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The Facts

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An archipelago 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador (and right on the equator), the Galápagos Islands are an ideal destination for a low-key family cruise—and for seeing an astonishing array of creatures in the wild. The trip is best suited to kids ready for some easy hiking and snorkeling.

HOW TO DO IT
Flights to Guayaquil, Ecuador, where most tours convene, are four hours from Miami and 5 1/2 hours from Houston. (Try American, Continental, and LanChile airlines, and note that most tour costs don't include airfare.) It's a 1 1/2-hour flight from Guayaquil to Baltra in the Galápagos.

January to June is the hot season in these parts—with occasionally heavy showers—but the islands are green and the waters warm. From July through December, temperatures vary between 68 and 82 degrees, vegetation is stark, wet suits are a plus for warmth, and lots of birds are mating.

TOUR GROUPS
To explore most of the Galápagos Islands, you need to be accompanied by a national park guide. That's one of the reasons to sign on with an organized tour, of which there are many. Cruises range from 3 to 10 days. Most outfitters offer optional post-Galápagos trips throughout Ecuador and Peru, including Machu Picchu and the Amazon. Here, some family-oriented options.

Lindblad Expeditions
This is the best-established outfitter, and the one we went with—and would unhesitatingly recommend. The Polaris holds 80 passengers and has a permanent staff of Ecuadorean naturalists, as well as a talented kitchen crew. Kids are always welcome, but during the summer months there are special family departures. Scuba diving excursions are available on request; snorkeling equipment is provided, as are adult wet suits. Those disinclined to do much walking can often opt for glass-bottomed boat tours. TEN-DAY TOURS FROM $3,370 PER ADULT, AND $2,528 PER CHILD UNDER 21, FOR A DOUBLE CABIN, INCLUDING MEALS, GUIDED TOURS, AND TWO NIGHTS AT THE HILTON IN GUAYAQUIL. FAMILIES TYPICALLY BOOK SIDE-BY-SIDE CABINS; TRIPLE CABINS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE STARTING AT $3,225PER PERSON. 800/397-3348; www.expeditions.com

Abercrombie & Kent
For those seeking a smaller ship—the Eclipse holds 48 passengers—and a high level of service. Family trips take place during school vacations throughout the year. DOUBLES FROM $3,950 PER PERSON FOR SEVEN NIGHTS ON THE SHIP AND THREE NIGHTS AT THE SWISSOTEL IN QUITO, ECUADOR, INCLUDING ALL MEALS, TOURS, AND PARK FEES. 800/323-7308; www.abercrombiekent.com

Adventure Associates
Outings on the 90-passenger Santa Cruz and the 40-passenger Isabela II—both top-of-the-line Ecuadorean-owned and -operated ships. Adventure Associates can also arrange chartered boats for small groups. FOUR-DAY CRUISES FROM $849 PER PERSON FOR A DOUBLE, INCLUDING MEALS; TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE CABINS AVAILABLE FOR $824. 800/527-2500 OR 972/907-0414; www.metropolitantouring.com

RECOMMENDED READING
The Tree of Life by Peter Sís (Farrar Straus & Giroux). A new biography of Charles Darwin by the award-winning children's author and illustrator. Though this is a picture book—an extraordinarily detailed and inspired one—it's ideal for kids 10 and up, not to mention adults looking for an entertaining crash course on the man who put the Galápagos on the map.

WHAT TO PACK
You just need to bring the basics, but be prepared. Of all the Galápagos Islands, only Santa Cruz has shops where you can find the things you forgot.

THE ESSENTIALS Long- and short-sleeved T-shirts, shorts, long pants, and a sweater. • Bathing suits, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, sunblock, and sun-blocking cover-ups (such as pullovers from Solumbra). • Teva-style sandals (for walking on volcanic rock), and sneakers or walking shoes (for days when you want to change out of your wet Tevas).

ALSO CONSIDER Binoculars. • Journals and art supplies. • A video camera or camcorder, your best camera (and all the necessary equipment, including a telephoto lens and extra memory cards)—plus a backpack to lug it all. • A camera for each child: Try a disposable waterproof model. Since there's no animal-touching allowed, capturing creatures on film is a perfect alternative.
—Margot Guralnick

ACE SOUVENIR
A tour of the Galápagos is no shopping expedition, but at the Charles Darwin Foundation (www.galapagos.org), on Santa Cruz Island, you can snag the perfect keepsake: an $11 deck of playing cards featuring the archipelago's cast of wild characters that benefit from the work of this conservation group.

Copyright © 2008, American Express Publishing. All rights reserved.