Galapagos indulgence

As a year-round destination, travellers will come face-to-face with blue and red footed boobies, sea lions, iguanas, tortoises, penguins and frigate birds on any visit to the Galapagos Islands.

Tempo Holidays, for instance, has a seven-day Galapagos Indulgence package which departs Quito every Friday.

Four nights are spent on board the stylish 100-passenger Galapagos Explorer II and two nights are in a five-star hotel in Quito.

The price is from $2819 per person twin share which includes land accommodation and the cruise, six breakfast, three lunches and four dinners, shore excursions with bilingual naturalist guides and hotel transfers.

Quito-Galapagos return airfares are from $482 per person, plus local taxes. International airfares are additional and can be organised through Tempo Holidays’ Latin America partner, LAN Airlines.

Contact: agents, Tempo Holidays phone 1300 558 987, or see www.tempoholidays.com

PS. Tempo Holidays also has a six-day Galapagos Express package (from $1903) which has a three-night cruise on the four-star 90-passenger Santa Cruz, coach transfers with bilingual guides, two nights at a four-star Quito hotel, 11 meals, shore excursions with bilingual naturalist guides and transfers. This tour departs Thursdays.