Yacht
Revelation was built for military use and then converted into a private yacht by Henry Ford II during the 1960s. She’s a good combination of large machinery spaces and elegant guest areas, especially in a place like Galapagos, where there are few services available beyond what the yacht itself offers. “If you go down in the engine room, you could play basketball down there,” Capt. Ron Thierfelder says. “We have two 150-kilowatt generators. We never run out of juice.”

The current owner invested about eight months in refitting the yacht before putting her into charter in Galapagos during the winter months and Alaska during the summer season. The new look is one of cozy elegance, or, as the captain puts it, “like an old comfortable shoe. People get on here and just automatically feel comfortable.”

If you get tired of looking at all the amazing animals onshore, you can use the boat’s water toys, which include windsurfers, a small sailboat, kayaks and snorkels. Or, you could relax up on the top deck with a good book and your favorite music on the stereo.

Crew
In a place like the Galapagos Islands, your naturalist is the crew member who will make or break your experience. A destination so brimming with wildlife and volcanic activity is an educational charter in many senses, and you want a great naturalist to make sure you fully understand the importance of everything you see.

Our naturalist was Yvonne Mortola, part of the husband-and-wife team who run Sail’n Galapagos, and she could not have been better. She’s fun, she’s creative, and she really knows her stuff—including which trails to take to avoid any other boatloads full of tourists who may happen to come along.

The rest of Revelation’s crew was outstanding for the Galapagos market, but perhaps not as up-to-par as yacht crew in more developed cruising grounds. The upshot is this: If you’ve chartered high-end motoryachts before, don’t expect a similar level of white-glove service, but do choose Revelation in Galapagos because she is the best you will get in the area.

Chef
Peter David Boden has been a chef in the United States and Switzerland since 1963. His regular job is as a pastry chef and chocolate sculptor, though he also has strong knowledge of worldwide wines. In other words, if you want to combine a dark red with rich truffles, Peter is your man.

He speaks Swiss, German, English, French and Italian, so your preferences will not get lost in the translation no matter where you call home. That was certainly the case with our group, which included differing tastes and varying appetites. Peter managed to keep everyone happy, from the carb-seeking gorgers to the skinniest dieters.

A typical three-course meal includes:

• Dinner salad
• Homemade mushroom fettuccine with tomato and broccoli
• Bananas Alexander (like Bananas Foster, only with caramel)

We actually enjoyed the homemade fettuccine so much during one evening’ dinner that we asked to have it again for lunch the next day. If you get the chance, be sure to request it.

Accommodations
All of Revelation’s guest cabins are on the bottom deck, with twin- and queen-size beds that can be converted to accommodate either 10 or 12 guests at a time. Each cabin has its own en suite bathrooms, and the décor is fresh and warm following the yacht’s refit by her current owner.

Whether you’re traveling as couples or as a family with children, you should be comfortable.

Destination
This was my second trip to the Galapagos Islands, and I was still mesmerized by the fearless, all-encompassing wildlife ashore. There are no natural predators here, and all visitors are required to respect any creatures they see—a combination that has led the animals to be unbelievably nonchalant about their starring roles in every charter experience.

For instance, I stepped directly over a blue-footed booby that was sitting atop a recently laid egg. A baby sea lion walked up to me on the beach and go so close that I had to pull my hand away, for fear of contaminating the pup with my human scent (and thus making the pup’s parents disown it). The land and marine iguanas did not budge so much as an inch as I put my camera’s lens almost directly into their faces.

This is what you come to Galapagos to see—and you should not expect anything else. There are no resorts, no shops, no boutiques, no restaurants, no nothing that has anything to do with civilization. In most cases, there are not even docks for going ashore from your yacht’s dinghy. You offload by stepping directly onto sand or rocks, often overlooking a field of dried lava that stretches for a mile.

It’s a phenomenal experience for anyone interested in wildlife and geology, a truly mind-altering way to learn more about the natural world.