Redefining luxury expedition travel on the high seas

In the world of high-end African safaris, andBeyond has become something of a watchword for understated style and authentic hospitality, all while offering unrivalled access to some of the world’s most beautiful wild corners.

Founded in SA in 1991 as Conservation Corporation Africa, the brand evolved into andBeyond in 2008 and has grown. Today you’ll find their logo, a Bateleur eagle in flight, at 29 luxurious lodges and intimate camps across three continents. Through driving low-impact, nature-based tourism, andBeyond has a hand in conserving one million acres of wilderness. This SA start-up is now a truly global player in the world of conservation.

Their impact is set to expand further this year, stretching their South American offering — a high-altitude luxury hideaway in Chile’s glorious Lake District — to the seas of the Galapagos Islands.

In a move that is set to redefine luxury expedition travel on the high seas, the 124-foot andBeyond Galapagos Explorer sets sail in June with the promise of a deeply immersive ocean wilderness experience aboard a private yacht.

“We are absolutely thrilled to finally have the opportunity to bring our brand of responsible tourism to this precious part of the world, which the Ecuadorean government has protected from over-tourism by strictly limiting the number of operating licences issued,” said andBeyond executive chairman and CEO Joss Kent.“We have long believed that the best way to encourage our guests to help protect the world’s wild places is for our skilled guides to help travellers not only fall in love with those places, but also to gain an understanding of the threats that they are facing. This is what we are aiming to do through the introduction of our luxury yacht.”

Carrying just 12 guests in six elegantly opulent suites and cabins, with spacious indoor and outdoor guest areas, the Galapagos Explorer offers an unprecedented level of exclusivity for expedition yachting in the region.

It will operate two seven-night itineraries, offering guests the choice of sailing to the east or the west of the main cluster of islands. Located on the Equator some 1,100km off the coast of Ecuador, the archipelago consists of 18 main islands, three smaller islands, and 107 rocks and islets. So there’s little chance of running out of things to see!

The eastern itinerary will include the impressive geological formations of Kicker Rock, offshore of San Cristóbal Island, as well as sightings of the critically endangered waved albatross in Gardner Bay on Española Island.

Sailing to the west brings the chance to discover the geographical centre of the Galapagos Islands — Sombrero Chino Island — and to encounter the rare Santa Fe land iguana.

The islands are famous for their remarkable biodiversity, from the Galapagos giant tortoise and marine iguanas to the ever-curious blue-footed booby. It is home to the highest number of endemic species in the world, and the islands’ complete isolation famously sparked Charles Darwin’s landmark theory of evolution.

Much as a land-based safari taps into expert guides, each voyage in the Galapagos will be led by two marine experts, ensuring an enriching experience both above the water and below. Guides will lead daily hikes, walks, birding expeditions and snorkelling excursions, creating a truly immersive discovery of this Unesco World Heritage Site.

As you’d expect, this luxury adventure to one of the world’s last great marine wilderness destinations doesn’t come cheap. Seven-night itineraries aboard andBeyond’s Galapagos Explorer start from $10,950 per person, all-inclusive. The inaugural voyage sets sail on June 17 2024.

But don’t rush for that first sailing. While the Galapagos Islands are an all-year destination, you’ll find the best weather from November to May, when the sea is calm, the wind drops and the underwater visibility is at its best. Because, if you’re going to splurge R200,000 on a week at sea, you might as well wait for the sun to shine.