GALAPAGOS ISLANDS...
Like No Place Else
ON EARTH

"In that little world within itself...we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact - that mystery of mysteries - the first appearance of new begins on this Earth".

Charles Darwin on Galapagos

Galapagos islands are located in one of the most active volcano regions on Earth: the Nazca Plate.
Three to five million years ago, the first tips of the Galapagos volcanoes first raised above the sea surface - the archipelago is composed almost exclusively of volcanic rock.
Volcan (volcano) Wolf is the highest point.

Nothing or little happened here for hundreds of thousands of years, until 1535, that marked the official discovery of the archipelago by Fray Tomas de Berlanga, bishop of Panama.

Hideout for buccaneers in the long history of rivalry and hostility between the Spanish Armada and British Navy, they left their imprint on the archipelago: Buccaneers Cove in Santiago island.
Apart from being their base, Galapagos islands provided them with fresh water and food.

They discovered that giant tortoises could live up to one year without food so they carried them alive and stacked them upside down to keep a fresh supply of meat on board.
Later, in the 1800s, whaling ships came regularly hunting the population of sperm whales almost to extinction.

The Galapagos archipelago lies 960 km (600 miles) from the coast of Ecuador and it's composed by 61 islands and islets, with a total land area of 7,880 sq. km (4,897 sq. miles).
The main islands are...

• Baltra
• Española
• Fernandina
• Floreana
• Genovesa
• Isabela
• Marchena
• Pinta
• Pinzon
• San Cristobal
• Santa Cruz
• Santa Fe
• Santiago

If you are a nature and wildlife lover Galapagos islands is a place not to be missed.
Truly a trip of a lifetime.
Located at the confluence of two ocean currents - the cold Humboldt Current and the warm Panama Current - Galapagos islands are a "melting pot" of marine species, an incredible mix of polar and tropical species.

Its most distinctive animal is surely the giant tortoise - it can weight up to 500 pounds, and has evolved into 14 different forms.
Land and marine iguanas, dolphins, whales, rays, sea turtles, penguins and fur seals.
Cormorants, petrels, pink flamingos, lava lizards, geckos and snakes.
120 species of crabs, 300 of fish, 200 of starfishes and urchins, 13 of finches (also known as Darwin finches).. and the list goes on.

What will provably strike you more is the sheer fearlessness of the wildlife, due to the lack of natural predators.
You can actually dive eye to eye with sea wolves and other marine creatures.

Here you can swim, snorkel or dive like no place else on Earth.
Visit Ecuador Adventure Travel to learn more about it.

Plant life is equally fascinating in the enchanted Galapagos islands, from the giant pear and candelabra cacti,on the shores, to orchids, bromeliads and tree daisies on the highlands.
This laboratory of evolution, with such a variety of species, inspired Charles Darwin to write "The Origins Of Species" in 1859, which put forward the concept of evolution by natural selection.
To find out more about his life and work refer to The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online.

In 1959, Galapagos National Park was founded.
Few years later, The Charles Darwin Research Station was opened and these two bodies regulate the do(s) and don't(s) in the archipelago, from regulating boats to implementing trails for visitors.

Before coming here, please review and get acquainted with Galapagos National Park Rules.

Note:
An entry fee of around U$S 110 will be charged upon arrival to Galapagos airport, otherwise it will be included in the price of your tour if booking through a tourist operator/Agency.

Galapagos islands are one of the world's greatest natural treasures and definitely the most unique South America travel experience of a lifetime...

How To Get There:

Your flight from Quito or Guayaquil (Ecuador) will land at Baltra or San Cristobal airports.
Baltra is currently and Ecuadorian Naval Base outside the limits of Galapagos National Park.
San Cristobal instead is located just outside Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, actual capital of the archipelago.

Where To Stay:

You will find lodging at Port of Ayora, in Santa Cruz island, the most populated city of the archipelago.
There are also three camping sites...

• Darwin Station
• Bahia de Tortuga
• Reserva de Tortugas

Another option to stay is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, 2nd. most populated city.

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