G a l a p a go s I s l a nd s
T
he Galapagos Islands are situated about
970 kilometres (600 miles) west of Ecuador
in the Pacific Ocean. ey include 13 main islands and six smaller islands and surprisingly
to most people they have a population of approximately 30,000 people. Tourism and development continue at a brisk pace although
increasingly there are concerns about environmental sustainability.
e islands are very different from anywhere
else on this planet. Up close and personal encounters on a daily basis with the local
wildlife is an extraordinary experience. Combine that with interesting scenery, generally
great weather, year round snorkeling and time
for lots of rest and relaxation while cruising
and you will undoubtedly enjoy a memorable
trip.
If polled I suspect that the majority of people
would do a word association inextricably
linking Charles Darwin and the Galapagos.
He was but one of many visitors and in fact
showed up hundreds of years aer they were
first discovered in 1535. Initially these barren
and rocky islands were used as a base successively by buccaneers, sealers and whalers. e
giant Galapagos tortoises provided them with
abundant fresh meat, especially since they
could survive for up to a year on board.
Charles Darwin developed his theories of
evolution decades aer visiting these islands
in 1835. His theory stemmed from observations of the beaks of local finches. ey differ
from island to island depending on what is
available for them to eat. e long and the
short of those observations was Darwin’s eory of Evolution.
ere are two operating airlines, TAME and
Aerogal. e flights usually leave in the morning. Quito flights take about 3 hours as they
stop in Guayaquil. e flight from Guayaquil
to the islands is about 1½ hours. Fares for non
Galapagos residents from Quito are in the
range of $US400 return.
Getting to the Galapagos
A trip to the Galapagos can be paired with a
broader trip to the country of Ecuador. ere
are daily flights departing from Quito (the
capital) and Guayaquil. Many of the boat operators will book those flights for you to coincide with your boat’s departure. If you are
responsible for your own booking then try
and book early especially if your trip is in
high season around Christmas.
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time in Ecuador and her English is excellent.
She will be happy to give you a list of the
available boats in your time frame across a
range of prices. ere is NO pressure to
spend more! You really don’t have to do
much more than figure out ahead of time
how long you have for Ecuador and the
Galapagos and she will be amazing at putting an itinerary together. However I would
recommend doing some research beforehand
to ensure that you get to the islands that you
want to see. e boat itineraries are set by
the National Park in advance so you can see
what their planned route is supposed to include.
Picking a Trip
Who Should You Book With??
In my search I had decided that I wanted to
bypass the North American middleman.
ere are hosts of companies promoting
tours but in fact they are resellers and mark
up what you would pay if you could deal directly with a company in Ecuador.
I spent hours searching and comparing and I
would like to recommend a certain individual at Columbus Travel in Quito, Ecuador.
Her name is Elena Guachamin. She may be
reached at [email protected]. I
receive no payment for my endorsement! I
would have to say that I was very impressed
with her professionalism, speediness of
replies, trip suggestions for our additional
Although it is possible to see one or two of
the Galapagos Islands without getting onboard a boat you will miss a lot of the highlights and unique experiences as they are on
the remotest of the Galapagos Islands or in
the waters off of these islands.
e majority of people that visit the Galapagos plan on a four to ten day itinerary on
board one boat. Unequivocally I would recommend this type of trip. In fact I would
suggest trying to be out for a week. You have
probably come so far already you might as
well take advantage of everything the islands
have to offer. If you book a very short tour
you must take into consideration the fact
that the first and last days are just half days
because of plane arrival and departure times.
If you are out on a longer tour then you will
have the chance to get to the more remote
and less visited islands. Divers especially will
appreciate a longer tour as the diving is some
of the best in the world. Spend the money
on a longer trip - you won’t likely be back.
When booking a cruise you will also have to
give consideration to the size of the boat.
ere are three boat sizes- those carrying up
to 98 passengers, boats carrying up to 48
passengers and a wide range of boats, yachts
and catamarans carrying twenty passengers
or less. You may get a more stable ride in the
bigger boats but a less intimate experience.
