The Galapagos Islands is a group of volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean 973km off the west coast of South America. The islands have some of the most diverse wildlife in the world making it a paradise for diving, bird watching and all nature lovers.
Small ship Galapagos Island tours give you the opportunity to watch giant Galapagos tortoises and Blue Footed Boobies in the morning and snorkel with sea lions and marine iguanas in the afternoon. The Galapagos is famed for being one of the most exciting places to dive on earth and almost every scuba diver has these islands on their bucket list.
Who goes to the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands is the perfect destination for nature loving travellers, due to the unique wildlife and geography of the area. Scuba divers and birdwatchers in particular would be interested in the destination, but it really appeals to anyone interested in wildlife.
Generally, clients that visit this region are well-travelled and educated, 45 years and over and usually travelling as couples or groups of friends. There is the potential to send families to the Galapagos, but you need to be mindful that small ships aren’t the best environment for small children so an island-hopping stay with land-based accommodation is usually more suitable.
How to get to the Galapagos Islands
Air access to South America from Australia is via Santiago with Qantas and LATAM, direct from Melbourne and Sydney. There are no direct international flights to the Galapagos Islands so you must fly via either Quito or Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador and more than likely you will need to overnight in either of these cities before and after your cruise. Most flights from Quito stop in Guayaquil and depending on your route the flight will take between 2.5 to 3 hours. There are two airports taking flights from the mainland, the primary one being on Baltra Island which is connected to Santa Cruz Island and the other one being on San Cristobal which takes fewer flights.
Top 10 things to do in the Galapagos Islands
- Scuba diving with hammerhead sharks, manta rays and more
- See the spectacular Galapagos giant tortoises in the wild at Galapagos Safari Camp
- Watch blue-footed boobies perform their famous clumsy mating dance
- Swim with playful sea lions as they duck and dive through the crystal-clear water
- See the Galapagos Penguin – the only penguin that lives above the equator
- See the colourful Sally lightfoot crabs dart about with impressive agility and speed
- Learn why land Iguanas are a different colour on each island
- Watch Frigatebirds puff up & drum their chests to attract a mate
- Hike to the top of a volcano for the best views on the islands
- Send a stamp-less postcard from Floreana island, where other tourists become the postmen
How to book the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos is a year-round destination and no time of year is likely to disappoint as animals are active year-round. There are essentially two main seasons in the Galapagos, the ‘hot wet season’ from December to May and the ‘dry season’ from June to December however being located along the equator means that the average minimum/maximum temperatures in the Galapagos archipelago only vary moderately.
The first decision to make is whether to do a cruise or land based ‘island hopping’ tour. Island Hopping typically involves a tour of 4 to 8 days and combines stays in Santa Cruz Island, Isabela and San Cristobal Islands, day tours of these and other surrounding islands. The main advantage of this type of tour is that it’s usually less expensive than cruising and involves less time on boats for those who are prone to sea sickness.
Cruising in the Galapagos can be the better way of seeing the islands as you can visit more remote spots and potentially more areas as the vessels typically cruise at night to reach new anchor points. Most vessels in the Galapagos are small ships of around 16 to 20 passengers however there are several luxury vessels in the 30 to 50 passenger range and a few larger vessels taking between 50 and 100 passengers.
Generally, the choice comes down to what wildlife you wish to see, and our handy map gives you a good idea of what you can see and where. Some of this wildlife is seasonal so if you are really wanting to see a particular species of bird for example then you will need to book the right itinerary.
Whilst it is an expensive destination this doesn’t mean you should try to cut costs and choose a more budget way to travel, to the contrary really. Apart from providing a more comfortable journey with better food and service, a luxury lodge or cruise also charges a higher price because they have more experienced and better qualified naturalist guides. The knowledge and dedication of these guides forms an integral part of your Galapagos experience and we cannot understate how important this is in a destination with such an amazingly diverse and fragile ecosystem.
How to learn more about the Galapagos Islands
Eclipse Travel have a comprehensive Galapagos Islands guide on their website which is very handy when handling enquiries. Eclipse Travel can also arrange training sessions for agents wishing to learn more about our Galapagos Islands program either in person or via webinar. Email your travel designer or enquiry@eclipsetravel.com.au to arrange this or ask any questions about the destination.
