administracion turistica del parque nacional galapagos

One of the most amazing places I've been. Truly a place where time has stood still, All of the islands including the Darwin Center are unique with their wild life and terrain. From the giant tortoises to the frigate birds and blue footed boobies, it was incredible start to finish. We went on a small ship-maybe 300 people-and the ships naturalists took us everywhere proudly explaining the history of the islands. We visited the Islands for 5 days. We intend to go back some day.

Just returned from my third Galapagos Cruise (Metropolitan Touring Trip 50644 - Isabela II - Feb 12 - 18) and can only say the best about it. Our cabin was very comfortable, outings werewonderful, meals, excellent, but cannot say enough about the quality of service on board andthe fantastic crew managing it. The species and the topography on the islands are really unique and our naturalist guides made sure that we were given the most comprehensive information about this amazing place, best described by the great Charles Darwin:"Considering the small size of these islands, we feel the more astonished at the number of their aboriginal beings, and at their confined range... Hence, both in space and time, we seem to be brought somewhere near to that great fact, that mystery of mysteries --the appearance of the new beings on this earth." Charles Darwin, 1845.

The Galapagos islands are difficult to describe in a few words. It is a place where time stopped and each individual island evolved over millennia quite independent of each other. Each island has it's own unique animal, bird and plant life. We cruised around the islands for 3 days, on the Xavier 111. It was a very nice ship, the crew and Geo-adventure guides were excellent. We had a great learning experience and snorkeled 3 times a day as well. The water temperature was 24 degrees and we did not have to wear wet suits, but, they were available if we wanted to use them.The Galapagos was a great experience.. The $100 entrance fees per person was well worth it.

I have just returned from a 10-day cruise of the Galapagos Islands with Peregrine on a catamaran, the Queen Beatriz. The boat was great, with only 8 cabins, thus ensuring a small group. We went ashore at various places on a zodiac to view the amazing number of animal species - tortoises, sea lions, marine and land iguanas, birdlife etc. The animals seem totally unafraid of humans. The birds nesting with their chicks don't mind people getting right up close. A highlight for me was swimming with sea lions - they are so playful. Just a note of warning - I did get chased by an alpha male sea lion as he didn't like me swimming too close to the pups, but he didn't bite me! A fantastic experience. This should be on everyone's bucket list!

The national park has collected many of the species which you see on the various islands including some of the large turtles. This is a quick tour of some of the sights.....but make sure you go around to the various islands also.

The Galapagos is an amazing place with many animals, photo opportunities, fun activities and naturalist guides who can completely enhance your experience of these unique islands. However, make sure the company you go with, if going to a location which requires a guide, does NOT hire guide David Waldemar. This guide was aggressive, threatening, uninformative, and left our group behind numerous time whilst on his cellphone. He verbally threatened me, and made us feel unsafe and shaken. He is currently subject to a formal complaint with the park authorities. If you are unfortunate enough to get this guide, I highly recommend that you ask them to change the guide immediately.

it is easy to see how Darwin arrived at his "theory" after visiting the islands. The eco system is very narrow and connecting the dots between fish, amphibians, birds and mammals is easy to do. If you are taking a small ship to get around the islands DO NOT GO IN SEPTEMBER since the water is unbelievably rough. We had one bad night in mid December and you could not even get out of bed for fear of being thrown across the room. Later guides told us it is like that all the time in September. Snorkeling was excellent, especially in Isla Rabida, other areas it was too rough.. or the water too cloudy. Land hikes were excellent...you just cannot imagine the rush of having a seal pup run up to you or almost stepping on a sea iguana (time and time again). If you love nature, after Africa, the Amazon basin and Costa Rica, this is a must see.

A unique, constantly changing oasis of flora, fauna and geology. The islands are a precious reminder of our fragile position on earth. Take care of these islands if you travel there.It is very expensive, and I would recommend full research before visiting. You may be wise to fly from Guayaquil and visit a local agent there who can point you in the right direction and devise a sensible schedule with local knowledge. There are lots of surprises you need to watch out for which may cost you a lot of $US. Remember do your research!Once you are there and experience the islands (ignoring the set backs as usual in S. America) there are no negatives. It is marvel of nature.

Beautiful trip to Galapagos on Yate Darwin,hooked last minute. But don't think your 5 day trip will be 5 days (same for 4day trip); cruise starts in the afternoon of first day and ends 08.00 on the last day! So you will miss 3 meals and 1.5 day. Also, the English of the guides can be pretty bad, he might inform you about facta that contradict info in books, and you have to pay ca. 15 USD for snorkling equipment. Nevertheless, food is great,staff very friendly,and you'll see marvelous things!

