Galapagos Islands
Hola and welcome from Yacu Amu Experiences...your local connection in the Galapagos Islands! We are proud Ecuadorians who were privileged to grow up surrounded by some of the most gorgeous scenery known to man. We fully appreciate the natural wonders that lie off Ecuador's coast and have made it our mission to educate the rest of the world, in a responsible and sustainable manner, about what this famous place is all about. The layering of lava dispersed from underwater volcanoes has led to the creation of this completely unique archipelago, and equally as fascinating flora and fauna have come to populate its nooks and crannies.
The pure isolation enjoyed by the islands over such an expansive period of time, plus an overall lack of predators (including humans), has resulted in a hotbed of extraordinary ecological developments, both zoologically and botanically. The individuality of this place led Charles Darwin to the conclusions that would in turn change the way humans think about the progression of our species and the consequences of living in an ever-changing world. Most people have heard or read something about the Galapagos Islands, but it is an entirely different experience to come here and witness it for yourself; that's where we come in!
A little about us...
Yacu Amu Experiences began as an adventuretour operator in Quito in 1996. The company has since expanded to include natural and cultural Galapagos tours as well. The name for the business is derived from yacu amu, which is a serpent-like water spirit of local folklore. Water is a common theme in our travel experiences, from glaciers, lakes and rivers with plenty of Galapagos diving opportunities, to waterfalls and thermal springs. We have continued to effectively meet the needs of our clients and partners with exceptional levels of service and reliability. Our services include some pre-packaged Galapagos tour products as well as more personalised travel itineraries around Ecuador.
What we bring to the Galapagos Islands...
'We believe that running a successful tourism business that employs local people and contracts local suppliers (guides, transport providers, restaurants, hotels, etc) is one of the best ways to make a positive impact on local communities. By educating communities and visitors about the ways in which they can ensure the activities we undertake are sustainable, we are able to provide long-term stability to those involved. That translates to children completing high school and even continuing to higher education, new businesses growing with us, etc.' ~Yacu Amu Experiences
We are proud to hire a full staff of local Galapagos tour guides; several have studied tourism at university, but we appreciate the knowledge that they also gained while hiking, climbing, paddling, swimming, and riding through Ecuador. The licensed guides in the Galapagos Islands are, by law, native to the islands. Our guides that service the jungles areas are Kichwa natives who usually live in communities along the Napo River. The guides are certified to international standards with training from the Red Cross, Wilderness First Responder and the International Rafting Federation and American Canoe Association. Our staff is encouraged to enhance their knowledge and Yacu Amu pays 50% of all the courses.
All the supplies and equipment we use are locally sourced, with the exception of some specialized gear that must be imported. We are pleased to reach out and make connections with thelocal people and providers. We have contracted with people to provide lunches on our tours or to build and maintain shelters on their land that we utilize on river trips.
We intentionally design our programs to minimize the environmental impact on our areas of operation. Yacu Amu Experiences looks at the broad spectrum to incorporate the people who live in and around our destinations. We always lead by example and follow the 'leave no trace behind' principles. Additionally we collaborate with local governments and NGOs in educational initiatives such as: bringing local media or influential opinion-makers down the river to demonstrate a different perspective of human impact on their environment that may be a new idea; educating about the effects of deforestation on riverbank erosion; or explaining about the impact of untreated run-off flowing into the river.
In 2010 Yacu Amu Experiences became the first Ecuadorian tour operator to be verified by Rainforest Alliance as meeting the requirements to be recognised as a sustainable tour operator.
The company has some specific projects to which we focus our energy directly. We develop travel itineraries to take tourists to private reserves to ensure the economic viability of the initiatives we believe in; these ventures include the Satchatamiaand Bellavistacloud forest reserves, the Hakuna Matata and Liana jungle lodges, and Jatun Sacha Reserve on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. We also support awareness-raising events by providing logistics; such events include the Napo Festival and events organised by local (Quijos, El Chaco and Tena) and provincial (Napo) governments.
For some time, we have been scouting out a means by which to cut all the ‘middle men' in the tourism chain and move directly from the client to the local provider. We believe we have found a viable option with whl.travel. By eliminating all the people taking a cut from the middle, more of the travellers' money actually reaches the local destination, which is the essence of the sustainable tourism methodology. We are delighted to join a network of people all around the world with visions on our same wavelength, though also with differences that we can learn from. We want to be a part of the direction in which WHL is headed.
