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Customer Reviews for Go Ahead Tours The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Go Ahead Tours The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
From the Andes to the Galápagos Islands, this vacation to Ecuador will take your breath away.
Average Customer Rating:
(48 Reviews) 48
25 out of 25 100% of customers would recommend this tour.
Customer Reviews for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Review 1 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by GWEN12 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:SK
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with a group coordinator/organization
by GWEN12 |
April 18, 2012
Great trip
I thougth the tour was good and the tour guide was great. I loved the country and the scenery. Galapogos was incredible. I want to return with my grandchildren.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Family Vacations, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
0points
1out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by CKEYSER5 |
Number of past tours:6
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:OH
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by CKEYSER5 |
April 10, 2012
worth the challenge!!
we have accomplished 3 walking tours with GoAhead but this tour was our most challenging due to the number of flights and the altitude in Quito and Cusco. although the snorkeling was disappointing in the Galapagos the rest of the cruise was beyond inspiring but it still didn't prepare us for the beauty of Peru -- we had no idea!!
Recommended for: Trip Of A Lifetime
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JKNOKE2 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:SK
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with a group coordinator/organization
by JKNOKE2 |
April 8, 2012
great trip
This was a great tour but had many challenges because of the changes in altitude and the changes in temperature within the two weeks. The countries of Ecuador and Peru were absolutely amazing. We had excellent tour guides to show us these countries. The only complaint I had about the tour was our flights to get there and home- very long considering we had to fly straight down to South America.
Recommended for: Nature & Wildlife, Experienced Travelers
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DFROHAUG1 |
Number of past tours:6
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:SK
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with a group coordinator/organization
by DFROHAUG1 |
April 8, 2012
A Dream Come True!
As a biology teacher, I have dreamed for years about going to the Galapagos Islands! I finally made it!! The trip was amazing! It was such an awesome experience to walk among the animals that had no fear of humans. I also loved the snorkelling, what a thrill! We were even entertained at night by the sea lions chasing the flying fish, what a sight!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MJOHNSON128 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:SK
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by MJOHNSON128 |
April 8, 2012
Galapagos Islands and Ecuador
Images for this Review
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This felt like two different vacations - first was Ecuador and the country side of the mainland with its traditions and beautiful scenery and then the Galapagos Islands - with the incredible wildlife and plants and being on a ship. Awesome adventure that I'll never forget.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DCORBIN12 |
Number of past tours:6
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:TN
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by DCORBIN12 |
April 7, 2012
Beautiful Places and People
I was surprised by the beauty of the Andes Mountains, the people and the music.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by TMOELLER1 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:03/11/2012
Location:AZ
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by TMOELLER1 |
April 2, 2012
Galapagos and Machu Picchu
I enjoyed seeing the Galapagos and Machu picchu . I wish we had done
this tour 10 years ago. At our age now it was a challenge to keep up.
I wish that we could have seen more islands of the Galapagos but do
understand the reasons that we could not.
Ecuador and Peru are both interesting countries that are coping with alot of challenges.
this tour 10 years ago. At our age now it was a challenge to keep up.
I wish that we could have seen more islands of the Galapagos but do
understand the reasons that we could not.
Ecuador and Peru are both interesting countries that are coping with alot of challenges.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by LBELLUZZO1 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:03/11/2012
Location:DE
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by LBELLUZZO1 |
March 31, 2012
Wonders of Sea and Sky
A truly memorable trip!
This tour (with extension) spanned evolutionary origins, spectacular natural settings, and pre-Columbian achievements. The Galapagos Islands segment was simply awe-inspiring, as was the majesty of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Andes. We feared that Macchu Pichu would be a let-down because of all the hype, but it was anything but. We've pretty much been around the world, but this was one of the greatest trips. Well done!
Larry Belluzzo
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by HROY3 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:03/18/2012
Location:SC
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by HROY3 |
March 31, 2012
All That I Expected and More!
