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Accommodations Review

The cabins were perfect.

Meals Review

Excellent service and outstanding food...The included meals at Camp Denali were incredible. Amazing how they do that flying in ingredients. Fresh bread, croissants & cookies. Beautiful fish dinners. Wonderful breakfasts. Best peanut butter and jelly
sandwich ever!

Itinerary Review

Camp Denali is exceptional. The hikes and forays were fun. I don't know how they do it, but they run an amazing place...Brooks Falls was outstanding. [We least enjoyed]...The train. I know it is a classic, but it was a long journey. After such spectacular vistas at Camp Denali, the scenery was more ordinary (and rainy).

Crew & Guides Review

All guides were exceptional.

Fellow Passengers Review

Everyone we encountered was friendly and considerate.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

The communications were excellent. We were very well prepared with what to expect and the detailed itinerary with local phone numbers and pick up times. A huge thanks to Andrew for putting this trip together for us. It was amazing. We'll be in touch for where to go next...

Traveler Advice

Go to Camp Denali!!!!! Plan some weather flexibility.

Accommodations Review

The Hilton in Anchorage was okay - seems to need a facelift soon but we weren't there long. The cabin at Kantishna was vey roomy and the beds were really comfortable. We had everything we needed. The Sheraton in Juneau was very comfortable and the staff very friendly. The Westward cabins are so efficient! I was amazed at how much room we had to put our clothes and other items. It was perfect.

Meals Review

I cannot say enough about Tracie's food on the boat. It is truly some of the best food I have eaten anywhere! She also baked me an incredible birthday cake! The food at Kantishna was fine. I know they are very remote, but I was dying for some local fish! The service was good and I enjoyed sitting with other guests. We met some really interesting people. 

Crew & Guides Review

Mary was our favorite at Kantishna. She was so enthusiastic and led us on a wonderful 7 mile hike to Skyline Ridge (I think). She knew so much about the plants and all of the wildlife. All four of the folks aboard the Westward were exceptional. Don't know how I can say enough. Bill, Tracie, Kristin, and Liam. All were people I am very happy to have met.

Transportation Review

I really appreciated the detailed itinerary which I carried with me. Knowing exactly which dome train to check in to, for instance, was wonderful and eased any anxiety I may have had about being in the right place. Same with the buses we were on. I think our flights worked out well, although I am now not a big fan of the Seattle airport - it was a zoo! Glad we arrived early for our flight home. I appreciated the cabs being included as well. 

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

I felt that the support from AdventureSmith while planning the trip and before leaving was outstanding. I had all of the information that I needed. I felt that everyone involved was so friendly and quick to respond to any questions I had. We got wonderful, complete info about packing, etc., and felt very well-prepared.

Traveler Advice

Just do it!  Say "yes".

Accommodations Review

La Selva is a beautiful accommodation in the middle of the jungle. Everyone on staff was friendly and always willing to answer questions and be helpful. La Pinta was extremely comfortable. We liked the size of the ship- I think there were 40 guests on board.  We spent a lot of time on the sun deck when we weren't doing excursions. All the public spaces were comfortable and spacious. Our room was also very comfortable.

Meals Review

All of the meals were good.

Crew & Guides Review

La Selva: We had Omar as our principal leader and Darwin as our Local Guides. I can't imagine having better guides. They were both incredibly knowledgable as well as kind and enthusiastic. We only had 3-4 people in our group, so it felt like a very personalized experience. Omar was a walking encyclopedia of the plants and their practical uses in the jungle. We could tell that this is his passion. He loves everything about the Amazon. We learned about animal behaviors- including the caiman's tears being a source of salt for butterflies, then actually saw butterflies fluttering around a caiman's eyes. Darwin was always walking ahead and making sure the trail was safe for passage and he also knew a lot about the plants and animals. He was incredibly good at spotting wildlife that we never would have seen without him. 

La Pinta: There were 10 guests per guide and 2 excursions everyday. We usually ended up on an excursion with either Daniel or Fatima. They both live in the Galapagos so are very knowledgeable which they shared freely. I loved that even though they probably see these animals every day and know their behaviors very well, they still got excited when guiding us. Daniel was very good at demonstrating the Blue Footed Boobie mating dance- which we got to see later.

Itinerary Review

In the Amazon we stayed at La Selva lodge and loved being in such a remote location and seeing the diversity of wildlife. We especially loved seeing the monkeys in the trees all around us, the trip to the Clay Salt Lick and the indigenous community tour. The heat and humidity in the amazon was somewhat intense. But, that said, we chose a lodge without A/C to have a more authentic experience and would choose it again.

In the Galapagos we especially loved seeing the mating dance of the Blue Footed Boobies, snorkeling with baby sea lions swimming all around us and watching sea turtles hatch and head into the sea. Those were all awe inspiring.