Amazing place to see nature and animals not found anywhere else. Read up on Darwin before going to help with the explanation of why this archipelago is so special. Find the best professionals with Lindblad/Nat Geo expeditions.

On Athala boat. Grossly Expensive for what provided. First greeting was someone holding an illegible hand written sign saying Athala. Personal appearance not professional. On boat all meals buffet with food standard not the best. Does have breafast egg station. Boasts fully stocked bar at the beginning of trip. This consists of 2 aeroplane size bottles of wine , 2 bottles of tea, 2 fruit juices and approximately 4 lots of chip bags. This is not replenished during the 7 days. No beer and fridge is not as advertised fully stocked. Probably a value of $ 20 US MAX.All service ceases prior to 9pm. This resembles a retirement village without the fun. Daily activities are strictly run with no room for flexibility. Beware there is an expectation of large tip for staff and guide..separate..You are told and reminded of tip obligations from day one. Most unprofessional. What you see is away from boat is great but I expected a wonderful interaction time with others on board as well. Overall extremely disappointed.

This is a once in a lifetime experience. The wildlife is amazing. You should research prior to visiting to make certain you understand the island, the ecosystem, etc. Also be prepared, due to the weather and unforeseen events, you may not be able to do or see everything that you plan to do - it's nature after all. I would recommend taking a cruise as opposed to island hopping and boating to and from dive/snorkel sites.

The national park is fantastic. One is able to see birds and lizards of all kinds. It is a nature park that one can only imagine. The price of visiting is getting expensive. Did not eat there

After doing an exhaustive research, I decided that my family of 4 would be best accommodated on the S.S. Nemo - through the travel company O.A.R.S. There would be 12 passengers, 2 to a cabin, each with their own bathroom, and about 6 crew, on a catamaran. They took care of our hotel in Quito and flights to and from Quito to the islands. I had never spent so much money on a trip, nor had I ever travelled to South America, and the people at OARS patiently answered all of my questions every time I called. I would definitely work with them again. Everybody that visits The Galapagos is required to travel with a certified naturalist. Ours stayed with us on our boat and he was a walking encyclopedia. Every evening we would go over our plans for the following day. Since we were on a boat, we were always in a new location - sometimes a few different ones during the day. I really think being on a boat is the way to see the Islands because each island is very different from the other - different animals, different plants, even the sand and soil is noticeably different (black lava, vs, red sand, vs white sand). Some were green and lush, most were rocky and barren looking, but all were incredible in their own way.This is not a vacation where you go to kick back and rest with a cocktail in your hand. Although, you could opt to sit on the boat and drink if you really wanted to. We were active all the time. We did a 2+ hour hike and/or snorkel at least once a day. Oswaldo and sometimes another crew member, Daniel, would snorkel with us and there was always another crew member in the dinghy nearby in case we wanted to get out. We loved that they would snorkel with us - they would point things out that we otherwise wouldn't notice and also kept us safe. I think all of the naturalists must be very good, but I don't think most of them suit up and go snorkeling with you. We also had the option to SCUBA dive, but nobody was interested.We had no problem with safety on our boat. We all had large amounts of cash (they use US dollars in Ecuador) so we could tip and once you're off the mainland, coming across an ATM is questionable. Although our cabins were cleaned and beds made, nothing ever disappeared or was disturbed (I, personally had 3 camera with me and 2 sets of binoculars). I trusted these guys and although some of them spoke no English, they were polite and respectful to me and my kids. More than once I came down to the main salon and found a couple of crewe members playing cards with the 4 teenagers on board. It was really great.Although you're given a packing list that includes a prescription for travelers diarrhea, and a patch for sea sickness, I was surprised that half of the guests failed to bring those things. Being a mom, I also packed extra sea bands and dramamine which were promptly given away on the first night at sea, the recepients forever grateful. Only I got a touch of travelers diarrhea on the last morning on the boat - probably because I had swallowed a bunch of seawater the day before. Since it was a travel day and I would be spending a large part of it on a plane, that antibiotic was like gold to me (along with some Imodium). Once you're off the mainland, only one of the islands has a town, so you should just be prepared before you leave home.You must invest in an underwater camera and learn how to use it before you go. Also, make sure the rest of your group knows how to use their cameras as well - otherwise you'll have no pictures of yourself in the remote, incredible place. The animals are so interesting. They're not afraid of you. They don't run away from you, nor do they charge you. You're just there. You're not allowed to touch them (although some of the younger sea lions seem to beg to be hugged) and you're asked to be respectful of their space. Nesting sea turtle sights are tied off so you don't accidentally walk on top of them.Visiting the Giant Tortoise habitat inland and high on the mountain was a beautiful treat. A totally different climate and very lush up there. They are sweet, old beasts.We loved the size of our boat for many reasons. First - the other guests were a lot like us. Younger (or young at heart), adventurous and out to explore as much as possible.Second - all of us could fit into 1 dinghy and we were on our way. Some of the larger boats we saw (but we'd also go for days without seeing another boat) like NG, had numerous trips back and forth to the island. It would take them almost an hour to get their group on land. Some of them hauling huge cameras with tripods. Elderly guests that just need a little more time. I can see why they chose the bigger boats, but that wasn't what we wanted.This trip isn't for everybody. It's not for any high maintenance people who want to sit under a palm tree. We had 3 wonderful meals every day with a few options and snacks and fresh juice every day. We had wine and beer and soda for those who wanted it. If you wanted some alone time, believe it or not, there were a few places on the boat to get that. It was perfect for us and our teenagers. So glad we went. No regrets. OARS was a little less expensive than some of the competition.We also went paddle boarding. Tortoga Beach was well worth the very VERY long walk. I walked out on the volcanic jetty and got very close to some beautiful Blue Footed Boobies and iguanas and lizards. I wouldn't recommend anybody to stay in any of the hotels on the islands. I don't think you'd see enough.

