Judy was one of the first female naturalist guides in the Galápagos National Park in the 1970s. We believe that without tourism, there is no conservation.
🇪🇨 Conservation-minded Ecuador destination management company (DMC) ~ Ecuadorian family owned & operated: www.enchantedexpeditions.com Cruises & Land Tours ~ Yachts: Passion, Beluga & Cachalote & owners of Enchanted Galapagos Lodge~Santa Cruz Island 🌴 Enchanted Expeditions (formerly Angermeyer’s Enchanted Expeditions) is one of the pioneers of small boat cruises & tours to the Galápagos Islands an
d tourism on Mainland Ecuador. Our Founder & Co-Owner Judy Carvalhal & her partners have over 125 years of collective field experience as tour guides, researchers, conservationists & community tourism advocates in Ecuador. She raised her family in on Santa Cruz Island, and then later Quito on Mainland Ecuador. We're a family business that owns & operates the 'Beluga' & 'Cachalote Explorer' Motor Yachts (both 16 passenger/8 cabins), and the Enchanted Galápagos Lodge (10 rooms) in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island. We have offices in both Quito, Ecuador, and on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos. Our ready-made and custom active travel vacations are designed for active, curious and conservation-minded travellers looking for uncompromising value and who crave authenticity, & making genuine connections with people, communities and wildlife while travelling with a ‘small footprint’. We pride ourselves on the personal attention we provide and our ability to tailor make tours to suit the needs of our clients. We have built a reputation for excellent service; few can match our expertise and knowledge of all areas of Ecuador. These standards are reflected in our staff, our guides and our yachts. If this resonates with you, please get in touch to learn more about visiting the beautiful, biodiverse and friendly country of Ecuador!
25/01/2025
🌊 Just another week in paradise… Wonderful Galapagos memories from our guest, travel professional Paddy Graetz of Graetz Getaways! She spent a week with us on our yacht Beluga (Nov 2024).
✨ She said, “Best snorkel of my entire life - Too many turtles and marine iguanas to keep count of, all feeding underwater. And then throw in a few playful seals darting between us. Simply a surreal experience - felt like Alice in Wonderland.”
📷 credit: Thank you Paddy for allowing us to share your beautiful photos & videos 💙 Follow Paddy to see more from her travel adventures: Graetz Getaways
11/01/2025
🌊 The Galápagos Islands have been named one of the "52 Places to Go in 2025" by the New York Times! 🎉
🐢 Galapagos is a unique destination because of the extraordinary biodiversity, pristine landscapes, fascinating history, and ongoing conservation efforts. You have the opportunity to observe species found nowhere else on earth!
It's one of the top destinations in the world to see and photograph wildlife, and connect with nature. We're proud to be one of the pioneers in tourism in Galapagos, and we believe that without tourism, there is no conservation 💙
We would be pleased to help you plan your visit in 2025!
📷 credit: Kellie Paxian, NY Times, Josef Litt, & Laura Percy
25/12/2024
🎄 Holiday Message from our Founder Judy Carvalhal 🎄
✨ As we reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of 2024, I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to our team members, partners, colleagues, clients, guests, and friends. Your steadfast support has been pivotal in our journey. Thank you for trusting us, for visiting our beautiful Ecuador, for sharing your stunning photos with us, and for your continued collaboration in countless ways.
✨ My hope for 2025 is anchored in a renewed spirit for Ecuador's tourism recovery. I'm grateful to the Ecuador Ministry of Tourism/Ministerio Turismo Ecuador for their dedication to showcasing our country on the global stage. A special shout-out to Jane Behrend and her Emerging Destinations team for their vital role in enhancing our presence in the North American travel market, as well as the Women Travel Leaders group for the invaluable connections and support they provide.
✨ Here’s to a festive holiday season and a successful New Year 🥂🎉
16/12/2024
🎙️ NEW INTERVIEW with our Founder Judy Carvalhal on the award-winning travel industry show Soul of Travel Podcast 🌎✈️ presented by JourneyWoman: ✨ Thank you to host Christine Winebrenner Irick for a fascinating and soulful conversation! We're grateful for the opportunity ✨
In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 6: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by , Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Judy Carvalhal.Judy Carvalhal is the Founder and CEO of Enchanted Expeditions, a company that helped to pioneer the modern tourist industry in the Galapagos Islands & Ecuador. She grew up in Guyana & French Guiana, and was educated at Canada’s prestigious Queen’s University before travelling to South America to become one of the first female park naturalists in Galapagos. Judy’s love for travel and nature is driven by her curiosity about the culture, eco-system and wildlife of the places she visits. This passion fuels her as an entrepreneur, conservationist and an expert in her field. She inspires her guests to explore the world, create amazing travel experiences, have fun & be adventurous. She also ensures that part of their experience includes learning about the importance of conservation. She believes that without tourism, there is no conservation. Judy uses her knowledge of Ecuador & Galapagos to curate one of a kind itineraries, ensuring that Enchanted Expedition’s guests learn about the history, culture & eco-systems that make this part of South America such an incredible place to visit. After raising four children in Galapagos and Ecuador, Judy is more passionate than ever to ensure that this precious part of the world is protected.
