Galapagos Yoga and Wildlife Week on Santa Cruz Island

Semilla Verde sits on the fertile slope of an extinct volcano in the rural uplands of Santa Cruz, about 1,000 km off the Ecuadorian coast. The estate is 12 acres of replanted native and endemic forest, with organic shade-grown conservation coffee growing underneath. The lodge has balconies and terraces above the tree line, looking out to the national park, the marine reserve and the outlying islands. After dark you can see the Milky Way, and bats and barn owls hunt around the property.

The yoga studio has bamboo flooring and full windows positioned for sunrise and sunset views. It looks onto a pond, and giant tortoises drink there during class. Mats, blocks and belts are provided, and classes run daily. All meditation and guided relaxation sessions are recorded and sent to you afterwards, and you get a month of free access to the operator's online class library before the retreat starts.

The daily rhythm is roughly: yoga and meditation in the morning, breakfast, then out for the day's excursion with a packed or restaurant lunch, back to the lodge in the late afternoon, and a second class or a relaxation session before dinner. Two dinners are eaten in Puerto Ayora rather than at the lodge. Rest time is real — hammocks on your private balcony, the gardens, the bar and restaurant, the on-site spa, and a soccer field if you want it.

The excursions are the reason this one stands apart from a standard yoga week. Bartolome is the classic Galapagos postcard — the Pinnacle Rock and a climb to the viewpoint. North Seymour is where you walk among nesting frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies, close enough to watch the boobies' courtship dance. South Plazas is a smaller island with land iguanas and sea lion colonies. The highland tour takes in pit craters, lava tunnels and the cloud forest, plus wild tortoises in the fields. At Tortuga Bay you kayak and swim, and there is a sunrise yoga and meditation session on the beach followed by breakfast there.

This is a small-group trip with a naturalist guide on every boat day, and the wildlife is genuinely unbothered by people. Sea lion pups will swim around you while you snorkel. Marine iguanas and penguins share the volcanic rocks. The operator has been running this itinerary with the same lodge and the same guiding setup, and the room list shows most categories already sold out for the 2028 departure.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in the forest at Semilla Verde, Santa Cruz Island - Three meals a day, cooked at the lodge with local produce - Two dinners at local restaurants in Puerto Ayora - Welcome gifts - Naturalist-accompanied visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station - Full-day boat trip to Bartolome Island with naturalist guide - Full-day boat trip to North Seymour Island with naturalist guide - Full-day boat trip to South Plazas Island with naturalist guide - Snorkelling and swimming on all day excursions, with snorkel and mask provided - Naturalist-accompanied highland tour (pit craters, lava tunnels, cloud forest, wild tortoises) - Sunrise yoga and meditation on the beach, followed by beach breakfast - Kayaking and swimming at Tortuga Bay - Daily yoga, meditation and relaxation classes - All meditation and guided relaxation classes recorded and uploaded for you - One month free access to over 1,000 online classes before the retreat - All yoga mats, blocks and belts provided - Transfers to and from Baltra airport on arrival and departure days - Filtered water - Daily cleaning service - Pure cotton bed sheets and towels - Fresh pool towels supplied daily - Free internet in public areas - Access to all Semilla Verde facilities, including hammocks, reception, gardens, bar and restaurant, wi-fi centre, yoga studio, on-site spa and soccer field - 12 acres of private walking paths to explore

What's not included

- Flights to Baltra, Ecuador (GPS) - $200 USD Galapagos National Park entrance fee (cash only) - Alcohol - Items of a personal nature and souvenirs - Gratuities (at your discretion) - Travel insurance (recommended) - Spa treatments - Bike rental