Galapagos Safari Camp
Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
There are places that make you feel privileged to part of this planet, to be alive, and able to experience the marvels of this world. The Galapagos Islands is one of these places, and it is only added to when staying under canvas in a Safari Camp created in the image of a dream.
It began back in 2003, when Stephanie Bonham Carter (Ecuadorian British) and Michael Mesdag (Dutch Spanish) set off to explore the length and breadth of Stephanie’s country together.
While exploring the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island, they came across a farm bordering the Galapagos National Park that was up for sale. Climbing a tree to get a better look at the lay of the land, they were intoxicated and overwhelmed by the incredible views.
“Below in the awesome green world that surrounded us, a huge old avocado dropped its torpedo-shaped fruit to the leafy floor with a thud… Whichever way you looked at it, life itself seemed too incredible to be true. Yet undeniably there it was at my feet: unadulterated life waiting for me on an island demanding courage and wisdom.”
- My Father’s Island by Joanna Angermeyer
From that moment on, Michael and Stephanie set to work turning a dream into Latin America’s first tented camp.
www.galapagossafaricamp.com
info@galapagossafaricamp.com
Toll Free: 1-805-995-4093
Quick Facts
Number of Rooms: Nine Safari Tents and one family suite
Room Categories: There are three room categories: one family suite 114m² (70m² interior, 44m² private deck), two family safari tents at 90m² (70m² interior, 20m² private deck), seven safari tents at 70m² (56m² interior, 14m² private deck)
Booking Options: Experiences are tailored to suit guests’ needs and preferences. The final cost will vary based on personal selections.
Rates: From USD 2695 per person for 2N/3D ACTIVE Safari in a Tented Double
Dates of Operation: Open year round
Disabled access: Located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, the camp may present challenges for individuals with mobility impairments and has no dedicated facilities for wheelchair access
Amenities included: Tea & Coffee, biodegradable soap, shampoo & conditioner, slippers & bathrobe
Wellness: Outdoor swimming pool, plus a massage tent
Air conditioning: Located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, where the climate is fresh and breezy for most of the year. Tents are carefully orientated to catch the natural air currents and are equipped with ceiling fans for additional comfort during the warmer months. The Family Suite is the only accommodation with air conditioning, as it is a three-bedroom, brick-and-mortar structure that cannot benefit from the natural air currents in the same way as the canvas tents.
Internet: WiFi is available throughout most of the Camp, including the Main Lodge, Family Suite and all Safari Tents
“An inventive nightly tasting menu from the on-site organic farm or nearby sea was easily the best food we ate on the islands.”
EVENING STANDARD
Rates & Key Info
“This place is a one-off: a dashing cockscomb of comfort and style atop a 400-metre ridge in the highlands of Santa Cruz… be careful not to trip over the meandering tortoises.”
TATLER
Boat vs Land - which is right for me?
Whilst a boat covers more ground, a land-based stay goes deeper…
Land-based means tailor-made, free from fixed timetables or set group excursions
Boat trips are still part of the experience, but you return to firm ground at night
Guests feel a deep understanding of the culture, history of the islands, and stories of the first inhabitants
The location of Galapagos Safari Camp is excellent for diving and fishing (both available as additional activities)
“Being land-based, you feel a connection with the first settlers who came to live in the Galapagos Islands, having a greater understanding of what it must have been like to set up a life here back in the days when boats seldom passed by. Contrary to expectation, I felt a greater sense of adventure and appreciation for the remote and unique nature of the archipelago than past trips on a boat” - Gabriel who stayed at Galapagos Safari Camp with her 8-year-old in Nov 2025.
Why a Tented Camp?
Having experienced safaris in Africa, Michael and Stephanie were drawn to the untamed wilderness, sense of adventure, and deep connection to nature that sleeping under canvas brings. They wanted to bring this to the Galapagos Islands.
Age-old human shelter
Did you know the first tents were rudimentary shelters used by Paleolithic hunter-gatherers over 40,000 years ago? Sleeping below canvas allows you to feel closer to the surroundings.
Pulse of the place
Not coming from backgrounds in hospitality, the owners were not looking to build a traditional hotel. A Safari Camp aligned with their vision to create an experience that is personal, organic, and deeply rooted in the place.
“A part of my heart that had never before been touched began to ache for the innocence of Galapagos, where my kind had yet so little to be blamed for and so much to learn…”
- My Father’s Island by Joanna Angermeyer
Tailored Made Experience
Independent, family-owned and fully tailor-made, Galapagos Safari Camp sits in step with the archipelago where 97% of land is a National Park. Flexible and personalised, this land-based experience offers island and sea exploration, excellent service and gastronomy. A slow-paced, gentle experience allowing you to immerse yourself in the Enchanted Islands, called such as sailors used to believe they floated.
No two guests are the same so neither are the experiences at Galapagos Safari Camp.
“…we have three things you’ll never find in your comfortable, civilised cities: a daily dose of adventure, complete freedom and the rare kind of zest that comes only with survival on the most elemental level. While you relax in front of your television sets, we catch sharks with our bare hands, wrestle wild pigs and play with monster-like beasts left over from the Stone Age.” – My Father’s Island by Joanna Angermeyer
“I listened for the sea but heard a mockingbird.” My Father’s Island by Joanna Angermeyer
EXPLORE BY LAND, SEA & AIR
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Sustainable since the outset, a deep respect for the surrounding environment has been prioritised since the beginning:
- Limited occupancy of 10 ‘rooms’ (9 tents and 1 Family Suite)
- Choosing canvas over concrete
- Solar powered hot water
- Using water responsibly, with rainwater harvesting
- Minimising food wastage and sourcing food responsibly
- Rewilding a former cattle farm
- Supporting our local community
- Restricting the use of plastics
See more here: https://www.galapagossafaricamp.com/sustainability/
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Galapagos Safari Camp welcomes children and babies of all ages.
Living in what is now the Family Suite, Michael and Stephanie raised their two children on the farm while creating the Camp and managing the business. It became a way of life—one that connected them to the land, and one that would ultimately define Galapagos Safari Camp’s pillars of Appropriate Luxury: Connection, Authenticity and Hospitality.
Property Location
Airports: Domestic flights from mainland Ecuador depart from either Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) to Seymour Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island.
Upon arrival, a Galapagos Safari Camp guide will meet guests in the VIP Lounge while the team handles the paperwork required by the Galapagos National Park. Guests then take a 10-minute drive to the Itabaca Channel, cross by boat to Santa Cruz Island, and continue by car to the Camp. This typically takes around 25 minutes, but note the Safari begins en route, with stops at visiting sites along the way to make the most of your first day.
From the moment you land in Ecuador to your arrival at camp, Galapagos Safari Camp takes care of all the logistics.
WHERE TO STAY IN GUAYAQUIL?
Hotel del Parque, Hotel Guayas and Hotel del Oro are all good options in Guayaquil city. If you have time, we highly recommend you take a 90-minute transfer and have a countryside experience at Hacienda La Danesa.
