Galapagos Islands Experience

Galapagos Islands

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Considered to be the number one location in the world for wildlife watching, the Galapagos Islands gives visitors an unrivaled chance to get up close and personal with the iconic and in many cases unique species.

Where else can you: become completely blasé about seeing giant tortoises, snigger at Blue and Red-footed Boobies, literally swim with the sharks (albeit non-aggressive Galapagos sharks and hammerheads), go nose-to-nose with curious sea lions, visit the most northerly penguins in the world, be water-snorted at by a marine iguana. You can even sail alongside spy-hopping killer whales or snorkel with turtles and rays.

Secluded and pristine beaches

Galapagos beaches are often secluded and remote, making it easy to have a high level of privacy in a quiet setting that makes it easy to unwind. Because the islands are one of the most protected places on earth as a World Heritage Site, it makes it easy to avoid developed areas where the land has been disturbed.

The Galapagos’ rich marine life makes it a popular place to snorkel where divers can get a glimpse of over 440 fish species and different types of seab mammals. Crabs, rays, sponges, black corals, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and scallops are all also present.

Explore various hiking trails and beaten pathways that can take you to amazing viewpoints where you can enjoy some of the most exotic scenic views in the world, such as the Scalesia Forest or Sierra Negra – the world’s second largest volcanic crater.

Luxury island

A typical well-planned island-to-island Galapagos cruise will allow you to see these stunning desert-like volcanic islands set in an azure ocean (which just happens to be a national maritime reserve) and observe endemic and native species such as the Galapagos Albatross, The Galapagos Giant Tortoise, The Galapagos Marine Iguanas, the Lava Lizard and the Galapagos Sea Lions.

All this while spending restful nights in your floating boutique hotel. Those considering staying in the Galapagos either before or after their cruise will be rewarded with a splendid selection of world-class ecologically-focused luxury hotels and resorts to choose from.

Completely protected and fearless of humans, there are few places in the world where you can get so close to the animals, which in turn leads to amazing up-close and personal photo opportunities. Add to this the islands’ stunning landscapes with azure seas in the background, and you have a world-class photography destination.

One of the key pieces of evidence for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution - speciation - was discovered here on the Galapagos Islands. The combination of geography, geology, a large number of endemic animals and above all the significance of the archipelago to Darwin makes the Galapagos a truly unique destination, which is exactly why UNESCO refers to them as a unique living museum.

Galapagos cuisine

Galapagos Islands eateries offer a diverse cuisine with fresh ingredients that are sourced from the local area. Many of the dishes feature seafood such as lobster, crab, sea cucumber and other fish. The island of Santa Cruz offers some of the best food with plenty of meat, grains and vegetables that are locally sourced.

Some of the best dishes to try include ceviche, which is fish marinated in lemon, and encebollado, a popular fish soup. Passion fruit, papaya, tree tomato, blackberry and guanabana are also popular types of fruit that can be purchased at local stands in the towns.

Spanning 7,880 square kilometers, some 1,000 km off the coast of South America, the Galapagos consists of 13 main islands, which are known to be some of the most active volcanic hotspots in the world. Actually, this is one of the few places on our planet where you can walk on lava and witness the formation of volcanic geological history in the form of lava fields, like the ones on the island of Fernandina.

In the Galapagos, you can even explore the labyrinth of underground ancient lava tubes that run deep underneath, throughout much of the Galapagos Islands. While many of these amazing caves are well lit, a good flashlight and a sturdy pair of shoes can allow you to explore much of the subterranean caves without a tour guide.

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