The Galápagos Islands - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 403

Rolf Wittmer of Wittmer Turismo , in Quito, Mariscal Foch E7-81
and Diego de Almagro, /fax 2-2228-

520, [e-mail], www.rwittmer.com, is a true
Galápaqueño. His family operates two tourist-superior/first-class
sailing vessels. Rolf's trips emphasize the early human history of
Floreana island, which his mother, Margaret Wittmer, wrote about
in the topic Floreana many years ago. Of German ancestry, Rolf is the
first recorded native of the Galápagos Islands.

2-2526-938 or 2-2563-098,

Ecoventura is at Av. Colón E9-58 and 6 de Diciembre in Quito,

4-203-080,
[e-mail]. They offer a fleet of three 20-passenger
first-class motor yachts, as well as live-aboard diving excursions.
Vessels operate out of Puerto Moreno on San Cristóbal Island. Prices
are moderate for a first-class vessel. Ecoventura has recently re-
ceived a “green seal of approval” through an eco-certification pro-
gram known as SmartVoyager - an honor it shares with Canodros.

2-2507-408; in Guayaquil, Av. CJ Arosemena,

Canodros is based in Guayaquil (Urbanización Santa Leonor,
Manzana 5 Solar #10 (Vía Terminal Terrestre), Guyaquil,

4-2285-

711 or 4-2280-880, 4-2514-750, /fax [phone], www.canodros.

com, [e-mail]. In Miami, call toll-free

888-
368-9929 or 305-662-2965. They operate another first-class
SmartVoyager-approved vessel. Canodros manages Kapawi Lodge,
one of the best Amazon ecolodges, in conjunction with a local native
community. Overall, they are a leader in responsible ecotourism. (See
more about them on page 378.)

Eco-Certification in the Galápagos

SmartVoyager is a program that was developed jointly by
Rainforest Alliance, an international conservation organi-
zation based in New York, and the Ecuadorian not-for-
profit, Conservación y Desarrollo (Conservation and Devel-
opment). According to their own description, the organiza-
tion “minimizes the impact of tour boats in the Galápagos
Islands by improving social and environmental conditions
of boat operations. Operators that meet the program's stan-
dards are 'certified' and may use the SmartVoyager label in
marketing. The label gives travelers the assurance that
they are supporting operators who care about the environ-