some
of the Animals of the Galapagos books. His English was excellent, he
had a great sense of humor and was as flexible as possible.
Boat: Boat was generally good, except on the first and forth
days, there was
really bad diesel fumes down below. Half of us woke up with headaches
and sore chests. Really bad. The Captain said that one of the crew had
spilt diesel, but as it happened twice, I find that hard to believe.
Crew: Excellent. Made us very comfortable and welcome. Rual, the guy
who
served meals and cleaned rooms was just amazing.
Food: Top notch. Best food Ive ever had on a tour. Cant say more
than that !
Flights: 5 hour delay on the outward flight, so missed the whole
afternoon on
the first day. Aparently they couldnt close the cargo door and so had
to wait for another plane. The plane looked about 30 years old (not
exagerating!) so not surprised.
Now sat in Caracas airpost waiting for a flight, and wishing we were
back on board !
Hope this helps,
Richard Thompson
Nemo 2, 2-9th July 2006
Dear
Robin,
Just
wanted to let you know that our trip was a great success, and a
wonderful time was had by all. We were very pleased with the Nemo II;
the staff was great, the accommodations
comfortable, and the food was fine. We loved the snorkeling, hiking,
and more.
Los
Alpes in Quito was fine as well, and we especially enjoyed dinner at
Mosaica.
Feel
free to give my name as a reference if you wish.
Regards,
Sandy Soule
August 10th, 2006
Hi Robin,
It was so nice to finally
meet you in Quito. We had an amazing 8
days on board
the Samba. We were very happy with our choice of
yacht and
the crew and guide were great. Thanks again for all your
help.
Lynda Rushworth
September 9th, 2006
Hi
Robin,
Thanks
much for all of your help on this trip --- it was a very good one and
I'll definitely keep Sangay in mind next time I go to Ecuador.
One bit
of feedback, though, the Encantada was a great boat with a wonderful
cook and a good crew - I really enjoyed the trip. However, the scuba
diving experience on the Encantada left much to be desired. The dive
gear was in very poor repair (leaking tanks, leaking hoses, leaking
BCs, cracked masks, ripped wetsuits) and they didn't have enough of
some things (particularly wetsuits in various sizes). Also, the
divemaster, Reuben, occasionally copped a bit of an attitude, even
making fun of some of the less experienced divers -- which is generally
considered a pretty bad idea since it increases anxiety and tends to
make problems worse. While I would certainly recommend the Encantada,
I'm not sure that I would recommend anyone dive from it unless they
correct those issues. Everything else about the trip was fabulous,
though, and the people at Casa Sol were wonderful.
Thanks
again.
Stephanie Rivaux
August 29th, 2006
Our
Galapagos vacation was
fantastic due to the amazing animals and the Fragata Yacht's attentive,
friendly crew. We had fresh sheets and towels everyday and the
sand in our shower was cleaned out daily too (you seem to come back
with some sand in your swim suit from snorkeling no matter how hard you
try not to). The food was very good and there was always lots of
it. Whenever I needed something (such as the Ecuadorian
equivalent of Dramamine) the crew made sure I got it even if it
meant making a trip to a nearby boat to pick up extra pills. When
we snorkeled off the pangas, the crew made sure to keep the boats close
(but not in our way) just in case someone wanted to get out of the
water early. Our guide was incredible. His knowledge and
amiable personality made our islands trips even more memorable.
The Fragata's sun deck (on the top of the boat) was our favorite place
to read and hang out. If I ever returned to the Galapagos
Islands, I would be happy to go on the Fragata Yacht again to repeat our wonderful
experience.
Tiffany Dodge
June 22, 2007
U.S.A.
As
you
suspected, most of what we have to say is positive. The boat,
staff, accomodation, food, etc all met high standards. Some
passengers
were upset about a couple of things that didn't happen to us, e.g.
fussy a/c
units, but the only incident that affected us directly was the bota's
motor
breakdown on our last night, which was unfortunate, but came to nothing
except
a little delay in final arrival (though it would have been nice if a
rescue
boat had been called a little earlier). It does seem to me that
perhaps
tourists, especially those without much experience with being on a boat
for
several days, should be explained the difference between luxury on land
and at
sea a little better.
Our
guide, Kike, was very good in that he made sure his group didn't
break
any rules of the national park, and was knowledgeable. He is
quite young,
and that's probably the reason why he is not, at this time, very well
versed in
dealing with stressful situations in which his role is to be a link and
an
interpreter.
Overall, we
were really
very pleased, and had a fantastic trip we'll remember
for a lifetime! Thank you again for
all your help, hopefully you
will
hear from some of our family and friends who've been treated to our
circa
200-picture slide show :) Let me know if you need ay further info.
All the best,
Vanessa
Aubry
September 14, 2007
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