Galapagos Islands

We'd travelled by overnight bus from Trujillo in Peru, to Guayaquil in Ecuador, and although tired, we were also very excited. This is because Guayaquil is the closest city for a flight to the Galapagos Islands, and we were going there. The Galapagos Islands is a collection of isolated volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, around 1000 kms west of Ecuador.

Marine iguana and blue-footed booby, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

Galapagos is famous for its populations of land and marine animal species that are found nowhere else on earth, including the giant tortoise, marine iguana, and flightless cormorant. It also has some colourful characters such as the blue-footed booby, pink flamingo and whitetip reef shark. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of Ecuador's jewels.

To get here, we'd firstly taken an 18 hour overnight international bus from Peru to Guayaquil in Ecuador. The bus ride was very good.

Pacific coast scenery entering Ecuador

We'd slept and been well fed, seen some wonderful scenery including the Pacific coast and Ecuadorian banana plantations, and had a safe passage through what is known as a notoriously dangerous land border crossing. All this for around NZ$ 84 per person versus NZ$ 525 flying – a bargain.

Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America, but has a population of around 15 million. It is a democracy, uses the US dollar as its official currency, and Spanish as its official language. We were looking forward to seeing more of it, with our first look being the Galapagos Islands.

Map showing the western route around Galapagos Islands

We had booked an 8-day cruise around Galapagos Islands while we were in Peru. Our cruise was to be on the Millennium catamaran, taking a westerly route around Galapagos, which would include the islands of Santa Cruz, Isabella, Fernandina, Santiago, North Seymour and Bartolomé.

Before buying this cruise, we watched and waited until more-or-less the last minute hoping that the US$ 3,500 per person price tag would drop. In the end, we got it for around 50% less – a very good price. It is expensive doing the islands that’s for sure, and New Zealand's currency rate against the Ecuador dollar is poor. Never mind - this is a once in a lifetime trip.

Arriving in the Galapagos Islands (UNESCO), Ecuador

So leaving Guayaquil, we flew to Baltra Island to begin our Galapagos adventure. We landed, paid US$ 100 each for being allowed onto the Island, and were met by our guide, Miguel. We were then bussed to a small ferry and taken to Santa Cruz Island to meet the others on our cruise.

On Santa Cruz, we went to a place where giant tortoises roam freely in their native environment. It is in a farmland area and the local farmers have made a large pond so that the tortoises visit regularly. There are no fences but the tortoises don't wander too far away from the water. It was amazing to see these incredibly large beasts up close.

Galapagos giant tortoise

The Galapagos tortoise is the world’s largest tortoise. Unfortunately, they are an endangered species due to human exploitation of their body parts, and loss of habitat from invasive species such as rats, pigs and goats.

We were later to see more tortoises at one of the three tortoise breeding centres on Galapagos. The centres have been set up to breed and protect the tortoise until they are 5-years old, after which they are released back into the wild.

Our tortoise experience was a great introduction to Galapagos which takes its name from the tortoise (Galapagos is the Spanish word for tortoise).

Entrance to a lava tunnel, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Not far from the giant tortoises we saw some lava tunnels and we walked right through one. A lava tunnel is an underground passage formed by lava as it flows underneath the ground. When the lava stops flowing, it leaves behind an empty cave. It was very interesting.

After this start to our trip, we were taken by bus to our boat, the Millennium, a 16-berth catamaran.

The Millennium, our cruise boat

The Millennium was at its full capacity on this trip. There were us two Kiwi's, four Americans, one Canadian, three Swiss, two Austrians, one Aussie, two Swedes and one Italian. Quite a mixed bunch, and younger rather than older, but everyone seemed to hit it off really well.

Our cabin was surprisingly spacious with twin beds, a bathroom with toilet and basin, and a separate shower room. The shower had a big window looking out over the water but did have a curtain!  We also had our own private balcony.

Once the cabins were sorted and everyone organised, the captain hauled anchor and we were off.

Leigh walking among the lava rock on Isabela Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Our destination was Isabela Island. Isabela is one of the youngest of the Galapagos group at around 1 million years. But it is also the largest, being formed by the merging of six large volcanoes into one land mass. Now days, it's covered by blackish lava rock, some vegetation, and many wonderful animals.

But we had a very rough and rocky ride getting to Isabela. Marg's stomach did not like it at all so she focused on lying flat on the bed. Leigh sat on her bed playing on the computer (much to Marg’s chagrin!). What an initiation. The next few days we had a combination of smooth and rough seas but the island experience more than made up for it.

Black marine iguanas on Isabela Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Docking in Isabela's Tintoreras Bay for a walk around, we spotted dozens of Galapagos marine iguanas, the only seafaring lizard in the world. They were everywhere; from small ones to large ones, clustered in tight groups sunning themselves on the black volcanic rock. Their black colour blends into the rock so you have to watch where you are walking.

What incredible creatures they are. The males have a spikey ridge down their back and the females are plain. They seem to waddle about on land, but in the water, they are transformed into sleek rockets, zooming along.

Unfortunately, these little guys are a threatened species because of their small habitat on Galapagos.

Whitetip reef shark in Tintoreras Bay, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

We also saw whitetip reef sharks swimming in the clear shallow waters of the bay. There are 9 shark species around Galapagos with the whitetip being one of the most common. They grow to about 1.5 metres long on average, and frolic around the corals, reefs, and caves of the islands. They are not considered dangerous to humans.

They share their habitat with sea cucumbers, urchins, sponges, starfish, and a myriad of other sea creatures, many of which we could see in the clear water.

