posted by Travel Cat on Dec 17
Being the anniversary next year of Charles Darwin’s ‘On The Origin of Species’ which he based on his finding in these wonderful Pacific Islands, what better way to celebrate than actually go there.
This group of 13 major and 6 smaller islands (plus many islets) sits over a 1000km from the nearest mainland of Ecuador - to which they belong. Completely volcanic in origin, they are mainly extinct peaks and old lava flows. As a result, most of the islands look more like the moon and have hardly any vegetation.
This is what makes them so unique.
They are almost untouched by man, even though there is a population of around 30,000 people and urban developments on 5 of the larger islands to cater for the many tourists that flock here, the smaller islands are only visited by tourists, and there are strict rules about the effects of travelers.
The Islands:
There really isn’t a bad time to visit the Galapagos Islands for nature watching however, you must decide which season more suits your needs.
By that I mean that there are 2 different seasons: the warm/wet season from January to June or the cool/dry season from July to December. Both seasons offer great nature watching, but the warm/wet season is much more crowded and the cool/dry season can have rough seas and less business cater for tourists. It depends what is the worst of those two evils for you.
Isla Santa Cruise is the most important island as it houses the largest town in the Galapagos of Peurto Ayora. From here you can organise most budget tours and general supplies and accommodation. It is close to the airport and will suffice your average needs if travelling independently. It can be difficult to find cheaper tours during the busy season, and you may have to wait several days (or weeks) for a slot.
Tours and Cruises:
Everyone visiting the Galapagos Islands has to pay the $100/£50 entry fee - as it is a National Park. And to be honest, for a weeks vacation here including the flight from Ecuador (there are no direct flights from anywhere else), the entrance fee, bottled water, a cheap cruise and tips could easily top $1000/£500.
There are only a few terrestrial areas that you are allowed to visit alone without a guide, so you will need to book a cruise at some point to see the beauty of the whole place and those locations several days sail away. However, you may not be thinking of the type of ‘cruises’ they offer in the economy section.
Economy Cruises:
Some ships have shared accommodation - sometimes with mixed sex and there could be over 20 people on your tiny boat. There are also ships that do not have fresh water showers - or even actual showers - a hose on deck is not uncommon. Some do not supply fresh water, or any meat other than fish.
Itineraries can change, boats can break down, refuelling can take hours, the seas can be very, very rough - sometimes causing the ship to return to port for the sick person/people, and getting a refund can be extremely difficult.
Most of the economy cruises have a Spanish speaking guide only, or a guide in training who knows about the same or less than you about the wildlife - they mainly make sure that you don’t wander of the paths when on-land.
Upgrading a step could get you an English speaking guide and a shower, but you still can’t expect anything more than the basics, and of course breakdowns, sickness and changes can still occur.
Luxury Cruises:
They are available and usually need to be booked in advance as park of a holiday package, either in your home country (most expensive but guaranteed), in Quito (cheaper, but possibly with a wait of a few days for confirmation), or in Puerto Ayora (no cheaper really but you could be waiting for days or even a week here - wasting money on hotels etc).
Expect to pay at least double the cost, and some higher end cruises could cost up to 5 times the amount, but you will get extras. Always check on the particulars of each boat, including the number of people (you have to stay in your groups on the islands so smaller is better for nature watching, but less people crammed onto your boat means that you really need to get on with everyone - there is nowhere to hide from that annoying couple……)
Seeing as you are travelling all the way there, make sure it suits your needs. If you can get something better for another $10 then pay it. However saying that, some people think that the whole holiday can be made memorable by certain uncontrollable things happening - for example how sick you were on that trip or the woman you shared a cabin with who talked in her sleep…….
Don’t forget that the flights and park fee are never included in any cruise. They may well be included if you book a whole vacation package from your home country.
The Wildlife:
Well, there certainly are a lot of finches here! And a lot of other things to be honest. However there are no large native land mammals on the islands - it’s all birds and reptiles. However in the water you find the mammals and the fish - including non-people eating hammerhead sharks in their hundreds you can swim with…….
97% of the land here is designated as National Park, and 133,000 sq km of ocean is protected under the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve and a 20,000 sq km ‘buffer zone’ around it too. You need a guide to visit most areas, and many regions are no-tourist zones with or without a guide for the sake of the environment and delicate ecosystems. And no means no!
Birds are abundant here and seem almost fearless of humans. You will no doubt see over 30 species on your vacation without really trying - just hope your guide can identify them all for you. Species include the comical boobies (in Punta Pitt all 3 species can be seen together), and even Galapagos penguins on Isabela and Isla Fernandina.
Other well known species include frigate-birds, waved albatross, brown pelicans, blue herons, greater flamingos and many many wetland birds and gulls. There are however species specific only to these islands, so you will need a guide book if you want to tick of more than just ‘gull’ or ‘wader’ on your tours.
The islands are also famous for their reptiles, including the giant tortoises - of which there are many island-specific species. Snorkelers can get up close with many turtle species just offshore including the giant leather-backs, as well as the marine iguanas that grace many islands. Land iguanas and lava lizards stay on-land for those who would rather not get wet!
Sea-lions, and some 25 species of whales and dolphins are also frequently spotted on cruises.
Enjoy it while you can - there may soon be restrictions on tourist numbers here….
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