Enjoyed immensely! you need to clone our tour Guide - Juan Carlos Rivera!. Knowledgleble, helpful, courteous, entertaining and such a gentleman. Went out of his way to meet our needs. Visiting Equador and the Galapagos was exciting, given all the species we were able to see and get close to. Except for the tortoises, as they were in a sanctuary so we couldn't get that close.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Trip Of A Lifetime, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by TFISH1 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:03/11/2012
Location:MI
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by TFISH1 |
March 31, 2012
Wonderful first trip to South America
Very busy trip, lots of new things to see and do all the time. We loved seeing the animals up close on the Galalagos Islands. We also saw sea lions and lots of birds both on land and from our ship. The extension to Machu Picchu was amazing, we had good weather and took nice photos.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by KWUCHNER1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:11/01/2011
Location:IN
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by KWUCHNER1 |
November 23, 2011
Galapagos Islands and Ecuador
What an organized tour!! The Galapagos Islands were amazing. Although I don't consider them beautiful, they were interesting and full of wildlife.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Experienced Travelers
+3points
5out of 7found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:7
Traveled on:11/01/2011
Location:FL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by Anonymous |
November 21, 2011
Unique and informative..great adventure!
Tremendous time had by both my husband and myself. Thoroughly enjoyed the galapagos and the challenge of cusco and Machu picchu. The range of extensive history between the two adventures was enormous. Thank you for the thoughtful planning that went into this trip. Both tour guides exhibited great knowledge, guidance and executive skill. Sue H.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by CBECKER14 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:11/01/2011
Location:PA
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by CBECKER14 |
November 21, 2011
Great Trip
We enjoyed the trip immensely. It was everything we imagined. No worries about transportation, reservations, or unexpected costs. So many wonderful animals and environments in the Galapagos! Snorkeling was a real treat! Quito is a wonderful city and Cusco is truly a wonder. It was our second time and there could be a third!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DGOLD20 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:11/01/2011
Location:ON
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by DGOLD20 |
November 21, 2011
Ecuador and the Galapagos
I can only say positive things about the trip. From the tour guide to the boat to the Quito hotel to the food everything was excellent!.
If it is possible to change the flight home from 12:30am I would recommend doing so. If it isn't possible to change the flight I would still recommend doing this tour.
Ron and Dianne Gold
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
0points
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Review 15 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by ATABAH1 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:11/01/2011
Location:AZ
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by ATABAH1 |
November 21, 2011
Very nice
We had a great time, most of the guides were extremely knowledgeable, they were all very caring and made our trip very enjoyable. We would like to take this trip again some time, hope you can include Amazonia.
We did it on our own but it will be better if it is organized.
The only recommendation will be to start the tour in reverse, start from Lima.
Wonderful trip. I wish we had more time to visit some of the museums.
Thank you.
We did it on our own but it will be better if it is organized.
The only recommendation will be to start the tour in reverse, start from Lima.
Wonderful trip. I wish we had more time to visit some of the museums.
Thank you.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by BROURK1 |
Number of past tours:5
Traveled on:8/10/2009 12:00:00 AM
Location:TX
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:solo
by BROURK1 |
October 15, 2011
Amazing!
Seeing the Galapagos in person is truly a great experience. The wildlife, geology, and climate are superb. There is so much variety to see, so many animals you can get close to, and so much history. This is a must see tour! Take a very good camera (or two). You will never forget it.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Trip Of A Lifetime, Honeymoons, Experienced Travelers
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by CHEATH |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:08/16/2011
Location:BC
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by CHEATH |
September 28, 2011
Trip of a lifetime
This was the first tour of any kind that I have taken and I was not disappointed. The tour guides from Go Ahead Tours were excellent. They were knowledgeable, personable, kind and helpful. They could not do enough to make our trip successful and addressed any of our concerns immediately. The Galapagos Islands was just like the films I have seen on TV; it was magical. I enjoyed traveling on the Galapagos Legend and found the staff extremely friendly and helpful. Machu Picchu was a wonder of the world and it took my breath away. I was, however, not impressed with the tour guide from Condor Travel. He was "preachy" and had a political bias. At times he treated us like children in a classroom which I did not appreciate. We are adults and if we choose to fall back a little from the group for some private time, he should respect that.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Trip Of A Lifetime
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by BZIFFREN1 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:07/19/2011
Location:IL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by BZIFFREN1 |
August 13, 2011
Always wanted to go there!
