Galapagos Islands

Introduction

Blue Footed Boobie 2

© Taffski

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands around the equator, located about 1,000 kilometres west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean and were made famous by Charles Darwin. It is a heaven for people who wish to be witness of some of the most unusual animals in the world, all to be viewed from up close. It doesn't come cheap and a tour of 5 days including the return flight from mainland Ecuador will set you back at least a US$ 1,000, but probably more when you want to explore more islands and spend some decent amount of time at this magnificent place.

The environment is fragile on the other hand and recently, the government of Ecuador has announced that less visitors are allowed on the islands at one time and a maximum number is allowed in one year. Also prices for the entry to the National Park are tripled which only adds extra costs. Still, if visited in the right way, it makes for an unforgettable trip!

Hopefully this stops some of the more rampant destructions and corruption that has plagued the Galapagos in the past. As recently as the 1990s the local mafia were trying smuggle animals out of the Galapagos Islands for a profit. Also many Ecuadorians view the islands as their frontier. Therefore many people move to the islands in order to find their fortunes in many different industries some very destructive to the fragile environment of the Galapagos Islands. Over fishing in recent years has been blamed for the reduction in the number of large whale sightings while on cruises.

Geography

Galapagos View

© Darell

The islands are located on the equator, in the Pacific Ocean and apart from Ecuador the closest islands are 500 kilometres north (Cocos Islands) or almost 2,000 kilometres south (Easter Island). As the Galapagos islands are on the equator, they are located in both the northern and southern hemisphere and with the equator line located exactly on the island of Isla Isabela. From north to south the islands are spread out about 220 kilometres. A nice affect of being located on the equator and at sea level is that a traveller can see every constellation year round while visiting the Galapagos Islands.

The Galapagos Islands include 7,880 square kilometres of land and 45,000 square kilometres of water. The largest of the islands is Isabela Island with about 4588 square kilometres, thus making up half of the total land area. The highest point is located on Isabela as well and Volcan Wolf has an altitude of 1,707 metres above sea level.

The Galapagos Archipelago consists of 16 main islands, 6 smaller islands, and 10 rocks and islets. The islands are located in a volcanic sensitive area and the oldest island is thought to have been formed between 5 and 10 million years ago. The most recent eruption was just back in 2007 and, as a consequence, younger islands like Isabela and Fernandina are still being formed and thus changed as we speak.

Islands

Blowhole, Espanola, Galapagos Islands

© andymoore

The main islands of the Galapagos are

• Santa Cruz
• San Cristobal
• Baltra
• Bartolomé
• Darwin
• Espanola
• Fernandina
• Isabela
• Floreana
• Marchena
• Pinzon
• Rabida
• Santiago
• Santa Fé

Towns

With a total population of only 40,000, you would hardly be surprised to hear that real cities are absent on the Galapagos Islands. The capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal island which has about 6,000 inhabitants, making it the second largest settlement after Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz which has better facilities for travellers. Many people only visit Puerto Ayora and Santa Cruz island because of the costs of going on a boat trip. Even if you just stay in Puerto Ayora you can have a great time exploring animals at the Charles Darwin Research Station. This is where you can learn about the history of the islands and the future conservation. In the hills around Puerto Ayora there are great day hikes where wild giant tortoises can be spotted.

Sights and Activities

Lonesome George, Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands

© andymoore

When visiting the islands you will likely take a boat trip between a couple or several of the islands. Every islands has its own specific environment and for specific species you have to visit as many islands as possible. All of the islands in the park officially open at sunrise and a great activity is to visit right when they open. Your group will be the only travellers on the islands and the animals will just be waking up. Also the soft light will help when taking great pictures. For more information on the wildlife on the Galapagos Islands please read the article: Wildlife In The Galapagos.