Christine and Judy discuss:
· Judy's global journey and her evolving concept of home
· Pioneering women in adventure tourism
· The evolution of Galapagos tourism
· Developing a love of travel with family
· Self-care and the power of an attitude of continuous learning
Join Christine for this soulful conversation with Judy Carvalhal.
Available Wednesday.
12/12/2024
Stay at our beautiful, peaceful lodge in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos 🧡💛🌴
08/12/2024
🇪🇨 Viva Quito! 🎉 This week Ecuador’s capital city celebrated 490 years of history, culture & resilience! ✨
17/11/2024
🐢 Great to see Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos featured! 🌊
08/11/2024
🎉 Great news: Galápagos has been voted the ‘Most Desirable Region’ in the world by the readers of Wanderlust Travel Magazine the UK's leading tourism publication! 🏆 This award recognizes the uniqueness and beauty of our Ecuadorian paradise 🇪🇨🐢🌵🌊🦭🐠🦈 ~ Ecuador Tourism Ministerio Turismo Ecuador
🌟 From Wanderlust Travel Magazine: “The Galápagos Islands are a must-visit destination for adventure-seeking, wildlife-loving travellers. Showcasing an incredible variety of endemic species – not visible anywhere else in the world – it is nature in its rawest form. The chance to spy marine iguanas flitting the shallows, blue-footed bo***es taking flight, rare sea turtles swimming in the wild or the world’s northernmost penguin species is, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
📷 credit: Samuel Weitzman (wildlife) & Ecuador Tourism (award) 💙
30/10/2024
🇪🇨 November in Ecuador is a month of rich traditions and celebrations! Early November brings two meaningful holidays: Día de los Difuntos or Day of the Dead (Nov 2nd) and the anniversary of the Independence of Cuenca (Nov 3rd) ✨
🕯️ Día de los Difuntos is a time for honoring ancestors with family gatherings, traditional foods like colada morada (warm fruit drink) and guaguas de pan (sweet bread), and visits to cemeteries to connect with those who've passed. People clean & decorate the graves of their loved ones 💜
“In the more rural communities of Ecuador, it's common for families to have a meal at, and even on, the graves of deceased relatives before leaving food for them. In the cities, families generally have their traditional meal at home, but still visit the cemetery to either leave food or flowers at the graves. In many parts of Ecuador this ritual is carried out for three years after a person has died and then stops, presumably by then the deceased person has reached his or her destination.” via Ecuador Tourism
🇪🇨 Then, on November 3rd, Ecuador celebrates Cuenca’s Independence Day! 🎉 The city of Cuenca has vibrant parades with music & dancing, fireworks & light shows, artisan markets, and cultural events. Cuenca’s liberation from Spanish rule in 1820 was significant in Ecuador’s struggle for independence because it showed that Spanish rule could be effectively resisted. This motivated other cities, like Quito and Guayaquil, to strengthen their efforts for independence.
