Discovering the Galápagos with Silversea’s Silver Origin

Reviewed by Silversea Cruises Sales Manager Julie

I could hardly contain my excitement when I was asked to host a trip to the Galápagos Islands onboard Silver Origin, a true bucket list destination and somewhere I have dreamt of travelling to my whole career.

Travelling to such a seemingly remote destination can seem daunting, but Silversea eliminates the stress of the journey by making the journey seamless through all-inclusive fares. We flew via Amsterdam to Quito, spending two nights at the JW Marriott on BB with a cool night tour included … Quito is a beautiful colonial city, not only is it the highest capital city above sea level. You can also visit the Equator line, well worth a visit!

Before we knew it, we were boarding the short flight to San Cristóbal, Galapagos where all our voyages start… Silversea offers two, seven-night itineraries throughout the year, ours being the North Central Isles.

The first thing that struck me as I waited for one of our eight Zodiac boats to whisk us onboard were the number of sea lions and Sally light-footed crabs jostling for space on the pier – the wildlife really is around you all the time.

Silver Origin is the most elegant ship ever to sail Galápagos, with 100 guests and built specifically for this destination.  We have the highest crew-to-guest ratio, a team of Ecuadorian national guides and all-balcony suites.  From the minute you step onboard via basecamp, you just sense that this is going to be the most extraordinary voyage.

Day one is all about getting to know the ship, there are two restaurants onboard serving Ecuadorian-inspired cuisine, and our beautiful outdoor spaces including a hot tub and stargazing platform. I just had time to make sure my wetsuit which we provide fitted before heading out on deck, a glass of Ecuadorian wine in hand as we sailed past iconic Kicker Rock and into the sunset.

Daily briefings in our spacious Explorer lounge by our Expedition team really get you excited for the next day where the days start early with a leisurely hike or snorkel.

Find out more about Silver Origin cruise ship here

What’s different about Galápagos is the incredible wildlife that is constantly all around you. I’d heard of Blue-Footed Boobies and Giant Tortoises, but there is so much more to see including Red-Footed & Nazca Boobies, Splendid Frigate Birds, Giant Iguanas and cute Galápagos Penguins all living side by side in harmony together. Our expedition team are at the heart of your Galápagos experience and trained in every aspect of Galápagos life. If it hadn’t been for our naturalist expert we would never have spotted the giant manta-ray whilst snorkelling, the highlight of our trip, oh and the hammerhead sharks.

I’m sure anyone who’s undertaken his incredible trip would agree that it’s almost impossible to describe every life-changing experience we encountered throughout the week. I also want to keep some things secret for you and your guests to discover for yourselves … trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

View Silversea’s Galápagos cruise brochure here