• Charles Darwin Research Center is run by the Charles Darwin Foundation on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands. This is an excellent place to visit to learn more about the wildlife of the Galapagos including the famous Lonesome George, who is the last of his species. Most multi day tours include a half day at the center.
• Galapagos Scuba Diving is considered to be some of the best diving in the world. It is one of the few places in the world that you can dive with Sea Lions, Giant Turtles, Hammerhead Sharks, Penguins and Sea Horses all in one dive!
• Vivencial Fishing is a relatively new activity for vistors to the Galapagos Islands. While sport fishing, per se, is prohibited, the Galapagos National Park has issued a limited number of licences to local fishermen to offer Pesca Artesanal Vivencial or Artisanal Vivencial Fishing. On a properly licenced Vivencial Fishing boat, you can fish offshore for big-game like marlin or inshore for tuna, wahoo, grouper and other permitted species. All marlin must be released but a limited amount of other fish can be kept for personal consumption. You may not fish for sharks or rays. If you want to fish in the Galapagos be aware that both the fisherman and his boat require the special licence. The Galapagos National Park publishes a list of licenced boats and owners.
• Hiking is often included as part of organized cruises or tours of the highlands. Although you will often see fewer animals during these tours, you will often gain a greater understanding of the difference in terrain and vegetation as well as the formation of the islands. Hiking is restricted in all National Park land; however, several sights, like the Wall of Tears on Isabela and Cerro Tijeras on San Cristobal can be hiked independently. The rules are that a guide must accompany all groups of more than eight people in the National Park.
• Biking provides quicker access to far sites from the ports. Bike rentals are available on Isabela, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz for around $15 per day.
• Kayaking allows you to navigate more of the water without a boat. Kayaks can be rented at Tortuga Bay in Santa Cruz and the port at San Cristobal to navigate the nearby beaches. Fish and sea turtles can often be seen while kayaking; however, conditions should be checked before renting.

Events and Festivals

• January - The green sea turtle arrives to lay their eggs and land iguanas begin reproducing on Isabela.
• February - Flamingos start nesting on Floreana, Bahamas pintails begin their breeding season and nesting season of the Galapagos dove reaches its peak.
• March - Marine iguanas nest in Fernandina and on the 21st, the summer equinox signals the arrival of the waved albatross to Española.
• April - Hatching season begins for the green sea turtle and the land iguana.
• May - The blue footed boobies begin their courtship and waved albatrosses start to lay their eggs on Española.
• June - June in the Galapagos marks the beginning of the cold garúa season (dry winds that hit the slopes of the Andes creating a low-level cloud cover). Giant tortoises begin nesting.
• July - Whales are more likely to be spotted off the Western coast of Isabela and lava lizards begin their mating ritual which runs through November.
• August - The Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago, while mask boobies and swallow tail gulls nest on Genovesa.
• September - September is the peak of cold season which sees more active penguins, sea lions and marine birds throughout the beaches of the Galapagos.
• October - The Galapagos fur seals begin their mating period and giant tortoises lay eggs.
• November - Sea lion pups are born and brown noddies begin breeding.
• December - The rainy season begins, causing the whole area to be bathed in greenery. Green sea turtles begin mating and giant tortoise eggs start hatching.

Weather

Although it is located right on the Equator, the influence of the currents (like the cold Humboldt current) in the Pacific Ocean moderates the weather extremely. The warmer El Nino current influences the weather mainly from December to April, when the usual drizzle makes place for heavy showers. During this season both the air and water are warmer, around 25 °C on average, while during the colder June to October period this would be closer to 22 °C including the drizzle and occasional fog.

March in general is the hottest month, with temperatures over 30 °C during the day. Sometimes the difference between day and night temperatures may only vary one or two degrees. February and March are also the wettest months.

Although the hottest months are also the wettest, strangely these are also the months with the most sunshine as the colder June to September months have an overcast during most of the day. This latter period, on the other hand, is best when you want to see many of the aquatic life as the animals prefer the colder Humboldt current instead of the warmer El Nino current.

Getting There

By Plane

Regular flights connect the islands with both Quito and Guayaquil but flights need to be booked well in advance because of its popularity. There are two airports servicing passengers arriving on the Galapagos Islands: one on Baltra and the other on San Cristobal. Pay attention when checking in for your flight: flights to Baltra are often described simply as "Galapagos" while flights to San Cristobal say, specifically "San Cristobal".

By Boat

There are cargo ships departing from from Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands. The journey takes 3 to 4 days and booking passage aboard these boats is not common. These boats are only permitted to provide passage to residents of the Galapagos Islands - they are not allowed to take tourists on board.

Many people choose to arrive Galapagos aboard their own private boat. Either in transit or to tour the islands. Boats transiting the island are permitted to stay in one of the four ports (Baltra, Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo, Villamil or Floreana for a maximum of 21 days). They are not permitted to travel to other parts of the islands under this permit.

Boats which wish to visit more than one island or to cruise the islands on board their own vessel may do so under special permission. These permits need to be obtained in advanced through a local licensed Galapagos Yacht Agency. The owner of the boat needs to be on board while in the Galapagos Islands and the boat can not be operating for commercial purposes. The special permits are expensive and many smaller boats prefer to arrive "in transit" then tour the islands aboard one of the regular cruises.

Getting Around

Yacht Floreana, Galapagos Islands

© andymoore

How you get around depends on whether you are in an inhabited area or on park territory.

On the inhabited islands, you have taxis, vans, buses and bicycles to choose from. The only restriction is that when on park territory you must be accompanied by a licensed Galapagos National Park guide.

