Galapagos Islands

24 April 2024

Galápagos Islands

We have arrived! These are the islands inextricably linked with Charles Darwin’s discoveries about evolution. And we are the lucky ones to be experiencing this amazing place firsthand. Our first stop on the island of San Cristobal was a very short one. Here we completed our clearance and had a few more inspections.

We immediately heaved anchor to head for Isla Isabela, the largest island in the archipelago. Still at anchor we were already greeted by sea lions, sharks, pelicans, frigate birds, Galapagos penguins and small schools of fish. And as soon as we stepped ashore, we were greeted by many more special animals. Marine iguanas, red rock crabs, turtles, flamingos, small songbirds, blue-footed boobies and the world-famous Darwin’s finches. The wildlife here seems less afraid of human visitors. There were so many activities to choose from that it was hard to decide where to go and what to do. Kayaking among penguins, swimming with sea lions, snorkeling with sea turtles, hiking up one of the many volcanoes to see land tortoises, visiting the breeding colonies of frigate birds, walking along the beach to see marine iguanas resting after swimming through the surf and so much more!

Our second stop, on the island of Santa Cruz, offered the chance for more excursions on land and more lasting memories of this truly special place! The town of Puerto Ayora is the largest settlement on the islands and offers a few more attractions such as the Darwin Research Station, the Natural History Museum and lots of restaurants and bars in picturesque locations. There is definitely enough to explore here for a longer stay. Unfortunately, we are already on our way to the last stop of this trip, San Cristobal.