With a maximum of 14 passengers on board, the motor sailer Samba offers a unique Galapagos cruise with a private atmosphere. Individuality is a top priority, and the local crew guides its guests through paradise with passion. The Samba combines the dream of a Galapagos cruise with a first-class experience package. Magazine.Travel, known for its in-depth travel reports from the unique dual perspectives of our veterinarian and our internationally acclaimed photographer, was on the road for you.
Galapagos cruise with the Samba
Sailing ship cruising in the Galapagos National Park Ecuador
Samba Motor Sailer – Cruise Galapagos Islands Ecuador
Sundeck Samba – Cruise Galapagos Islands Ecuador
Active nature experiences while snorkeling, kayaking or hiking and intensive animal encounters make a trip on the Samba unforgettable. Relaxed hours on the sun deck, interesting lectures and an all-round carefree package with great service and delicious food round off the offer. Wake up every morning in new, magical places and enjoy a perfect mix of active vacation, Galapagos cruise and expedition trip.
Whale watching on a cruise in the Galapagos National Park Ecuador
Galapagos Giant Tortoise on Isabela Island – Galapagos Cruise
Frigatebird Genovesa Island Galapagos cruising on the samba
Galapagos cruise to Floreana Island – UNESCO World Heritage Ecuador
Bell ringing ... the ship's bell creeps softly into my sleep. A group of pilot whales appear in my dreams. They swim very close to the boat, stretch their snouts curiously and delight us with their shiny backs. Fantastic. Bell ringing… Yesterday the bell rang as a signal for the whales, this morning it means breakfast. I stretch myself comfortably again, then I quickly slip into my clothes. A thousand colorful pictures go through my head. A cute baby sea lion that waddles curiously towards me ... A Galapagos penguin swims as fast as an arrow through a school of fish ... Golden rays between mangroves, primeval marine iguanas on lava rocks and a huge sunfish. My pulse is accelerating and, despite the early hour, my appetite for breakfast and adventure grows.
Magazine.Travel
Animal photo Sea lion baby in the Galapagos National Park Ecuador
Endemic Galapagos Penguin – Fernandina Island Galapagos National Park Ecuador
Marine iguanas portrait endemic reptiles in the Galapagos Islands Ecuador
Mola Mola Sunfish Sunfish snorkeling and diving in Galapagos National Park Ecuador
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The small cruise ship Samba is almost 24 meters long. It has 7 guest cabins for 2 people each, an air-conditioned seating and dining area with panoramic windows, a sundeck and an observation deck with access to the bridge. Six of the cabins are located on the lower deck and have a porthole and two bunk beds. The lower bed is particularly wide and can easily be used as a double bed. The seventh cabin is on the upper deck and offers a double bed and windows. Each cabin is equipped with drawers, has its own air conditioning and a private bathroom.
The common area offers a coffee and tea station and a small library. A television enables interesting slide shows during the evening nature lectures. Towels, life jackets, snorkeling equipment, wetsuits, kayaks and stand up paddle boards are provided. The full board leaves nothing to be desired. It includes a rich hot breakfast, snacks after every activity, varied meals for lunch and a 3-course menu for dinner. The Samba stands out from other providers thanks to its surprisingly small group size and the generously designed daily program. Furthermore, the very good nature guides and the cordial crew are to be highlighted. The samba is owned by a local Galapagos family.
5 reasons to choose the Samba cruise ship in Galapagos
Personal and familiar: only 14 guests Fantastic daily program Motivated crew from Galapagos Experience special islands Great equipment & catering
What does a night on the samba cost?
Eight days cruise cost around 3500 euros per person. The regular price for one night on the Samba is around 500 euros.
This includes cabin, full board, equipment and all activities and excursions. The program includes shore excursions, snorkeling, exploratory dinghy trips, lectures and kayak tours. Please note possible changes.
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7-night cruise Northwest Route approx. 3500 Euro per person
7-night cruise Southeast route approx. 3500 euros per person
Both cruises can be combined as one big trip
Children under 14 years receive up to 30% discount.
Prices are approximate. Price increases and special offers are possible. [/ Su_spoiler]
As of 2021.
Who are typical guests on the motorsailer Samba?
Couples, families with older children and single travelers alike are guests on the Samba. Anyone who appreciates the luxury of a small ship and thrives on a varied and active all-day program in nature will love Galapagos on board the Samba. Animal lovers in general and bird watchers, amateur herpetologists and snorkelers in particular will get their money's worth.
Where does the Galapagos Samba Cruise take place?
The Galapagos Archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in South America. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, a two-hour flight from mainland Ecuador. Galapagos consists of numerous islands, only four of which are inhabited. At the beginning of the cruise, the Samba is anchored either in the Itabaca Channel next to Baltra Island or in Puerto Ayora near Santa Cruz.
The Northwest Route visits remote islands such as Genovesa , Marchena, and Fernandina, as well as the far side of Isabela Island. The Southeast Route includes Santa Fe , San Cristobal, Española , Bartolomé , Rábida, and South Plazas. Both tours also include Santa Cruz, Floreana, and North Seymour Island . Please note that itineraries are subject to change.
On a cruise with the Samba, you'll see many endemic Galapagos species found nowhere else in the world. These include the Galapagos giant tortoise, marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, and Galapagos sea lions. On the Northwest itinerary, you'll also encounter the flightless cormorant and Galapagos fur seals. On the Southeast itinerary, you can see the Galapagos albatross from April to December.
On numerous snorkeling tours, you'll enjoy the underwater wildlife of the Galapagos . Depending on the island, you can discover large schools of fish, elegant sea turtles, hunting penguins, feeding marine iguanas, playful sea lions, beautiful seahorses, or interesting shark species.
