When Dawn E. Robinson, a Texan who’s currently living in Los Angeles, got an email telling her that Acanela Expeditions was offering a discount on its Galápagos trip, she knew that this was the getaway she’d been waiting for. She and a friend booked the trip, planning to celebrate Dawn’s next birthday in style — or, to be more specific, to celebrate it in paradise.

After Dawn returned home, we caught up with her to ask about her experience. Here’s what she had to say.

My Galápagos trip was amazing! It’s too hard to choose just one highlight from the experience. I would have to say that my favorite parts about the trip were the landscape, the people, the animals, the food, and the stars! I thought the stars at night were big and bright in Texas, but the stars at night in the Galápagos were magical!

I thought the stars at night were big and bright in Texas, but the stars at night in the Galápagos were magical!

One of my favorite memories from the trip happened on an afternoon in Tortuga Bay. I went there with my friend, and we took pictures of (and with!) the marine iguanas while they were sleeping. I’ll never forget that experience!

The whole time that I was in the Galápagos, I kept pinching myself because I was so grateful to get to see and experience the islands. One thing that really stood out to me was the way that the native animals didn’t even seem to notice people (like the marine iguanas on Tortuga Bay).

I also thought it was interesting that the Galápagos limits the amount of tourists that can visit on an annual basis. The people there are very environmentally conscious and make sure the plants and animals are protected. And they all coexist with each other peacefully. I really respect that.

On a different note, I also noticed that every day’s meal was better than the previous day, and that every day’s adventure was better than the last one, so the trip just kept getting better and better. (I also loved that they always served us cake for dessert. It was perfect for a birthday trip!)

I also want to say that the team at Acanela was great to work with! They are responsive, knowledgeable, caring, patient, and fun! We got an email a week before we left asking if we had any questions, and when I called, all of my questions were answered. The trip exceeded my expectations, and I loved that once we landed, EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN CARE OF! We just showed up!

I thought that the itinerary was perfect, but we did meet a couple from Texas who also used Acanela. They were celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary, and the wife told us that Acanela let her help plan the itinerary. I don’t think I would have changed a thing, but that was good information to know, and maybe a future traveler will want to tweak their plans a little!

All in all, I loved the experience and thought it was perfect! I’d definitely recommend it to others!

If you’d like to embark on a trip just like Dawn’s, you’ve come to the right place. Check out our Galápagos itinerary, and we’ll start planning your dream vacation right away.

¡Hasta luego!