Evolve has arrived
After months of build up, we are thrilled to announce that Evolve – the third in our fleet of luxury expedition yachts – took to the water on 1st January 2023.
After a couple of weeks of sea trials and tests, Evolve was formally welcomed in to the Ecoventura fleet for her official maiden voyage, which set off from San Cristobal island filled with excited guests – and crew – last Sunday, the 15th January.
Before the voyage, Evolve was formally launched in a moving naming ceremony, where her honorary Godmother Micaela Williams cut the ribbon to officially mark Evolve’s maiden voyage.
Micaela was accompanied by Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Chairman of A&K, as well as Neils Olsen, Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism. They were joined by Katherine Llerena, president of the Galapagos Consejo de Gobierno, and Danny Rueda, Director of the Galapagos National Park Directorate, along with our very own Ecoventura CEO Santiago Dunn.
Once the ceremony was complete – held in the warm Galapagos sunshine with the blue sea and nearby islands forming a stunning backdrop – she was ready to set sail.
Chic, stylish and luxuriously comfortable in equal measure, our three yachts are the only vessels sailing the Galapagos that are members of Relais & Chateaux, delivering unrivalled luxury to guests and offering access to the very best the archipelago can offer.
Evolve’s sister ships Origin and Theory have been sailing the Galapagos since 2016 and 2019 respectively, setting the bar for small ship luxury cruising in the archipelago. Whilst they sail their week-long itineraries individually, it is a sight to behold to have all three majestic vessels together for the first time, as they were when leaving port in convoy to celebrate Evolve taking to the water.
Operating as floating five-star boutique hotels, the yachts are identical, ensuring a spectacular and hugely memorable voyage whichever one you sail.
With the Evolve – named once again in honour of Charles Darwin’s 1835 voyage to the islands that inspired his theories on evolution outlined in his seminal work On the Origin of Species – Ecoventura has completed its fleet of luxury expedition yachts.
Capable of carrying a maximum of 20 guests each, and boasting the lowest guest-to-guide ratio around, each vessel offers passengers a golden opportunity to explore the furthest reaches of this awe-inspiring destination. Enjoy an un-rivalled array of close-up wildlife encounters and excursions galore across two fantastic itineraries, all whilst sampling second-to-none luxury, elegant interiors and fine dining worthy of an R&C property.
What’s more, with a few extras such as two-room premium suites or a VIP package available, plus the option to charter an entire vessel for a friends and family voyage if you really want to make a splash, there really couldn’t be a better time to look into a Galapagos voyage.
Ecoventura joins the A&K Travel Group family
Whilst we are making announcements, we are delighted to say that Ecoventura has joined the A&K Travel Group, joining a fantastic portfolio of travel companies including Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal Cruises, Cox & Kings, and Habitas.
Joining forces with A&K will allow us to continue to push the boat out when it comes to luxury small ship cruising in the Galapagos. It is a fantastic opportunity to benefit from the strengths and prestige of the A&K group as we work towards a shared vision, captured in our pioneering spirits and years of experience in delivering exceptional luxury adventures.
Santiago Dunn, the owner and CEO of Ecoventura, will continue to run Ecoventura from our office here in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and our team will continue to provide as tailored and attentive service as ever. In fact, we will continue to operate exactly as we have done since Santiago’s father first founded Ecoventura back in 1991, before growing the company into the foremost Galapagos luxury expedition cruise operation that it is today.
