Blog: Galapagos Islands and Amazon Jungle: Our Man in Ecuador & Galapagos.

Paulina Vivanco exploring the Galapagos Islands

Actually, she’s a woman, but I’m sure author Graham Greene will forgive me.

Making things happen and organising perfect tailor-made trips in Ecuador is tricky: first of all everything is discussed in Spanish, so for non-Spanish speakers, you’re at a disadvantage while exploring ideas. Secondly, things change quickly: good places go bad when a key person moves on; brilliant new places sprout up; bad places go bust. To know all this and to be able to offer first class, reliable trips in Ecuador you need your finger on the pulse.

In 1998 the idea of Venture Co began in a ceviche bar in Quito, Ecuador. The country is our spiritual home! At that time we met Paulina Vivanco who was running a conservation charity with links all around the country. We began a working relationship with ‘Pauli’ that continues to this day, almost 20 years later. From her office in Quito Pauli maintains close contact with all parts of Ecuador, from the lodges in the Amazon Basin, to the wonderful haciendas in the Andes Mountains and most crucial of all, the yachts that sail around the Galapagos archipelago.

The hardest single thing to do from the UK is to keep tabs on the Galapagos yachts. Yachts demand regular (expensive) maintenance and a shiny website doesn’t necessarily mean a top notch, English-speaking guide when you finally arrive in country; nor does it mean the yacht is as good as the website promises.

This is where Pauli, as a local resident, hears all the local news and is able to interpret it for us. She is brilliant at listening to a brief, interpreting what will suit a particular person and coming up with perfect, personalised travel itinerary. Pauli handles all our Ecuador & Galapagos travel arrangements and you can speak to her at Paulina@ventureco-worldwide.com and of course, meet her when you visit Ecuador & Galapagos.

Paulina visiting Napo in the Amazon Basin