I just returned from a family vacation to the Galapagos. What an awesome experience! We are so glad we went. It's a unique ecosystem that may not be there forever given tourism, potential environmental disasters and political issues. It was very hard to find travel info, so I hope these tips help.First, the Galapagos islands are not easy to reach. Plan on a full 24 hours to reach your destination. It's not convenient even when you reach the islands. When you fly into Baltra, you must take a bus to a ferry to a taxi (actually a pick-up truck) just to get into town. If you're connecting to another island besides Santa Cruz, plan on a "ferry ride" (actually a cabin cruiser with 20-30 people squeezed on board in rough seas at high speeds) and then another taxi (pick up truck where you may have to ride in the back). Most flights from Quito Ecuador to the states are "red-eye" midnight departures.Second, the Galapagos Islands are physically demanding. Everything we did required moderate physical activity. This includes long walks over paved and unpaved surfaces; hiking; biking on unpaved roads; snorkeling and swimming. The transfers from boat to zodiac and then to shore isn't always smooth. For example, when we arrived at North Seymore Island we pulled up to a rock face. I was thinking "where is the beach or the steps?" We had to climb up about 10 feet of the rock face to reach the surface of the island. If you have physical disabilities you need to know most things are not handicap accessible. If you're out of shape you may find some activities too strenuous and sit them out. If you're younger and in average shape you should consider bringing a bottle of Advil.Third, things happen on "island time". No one is in a hurry. Ferries and local airplanes don't necessarily run on time. You'll never be quite sure what's going on with your tours, but it will work out OK anyway.Fourth, despite what tour companies tell you, you can take a land based vacation with boat or airplane "hops" to other islands. I hate cruising, and the thought of being stuck on a ship was not appealing. In addition, the seas get quite rough in the May-August season when the Humbolt Current brings in cold water, a regular south wind, and rain. I used motion sickness meds for the various day trips. They were challenging, but the destination was always worth the ride. Many of the local hotels will gladly hook you up on day trips to outlying islands and sites. Our hotel arranged all of our tours on Santa Cruz and we were very satisfied. On Isabela Island we used Isabela Dive center at the recommendation of the hotel. Those tours were also good. The islands depend on tourism. We always felt welcomed, and the guides all spoke English.Finally, plan on bringing lots of sunblock and multiple film cards for your digital camera. The sun is intense, so cover up and bring extra water to drink. We actually had very little problem with mosquitoes and insects, but used up all of our sunblock. The sites are amazing. Each island has a special environment and it's own unique ecosystem. It's hard to explain the Galapagos Islands, since it is a very diverse place. We saw everything from desert landscapes, volcanic rocks, wetlands, beaches and tropical cloud/rain forests. Some islands had multiple climate zones. You will see a lot of wildlife, but it will vary depending on location, time of day, and season. The guides are good at finding the wildlife on your tours. We were told that snorkeling was "ok" but not spectacular. We were very pleased with the variety of fish and marine life. We swam with schools of fish, penguins, sea turtles and even sharks (fortunately well fed). Keep an open mind and enjoy the experience.