With luck on a smaller boat you’ll get an interesting group of people and that in itself
can provide for lively interaction and conversation. e smaller boats are also more likely
to be employing locals and putting money
into the local economy.
People of all ages will enjoy the cruise but it
is more suited for some than others. I would
not recommend the cruise for very young
children (6 and under) or elderly people
who have a difficult time negotiating stairs
and narrow hallways especially under wavy
conditions. e highlight on our cruise was
easily the snorkeling so in my opinion children should be comfortable swimmers so
they can get the most enjoyment out of the
experience. Parents will also be happier.
ere are also possibilities of doing day trips
on boats and returning to the same lodging
every night but there is a limit to the boat's
range. ere are also hotel based options
where you visit a few islands and do boat
trips from them.
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The Islands & Their Highlights
Tower Island (Genovesa)
Northeast Galapagos area
Tower Island is a favourite among the naturalists as the sheer numbers of birds is astounding. is island is an overnight cruise
away from Kicker Rock and as a result gets
missed on many itineraries. You’ll cross the
equator to get here. e largest colony of red
footed boobies in the world is on this island
which they share with Nazca boobies. You
and your children won’t fail to be moved by
the sight of the second born Nazca boobie
getting the boot from the nest. e first
born boobie kills the second one which is
born 3-7 days aer it. It’s nature at its cru-
ellest and most visible. Other highlights include Darwin finches, the beautiful swallow
tailed gull, Galapagos doves, yellow crowned
night herons, red billed tropicbirds and
thousands of storm petrels.
You will probably have the chance to swim
and snorkel aer a walking tour of the island. is is another opportunity for everyone to have close up encounters with sea
lions. You are not allowed to approach them
but their curiosity and friendliness will have
you virtually stepping on them. Lucky visitors will find themselves swimming beside
them which though fantastic is initially a tad
disconcerting!
Fernandina Island
North western Galapagos area
Fernandina Island is another of the remote
and least visited islands. Only ten percent of
Galapagos visitors make it here. It is the
youngest island and was volcanically active
as recently as 1995. e latest lava flow exhibits interesting patterns and textures, including ropey lava. It is realistic looking
because it’s real!
Hundreds of marine iguanas, representing
the largest iguana colony in the Galapagos,
look like something from prehistoric times
and call this island home. ey are well cam-
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Costs:
ere is a huge range in what you can
pay per person for your cruise. You get
what you pay for! If you scored the
cheap rate (unless it is truly a last
minute affair) then you are VERY
LIKELY to have more cramped accommodation, basic food, questionable cleanliness, a less interesting
itinerary and guides that are of a lesser
calibre than those on the better boats.
You may be paying for all sorts of extras too, even basic things like bottled
water.
Galapagos trips are denominated in
US dollars. Listed below are all the
costs on a per person basis you are
likely to incur from Quito.
• Airfare to Galapagos: ~$400
• National Park fee: $100 (with some
talk about a very substantial increase
soon)
• Fuel surcharges: $125
• Tourist tax: $40
• Bar bill: variable
• Medical and travel insurance: variable
• Tips: $25-$250 depending on the
quality of the tour
• Hotels: if not included before and
aer the cruise
• Cruise itself: $1000-$4000 (the
higher end trips will usually include
one night of accommodation at a
five star hotel in Quito the night before and the night aer the cruise
plus the airport transfers)
ouflaged against the lava making it hard not
to step on them. e male iguanas can be
fun to watch as they do a bobbing action
with their heads, and that is usually imitated
by the males of your party.
e bright red and very beautiful Sally
Lightfoot crabs are everywhere, their colour
in sharp contrast with the lava. You may see
green and red sea turtles caught in the tide
pools and the rare flightless cormorants. You
will likely spot lava lizards, yellow warblers,
Galapagos mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks
and this is one island where you may see the
small and very cute Galapagos penguin.
ere isn’t a lot of plant life though the lava
cactus is gaining ground, the first plant to do
so aer an eruption. Red mangrove forests
rim much of the coastline.
Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)
is is one if the first stops on many cruises
as it lies less than an hour away from Puerto
Baquerizo Moreno where you likely
boarded. Sheer walled cliffs rising up 500
feet out of the ocean are home to blue
footed boobies, masked boobies and the
magnificent frigate bird. is is a particularly scenic spot at sunset, much to the delight of photographers. e cliffs are
volcanic in nature and have been eroded so it
is possible for smaller boats to squeeze in between the two sections of rock.
Isabela Island
Western Galapagos area
Isabela Island is the seahorse shaped island
that is the result of six volcanoes flowing together. It is one of the most volcanically active places on earth with all but one volcano
still active. It is the also the largest island
running about 100 kilometres (60 miles)
long. Despite its size it is not oen visited by
tourists but does host the third largest
human population in the Galapagos in the
town of Puerto Villamil.
More wild tortoises are found on Isabela
than any other island. ey live in the desolate world of the volcanic calderas so it is unlikely the average cruising tourist will have a
chance to see them.
Isabela does enjoy an especially rich marine
life. e Bolivar Channel on the west coast
of Isabela is the best place of all the islands
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for viewing dolphins and whales. Try and
book a cruise with a stop at Tagus Cove
found on the west side of Isabela. e snorkeling, walking and Zodiac rides of this cove
may end up being the highlight of your trip.
Snorkeling will provide close up encounters
with sea turtles, huge manta rays, swimming
penguins, sharks and enormous schools of
multi coloured fish. It doesn’t get much better than this without scuba diving. e Zodiac ride allows exploration of little coves
and viewing of the Galapagos penguin on
land, boobies, more seabirds, marine iguanas
and sea lions. e walk will take you through
dry inhospitable country to a saltwater lagoon and views to the ocean. To top it all off
look for the graffiti dating back to 1836 visible on the cliffs. is anchorage has been
used and enjoyed for hundreds of years!
Santiago Island
(San Salvador or James)
North central Galapagos area
It is easy to become confused with the names
of these islands especially since they oen
have more than one. San Salvador is officially
named aer an island discovered in the
Caribbean by Columbus but isn’t oen used.
is is the fourth largest island and a common stop for boats. Puerto Egas in James
Bay on the west side of Santiago has an interesting black lava shoreline with lots of little
pools, caves and inlets making it an ideal
spot for tide pooling at low tide. If you are
lucky you’ll find an octopus in a pool. is
will be the spot to encounter the once endangered Galapagos fur seal. Galapagos sea
lions have a large presence here too. We witnessed newborns within feet of the fresh placenta which was in turn eyed by a Galapagos
hawk. Nature in action here!
Hundreds of marine iguanas litter the shores
well camouflaged by the lava. Bird life is
abundant around the pools due to the presence of the bright red Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Watch for great blue herons, yellow-crowned
night herons, lava herons and oystercatchers.
A path behind the shoreline leads to the
Sugarloaf Volcano. Lava lizards, Galapagos
doves and Darwin’s finches can all be seen.
Interestingly feral goats inhabit the area
around the crater. ey and the pigs that
were introduced have played havoc with the
endemic species.
Sombrero China
Central Galapagos area
e very small (less than a quarter of a
square kilometre in size) Sombrero China or
Chinese hat is so named because of its’
shape. It lies just off
the tip of Santiago Island. It is possible that
your cruise will anchor at a small sea lion
cove on the north shore and take advantage
of the snorkeling and swimming. It is first
rate snorkeling with fascinating tropical fish,
swimming penguins, sea turtles and manta
rays.
Isla Bartolome
Central Galapagos area
Isla Bartolome is a very small island off the
south coast of Santiago Island. It is a
favourite stop for boats so chances of being
the sole group on the island are slim. A
boardwalk takes you through the inhospitable moonlike landscape (complete with
lava bombs, spatter cones and cinder cones)
and delivers you to the summit aer a distinctly uphill walk. e summit provides
panoramic views to Pinnacle Rock and beyond. Pinnacle Rock is an eroded tuff cone
and is easily the most photographed site in
the Galapagos. It was made more famous because the movie ‘Master and Commander’
was filmed in the area.
e snorkeling is also excellent around Pinnacle Rock. White tipped sharks (non biting
we’re told) are in the area as are stingrays,
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giant manta rays, penguins and wonderful
schools of brightly coloured fish.
