A Cruise Around The Galapagos Islands

There is a reason why I heard a few people refer to the Galapagos Islands as the Island of dreams and I had the privilege of discovering this first hand. As you fly above the famous Archipelago you already get the sense that you are in for something very special and unique, and it certainly didn´t disappoint.

Day 1 Puerto Ayora

After our early flight into Galapagos we were greeted by our specialist guide and transferred to the very comfortable yacht, the Galapagos Adventurer III just in time for a delicious lunch on board. Afterwards, it was time to re-visit the main town of the Galapagos Islands – Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin research centre. Here of course lies George, the famous Galapagos turtle who is over 150 years old. While George himself wasn´t feeling to sociable plenty of other giant turtles were as you are able to get right up and close to these remarkable animals. Afterwards it was back to the boat to enjoy dinner and a cocktail at the bar before setting sail for Floreana.

Day 2 Floreana

After an early morning trip on to Champion Islet to admire many Sea Lions, pink flamingoes and blue footed boobies it was time to get ready for our first snorkel. This is what I had really been looking forward to as I had heard so many great stories about snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands. Some last minute adjustments were made to my snorkel gear and I was off into another world beneath the sea it seemed. Schools of fish every colour you could think of, sea turtles, magnificent coral and even white pointer sharks came to say hello. My initial reaction to swimming with a white pointer shark wasn´t too favorable but the guide ensured us that they were harmless. The real highlight however were the friendly sea lions jumping off the rocks to join us for a quick dip as they will swim right around you.  Surely only in the Galapagos Islands could one see such a rich variety of wildlife in a just a one hour snorkel!

Day 3 Española

Next up was Española Island. The southernmost island in the Galapagos archipelago is home to several wildlife species, including masked and blue-footed boobies. I found the real highlight hear to be the amazing white sand beach with crystal clear water. Although this is common in many tropical places, this beach was covered in friendly sea lions which made it incredibly unique and special. We then had time for one last snorkel in the afternoon with the Sea Lions-something I don´t ever think I could tire of.

Day 4 Black turtle cove/Santa Cruz

Today we made our way back to Santa Cruz and had an early morning departure into black turtle cove. It´s amazing how the landscapes can differ so much in the Galapagos Islands from one Island to another. This place almost had the feeling of the Amazon jungle with it´s mangroves and wildlife. Here is where we saw many sharks and sea turtles swimming right beneath our zodiac. Another highlight was the Galapagos Hawks charging down into the water to catch the small fish right in front of our very eyes! After this it was time to catch our flight back to Quito and reflect on our amazing Galapagos journey.

Overall the Galapagos is THE place for nature and wildlife lovers and will never disappoint. If you are not a wildlife lover then a trip to the Islands will surely turn you into one.

To find out more about our Galapagos cruises click on the link to Chimu Adventures.