A little more about the Galapagos Islands:

Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called “a living museum and showcase of evolution.” Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galapagos are a melting pot of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise, and the many types of finch that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835. The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the highest levels of endemism (species found nowhere else on earth) than anywhere on the planet. About 80% of the land birds, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals, and more than 30% of the plants you will see are endemic. More than 20% of the marine species in Galapagos are found nowhere else on earth. Favorites include the giant Galapagos tortoise, marine iguana, flightless cormorant, and the Galapagos penguin—the only penguin species to be found in the Northern Hemisphere. To learn more about the islands, history, species, and conservation, visit The Galapagos Conservancy (www.galapagos.org).

More about our Itinerary:

Our trip will begin as we’ll meet in Baltra (Galapagos) the the Saturday monring start of your retreat.  Some will arrive via Guayguil, Ecuador, some via Quito, Ecuador. Most will require an overnight in one of these cities to hop the smaller plane to Baltra that Saturday morning, and some may choose to spend an extra night or two in charming town of Quito. From Baltra, we will be transferred to our home away from home–Semilla Verde. You can review the excellent Trip Advisor Reviews of this property HERE.

Set in the highlands just 15 minutes from town, we’ll sleep like babies listening to the birds in the morning and watching the giant tortoises that roam the property. Semilla Verde is private, quiet, and fully equipped with a beautiful yoga room and terraces with views to the coast. Each morning, we’ll enjoy breakfast together and then begin our daily explorations!

Some places we’ll visit:

A day trip to Bartolome Island, the crown jewel of Galapagos. Some features include Pinnacle Rock, crescent beaches, Galapagos penguins, white tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, guided snorkeling, and hiking. Lunch is served on board our tour boat, and we’ll return to Semilla Verde for evening yoga and dinner.

A day trip to North Seymour Island, where we might see great frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, land iguanas, sea lions during our guided snorkeling and naturalist-guided hiking excursions.

An excursion to Tortuga Bay where we can kayak, snorkel, and hang out with the marine iguanas.

The Charles Darwin Station / Puerto Ayora where we have the option to shop for souvenirs, and have a drink in the red mangrove patio with the iguanas and sea lions.

A Santa Cruz highland tour where we can explore the lava tunnels, a cloud forest, and Los Gamelos (two giant craters that were formed when the magma chamber underground emptied and the land caved in).

A morning at Garrapatero Beach for snorkelling, swimming, exploring, beach yoga, and relaxing.

A visit to the South Plazas Islands, home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in Galapagos as well as red-billed tropical birds, swallow-tailed gulls, and more endemic wildlife.

Flights:

Your final destination airport on the Galapagos Islands is Baltra (GPS). All flights stop on mainland Ecuador before arriving on the islands. This necessary stop will include an additional baggage screening with SICGAL (which will cost $10 US in cash) to ensure that any food or animals that may be of danger to the Galapagos ecosystem stay well away from the islands. After the screening, your bags will be zip-tied locked and you will be allowed to check in for your final flight to Galapagos.

Depending on your origination location, you may be required (due to airline routing/timing) to stay a night in either Guayaquil (GYE) or Quito (UIO). If you have extra time we recommend an extended stop in Quito to stroll around and explore this colonial South American gem. If your time is limited, you are better off flying into Guayaquil just for the evening. Guayaquil is closer to the islands but does not have the easy charm of Quito.

If you arrive into Guayaquil late we recommend the Holiday Inn or Mariott at the Guayaquil airport. It is only a few minutes travel from your terminal. There are only a few flights from Quito and Guayaquil to the islands per day. LATAM and Avianca are the airlines that  fly form Ecuador mainland to Baltra (GPS Galapagos) These flights can be booked on most travel booking sites.

Please CLICK HERE for a document with travel booking advice.

Transfers:

All yogis will be met at the Baltra airport and escorted to a short boat taxi ride across the channel to Santa Cruz Island and a private taxi ride from the desert to the highlands where you will soon be nestled in your home for the week.

The Ins and Outs:

Ecuador and the islands may seem worlds away, and will absolutely feel like that when you arrive, but there are a few ease-of-travel things that we want you to know. Ecuador and the islands use the US dollar, so for many of us, no money-changing is necessary. There are ATMs in the airports in Ecuador and Puerto Ayora on the islands, but we do recommend that you bring about $400-500 in cash.

