This Galápagos Cruise Is Designed Specially for Children With Autism — With Quiet Rooms, Discussions for Parents, and Experts on Board
Quasar Expeditions has introduced a new Galápagos itinerary specially designed for children with autism and their families to experience the natural wonders of Ecuador's islands.
The seven-night trip departs on June 24, 2023. It will be limited to 32 guests and led by special needs expert Denise Carbon, who works with Special Advantage and has three decades of experience working with children and their families to help uplift those with autism.
Courtesy of Quasar Expeditions
"Kids with autism are very sensitive," Carbon said in a statement sent to Travel + Leisure. "Their systems are heightened. Their sense of smell, sight, sound, and touch is heightened, so they tend to absorb that energy from their surroundings. If they are in an open space and there is this harmony between the animals and the people, they are going to feel that calming energy."
Courtesy of Quasar Expeditions
Among the specially designed elements of the trip are quiet zones aboard the expedition yacht, comfort supplies (like weighted blankets, beanbag animals, and fidget spinners), and discussion groups in the evenings for the parents.
Courtesy of Quasar Expeditions
"One of the big fears of parents who have children with special needs is acceptance from other parents… other 'judging eyes,'" Carbon said in an interview with Quasar. "I love the idea of having a specific adventure where families with children with special needs can go together."
Courtesy of Quasar Expeditions
The itinerary called "Footsteps Back in Time" departs from and concludes on San Cristobal Island with stops including Santiago Island, Prince Phillip's Steps, Floreana Island, and Santa Cruz Island to visit the Wild Land Tortoises Reserve and Charles Darwin Research Station's Breeding Center. The week will be spent on the Evolution yacht — which has an oversized Jacuzzi and dive deck — and there will be opportunities to snorkel, kayak, hike, and go on panga boat rides. All along the way, there will be chances to see the Galápagos' endemic species, like marine iguana, fur seals, penguins, and giant tortoises.
Courtesy of Quasar Expeditions
"Having seen the effects that animals have on children with autism, like equine therapy for example, I think it is so incredibly powerful to enter into any situation (and the Galápagos is definitely this sort of situation), where the child can feel that the energy is different," Carbon said.
Hernan Olaya/Courtesy of Quasar Expeditions
And that is exactly the goal behind this offering. "Quasar's aim with this specific departure is to provide a great setting where parents can feel comfortable opening up to other parents, where kids can connect with other children who have special needs as well as typically developing siblings, and where everyone can be on the same page and feeling the same energy," Quasar's marketing director Fernandoz Diez said. "A place where everyone is ready to take things as they come, one day at a time, and let the islands and the daily experiences do their magic, especially with the children."