Please contact us if you have any questions about our company or our destination. We would love to be of service!
The pure isolation enjoyed by the islands over such an expansive period of time, plus an overall lack of predators (including humans), has resulted in a hotbed of extraordinary ecological developments, both zoologically and botanically. The individuality of this place led Charles Darwin to the conclusions that would in turn change the way humans think about the progression of our species and the consequences of living in an ever-changing world. Most people have heard or read something about the Galapagos Islands, but it is an entirely different experience to come here and witness it for yourself; that's where we come in!
A little about us...
Yacu Amu Experiences began as an adventuretour operator in Quito in 1996. The company has since expanded to include natural and cultural Galapagos tours as well. The name for the business is derived from yacu amu, which is a serpent-like water spirit of local folklore. Water is a common theme in our travel experiences, from glaciers, lakes and rivers with plenty of Galapagos diving opportunities, to waterfalls and thermal springs. We have continued to effectively meet the needs of our clients and partners with exceptional levels of service and reliability. Our services include some pre-packaged Galapagos tour products as well as more personalised travel itineraries around Ecuador.
What we bring to the Galapagos Islands...
'We believe that running a successful tourism business that employs local people and contracts local suppliers (guides, transport providers, restaurants, hotels, etc) is one of the best ways to make a positive impact on local communities. By educating communities and visitors about the ways in which they can ensure the activities we undertake are sustainable, we are able to provide long-term stability to those involved. That translates to children completing high school and even continuing to higher education, new businesses growing with us, etc.' ~Yacu Amu Experiences
We are proud to hire a full staff of local Galapagos tour guides; several have studied tourism at university, but we appreciate the knowledge that they also gained while hiking, climbing, paddling, swimming, and riding through Ecuador. The licensed guides in the Galapagos Islands are, by law, native to the islands. Our guides that service the jungles areas are Kichwa natives who usually live in communities along the Napo River. The guides are certified to international standards with training from the Red Cross, Wilderness First Responder and the International Rafting Federation and American Canoe Association. Our staff is encouraged to enhance their knowledge and Yacu Amu pays 50% of all the courses.
All the supplies and equipment we use are locally sourced, with the exception of some specialized gear that must be imported. We are pleased to reach out and make connections with thelocal people and providers. We have contracted with people to provide lunches on our tours or to build and maintain shelters on their land that we utilize on river trips.
We intentionally design our programs to minimize the environmental impact on our areas of operation. Yacu Amu Experiences looks at the broad spectrum to incorporate the people who live in and around our destinations. We always lead by example and follow the 'leave no trace behind' principles. Additionally we collaborate with local governments and NGOs in educational initiatives such as: bringing local media or influential opinion-makers down the river to demonstrate a different perspective of human impact on their environment that may be a new idea; educating about the effects of deforestation on riverbank erosion; or explaining about the impact of untreated run-off flowing into the river.
In 2010 Yacu Amu Experiences became the first Ecuadorian tour operator to be verified by Rainforest Alliance as meeting the requirements to be recognised as a sustainable tour operator.
The company has some specific projects to which we focus our energy directly. We develop travel itineraries to take tourists to private reserves to ensure the economic viability of the initiatives we believe in; these ventures include the Satchatamiaand Bellavistacloud forest reserves, the Hakuna Matata and Liana jungle lodges, and Jatun Sacha Reserve on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. We also support awareness-raising events by providing logistics; such events include the Napo Festival and events organised by local (Quijos, El Chaco and Tena) and provincial (Napo) governments.
For some time, we have been scouting out a means by which to cut all the ‘middle men' in the tourism chain and move directly from the client to the local provider. We believe we have found a viable option with whl.travel. By eliminating all the people taking a cut from the middle, more of the travellers' money actually reaches the local destination, which is the essence of the sustainable tourism methodology. We are delighted to join a network of people all around the world with visions on our same wavelength, though also with differences that we can learn from. We want to be a part of the direction in which WHL is headed.
Please contact us if you have any questions about our company or our destination. We would love to be of service!
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