Galapagos Travel Guide

Galapagos Islands Travel Guide, climate:

Best: Jan-March. Mainly warm and sunny but a little wet. Calmer, clearer ocean because the trade winds die down.
Worst; July/Aug [busy, expensive, windy, rough] Sept-Nov, [rough seas, cold, less services].
OK: the rest, though June to December is cool, cloudy and dry season. Beware of the infamous El Niño, too.

Length of stay:
Minimum worthwhile stay, not incl. flights:
5 days. [3-4 days is possible if you go with prearranged package tour.]
Recommended : at least 1 week.

Activities guide:
Organized wildlife tours: Although most tourists travel with a package tour booked in advance from home or on the Ecuador mainland [Quito or Guayaquil], it can be arranged more cheaply on the islands if you are not on a tight schedule.
This will require time, planning, organization and Spanish competence would help too!
The best place to make individual arrangements is Puerto Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz.
Animals: you can expect to see - and get really, really close to - land and sea iguanas [picture], Fur Seals, Sea Lions, Galapagos Penguins [picture], Giant Tortoises [picture], sharks and - if you're lucky - Sperm Whales and Orcas.
Birds: This is a birdwatcher's paradise, with Blue-footed Boobies at their silly best, varied herons [picture], Oyster Catchers [picture], Pelicans [picture], Frigate Birds [picture], Waved Albatrosses, Swallow-tailed Gulls and even Flamingos [picture].
Scuba diving is excellent, but mainly for those experienced in underwater travel. You are advised to bring your own gear and book in advance. Be aware that most of the best sites have strong currents, surge and cold waters. The best dive centre is in Puerto Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz.
Snorkelling is also a great way to see the Galapagos' wildlife and is easy to arrange, though just swimming with sea creatures is possible and fun.
Equipment is provided by the boats, unless you prefer to bring your own. The islands of Isla Plaza Sur and Isla Bartolome have especially good snorkel sites.

Shopping guide:
Not much choice, but some crafts and Galapagos T-shirts are available. Needless to say you should not buy anything made of tortoise/turtle shell, or black coral - protected species.

Accommodation guide:
Although most travellers stay on boats, hotels or B& Bs and places to eat can be easily found at Puerto Ayora in Isla Santa Cruz. There are also a handful of hotels at Puerto Baquerizo in Isla San Cristobal, and in Isla Isabela.

Why go to the Galapagos Islands?

This is one of the must-sees in the world if you are interested in Darwin, natural history or wildlife. Watching unique species of birds and animals that are totally fearless of humans is a stunning experience.
Compared to African safaris they are both extreme wildlife experience, but while Africa has more variety the Galapagos Islands have more birds [relative to the land area] and you get a lot closer to wild things [picture].
Apart from the critters, this is also a good place for diving and snorkelling.

Downside:
- Since it 1,000 km [620 miles] from the mainland, you need to travel there by air. Combine this with a boat tour and it will be an expensive trip.
Alternatively see 'Organized wildlife tours', left column.
- The islands are mostly bleak and blasted volcanic remnants, not exactly picturesque [picture]!
- It's not so good for seasick prone travellers, though you can reduce your chances of a daily chunder with some planning:
a] choose a calmer time of year.
b] pick the biggest, newest boat possible [picture].
c] Sickly Bugbog members find acupressure wrist bands pretty effective and there are some good motion-sickness potions around these days too.

Main Islands guide:
There are 13 larger islands and as many as 50 smaller islets. Most places should be visited with a guide.

***Isla Santa Cruz, the second largest of the archipelago [island group] and the most important island, with the Darwin Research Station as well as other facilities.
Turtle Bay, is one of the best marine sites, with a white, sandy, swimming beach. You can see Giant Tortoises [picture] at Tortoise Reserve near Santa Rosa.

***Isla Isabela, the largest island, is known for the Volcano Sierra Negra, located at the southern end - one of the best examples of volcanos in the Galapagos, it is also one of the world's largest and home to thousands of colourful land iguanas.

***Isla Española is the most southerly of the islands, with the Galapagos' only colony of Waved Albatross' [late March-early December]. The best site is Punta Suarez - follow the trail of lava rocks where Blue-footed Boobies [picture] make their nests and iguanas like to sunbathe. The trail continues on to a colony of Waved Albatrosses [picture].
The island's best swimming beach can be found there too.

**Isla Seymour, covered with low, bushy vegetation and the best place to see a colony of puffed-up Frigate Birds.

**Isla Bartolome, is known for its Pinnacle Rock [picture], where Sea Lions and Galapagos Penguins like to hang out. On the beach in the south nesting sea turtles can be seen - seasonal though - as well as white-tipped reef sharks. This beach is excellent for swimming and snorkelling too.

And if you like wildlife and are going to Ecuador, then Costa Rica's famous rainforest birds, plants, animals and volcanoes are not so far away. See our Costa Rica Travel Guide.

As for more distant African wildlife experiences, check these Bugbog wildlife guides: