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Gallivant in the Galapagos
Published by Kathleen O'Connor, Writer
Country: Ecuador 
The Experience
The Galapagos Islands’ rich natural history has been fascinating the world since Charles Darwin’s famed visit aboard the Beagle in 1835. Once a hideout for pirates and a pit stop for whalers, it is now a hot spot for eco-tourism. Darwin’s exploration in the Galapagos provided the foundation for his most famous writings, The Origin of the Species, which introduces the theory of evolution.
The Galapagos Islands are known by many different names, including the Enchanted Islands. It’s easy to see why the islands would be given such a moniker as they are filled with thousands of unique species of flora and fauna, such as the blue footed boobies and giant tortoises. In fact, “Galapago” is an archaic Spanish word referring to the islands’ tortoises, whose shells resemble old Spanish saddles. Home to captivating vistas like red sand beaches, prickly-pear tree forests, rugged volcanoes, and moon-like terrains, the Galapagos is a unique experience with many unparalleled landscapes.
The most popular way to experience the Galapagos Islands is aboard an all-inclusive cruise, which allows visitors to visit different islands in the archipelago and participate in a variety of activities including hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, beach-bumming, and scuba diving. To protect the endemic flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands, the Ecuadorian government established the Galapagos National Park in 1959, which makes up about 97.5% of the archipelago. The Charles Darwin Research Station was established on Santa Cruz Island in 1964 to facilitate the implementation of conservation programs on the islands. Every tour in Galapagos is required to have a naturalist guide and all visitors must remain on designated trails or in visitor sites. Despite the strict regulations of the Galapagos Islands, the impact of the tourist industry is of concern. The increase in oil pollution, fuel consumption, boat traffic, and trash that has accompanied the tourism boom is enough to throw the islands’ delicate ecosystem off kilter. Whether you set up base camp on one of the islands or experience the breadth of the archipelago aboard a cruise, make sure to choose tour operators that strive to leave as small of an ecological footprint as possible. When you stop by the Charles Darwin Research Station, consider leaving a donation. By taking these small steps towards protecting the Galapagos Islands, you can help preserve them so they are still around for your children’s children to enjoy.
The Galapagos Islands are known by many different names, including the Enchanted Islands. It’s easy to see why the islands would be given such a moniker as they are filled with thousands of unique species of flora and fauna, such as the blue footed boobies and giant tortoises. In fact, “Galapago” is an archaic Spanish word referring to the islands’ tortoises, whose shells resemble old Spanish saddles. Home to captivating vistas like red sand beaches, prickly-pear tree forests, rugged volcanoes, and moon-like terrains, the Galapagos is a unique experience with many unparalleled landscapes.
The most popular way to experience the Galapagos Islands is aboard an all-inclusive cruise, which allows visitors to visit different islands in the archipelago and participate in a variety of activities including hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, beach-bumming, and scuba diving. To protect the endemic flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands, the Ecuadorian government established the Galapagos National Park in 1959, which makes up about 97.5% of the archipelago. The Charles Darwin Research Station was established on Santa Cruz Island in 1964 to facilitate the implementation of conservation programs on the islands. Every tour in Galapagos is required to have a naturalist guide and all visitors must remain on designated trails or in visitor sites. Despite the strict regulations of the Galapagos Islands, the impact of the tourist industry is of concern. The increase in oil pollution, fuel consumption, boat traffic, and trash that has accompanied the tourism boom is enough to throw the islands’ delicate ecosystem off kilter. Whether you set up base camp on one of the islands or experience the breadth of the archipelago aboard a cruise, make sure to choose tour operators that strive to leave as small of an ecological footprint as possible. When you stop by the Charles Darwin Research Station, consider leaving a donation. By taking these small steps towards protecting the Galapagos Islands, you can help preserve them so they are still around for your children’s children to enjoy.
When to Go to Galapagos
Weather in the Galapagos Islands is pleasant year round! December - April is a good time to visit as temperatures are warmer, but this is also the rainy season, meaning that you are bound for a little drizzle almost daily. On average monthly rainfall is about 2 inches, quite minimal. Although warmer water entices more snorkeling and scuba diving, this is not peak season for viewing sea life. It is however great for watching birds, tortoises, and sea lions mating and nesting, specifically March - May. June - November is cooler bringing with it winds that sweep in nutrients and plankton to the waters. This is the prime time to view sea life, but be ready to brave the cold waters. Although typically cloudy it does not normally rain during this time. To pick an absolute best time to visit April and May are preferred, calm warm waters, minimal rainfall, and lush landscapes abound.
Odds n' Ends
It’s inevitable that you’ll have to make a pit stop in mainland Ecuador to get to the Galapagos, making it the perfect excuse to organize a side trip there. Many Galapagos tour operators can help you plan a trip in mainland Ecuador so whether you’re interested in exploring Andean villages or the Amazon jungle, there’s definitely something in store for you.