The unique birds of the Galapagos Islands will also captivate you. Typical examples include Darwin's finches, blue-footed boobies, red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigatebirds. Galapagos penguins primarily inhabit Isabela and Fernandina, but you also have a chance of spotting them when visiting Bartolomé . The famous flightless cormorant is found only on Isabela and Fernandina. The Galapagos albatross nests on Española.
If you want to extend your time in paradise after your Galapagos cruise, you can visit the inhabited areas of the islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, or Floreana and take day trips there. For water lovers, a diving safari to Wolf and Darwin Islands is the perfect addition.
Good to know
What is special about the Samba program?
Active, personal and unique. These three adjectives best describe a day on the samba. Excursions with an experienced nature guide take place several times a day. Due to the familiar group of a maximum of 14 guests, individual interests can also be taken into account.
Watch blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance. Gaze into the round, expressive eyes of a baby sea lion. Marvel at hundreds of marine iguanas basking in the sun. Hike across lava fields. Paddle a kayak alongside sea turtles. See a mola mola. Swim with sea lions or snorkel with hammerhead sharks. With the Samba, it's all possible. On this active cruise, you're right in the heart of it all.
On the northwest route, the small motor sailer Samba also has the rare permission to visit the bird island of Genovesa and the lava pools of Marchena Island. Visiting them is a true privilege.
Are both cruise routes equally beautiful?
Every island is unique. The wildlife also varies from island to island. This is exactly what makes a cruise in the Galapagos so exciting. If you want to see as many different islands as possible, the Southeast Route is your tour. If, on the other hand, you dream of remote islands that can only be reached by cruise, you are spot on with the northwest route. Of course, the combination of both routes is perfect.
Is there good information about nature and animals?
Definitive. The samba nature guides are very well trained. Entertaining information on the way and interesting lectures in the evening are a matter of course. The Samba attaches great importance to high-quality information and the responsible treatment of nature has the highest priority.
From personal experience, the authors of this article from Magazine.Travel – a combination of scientifically grounded veterinary expertise and artistic nature photography – can confirm that Samba nature guide Morris is excellent. He had an answer for everything and was truly passionate about his work. For those with a scientific bent, he even brought along fascinating studies and doctoral theses.
Is the samba a local ship?
Yes. The Samba belongs to the Salcedo family from Galapagos and has been in the family for 30 years. As a local family, supporting the Galapagos community and protecting nature reserves is particularly important to the Salcedos. On board you will get to know the country and its people. The entire crew of the Samba comes from the Galapagos. They know and love the islands and want to bring the magic of Galapagos closer to their guests.
How does Samba support people and the environment?
In the off-season, Samba runs day trips with locals or does projects for people with disabilities. Local people, who otherwise often cannot afford such a tour, get to know the beauty of their homeland and see islands they have never set foot on. Animals and nature become tangible and the desire to preserve these wonders is strengthened.
Is there anything to consider before a stay?
The equipment on board ranges from functional to comfortable, but not luxurious. In heavy seas, there were occasional problems with the non-return valve in the bathroom, the cabins are small and the storage space is tight. For these reasons, the Samba is rightly considered a mid-range ship, although the crew's work speaks for first-class. Due to the extensive program, you will usually only use the cabin to sleep, shower and change. The language on board is English (guide) and Spanish (crew).
Conclusion: This is not a luxury cruise with a noble suite. But if you dream of a personal island adventure and nature experience, activity and service are important to you, then the samba is hard to beat.
When can you get on board?
This depends on the booked itinerary. One possibility is that as soon as you land on Baltra Island, you will be taken to the samba and set sail. Then you can of course move into your cabin immediately and then look forward to a delicious meal, the first shore leave and a dip in the refreshing water.
Another option is that your program begins with a transfer to Santa Cruz Island. Galapagos giant tortoises in the highlands, the twin craters or the Darwin Research Center await you here. Your luggage will of course be transported. Then the samba, your cabin and a delicious meal in Puerto Ayora are ready for you.
How is the food on the samba?
The chef was fantastic. The ingredients are fresh, regional and of the best quality. Meat and vegetables come from farms on the inhabited Galapagos Islands. And on the way, the Samba accepts freshly caught fish. The vegetarian dishes were also great. Again and again the kitchen surprised us with delicious snacks for in between meals.
Water, tea and coffee are freely available. Furthermore, juice, lemonade, coconut milk or iced tea were served. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages can be purchased if required.
Disclosure: Magazine.Travel was offered a discounted cruise on the Samba as part of this report. The content of this article remains unaffected. The press code applies.
Text and photos are protected by copyright. The copyright for this article, both word and image, lies entirely with Magazine.Travel, a pet and travel magazine. All rights reserved. Content can be licensed for print and online media upon request.
The motor sailer Samba was perceived by the Magazine.Travel authors as a special cruise ship and therefore featured in the travel magazine. Should this not align with your personal experience, we assume no liability. The article's content was carefully researched. However, if any information is misleading or incorrect, we accept no responsibility. Furthermore, circumstances can change. The Magazine.Travel animal and travel magazine does not guarantee the information is up-to-date.
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On-site information and personal experiences from a cruise in the Galapagos with the motor sailer Samba on the Northwest Route in July 2021. The Magazine.Travel authors stayed overnight in a cabin on the lower deck.
M/S Samba Cruise (2021), Homepage of the motor sailer Samba. [online] Retrieved on 20.12.2021, from URL: https://www.sambagalapagosislands.com // Update 17.09.2023: Source unfortunately no longer available.
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What does a night on the samba cost?
What does a night on the samba cost?