Nor th Seymour Island
Central Galapagos area
is is a small island formed as upli from
an underwater lava formation. It has a short
trail that takes you through colonies of swallow-tailed gulls, blue footed boobies and the
magnificent frigate bird. e frigate bird
colony is one of the largest in the Galapagos.
Along the beach and in the ocean swells are
the by now ubiquitous marine iguanas and
sea lions. Endemic land iguanas, lava lizards
and supposedly Galapagos snakes are all
found here too – though I never saw a single
snake!
Santa Cruz (Indefatigable)
Central Galapagos area
Santa Cruz is the second largest island and
its capital, Puerto Ayora, has the largest
urban population of all the islands, about
10,000 people. e island is a dormant volcano with seven vegetation zones which one
can observe as you drive up to the highlands
to see the giant tortoises.
e tortoises can be viewed from June until
January on a private farm where they feed on
the grasses. Wander around and you will see
a few dozen of them. ere is lots of time to
photograph them as they only move at
speeds approaching .18 miles per hour (.3
kilometres per hour). ere impressive bulk
is a sight to be seen. A full grown male will
be up to four feet long (1.3 meters) and can
weigh 650 pounds (300 kilograms). Life expectancy is in the order of 100-150 years!
A trip to the lava tunnel is also worthwhile
and is only minutes from the farm. is
giant lava tube feels how I imagine it would
be walking inside a large intestine. Remarkably it was only discovered in 1998. e tube
was formed when fluid lava cooled on the
upper surface enough to form a crust. e
crust is a good insulator so the liquid lava be-
neath the crust continued to flow. Eventually
the supply of lava stopped and the result is a
considerable length of open tunnel.
Santa Cruz is the home of the Charles Darwin Research Station, with a mandate of
conducting scientific research and environmental education for conservation. ere is
a successful breeding program taking place
at the research station with 2 males and 12
female land tortoises that were rescued from
Espanola Island. Tortoises from these unions
are returned to the wilds of Espanola Island
at the age of five when they are able to fend
for themselves.
Furthermore it is the spot to witness Lonesome George, the last of his species of giant
land tortoises from Pinta Island. Lonesome
George, as the last of his particular subspecies, puts a face on what extinction means
and on some level moves people to action,
donation and conservation in the Galapagos
Islands and in their own backyard.
Aer a sobering trip to the research station
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there is usually time to wander the town of
Puerto Ayora. You can shop and buy the
usual touristy stuff though there are a couple
of very fine art galleries with local and native
Ecuadorian cras that are well worth a visit.
Otherwise think of relaxing at a waterfront
bar with a cold drink or check out the fisherman cleaning their catch, overseen by an appreciative audience of pelicans.
Floreana Island
(Santa Maria, Charles)
South Central Galapagos area
Floreana Island has a rich human history as
it was one of the first to be inhabited, largely
because of fertile soil and adequate water. In
the 18th century it was a stop for whalers.
ey used barrels as a post office, depositing
letters bound for Europe or the United
States. Ships passing through would take the
letters and get them to their destination. It is
still done without any postage. One can
rummage through a barrel and hand deliver
a letter if you happen to be going that way.
Punta Cormorant is a worthwhile stop.
ere is a wet landing here onto a green
beach made up of the mineral olivine. is
beach has plenty of pencil sea urchins. A
short walk from the beach to a brackish lagoon allows you to witness the greatest concentration of pink flamingos in all of the
islands. Stilts and pintail ducks are also present while offshore manta rays and green sea
turtles can be visible.