These back-to-back holidays are a beautiful blend of remembrance and celebration, showing the heart and resilience of Ecuador 🕯️✨
📷 credits: Blue domes of the Cathedral of Cuenca image ~ from Ecuador Tourism/Visit Ecuador and its Galapagos Islands page, Cuyamba Cemetery on the Day of the Dead image ~ Photographer A.Davey on Flickr, and Colada morada & guaguas de pan image ~ Photographer Christian Suasnavas via Memoria Gráfica Ecuador on Flickr 💙
20/10/2024
✨ We’re grateful for beautiful, peaceful moments in nature 💙✨
📷 credit: Beautiful Galapagos marine iguanas photo from past guest Laura Percy ✨
16/10/2024
✨24 HOURS LEFT!✨ Charity auction for conservation closes Oct 16th, 2024 ✨ So many great experiences to choose from for a great cause - including a liveaboard wildlife adventure cruise on our yacht Cachalote Explorer Galapagos! 🌊 We're proud to support the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) 💙
🌍 Huge thanks to the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) team for another exceptional Adventure Travel World Summit! (ATWS) It’s such a pleasure to reconnect with friends, make new connections and to be part of a community that's shaping the future of adventure travel. Wonderful to see Todd Smith, Founder & President of AdventureSmith Explorations 😀 Also great to see Ecuador & Quito Tourism at the event promoting the natural beauty & outdoor activities of Ecuador! 🇪🇨
It was special to have our new team member Marcia Vasconez at the event for the first time! She’s the manager of lodge - Enchanted Galapagos Lodge. After this fun & productive week our founder Judy Carvalhal said, “We’re inspired and exhausted, and our hearts are full!” 💙
🌱 The ATTA is an innovative organization championing sustainability. At the event this year they launched their new sustainability commitment initiative - to encourage members to embrace sustainable practices in their operations. They will provide implementation support and additional marketing opportunities for those who commit. The ATTA said, "We all have the power to inspire, effect change, and change the future of our world for the better." We wholeheartedly agree. We believe that without tourism, there is no conservation ✨
We were so happy to see Jane & Jenna from Emerging Destinations! We’re grateful to work with them as our North America sales representative. They do a fantastic job representing a select group of cool travel brands, and were at the event promoting the Guyana Tourism Authority 🇬🇾
✨ A special thank you to Panama Tourism for sharing your warm welcome, and beautiful culture & nature! 🇵🇦
Judy ended the event with a lovely dinner with adventure travel law expert Chunnie Wright & their spouses. A perfect end to an action-packed week! Next up: Judy's looking forward to joining for an exclusive, relaxing Women Travel Leaders retreat in Panama to decompress! 🌴
10/10/2024
✨ CHARITY AUCTION to SUPPORT CONSERVATION ✨ So many great experiences to choose from for a great cause - including a liveaboard wildlife adventure cruise on our yacht Cachalote Explorer Galapagos! 🌊 We're proud to support the Adventure Travel Trade Association 's ~ Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) 💙
✨ The ATCF is dedicated to protecting threatened communities, cultures, and wild places to preserve their cultural and recreational integrity. Members are adventure travel & outdoor industry leaders who have come together to advocate for, and support projects that allow sustainable adventure tourism to grow into the future 💙
The ATCF fund has awarded over $585,000 to 39 conservation projects in 28 destinations around the globe that protect diverse and unique natural and cultural resources. Like us, they believe in the power of travel to support conservation 💙
🌎 We’re having a fantastic experience at the Adventure Travel World Summit! (ATWS) We chose the Coquira Soil Project for our pre-conference ‘Day of Adventure’. It’s a regenerative farm near Panama City that's passionately dedicated to improving soil health and promoting food sovereignty 🌽
🌱 Our team member, Enchanted Galapagos Lodge Manager Marcia said, “The project started as a sustainable farm dedicated to producing food using regenerative agriculture practices, with fertile soil and their own compost. Today, in addition to growing their own products, they have a restaurant where everything served comes directly from the land they cultivate. The project has grown and now includes a lodge for those who want to immerse themselves in this unique experience, combining sustainability, gastronomy, and lodging in one place.” 🐓
Both our Founder Judy & our lodge manager Marcia were inspired by their sustainability practices, and will take many ideas back to use at our lodge & farm in Galapagos. Much respect to the Coquira team for their incredible work on the future of regenerative farming 🚜🐄🌴
☀️ Learn more about the project here: Coquira Soil Project
In the evening we attended the ATWS welcome reception and connected with friends - including FINALLY getting to meet the lovely Catherine Gallagher! She's an incredible support for women in travel through her Women Travel Leaders group - which helped us get through the pandemic. What a joy to finally connect in person! 💙
⛰️ Sangay National Park is known for its amazing natural beauty, featuring two active volcanoes (Tungurahua and Sangay), and a wide range of habitats. You can find everything from tropical rainforests to glaciers here, with stunning contrasts between the snowy mountain peaks and the lush forests below. Because the park is so remote, it has become a safe haven for rare species like the mountain tapir and the Andean condor. This Ecuador national park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 🌳
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Videos
🥂 Having a great time at the LATA Expo 2024! It was fun to see Ecuadorian culture on display at last night’s gala dinner 🎶 🎉 Thank you to Latin American Travel Association and to the Ecuador Ministry of Tourism for a great show! 🇪🇨 💙 Visit Ecuador and its Galapagos Islands Ministerio Turismo Ecuador ✈️ If you’re at the event please say hello to our team members: Tatjana Angermeyer & Joshua Angermeyer 😀 📷 credit: Amy Croft & Catherine Gallagher ✨#lataexpo #lataexpo24 #lataexpo2024 #travelindustry #adventuretravel #traveltradeshow
Happy World Oceans Day! 🌊 We appreciate the beauty and importance of our oceans every day 💙 We’re grateful to get to play a small part in connecting travelers with unforgettable ocean experiences to help inspire them to cherish and protect it 💙 🎥 credit: Samuel Weitzman #galapagosislands #protectouroceans #oceanlove #oceanconservation #oceanprotection
Chocolate Making Experience at Enchanted Galapagos Lodge in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos
🌳 NEW CHOCOLATE TASTING EXPERIENCE at Enchanted Galapagos Lodge! 🍫
🌱 Growing cacao plants on the property at the lodge started as a fun hobby for our Owner Judy & husband Rodolfo. To our surprise, the plants did very well and we have a lot! We’re excited to share this with our guests 💛
Enjoy a walk through the orchard to learn about our Arriba Nacional cacao plants, known as the best in the world. Experience making fresh artisanal chocolate and enjoy this local Galapagos chocolate! 🍫
Our new chocolate tasting experience is open to the public & restaurant guests for a fee, and is included for our lodge guests 🧡
Contact us to book your visit!
