Explore the Galápagos on a Luxurious Superyacht and Snorkel with Penguins

Aqua Expeditions’ new ship sets sail in the Ecuadorian archipelago.

I never knew snorkeling with penguins was on my travel list until it happened.

I was sitting on the edge of the yacht, clad in a full-body wetsuit, trying to work up the courage to slide into the 68-degree water off the Galápagos’ Santiago Island. Dipping my toe into the sea, I shivered.

“Pingüino, pingüino!” cried out one brave snorkeler who had already made the plunge. And that was all the encouragement I needed.

Snorkeling with Penguins

I was in the Galápagos Islands for the second time, and my top wish was to see the world’s northernmost penguins, which had eluded me on my last trip. This spectacular underwater encounter with the precious little birds—who bobbed at the surface amongst our group of swimmers before elegantly gliding off into the distance—happened on the third day. Three times, in fact, across two different snorkel sites off the island of Santiago. And then again the following day off an entirely different island.

The Aqua Mare Superyacht

On this adventure, I was traveling the Galápagos on Aqua Expeditions’ brand-new Aqua Mare, the first superyacht to make a permanent berth in the volcanic archipelago. Since he founded the expedition company in 2007, launching a riverboat on the Peruvian Amazon, Francesco Galli Zugaro longed to bring a ship to the Ecuadorian islands. A few years ago, he finally got his opportunity. He designed a yacht specifically for the destination, but right when construction was set to begin, the pandemic struck. Instead of facing potential delays at the shipyard, Zugaro decided to purchase an existing vessel, the 163.3-foot Dr. No No, and customize it to his requirements.

Though rechristened as the Aqua Mare in joining the Aqua Expeditions fleet, the yacht retains many of its original features, such as the elegant wood paneling found in the cabins and indoor communal spaces. These include a living room and bar, a dining room, and a “beach club” that functions as both a lounge and a preparation space for snorkeling. There are also two outdoor areas: another dining room and a rooftop sun deck that serves a third dining venue and features a hot tub. Zugaro did, however, add two cabins, bringing the total capacity of the ship to 16 guests across seven staterooms. The star of these is the 861-square-foot Owner’s Suite.

Onboard Experiences

The Aqua Mare definitely lives up to its name concerning not only the seafood cuisine served on board but also the various activities available to guests. We typically found ourselves in the rather, shall I say, refreshing water at least twice daily, not including several kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding excursions. Every day, we also made landfall, trekking across craggy lava flows or the Mars-like slopes of a volcano—encounters that were equally exceptional.

During our aquatic excursions, I felt like a fish out of water among my fellow travelers. My companions were a family of avid scuba divers, while I, on the other hand, had once feared the depths of the ocean. However, thanks to years of informal exposure therapy, I had overcome many of my fears. “We try to push guests out of their comfort zones a little,” Zugaro remarked, noting that many guests feel hesitant about spending so much time in the cold water, “but that’s when the ‘wow moments’ are created.”

Final Adventure

In one of our snorkel excursions off the island of Bartolomé, we encountered enchanting marine life, encountering vibrant sea stars and exhilarating lava formations that resembled tree roots in the ocean depths. Our insightful guide, Yvonne Mórtola, expressed how diving there was like being in a dream as colorful marine life swirled around.

While the Galápagos penguins did not appear again during our final snorkeling excursions—being an endangered species with only about 2,000 left in the wild—I felt content. “Let’s go play with the sea lions,” Yvonne suggested cheerfully, and that beckoning called mi familia and me back into the water.

Rates for a seven-night itinerary on Aqua Mare start at $9,450 per person; you can explore more about this incredible experience here.