You can only get to the uninhabited islands by boat. Your landing might be "wet" (knee deep at the most) or "dry" (where there is a rudimentary pier). Once on land, it is all by foot and you'll want to have sturdy sandals, preferably walking shoes or even hiking boots. In places the ground can be a little challenging and it can really help to have a stick.

The "visitor site" trails are marked by posts and painted rocks and you have to stay within the lines. That's generally no problem as the animals will often come to you. You can hike in the inhabited areas, which are quite extensive on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. You'll need a guide to go into the Park itself.

By Plane

There is a company (Emetebe) which operates two twin-prop light aircraft (6 or 8 seats) on a regular daily schedule between Baltra, San Cristobal and Isabela.

By Car and Bus

Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and, to a lesser extent Isabela, all have abundant taxis that will take you anywhere in town for a dollar. Travel outside town, such as to the highlands will be a few dollars more. There are daily buses to the airport on Baltra. San Cristobal's airport is on the edge of town and is a 5-minute taxi ride. You can rent bicycles on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal and you can ride considerable distances before finding yourself at the limits of the National Park, beyond which you will have to be accompanied by a Park guide.

By Boat

Seeing the sites and wildlife of the Galapagos is best done by boat. Most people book their place well in advance (as the boats are usually full during the high season). Booking a boat tour with a company in your home country is usually the most convenient, but is often considerably more expensive.

There are a VAST number of companies that can book accommodation on a Galapagos tour either in Puerto Ayora or from Guayaquil or Quito. While it is possible to get a last-minute deal, be aware that many budget tours may spend extra time in Puerto Ayora, might not have the best boats, and may only visit the inner islands. Last minute 4-day cruises can be organized in Puerto Ayora for around $400–1800.

When looking for a tour consider the following:

• Number of passengers - The national park restricts the size of the boats allowed to cruise the islands, with some islands such as Genovesa being limited to boats with no more than forty passengers. Though the maximum size boat permitted to cruise the islands is 100 passengers, as you might imagine 100 people showing up on a beach all at the same time can be overwhelming to the local wildlife. All passengers will be divided up into a maximum group size of 16 passengers per naturalist guide. Therefore it is generally best to travel on a boat with fewer passengers (between 16 and 32 passengers is ideal).
• Itinerary - The National Park sets all of the cruise itineraries. Each itinerary is designed to have a mixture of habitats and show case the diversity of the islands by combining the Southern Espanola and Floreana, Central, Western Fernandina, Isabela or Northern Genovesa Islands. Most boats will visit 2 or 3 of these areas during a week.
• Availability - Most of the best cruises are booked up months in advance, so best to book early.
• Level of activity - Visits to the islands are only permitted during the twelve hours of daylight 6:00am to 6:00pm. Typically a cruise will have two excursions each day, a morning and an afternoon that will be a combination of shore and water excursions. Walks are generally at a slow pace offering plenty of time for interpretation and photos. The landings may be slippery and some trails can be rocky, which makes them difficult for people with mobility or balance problems, but in general the walks are easy. Water excursions may include snorkeling, kayaking, panga rides (rides in local dinghies) as well as rides in a glass-bottom boat, depending on your cruise. Life under the water is more diverse than that on shore and snorkeling with sea lions is frequently the highlight of the trip for many visitors.
• Additional costs - Many tours do not include the $100 park entry fee or the cost of a flight from the mainland to the islands (about $400 from Quito) as well as a $20 INGALA Tourist Control Card. Additionally less-expensive boats will charge for beverages, use of snorkel equipment, wetsuits and kayaks.
• Time spent in the islands - The cruise length includes the day you arrive and the day you depart the Galapagos. Flights typically arrive the islands around noon time or in the early afternoon and leave the islands about the same time. On your first day you will typically have one excursion, and on the day you leave you may or may not have an excursion. In addition, all eight-day cruises are required to visit the town of Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research. Many itineraries will combine this day with a visit to see the tortoises in the wild in the highlands of Santa Cruz. Shorter cruises will take advantage of the close proximity of the Baltra airport to Puerto Ayora and let passengers who boarded the cruise in San Cristobal leave the cruise in Santa Cruz or vice versa.
• Type of boat - Quality of boats varies widely. Less-expensive tours use boats that may not be capable of traveling as quickly between islands, be as comfortable, or be as well-maintained.

Note that while the majority of the islands will be off-limits without a guide, it is possible to travel via speed boat between the towns on San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz and Isla Isabela; trips to Floreana can also be arranged. Speed boats cost $30 one-way, or $50 both ways with an open return date. Each of these islands offers the possibility of joining organized local daytrips or of traveling on your own while within the town limits.