Remember to bring good sunscreen with you. The UV rays in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands are pretty harsh thanks to their location smack dab on the equator.
Budget travelers may want to save their travel plans for elsewhere. Foreigners are charged a hefty $100 national park entrance fee and prices for food and accommodations on the islands are pretty steep. Even prices for the cheapest all-inclusive cruises start at around US$1300.
Remember to bring good sunscreen with you. The UV rays in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands are pretty harsh thanks to their location smack dab on the equator.
Budget travelers may want to save their travel plans for elsewhere. Foreigners are charged a hefty $100 national park entrance fee and prices for food and accommodations on the islands are pretty steep. Even prices for the cheapest all-inclusive cruises start at around US$1300.
Want a Guide?
- Galapagos & Inca Discovery - GAPAdventures.com
- An exciting 2-week tour of South America's top spots, perfect for those with limited travel time. Experience the intense variety and striking beauty of 2 of South America's most dramatic regions: the famed Galapagos Islands and the legendary land of the Incas.
Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
12 miles away
The Royal Palm is the only five-star luxury hotel in the Galapagos National Park; located on Santa Cruz Island. Nestled within a 500 acre property ... 15 miles away
+ 6 others. Show all.
More Experiences Nearby
- Witness the Survival of a Species at the Charles Darwin Research Station
- Entering the Charles Darwin Research Station, you will feel miles away from the bustling little town of Puerto Ayora, one of the few places in the Galapagos Archipelago that is inhabited year round by humans. Most places visited during trips to the Galapagos find you crowded not by tourists, but by sea lions, iguanas, and Sally Lightfoot crabs, and, while Puerto Ayora is not a metropolis by any stretch of the imagination, a return to civilization is welcomed every once in a while. Approaching the Charles Darwin Research Station a series of ringed walkways guide you through the living quarters ...17 miles away.
Books and DVDs
- Galapagos: The Islands That Changed the World (Paperback)
- This group of volcanic islands lying along the equator in the Pacific Ocean are famous for their rare species of fauna and flora. Stewart and five coauthors first decide the geological journey that sets each island's lifespan from volcanic birth to death and burial. Then they narrate what they label "the human history of the Galapagos" and explain how Charles Darwin revealed the islands as a land of riches and triggered a revolution of scientific thought.
- Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands Travel Guide - LonelyPlanet.com
- Climb the snow-capped peak of Volcán Chimborazo, the most distant point from the center of the Earth. Get up close and personal with capuchin monkeys in the central plaza of Misahuallí. Step back in time at Ingapirca, Ecuador's finest example of Inca architecture. Take in the surf scene on the south coast. Sophisticated cities, glaciated volcanoes, the lush Amazon Basin - our inimitable guide gives you access to all the treasures of exotic Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands.
Elsewhere on the Web
- Galápagos Islands - Wikipedia.org
- The Galápagos Islands (Official name: Archipiélago de Colón; other Spanish names: Islas de Colón or Islas Galápagos, from galápago, "saddle"—after the shells of saddlebacked Galápagos tortoises) are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator, 972 km west of continental Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean.
- Galapagos - About.com
- Any trip to the Galapagos Islands is sure to focus on the rich assortment of wildlife that Darwin witnessed. Common sightings on the islands include sea lions, iguanas, flamingos, the famous giant tortoise and the lava lizard. Exploring the 18 Galapagos Islands completely without the aid of a tour operator is virtually impossible.
- The Galapagos Islands - Galapagos.com
- Giant Galapagos tortoises meander distant highlands, and prehistoric marine iguanas sun themselves on black lava rocks along the shore.
- Travel Report Ecuador - Voyages.gc.ca
- WARNINGS AND RECOMENDATIONS
- Galapagos National Park
- Galápagos Archipelago has a territorial model that allows conservation of ecological integrity and biodiversity of its island and marine ecosystems by encouraging rational use of its environmental goods and services that favor socioeconomic development and cultural equality, solidarity and sustainability.
Media References
- Glimpse Into the Galápagos - NY Times.com (newspaper)
- The Galápagos Islands have served as a laboratory for life ever since they bubbled up above the ocean’s surface more than five million years ago. Today there are 13 main islands, and the newest are still being created by volcanic activity.
- Galapagos Islands Travel Guide - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- A sizable growth in tourism has had a sizable effect on the fragile ecosystem of the Galápagos Islands, the globe’s first World Heritage Site.
- Galapagos - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
- On Santa Cruz Islands Las Bachas Beach, visitors will likely see indentations in the sand left by egg-laying sea turtles.
- Galapagos Iguanas Dive for Dinner - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
- Holding their breath for up to ten minutes, marine iguanas swim with sardines and sea lions in the Galápagos. Meanwhile, their cousins on land climb the volcanoes that spawned the islands.
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Language Guides
Spanish 
is one of the languages spoken in Ecuador. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
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