The Journey That Brought Us Together
Galapagos Islands | Jun 19 - Jul 4, 2026

Sasha
Sasha G.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jul 16, 2026

We had a wonderful experience working with Responsible Travel Agency in Ecuador, and we're very happy we chose them to organize our trip.

The mainland Ecuador itinerary was orchestrated beautifully. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring Quito, the Andes, and our unforgettable Amazon experience. Every destination was thoughtfully planned, and everything flowed smoothly. A very special thank you goes to our guide and coordinator, Andres. He was knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and genuinely passionate about Ecuador. His enthusiasm, organization, and attention to detail made our mainland experience exceptional, and we truly enjoyed traveling with him.

We would also like to thank Belen Ana for putting together and coordinating our entire itinerary. Planning a complex trip like this is no small task, and we truly appreciate all the work that went into making it happen.

The Galápagos portion of our journey was also very enjoyable, although we believe there is still room for improvement. We especially want to thank Alvaro, who accompanied our group throughout the Galápagos. While he was not our guide, he was always available to resolve any issues that arose, answer questions, and ensure we could continue enjoying our trip. His support was greatly appreciated. Of course, it would have been even better if some of those issues had not arisen in the first place, but we were grateful to have someone so responsive and dedicated to helping us throughout the journey.

One thing that truly impressed us was the overall logistics. Coordinating flights, buses, boats, hotels, guides, and tours across mainland Ecuador and the Galápagos is an enormous undertaking, yet everything ran remarkably on time. It was amazing to see how well the agency managed such a complicated itinerary.

That said, we do have a few constructive comments. Some of the hotels in the Galápagos were only average and did not quite match the quality of the rest of the trip. We also would not recommend traveling between the islands by speedboat. We understand that this is the standard mode of transportation and not something the agency controls, but we found the rides to be physically exhausting and quite uncomfortable.

We would also encourage future travelers to be aware that visiting the Galápagos requires a reasonable level of physical fitness and mobility. Boarding and disembarking often involve stepping or jumping between moving boats and docks, which can be challenging. Travelers with limited mobility or certain health conditions should carefully consider whether this portion of the trip is right for them.

Overall, our experience was overwhelmingly positive. Responsible Travel Agency demonstrated excellent organizational skills, reliable communication, and a genuine commitment to making our trip successful. We would gladly work with them again and are already looking forward to planning future Latin American adventures for our nonprofit organization, Jookender. We highly recommend Responsible Travel Agency to anyone looking for a professionally organized and memorable trip to Ecuador.

Hotel Reviews
Mercure Alameda Quito
Quito

An excellent hotel and a very tasty breakfast

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Isla de Baños Hosteria y Spa
Baños

Great hotel, especially if you're traveling with a group. A great way to save, booking fewer rooms, because each room has 5-8 beds

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Suchipakari Jungle Lodge
Puerto Misahuallí, Tena Napo

An excellent choice! great accomodations, clean, and friendly. Excellent Tour guides and boats. Highly recommended

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Arena Blanca
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

An awful choice. Far from most hotel and tourist areas. Water is always cold, and sometimes, no water at all. Toilets don't work properly. The personnel are extremely unfriendly. The featured buffet actually counts the pieces and does not allow refills.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Las Ninfas
Puerto Ayora

A great Hotel, right in the middle of tourist attractions! Great rooms, tasty breakfasts, friendly personnel. Highly Recommended!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Casa de Marita
Puerto Villamil

A great hotel with its own private beach. An excellent location to relax and do nothing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
City Tour Quito - Mitad del Mundo - Teleferico
City Tour Quito - Mitad del Mundo - Teleferico
Quito
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Baños & Pailón del Diablo Waterfall
Visit Baños & Pailón del Diablo Waterfall
Baños
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to the Amazon - Amazon Encounters: Kichwa Community and nigh walking - Suchipakari Lodge
Welcome to the Amazon - Amazon Encounters: Kichwa Community and nigh walking - Suchipakari Lodge
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Parrot Clay Lick and more Amazon exploration - Suchipakari Lodge
Parrot Clay Lick and more Amazon exploration - Suchipakari Lodge
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island
Wildlife Encountering at Lobos Island
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Expedition to El Junco Lagoon - Galapaguera Colorado Hill - Puerto Chino Beach
Private Expedition to El Junco Lagoon - Galapaguera Colorado Hill - Puerto Chino Beach
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Isabela Island's Treasures: Exploring the Breeding Center & Wetlands
Isabela Island's Treasures: Exploring the Breeding Center & Wetlands
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning Chocolate Experience & Farewell from the Amazon - Suchipakari Lodge
Morning Chocolate Experience & Farewell from the Amazon - Suchipakari Lodge
Puerto Misahualli
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Galapagos Cooking Class by the Sea
Galapagos Cooking Class by the Sea
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Speed back to Santa Cruz
Speed back to Santa Cruz
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Exploring The Charles Darwin Research Station
Exploring The Charles Darwin Research Station
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cultural Treasures of the Andes: Cayambe, Otavalo & Cuicocha
Cultural Treasures of the Andes: Cayambe, Otavalo & Cuicocha
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island
History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island
Puerto Ayora
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Puerto Ayora Departure Transfer: Farewell to the Galapagos
Puerto Ayora Departure Transfer: Farewell to the Galapagos
Puerto Ayora
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin! (Transportation Service)
Welcome to Ecuador: Let Your Adventure Begin! (Transportation Service)
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Nature's Spectacle: Cotopaxi Volcano and Lake Limpiopungo Adventure
Nature's Spectacle: Cotopaxi Volcano and Lake Limpiopungo Adventure
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Return to Quito before Galapagos adventure!
Return to Quito before Galapagos adventure!
Galapagos Islands
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Jacquie Granda
Jacquie
Jacquie Granda
Local specialist in Quito - Ecuador | Replied on Jul 16, 2026
Dear Sasha,
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and detailed review, and for taking the time to share your experience with us. It means a great deal to hear that your mainland Ecuador itinerary flowed so smoothly, and we're delighted that Andres's knowledge, passion, and attention to detail made your Andes and Amazon journey so memorable. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him.
Thank you too for recognizing the work that goes into coordinating a complex, multi-region itinerary....
Read more

Dear Sasha,
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and detailed review, and for taking the time to share your experience with us. It means a great deal to hear that your mainland Ecuador itinerary flowed so smoothly, and we're delighted that Andres's knowledge, passion, and attention to detail made your Andes and Amazon journey so memorable. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him.
Thank you too for recognizing the work that goes into coordinating a complex, multi-region itinerary. Bringing together flights, buses, boats, hotels, and guides across the mainland and Galápagos is a significant undertaking, and it's rewarding to know that care came through in the final experience.
We're also grateful for your recognition of Alvaro. Having someone present throughout the Galápagos portion to solve problems in real time and keep the group's trip on track is exactly the kind of support we aim to provide, and we're glad his responsiveness made a difference for you.
Your feedback on the Galápagos hotels and inter-island speedboat transfers is genuinely valuable to us. Hotel selection in the islands is an area we're continually working to elevate, and we take note of every trip where the accommodations don't fully match the caliber of the rest of the experience. Regarding the speedboats, as you noted, this remains the standard mode of transport between islands, but we always appreciate feedback that helps us better prepare travelers for what to expect.
We also think your note on physical fitness and mobility requirements for the Galápagos is an important one, and we'll make sure this is communicated clearly to future travelers so they can make an informed decision about that portion of their trip.
Thank you again for choosing us, and for your generous words about our team. We would be honored to help plan Jookender's future Latin American adventures, and we look forward to working with you again soon.
Warm regards,