There is a fee required to enter the Galapagos National Park. Once you disembark at Baltra you will go through a combination passport control/park fee collection point. You must pay the fee, which is $200 US on you in cash when you arrive on the islands. There is no visa needed for US citizens to visit Ecudaor. You simply need to ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your date of arrival. Citizens of all other countries should check with their consulates as to their visa requirements, if any.

Dress is casual on the islands so there is little stress packing. You’ll spend the majority of your time either in the yoga studio or out adventuring on the islands, so your best bet is clothing that you can layer, sweat in, and hang dry quickly.

Jurian Hughes

Jurian Hughes, E-RYT 500, YACEP, MFA, is a pathfinder. Through the gateway of the body, she guides students to connect with themselves in ways they had forgotten were possible, longed to revisit, or maybe never even knew were there. “I do my best to create a space in which people feel like they can be completely themselves. Through my own vulnerability, honesty and humor, I try to help us all find our way to greater joy.”

Hughes is founder of the Yoga of Voice;  co-creator of the Yoga of Yes; a Let Your Yoga Dance® teacher trainer; voice coach; personal mentor; writer; speaker; and theatre performer known for her passionate, playful and engaging teaching style. As a senior faculty member of the Kripalu School of Yoga for more than a decade, Hughes has led thousands of workshops and programs and trained more than 1,000 Kripalu yoga teachers. In addition to her extensive teaching experience, Hughes has a long theatrical resume spanning Broadway, off-Broadway, Europe, film, television and voice-over. Through her own study and decades of practice she has developed a deep understanding of the ways in which the tools of yoga, dance, voice, mindfulness and play can be used to cultivate greater self-knowledge, freedom and joy. She leads inspiring workshops, retreats and trainings at Kripalu and around the world that promote whole-being wellness, increased creativity, and the ability to thrive. Find out more at www.jurianhughes.com.

David Wallace

Rev. David Wallace is a recently retired dean and senior teacher for One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City, a faculty member of the spiritual direction program at the Rowe Center, and an active officiant and spiritual director. He is a graduate of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, NM, and has continued those studies as a lifelong student of the “great books” of philosophy and archetypal psychology. He offers teaching and retreats at spiritual venues worldwide, and specializes in poetics, contemplative practice, and the wisdom texts of both the Eastern and Western traditions.

Prior to his work in interspiritual ministry and teaching, David had an extensive career in publishing and marketing, as well as award-winning work through the Soho galleries he created in New York City, The Enchanted Forest and After the Rain.

Known for his deep and passionate teaching style, his recent seminars on the Tao Te Ching, the Parables of Rabbi Jesus, and the Upanishads have drawn a worldwide audience as one of One Spirit’s most popular teachers. He is currently working on a book, and shares a home in the Berkshire Mountains with his partner Jurian Hughes and their beloved terrier Smitty.

There are 14 spaces available in double occupancy rooms. We can offer one room as single occupancy. We will be staying at Semilla Verde. Click here to see the excellent Trip Advisor reviews of this property.

What’s Not Included:

• Flights to Baltra, Ecuador (GPS)
• $10 US SICGAL inspection and migration card 
• $200 US Galapagos National Park entrance fee (cash only) This was changed from $100 to $200 in late 2024
• Alcohol or items of a personal nature / souvenirs
• Gratuities (at your discretion)
• Travel Insurance (recommended)​

Refunds and Cancellations: Refund less deposit ($695) before August 1, 2024. No refunds after August 1, 2024. In case of cancellation, you may transfer your deposit or your reservation to another person as long as you notify One Yoga Global 21+ days in advance. Due to arrangements made with our vacation hosts, there can be no exceptions to this policy. Participants will be required to sign the application and  liability waiver to participate on this trip.

If you place a deposit, the balance due will be set to charge in equal installments starting the month after deposit through September, 2024 unless other arrangements are made.

We HIGHLY recommend that you consider purchasing Travel Insurance. Travel insurance companies like Trawick and Travel Guard offer policies that insure your investment in case you need to cancel (including “cancel for any reason” coverages), coverages for expenses incurred due to to weather & travel delays, personal property loss and emergency travel medical.  Please review policies carefully to choose the coverage you need.

We recommend that you consider purchasing trip insurance to protect your investment. AIG Travel Guard and Trawick International are two providers that we recommend. Please review policies carefully to ensure they provide the coverage you need.

We recommend that you consider purchasing trip insurance to protect your investment. Trawick International and Travel Guard are two providers that we recommend. Please review policies carefully to ensure they provide the coverage you need.