Espanola Island (Hood)
Southern Galapagos area
Espanola Island is the most southerly island
in the archipelago, about a 10-12 hour cruise
from Santa Cruz. It is the place to see the
waved albatross which is the largest
bird in the Galapagos. e albatross nest at
the top of the cliffs which make convenient
launching pads as these birds have trouble
getting airborne. e young are wild, ungainly looking creatures who lead a life at sea
once they’ve le their nest. ey spend seven
years at sea before coming back to breed! At
least that is what the guide said.
is island especially at Bahia Gardner has a
long beautiful sand beach which offers snorkeling and the opportunity to see an enormous number of sea lions from newborns
on up. You may find yourself
being sniffed or nibbled
on by a young
one.
Unfortunately you are also likely to see abandoned sea lion pups near death and many
that didn’t make it which will undoubtedly
tug at your heartstrings.
San Cristobal Island
(Chatham)
Southern Galapagos area
Many cruises end their trips with this island
so you might feel the post trip blues coming
on. ere are a few things to do while you
are waiting for your flight. A trip
to the Visitor Interpretation Centre is worth wandering through for an
hour. It provides insight
into the human history
of the Galapagos and
the effect of tourism
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on the islands. In the capital city of Puerto
Baquerizo Moreno there are small restaurants and cafes, tourist shops selling the not
too bad Galapagos coffee among the usual
trinkets and if you are interested you can
make phone calls for a very reasonable sum.
Along the shore there are plenty of birds to
admire including frigate birds, blue and red
footed boobies and swallow tailed seagulls.
You are likely to see sea lions splayed out sun
tanning on fishing boats. How they got
themselves up onto the height of some of
these boats will remain a mystery to me.
Quito and Ecuador
Many tourists come just for the Galapagos
and might spend only a night or two in
Quito. Try to allow more time to explore
Quito and the country as Ecuador packs a
lot of interesting sights into a very small area.
Listed below are some ideas for side trips.
• A trip to Otavlo, 1 ½ hours north of
Quito. It has one of the largest and most
well known cras market in South America. Take advantage of horseback riding,
hiking and mountain biking in the area. I
can highly recommend the 300 year old
Hotel Pinsaqui as a reasonably priced
place to stay.
• Stay at a Napo River hotel such as the
Sacha Lodge or the Napo Wildlife Center,
which will allow you to see some of the
Amazon jungle complete with the birds,
animals, insects, snakes and plants that inhabit it. Insight and participation in the
native culture is also a possibility.
• Ride the Riobamba Express. It affords
you the opportunity to sit on top of the
train to take in views of volcanoes including Mount Chimborazo and Cotopaxi.
e town of Riobamba lies four hours
south of Quito and is a destination in its
own right as it hosts a huge Saturday Indian market.
• Beaches are numerous and the local advice of someone like Elena on the best one
to visit would be helpful.
• Visit one of the many bird watching centers as the country is home to more than
1500 species. You would have to know
ahead of time what might interest you –
cloud forests or jungles for example and
then book a one day to multi day trip.
Again contact Elena for recommendations
of where to stay.
• Take advantage of the incredible hiking
and climbing available. ere are 10 peaks
over 5000 metres (16,400 feet) including
Chimborazo and Cotopaxi which require
many days for proper acclimatization.
• Hiking without the need of a guide is
best in some of the national parks. ese
include Cotopaxi, Las Cajas and Podocarpus in the highlands and Machalilla National park on the coast. e area around
Otavalo and Vilcabamba plus the cloud
forests around Mindo are additional areas
that are accessible and worthwhile.
• Play tourist in Quito. See the sights and
get acclimatized to the time zone. Be
warned that Quito is at an elevation of
2850 metres (9350 feet) which can put
you at risk for altitude sickness. Consider
getting the drug Diamox beforehand (ask
your doctor about safety issues) and drink
lots of water.
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Accommodation
Recommendations
CAFE DE LA VACA
Panamericana Sur, Kilometro 41
Ph: 231-5012
e restaurant is located on the outskirts of
the city by kilometer 41. It is best known for
its breakfasts served in the cozy, rustic setting of an old estate house. Cras are also
sold on the premises.
A full range of styles from hostels to five star
hotels is available in Quito. I have had positive personal experiences with the hotels
listed below.