📧 [email protected]
💬 WhatsApp +593 96738 2771 – Marcia Vasconez
🌎 “We need to wake up and fall in love with Earth. Our personal and collective happiness and survival depends on it.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh 🌊 Without tourism, there is no conservation. Come visit Galápagos! 💙 🎥 credit: Katie Hutchinson #galapagos #galapagosislands #galapagosadventure #galapagoscruises #galapagostravel #adventuretravel #adventuretraveller #wildlifetravel #smallshipcruising #smallshipcruises
🌎 “The natural world is a wonder to discover here in Ecuador. It's been a very peaceful time and really enjoyable time.” We’re thrilled to share this fantastic video from our guests Mr. & Mrs. Disney from Reef and Rainforest Tours.
🇪🇨 They spent 3 weeks in Ecuador (late January/early February 2024) - visiting the Galápagos islands, the Amazon jungle, Quito, Cotopaxi National Park & the cloud forest of Bellavista. They saw 200 different species of birds on their trip - including 7 condors, and a fantastic cock-of-the-rock display!
We’re grateful they have allowed us to share this beautiful video 💙
#thisisecuador #visitecuador #adventuretravel #wildlifetravel #wildlifetours #wildlifeadventures #naturetravel #naturetours #ecuadortours
About Enchanted Expeditions - Galapagos & Ecuador Travel Experts
Enchanted Expeditions (formerly Angermeyer’s Enchanted Expeditions) is one of the pioneers of small boat cruises and tours to the Galapagos Islands and the mainland of Ecuador. We’re a destination management company based in Quito, Ecuador, and on Santa Cruz Island in Galapagos.
Have questions? Please send us a message here on our page, email us at: [email protected] or call toll-free: 1-800-560-5896 or in Ecuador call: +593-2-334-0525
Our founder Judy Carvalhal and her partners have over 125 years of collective field experience as tour guides, researchers, conservationists and community tourism advocates in Ecuador.
Our ready-made and custom active travel vacations are designed for active, curious and conservation-minded travelers looking for uncompromising value and who crave authenticity, and making genuine connections with people, communities, nature and wildlife while travelling with a ‘small footprint’. We pride ourselves on the personal attention we provide and our ability to tailor make tours to suit the needs and interests of our clients.
We have built a reputation for excellent service; few can match our expertise and knowledge of all areas of Ecuador. These standards are reflected in our staff, our guides and our yachts.
Enchanted Expeditions is the exclusive representative and owner of our two yachts; M/Y Beluga, and our newest yacht, the M/Y Cachalote Explorer. We also own and operate the Enchanted Galapagos Lodge (formerly the Altair Galapagos Lodge) on Santa Cruz Island in Galapagos.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
Enchanted Expeditions is completely committed to becoming a more sustainable organization with a strong focus on social responsibility and environmental responsibility. We strive to minimize our impact on the environment through resource conservation and by integrating positive environmental practices into our operation. We actively recognize our role in the communities and respect the cultures of the people of Ecuador. We support local communities and buy local products; offer funding and donations to selected programs and organizations, and provide a safe and ethical work environment for our employees. We operate Galapagos expedition cruises and many other tours that meet our environmental and social standards whilst offering our clients the opportunity to make genuine connections with our communities.
Please visit our website to learn more about us and see our upcoming adventures: https://www.enchantedexpeditions.com/ Have questions? Please send us a message here on our page, email us at: [email protected] or call toll-free: 1-800-560-5896 or in Ecuador call: +593-2-334-0525
