GALAPAGOS

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago 965 kilometers west of mainland Ecuador. They became famous in 1859 when Charles Darwin published “The Origin of Species”. In 1959, one hundred years later, the Galapagos were declared a National Park and since then they have become one of the most popular destinations in Ecuador.

The Galapagos Islands are the highlight of any trip to Ecuador. The islands are a world beyond your imagination with their fearless and unique creatures.
The sub-marine world of colourful fish and coral is like no other. You can snorkel or dive with sea-lions, sharks, dolphins and manta-rays.

The Galapagos Islands never fail to surprise their visitors. A very long isolation has given rise to animals and plants of unique characteristics native not only to the Galapagos, but restricted to single islands within the archipelago. The animals are very tame as they have had no or very few natural enemies and this enables incredibly close encounters. You can stand next to a Blue Footed Booby feeding its young, or watch a giant turtle lumbering through a cactus forest. The scenery is mostly barren and volcanic with various iguanas scurrying over the lava. The wildlife is truly phenomenal.

Not only is the wildlife amazing on land and in the air, there is also an incredible abundance of sea life, such as many different species of dolphins, turtles, sharks, whales and starfish some of which are only found in the waters surrounding the Galapagos. A Galapagos Tour offers an explanation into the incredible natural history of the islands. We take you to a place where nature is found that exists nowhere else in the world. We believe the best way to choose your tour is to first decide on a class of boat, the length of your trip, 4-5 or 8 days, and your preferred dates, then we recommend you look around the various operators letting them know how many of you there are, from this you should be able to find several options to choose from. Let us know your preferred options and in 80-85% of cases we should be able to get the tour for you at a discounted price.

For reservations try to be as flexible as possible, since finding just the right tour for you can be difficult. It is best to book your Galapagos tour first and then arrange the rest of your trip around that. Some clients book their boat tour first and then their flights to and from Ecuador. During high season it is best to reserve at least three months beforehand.

We recommend several tours, minimum 4 days, to the Galapagos Islands on board a variety of small to mid-sized motor yachts, sail boats and catamarans. Snorkeling is available on all of our tours and we also offer diving cruises for licensed divers.

We get a lot of last minute tour deals, but if you are short of time it is risky as they are not always available, and most are island hopping tours which are not the same experience as with a yacht. The two types of tour cannot be compared. We believe a yacht tour is much better as you will see a lot more. Lately more people have preferred to take the island hopping tours, because they are easier to book and slightly less expensive. Parents also tend to think it is better for kids and sea-sickness but we don't hold this view, island hopping tours use small motor boats to visit the other locations and hence these tours are worse for children and sea-sickness.

The only problem with the Galapagos Islands is the cost, even a budget tour with all included for a week will cost at least $1200. So we understand if people prefer not to do a Galapagos tour.

E-mail: andean.turtle@gmail.com