HOTEL CASA ALISO
www.casaliso.com
Francisco Salazar E 12-137 y Toledo
Ph: (+593 2) 2258062
is is a small, boutique hotel within walking district of the tourist area. It is a very
friendly and accommodating spot with
breakfast included with your room. Rates
are from $150. is was my favourite place
to stay in Ecuador and service beat out anything the larger hotels could offer. On our
first day they were gracious in providing afternoon tea in bed as we endeavoured to get
onto the time zone.
HOTEL MANSION DEL ANGEL
www.mansiondelangel.com.ec/home.aspx
Wilson E5-29 y Juan Leon Mera,
New Town, Quito.
Ph: (593 2) 2557721
e hotel is located in the Mariscal Sucre
neighbourhood, close to restaurants, shops
and banks. It is a converted mansion with
well appointed reasonably priced rooms.
Rates vary from $75 to $142 per night. Service is good but not quite as warm as the Casa
Aliso.
HOTEL SWISSOTEL
www.swissotel.com
Av. 12 de Octubre 1820 y Luis Cordero
Ph: (593 2) 2567600
e hotel is also close to the Mariscal Sucre
area and has all the amenities one would expect to find in a first class five star hotel.
ere is an international cliental so you will
hear lots of languages spoken. e rooms are
well appointed and there are five restaurants
to choose from, 24 hour room service, spa
services, swimming pools and more. Rooms
are $150 and up.
HOTEL PLAZA GRANDE
www.plazagrandequito.com
Calle Garcia Moreno, N5-16 y Chile,
San Francisco de Quito
Ph: (593 2) 2566497
e hotel is situated on Quito’s central
LA NARANJILLA MECANICA
J L Tamayo y General Veintimilla,
La Floresta
Ph: 2526468
Red velvet chairs and swinging metal tables
will give you some indication of what a happening place this is. It is known for its edgy
art collection, friendly service, great atmosphere and amazing cocktails.
square in the historic district. You can walk
to the nearby Metropolitan Cathedral, the
Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace
and City hall. Unfortunately you can’t walk
to restaurants very easily and at night the immediate area shuts down. You can take a taxi
or eat in at one of the two restaurants. e
rooms are luxuriously appointed, but the
service is a tad condescending for my tastes.
Rooms start at $150. Additional services like
laundry are pricey.
RINCON DE FRANCIA
www.rincondefrancia.com
Roca 779 y 9 de Octubre
Ph: 222-5053
French food and great service has been the
Restaurant Recommendations
in Quito:
CAFE MOSAICO
M.Samaniego Y Antepara
Ph: 2542071
Magical spot with lovely night time views.
Reasonably priced local food.
EL MIRADOR DE GUAPULO
Rafael Leon Larrea y Pasaje Stubel.
Ph: 2560364
A small restaurant with beautiful views and
space heaters so you can eat outside. Specializes in traditional Ecuadorian dishes.
LA RONDA
Calle Bello Horizonte 400 y Calle Almagro
Ph: 2540459
e restaurant is located in the north of the
city. Piano music accompanies lunch and
aer 8pm Andean music will be played. e
menu is full of typical Ecuadorian food.
hallmark of this restaurant for 29 years. It
has served the rich and famous, the sports
stars and the beauty queens. It comes highly
recommended by my local contact.
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Cell phones:
Money:
e locals use their cell phones extensively
though reception is best in the bigger cities.
In the Galapagos area they do not work and
nor do they work in the jungle. International
calls by pay phone are inexpensive in the
Galapagos. ere are lots of internet cafes so
the Skype method of phoning is also an option.
e American dollar is the currency in use
with both American and Ecuadorian 1, 5,
10, 25 and 50 cent coins in use. Bring as
many $1 bills ahead of time as you can for
tips. It will be very difficult to change bills
over $20.
ere are ATM machines in all major cities
and most small towns too. Bancos del Pacifico and Bancos del Pichincha have machines with Cirrus and Mastercard whereas
Bancos de Guayaquil and Bancos la Provisora have Visa/Plus ATM’s.
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