Message from Your Guest Host ~ Lucy Cooke

“I have always wanted to visit the Galapagos. What animal fan doesn’t dream of making a pilgrimage to the magical islands that inspired Darwin. To watch the comic courtship dance of the blue-footed boobies, to snorkel with marine iguanas and meet a giant tortoise.

It’s a once in a lifetime adventure. But with so many options, how do you decide?

I’ve done the research, so you don’t have to. I’ve sourced the company that offers the most epic wildlife encounters, with genuine sustainability goals and decades of experience.

Now I have found my dream ticket, I want to take you with me. Together we can travel in Darwin’s footsteps, if not follow his behavior. Darwin was so taken by the “extreme tameness” of the species he encountered, he hopped on the backs of giant tortoises and “pushed a hawk off the branch of a tree” with the muzzle of his gun. There will be no riding tortoises on this trip. And no guns. Sorry if that’s a deal breaker.

Mass tourism has arrived on these islands of late, but most of it is land based and restricted to the main islands. Our private yacht takes us to secret spots, requiring special permits and strict limits on visitors. Meaning we will often have them all to ourselves.

The most important member of the team is the local on-board guide, and ours is a winner. He’s actually called Darwin and has over twenty-five years of knowledge, and buckets of passion to share with us.

On the last trip we snorkelled alongside an ocean sunfish the size of a dinner table, snooped on equatorial penguins having sex mere inches from my face, marvelled at the magnificent frigate bird’s extraordinary crimson red neck balloon, spied on shy sharks and octopus lurking in coral caves, floated amongst dozens of grazing turtles, and engaged in bubble blowing contests with curious sea lions.

At the end of the trip, I felt I’d almost overdosed on awe. It was that incredible. There is a maximum of 14 people that can join this next trip with me so hurry up and secure your place before we sell out.” ~ Lucy Cooke

Your Guest Host ~ About Lucy Cooke

Lucy Cooke is a New York Times best-selling author, award-winning documentary filmmaker, National Geographic explorer and TED talker with a Masters in zoology from New College Oxford, where she studied under prominent British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins.

Lucy is a renowned wildlife expert who is celebrated for her engaging approach to natural history and conservation. With a background in zoology and a passion for evolution and animal behavior, Cooke has made significant contributions to wildlife education through her work in television and literature.

Lucy is known for her entertaining documentaries which mix rigorous cutting edge science with her trademark sense of humor. She has written, produced and presented prime time TV documentaries for BBC, PBS, Animal Planet and National Geographic. Her favorites include the award-winning ‘Meet the Sloths’ for Animal Planet and ‘Freaks and Creeps’ for Nat Geo Wild. In 2023 Lucy was profiled on CBS 60 Minutes and featured on dozens of international podcasts.

Lucy is the author of 4 best-selling books, translated into 25 languages. “The Truth About Animals”, was shortlisted for the prestigious Royal Society Prize. Her latest “Bitch: On the Female of the Species” came out in 2022 to critical acclaim and has subsequently been placed on the syllabus of many major international universities. Lucy is a columnist for BBC Wildlife Magazine and also writes for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Nautilus and Scientific American.

Lucy is an acclaimed public speaker and will be hosting slide-shows on a number of pertinent subjects during the trip. Her work often highlights the fascinating and sometimes surprising aspects of animal life, aiming to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for the natural world. Her unique blend of scientific insight and charismatic storytelling has made her a prominent voice in wildlife conservation and education. Lucy’s passion for wildlife is contagious.

Get to know Lucy with some of the resources below.