Category: Galapagos Travel Articles

Things To Do on Your Galapagos Island With the Galapagos Islands many islands, it would be ideal to take an extended trip so you can visit them all. Between the active volcanoes, idyllic beaches, and wildlife reserves, you surely don’t want to miss any of it. However, if your time is limited and you want to see the most popular and sought-after spots first, here are the top 10 things to do when you visit the Galapagos List of things to do: 1. Meet the Giant Tortoises Prided as the symbol of the Galapagos Islands, these magnificent creatures can weigh up to 900 pounds and live for over 150 years in captivity. Take a trip to El Chato Tortoise Reserve and meet the iconic giant tortoises of the Galapagos in person.   2. Tropical Bird Watching Aside from giant tortoises, the Galapagos Islands are home to 19 resident species of birds with 5 of them endemic. The Galapagos Islands is an absolute dream for bird lovers and naturalists. You’ll have the opportunity not only to see and photograph these birds but have the chance to get up-close as these wild animals are very comfortable with visitors to the islands.   3. Los Gemelos (Twin Sink Holes) Located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, Los Gemelos is surrounded by lush, green vegetation called Scalesia forests. This is also where you can find the famous Vermillion flycatcher and such fascinating wildlife such as the short-eared owls. The “Twins” are often referred to as craters but their formation was due to the collapse of the land beneath and not the eruption of the volcano. Nevertheless, its beauty is still undeniable with its geologic structures and lush green forest in contrast with the black and gray volcanic walls. You can catch a sight

Day Trips from Puerto Ayora Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos archipelago while Puerto Ayora, its capital, is the largest urban center in the archipelago. If exploring Santa Cruz is part of your trip itinerary, then you’ve got plenty of options, as the island is bursting with wildlife and natural wonders. For instance, among the most exciting of the activities to do from Santa Cruz are the specialized daily tours that depart from Puerto Ayora and head towards the most beautiful uninhabited islands in the archipelago. Here's a list of the uninhabited island you may visit as day trips from Puerto Aroya, Santa Cruz and a brief description of what you may find on each. Santa Fe Island With over 4 million years old of volcanic rock, Santa Fe is one of the oldest islands in the archipelago. It will take approximately an hour to travel from Puerto Ayora to one of the most beautiful bays you will ever see.  Wander through the isolated beach that is home to many sea lions and then hike through Opuntia Cactus trees where you will find Barrington (or Santa Fe) Land Iguanas, a species unique to the island. Weathered cliffs provide a haven for swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds, shearwaters petrels. Finally, go back to the beach to enjoy the pristine, turquoise waters where you will witness rays, sea turtles, Galapagos sharks and a whole lot of fish from the surface which makes it excellent for swimming and snorkeling. Difficulty of the excursion: Moderate – Open water snorkeling, moderate hiking.     North Seymour Island - Day Trips from Puerto Ayora Enjoy a lovely day exploring North Seymour Island. Located 2km from Canal Itabaca, which is a 45-minute ride from Puerto Ayora, it is one of the best places

How to Choose your Galapagos Cruise | Galapagos Cruise Comparison Guide Yeah, that’s right… once you write down how to choose your Galapagos Cruise on Google for your trip research it all gets a bit confusing. Galapagos offers a wide variety of boats and vessels for cruising the islands. You will find different boat classifications based on pricing and comfort (i.e Luxury Cruises, First Class Cruises, etc), and you will also find deferent types of boat designs such as catamarans, big vessel ships, small sailboats, etc. So, how to choose with so many options? Well, this article will provide a short Galapagos Cruise Comparison Guide. It will give you all the info on you need about cruise classes, the types of cruise designs and what are their pros and cons. We sincerely hope it will help you choose the right Galapagos Cruise for your trip.   First of all, what are the Galapagos Cruises Classifications? Let’s start with the basic cruise distinction in Galapagos. Most tour operators and agencies will divide cruises in the following way. Let's take a look at each of those: Luxury Class Galapagos Cruises First Class Galapagos Cruises Mid-Range Class Galapagos cruises (aka. Tourist and Tourist Superior Class Cruises) Budget Class Galapagos Cruises (aka. Economy Cruises)     LUXURY CLASS GALAPAGOS CRUISES   As implied by the name, Luxury boats are high end embarkations. You will get spacious cabins with larger king or queen beds and a very comfortable design. These hold ample sundecks and some cabins will even have private balconies. You will also find other extra amenities such as Jacuzzis, spas, masseuses.  Gourmet meals are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner and sometime include some types of alcoholic beverages. You will usually get the VIP lounges at the airport, and some include airport transfers

Galapagos with children: The Galapagos Islands are a bucket list destination for many people from all walks of life. The Galapagos have welcomed backpackers, professional photographers, scientists, and tourists from all over the world. It’s understandable that you will want to visit with your family and friends and share this incredible journey together. Young children will particularly love seeing all the interesting creatures that can be found in the Galapagos. Due to the absence of natural predators, the wildlife is playful and so used to visitors that anyone can get up close to admire them. However, before making the trip to the Galapagos, here are some travel tips on how to get there and the climate to prepare yourself, particularly if you are planning to travel to Galapagos with children (very young ones).   The weather The Galapagos Islands are beautiful throughout the entire year, and they have their location right on the Equator to thank for that. However, there are certain times in the year when the weather may not be ideal for those who are traveling with young children depending on the climate that the kids are most comfortable with. The dry season: From June to December, the water is cooler as the Southern tradewinds bring in the colder Humboldt Current. Expect blue skies and mid-day showers during this season. Your children will be happy to see many sea mammals and land birds during these months as they are most active. However, if you are traveling with small children, do note that this is the busiest tourist months. Some families prefer to visit during these months so that they can meet other families with kids. But if you were looking for quiet time with your little ones, best you plan your trip during less busy months. Prices are