From Santa Cruz it is possible to book day trips to the uninhabited islands of North Seymour, South Plazas, Santa Fe and Bartolome. Advance reservations are normally required; however, on occasion you can find space due to a last-minute cancellation the night before.

Eat

The Galapagos Islands were once a favoured source of giant tortoises to feed the crews of passing ships, particularly whalers, and the tortoise population was decimated even to the extent that some species are now extinct.

In the past, some species, particularly sea-cucumber and lobster, were seriously over-fished by the local population and are now restricted to a few months in the year. There are no quotas on other species and the local fishermen are not sufficiently numerous or well equipped to have much impact on fish stocks. The biggest problem now is that commercial boats from the Ecuador mainland and other countries fish the perimeter of the Marine Reserve and frequently make illegal incursions into the Reserve. The use of long-lines and shark-finning are both illegal but enforcement is problematic.

There is no restriction on tourists eating seafood (in season of course) and the quantities involved have no material impact on stocks.

Drink

There are a few bars near the port in Puerto Ayora, some of which can be a little fun. Remember to bring booze with you on the boats because the private bars on the tours can get very expensive. Once you leave Puerto Ayora there is no place to buy anything, other then the boat store. In the same breathe most boat trips have early morning hikes which are no fun with a hang over.

Sleep

Hotels and hostels are available on each of these islands from $10–$500+, while hotels along the water are generally full especially in Santa Cruz. During peak season (Christmas & Easter weeks) as well as during special events, all hotels are frequently sold out well in advance. However, if you are traveling at other times of the year, you may be able to find availability by just showing up.

There are a few hotels in Puerto Ayora. Although the vast majority of people sleep on their boats. Camping is not an option on any of the islands.

Rules and Regulations

The park is strictly regulated. Outside of the towns visitors must be accompanied by guides, and visitors are only allowed on land from sunrise until sunset. Itineraries must be registered with the park prior to embarking on a trip, and animals should never be disturbed; while the wildlife in the Galapagos will usually ignore your presence, a general rule of thumb is that if an animal notices your presence, then you are too close. Two meters is generally given as a minimum distance to keep away from animals; you will find that if you are calm and respectful that many animals will walk right up to investigate you.

One of the greatest dangers to the islands is introduced species. The park service is trying to eliminate goats, rats, cats, dogs, and introduced plant species on many of the islands, but it is a difficult battle; after evolving for thousands of years without predators, the Galapagos wildlife is not adapted to handle these new species. When traveling to the islands, do not bring any plant or animal life with you, and be sure to always clean your footwear when traveling between islands to avoid accidentally transferring seeds.

Illegal fishing is another threat to the park. Although park officials may deny it, illegal fishing for sharks and sea cucumbers occurs on a massive scale. The number of fishermen has increased rapidly over the last few years, while the number of fish have plunged. Due to ongoing tensions between fisherman, tourism, and science, the level of enforcement of fishing laws can vary greatly, but even when policies are put in place to limit fishing, enforcement is difficult due to the resources required to patrol the vast park area.

Another big threat to the park is the growing population. Although new rules make it impossible for people arriving from the mainland to live and work on the islands, the rules are poorly enforced, resulting in many people immigrating from the mainland to make quick money on the islands.

The codified park rules are:

1. To visit the National park you must always be accompanied by a certified Galapagos National park guide.
2. Galapagos is a unique and fragile environment. Take only photographs and video. Professional shooting needs authorization from the National Park.
3. Please stay within the limits of the walking trails, for your safety and that of the flora and fauna.
4. To avoid affecting the wildlife's natural behavior please avoid getting closer than two meters to the animals.
5. Camping is only allowed in specific sites. If you wish to camp, you must first obtain a permit from the Galapagos National Park.
6. Help conservation by cooperating with the authorities in their inspection, monitoring and control duties. Report any anomalies to the National Park.
7. Do not introduce foreign organisms to the islands, as these can have a negative impact on the ecosystem.
8. Please do not buy souvenirs which are made from black coral, sea shells, sea lion teeth, tortoise shell, volcanic rock or endemic woods.
9. Galapagos animals have their own feeding behavior. Never feed the animals. Feeding them can be detrimental to their health.
10. Galapagos landscapes are beautiful and unique. Do not spoil them by writing or etching rocks or trees.
11. Do not litter while on the islands. Always dispose of rubbish in a safe and appropriate way.
12. Smoking or making camp fires in the national park areas is forbidden and can cause devastating fires.
13. Fishing is strictly forbidden, except on those boats specifically authorised by the Galapagos National Park.
14. Jet skiing, submarines, water skiing, and aerial tourism are all forbidden.

External Links

• National Park Website