Our trip started in Quito with an excellent guide Roberto. He expertly guided through Quito and the Galapagos Islands with the help of great expert while on the islands. We learned a great deal about the culture, life style and history. We had great tours of the islands, saw and learned about the birds, animals and history of the islands. It was fun to ride the dingys in and out of the islands and snorkle. We extended our stay to Lima where we toured the city by bus and walked a great deal in the city. We traveled to Cusco where the elevation was around 12,000 which is a challenge altitude to an experienced traveler. We saw silver demonstrations, Alpaka factory, saw how wool is spun, dyed and weaved along with how the people have lived and are presently living. We took a great train ride to Machu Pichu and saw the fabulous ruins. The trip was excellent.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Experienced Travelers
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by WBURRI1 |
Number of past tours:4
Traveled on:06/14/2011
Location:CA
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by WBURRI1 |
August 10, 2011
The animals, WOW!
The animals were all that we expected. We were face to face with them from the time we got off of the plane on Baltra until we finished. The naturalists on the boat were excellent also.
In and around Quito and especially at Otavalo the cultural experience was excellent. We have always enjoyed the interaction with the locals on our other trips, and this was as fruitful.
In and around Quito and especially at Otavalo the cultural experience was excellent. We have always enjoyed the interaction with the locals on our other trips, and this was as fruitful.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Nature & Wildlife, Art, History, & Culture
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MPICCIONI1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:07/19/2011
Location:KY
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by MPICCIONI1 |
August 8, 2011
Amazing Diversity in one trip and extension!
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
We just returned from the July/August tour of Ecuador and the Galapagos, with the Peru extension to Machu Picchu. It was jam-packed with wonderful sights, people, experiences, and activities! If you plan to take this trip, be ready to hit the ground running and don't expect much leisure time. Every second counts when you are in such amazing places! Make sure to take your vitamins, bring good walking shoes, plenty of memory chips and camera batteries, some warm clothes, and a good backpack! As they say in the brochure, take half as many clothes as you think you'll need and twice as much cash:). Be sure to take jeans and a sweatshirt and jacket for the Peru segment. The sun is warm, but the air is quite chilly. We were glad to have wetsuits for snorkeling in the islands. They rent them on the ship for @$25 for the duration of your cruise. What fun it was to snorkel among sea lions, giant turtles, and little penguins! The animals are so much at ease even with people gawking at them and shooting their pictures!
About money...The people in both countries definitely prefer cash to credit cards. ATMs seemed pretty handy in most places. It is quite convenient to be able to use American money in Ecuador. Then you have to get used to Peruvian Sols.
Check with your doctor to get some altitude sickness prevention meds. The heights definitely get your attention.
If you are lucky enough to have Roberto as your guide in Ecuador, you will be well taken care of. He is wonderful!
My husband and I skipped the volcano excursion and had a fine time touring Quito on our own instead. If you get a chance, go to Teleferiqo on the cable car. That was beautiful!
In closing, This is definitely a trip for your bucket list! Absolutely marvelous!
Oh, one more thing, ...when they say it is "Challenging" on the activity scale, please believe it. It is really a trip for those who are energetic and agile.
About money...The people in both countries definitely prefer cash to credit cards. ATMs seemed pretty handy in most places. It is quite convenient to be able to use American money in Ecuador. Then you have to get used to Peruvian Sols.
Check with your doctor to get some altitude sickness prevention meds. The heights definitely get your attention.
If you are lucky enough to have Roberto as your guide in Ecuador, you will be well taken care of. He is wonderful!
My husband and I skipped the volcano excursion and had a fine time touring Quito on our own instead. If you get a chance, go to Teleferiqo on the cable car. That was beautiful!
In closing, This is definitely a trip for your bucket list! Absolutely marvelous!
Oh, one more thing, ...when they say it is "Challenging" on the activity scale, please believe it. It is really a trip for those who are energetic and agile.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Honeymoons, Experienced Travelers
+8points
8out of 8found this review helpful.
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