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Tierra Verde owns and directly operates two intimate 16-guest Galapagos yachts: Fragata and Golondrina. Direct operation keeps day-to-day service, maintenance and onboard standards under the same Ecuadorian team, while giving the company a clear focus on these two ships. This page brings their profiles and departure dates together so you can compare the Classic-class Fragata with the Budget-class Golondrina before choosing a route.
We are independent Galapagos specialists and know the practical differences between these two yachts as well as the wider fleet. Ask us about cabins, onboard atmosphere, comfort level, sea conditions or itinerary. You receive the same published fare as booking directly, with independent advice, help arranging flights, hotels and mainland extensions, and the additional safety of booking through a German tour operator.
Tierra Verde's owned and operated fleet consists of two small Galapagos yachts, each carrying up to 16 guests. Fragata is the Classic-class choice, with eight air-conditioned cabins, a full upper sundeck and a brighter, more polished onboard finish. Golondrina is the Budget-class yacht: compact, informal and a better fit when you would rather put more of the budget toward time in the islands than onboard refinement.
Both ships have private bathrooms, a bilingual naturalist guide and the social feel of a genuinely small yacht. Tierra Verde describes a family-style operation, with personalized service and a crew whose Galapagos experience spans more than 20 years, including the captain, naturalist guide and onboard chef. Compare route and cabin as carefully as ship class; the more comfortable yacht is not automatically the one visiting the places you most want to see.
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Booking through Galapatours does not add a markup. Our Best Price Guarantee means you receive the same published fare as booking directly with Tierra Verde, while gaining an independent Galapagos specialist on your side. Tierra Verde owns and runs both yachts directly, but they serve different travelers: Fragata is Classic class, while Golondrina is Budget class. We compare them with one another and with the wider Galapagos fleet, so you can judge the route, cabin, comfort level, deck space and atmosphere on their merits. We can also arrange flights, hotels and mainland extensions around the cruise. Your booking is made with Ventura TRAVEL GmbH and includes the financial protection explained here. Prefer to talk through both yachts? Book a free video consultation.
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Founded in Quito in 1998, Tierra Verde Tours is an Ecuador-based company that owns and directly operates Fragata and Golondrina, its two 16-guest Galapagos yachts. The direct operation brings service, maintenance and guest experience under one team rather than splitting responsibility between an agency and a ship owner. Tierra Verde presents the operation as family-style and personalized, supported by a captain, bilingual naturalist guide and onboard chef with more than 20 years of Galapagos experience across the crew.
The two yachts should not be treated as twins. Fragata is the Classic-class option, with more space and finish; Golondrina is the Budget-class option, with a simpler, more informal setup. Both follow the protected visitor-site system of the Galapagos National Park, where permits and fixed site schedules shape every cruise. The meaningful choice is therefore the combination of route, cruise length, cabin and ship style.
Start with the visitor sites and number of nights that matter to you, then choose between the yachts. Our guide to choosing the right Galapagos cruise length explains why short and longer voyages feel fundamentally different. To compare beyond Tierra Verde, use our complete Galapagos cruise search.
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