GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

The crown jewel of the natural world, the Galapagos Islands are set along the equator, 600 miles off the west coast of South America.  Here in these remote islands where it is almost always sunny and the cool sea breezes create a perfect air temperature that you would not expect on the equator.  In the Galapagos Islands there a crystal clear turquoise seas, beaches with pink, volcanic black, powdery white and olive green sands, mangrove lagoons and cactus forests.

The Galapagos Islands consist of 13 major islands and 17 smaller islands and some 40 rocks that make up the archipelago were born from a fiery volcano deep in the Pacific Ocean. These islands have never been part of a continent, and unlike other similar islands like Hawaii, the Galapagos has only relatively recently been discovered by man and more recently had human inhabitation.

The combination of these unusual characteristics have made Galapagos Islands a sanctuary for exotic animals which have never learned a fear of humans.  A living laboratory for scientist who can discover many of the origins of the world.  The Galapagos Islands are a finalist in the ongoing New 7 Wonders of Nature contest the Galapagos Islands inclusion seems an obvious choice for so many reasons.

For travelers the Galapagos Islands are an incredible destination to visit where you can experience what can best be described as "Galapagos magic" it's those up-close encounters with wildlife that may only be possible here. Your days are filled with exciting opportunities including snorkeling with playful sea lions, tracking giant tortoises and trading stares with unconcerned iguanas, kayaking in the middle of a pod of dolphins or orcas.  You may have to give way as a blue footed booby crosses your path, or have the opportunity to observe a Galapagos Hawk perched just a few steps away, as an albatross launches itself off a cliff on a journey that will encompass thousands of miles. Or diving with hammerheads and whale sharks.

The Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve have been established to preserve this  3100 square miles, which includes 90% of the land surface and the entire ocean area within the region.  Through this vast natural haven there are just 54 sites which welcome visitors. These ports of call are pre-determined by the the national park service in order to minimize the effect of tourism in the islands while creating an astonishing itinerary full of wonder.

The islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela and Floreana are inhabited islands with small towns or villages which offer you the opportunity to sleep ashore. These settlement areas on these islands offer a variety of accommodations and tour packages to explore the Galapagos or by staying on one of the islands you can extend your stay either before or after your Galapagos Cruise. We recommend staying on the islands rather than cruising if you:

• Are traveling with small children as it permits a greater amount of flexibility with your itinerary
• Suffer from extreme sea-sickness since the boats move at night staying on shore will permit you a restful nights sleep
• Have a very limited amount of time for your visit, hotels will allow you to stay as many or as few nights as you wish
• Want to extend your stay in the Galapagos and explore the islands in-depth
• If you need to have 24-hour a day communication access to phones, faxes and computers

Galapagos Online Tours offers Galapagos cruises and island based Galapagos Tours as well as custom packages to discover the islands.  This section lets you discover the Galapagos Islands with photos, descriptions and visitor site information.