Transportation Review

We had a lot of transfers because our trip included 3 different locations. Every single time, a guide was there making sure everything went smoothly. It was our first time in South America and I was nervous about those logistics. Going to the Galapagos from Quito was quite complicated because of the extra restrictions. I'm not sure we would have figured it out on our own, with our limited Spanish.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Arielle Lightcap was our Adventure Specialist and from the beginning of the planning process she was exceptional. She gave us lots of information to help make choices, was very prompt in communicating with us, explained what would happen and when so that there were no surprises. Our original plan was to go to  Machu Picchu and the Galapagos, but because of pandemic restrictions and possible border changes we were uncomfortable with  going to 2 countries. Arielle was very flexible and helped us come up with a different itinerary involving only Ecuador- the Amazon and Galapagos. It was really a very stress-free trip on our part. We loved using AdventureSmith and will definitely use them again in the future. We've recommended the agency to several people.

Traveler Advice

Be ready for an adventure more than a relaxing vacation. Since the locations we chose were all about the wildlife, our schedule had to follow theirs. In the Amazon we got up at 5:30 am, had breakfast at 6 and started our daily excursion at 6:30 am when the jungle was waking up. It was similar in the Galapagos, except those excursions started at 8:30 am. We came home tired but with memories that we never would have dreamed of!

Accommodations Review

The vessel "World Explorer" was an unbelievable ship. It felt like a high end hotel and the service staff made sure everything was "just right".

Meals Review

I am a picky eater so if I didn't like the menu for the day there were plenty of standard choices available. I think I gained a few pounds on the trip.

Itinerary Review

[We most enjoyed]...the education along the way presented by experts, the zodiac landings and other extracurricular activities such as kayaking. All went well and were things I never thought I would experience. I felt very safe and in good hands with a very professional and experienced expedition team.

Crew & Guides Review

This was one aspect that made the trip such a great adventure. The expedition team and ship crew were clearly qualified, competent and had a passion for this type of exploration.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Our representative, Justin Massoni, did a great job of making sure we had everything we needed to prepare for the trip. There were no surprises or disappointments. Everything worked out perfectly.

Traveler Advice

Follow the literature provided to bring the right gear, relax and enjoy.

Accommodations Review

Despite an old interior which needs a remodel refresh in the cabins and common area, it was a really fun boat. Being allowed access to the bridge made us feel a part of the team. The best views were there anyway.

Meals Review

I was always well fed, never hungry.  The food was good and sometimes excellent. Maybe more salty snacks when snacks were put out (there were many sweets). At the end of the trip maybe a bit of variety added to the breakfast menu (always same for 12 days).  I think the eggs are powdered.

Itinerary Review

Such a great trip. I’d do it again!

Crew & Guides Review

We felt as if we were a part of the expedition and as if the guides were family towards the end. They were very capable, intelligent and always approachable and kind.

Fellow Passengers Review

It was a worldwide gathering of interesting fit people.  If you aren’t fit you probably shouldn’t go on this boat.  There were times when you had to be downright nimble.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Excellent, we felt well cared for. Thank you!

Traveler Advice

Make sure you are fit, open for an adventure and meeting new people, and open to cultural experiences.

Accommodations Review

Our stay in Quito at Casa El Eden was very special. The owner, Mario, is the most charming and nicest person on the planet, and always the most helpful in every way. The location is also great and we recommend this hotel in the historic district very highly.

Also in Quito, for the absolute best airport hotel experience EVER, the EB Hotel is beyond measure. It's amazing on every level - hospitality, the people, the set up, the rooms, the location, the service, the wine and food, the included breakfasts (incredible!), the coffee set up - simply everything is beyond anyone's expectations, and it's a great price.

Meals Review

As can be common, especially when traveling in many foreign countries, the vegetarian meals were average most of the time, sometimes great.

Crew & Guides Review

Our guide at Napo, Mauricio, was amazingly great, as was our guide in the Galapagos Islands, Carlos Gonzales. We feel very fortunate to have had both of them. They're absolutely fantastic.

Transportation Review

Re: the arrangements made for the seating on our domestic flights. We requested higher grade seats whenever possible, i.e. business class, etc. and this did not occur on any of our 4 domestic flights. This was disappointing. Other than this, the transportation arrangements were excellent.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Leslie was great. Her advice for preparation was most helpful and her attention to most details was perfect. Certainly our initial contact and further discussions with Leslie were leading factors in the choice of destinations for this trip.

Traveler Advice

Enjoy Quito. It's fascinating, very good food, and Casa El Eden with Mario is very special. Stay at EB Hotel for any Quito airport layovers. This is by far the best airport hotel experience we've ever had by far. Go to Napo. It's unique, gorgeous, and the diverse flora and fauna is outstanding, along with the people.