Cheeky Galapagos Sea Lions, Isabela Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

One of the funniest sights on Isabela was seeing sea lions making themselves at home on a public seat. Apparently, this type of mischief is not uncommon with the Galapagos Sea Lion. They are very playful characters and a day or so after we took this "bench" photo of a sea lion, we were snorkeling and they were zooming all around us very playfully.

While on Isabela, we visited an area known as The Wetlands, 872 hectares of lagoons and mangrove swamps. It is so rich in biodiversity that has become the main breeding and feeding site for several endangered and vulnerable species, such as the mangrove finch.

Us at Sierra Negra Volcano, Isabela Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

We also climbed to Sierra Negra Volcano. This volcano has the largest caldera of all of Galapagos volcanoes, but it also has the shallowest at only 100m deep. That meant we could see down inside the caldera, with its dramatic backdrop of black lava rock.

It is one of the most active volcanoes in Galapagos with its most recent eruption being in 2005.

Pink flamingo on Isabela Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Still on Isabela, we headed to the Laguna de los Flamingos, home to 50% of the pink flamingo population on Galapagos. These birds live in small colonies and tend not to migrate outside of the islands. They can grow to between 120 and 150 cm and live for around 25 years. Their pink colour comes from their diet of red and pink shellfish and other crustaceans.

They are listed as a vulnerable species on the Islands as they are under constant threat of animals such as dogs, cats, pigs and rats that have found their way to the islands over the years.

The lava landscape at Moreno Pt, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Our next stop was on Isabela's Moreno Point, which has a vast lava flow, making the whole area look like a moonscape. We could see another volcano, Cero Azul, in the distance. We hiked through this bleak but interesting landscape, seeing interesting lava lakes, lava lizards, interesting cacti, and more pink flamingos.

By now, we were getting into a daily routine of getting into a zodiac dinghy that enabled us to land on the different islands, cruise through shallow inlets, and snorkel at interesting places.

Kitted out ready for snorkelling, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

We snorkelled twice a day. Leigh was very brave – for many, many years, she has had a fear of swimming in deep water and breathing through artificial means as with a snorkel. She told the captain about her fears, so he put a life jacket over her wet suit so she would float.

Then off we all went in the zodiac in wet suit and snorkel, and Leigh with her life jacket. Everyone was busy getting their flippers on when Leigh just popped over the side (“I just had to do it then or not at all” she said later). She surfaced within seconds looking panicked, but after some calming words from a woman in the dinghy, she settled and was off.

Huge sea turtle, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

With the extra flotation and flippers she sped across the water like a little bullet! After that, all she/we could see was the amazing sea life. We saw big sea turtles feeding on sea grass right below us, and so close, and sea lions swam and frolicked around us.

We swam over and close to white tipped reef sharks and different types of rays which was a bit freaky, and we had a little penguin zooming around us.

Galapagos penguins

The penguins at Elizabeth Bay were a real highlight. We were surprised to see penguins as you normally don't see them in the warmer waters near the equator. However, these little characters seem to like the colder ocean currents that sweep around the Galapagos.

They are the second smallest penguin in the world, standing at 20 to 49 centimetres tall. They are endemic to Galapagos, and are rare, with only about 1000 of them world-wide.

Blue-footed boobies, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

An absolute highlight, was seeing blue-footed boobies. We were able to get very close to them in the zodiac, and their feet really are a lovely shade of pale blue. The blue comes from the natural colouring found in their diet of anchovy, flying fish, mackerel, and sardines. The bluer their feet, the healthier they are, and the more likely they are to find a mate.

They are quite large at between 76 and 88 centimetres in length and with a wingspan of 156 to 158 centimetres. They are not endangered, and the world’s largest population of blue-footed boobies is here in Galapagos Islands.

Flightless cormorant, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

The birdlife in Elizabeth Bay was amazing with lots to see. One interesting bird was the flightless cormorant. These are special to the Galapagos, and have evolved over 2 million years to having very small wings, so they can’t fly.

This bird was one of the species studied by Charles Darwin, and contributed to his theory of evolution by means of natural selection. He concluded that the isolation of Galapagos, the abundance of food on hand, and lack of predators meant the bird did not have to fly to survive, and eventually lost the need for large wings.

The native Sally Lightfoot crab, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

While watching the flightless cormorants, we notice some small and pretty red crabs scuttling about the black rocks. These are Sally Lightfoot crabs and they are native to the Galapagos. We'd seen them on other islands but on this occasion, we were able to get close to them.

Our next stop was Punta Espinoza around Fernandina Island. It is one of the most pristine places in the world. Here we saw many more Sally Lightfoot crabs, lagoons dotted with stingrays, and more flightless cormorants and penguins.

Green Sea Turtle, Punta Espinoza, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

A highlight here was the pretty Green Sea Turtle which we saw swimming in a lagoon full of turtles. This turtle can weigh up to 225 kg and reach around 1.2 m in length. It gets its name from its green flesh.

It is seen in only a few places in the world, and is the only species of sea turtle to nest in Galapagos. It is considered endangered because people are still hunting it for its eggs and meat. They also get caught in fishing gear, and have died from consuming plastics.

Some of the sights on Fernandina, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

Also on Fernandina, we saw lot of black volcanic rock which looked stunning backed by the aquamarine sea. Our walks took us past hundreds of marine iguanas, the skeleton of a whale, and lots more sea lions. We also saw herons, pelicans and many other seabirds.

Our two snorkelling expeditions in this area revealed more sea turtles, many starfish and hundreds of multi-coloured fish swimming about in the clear water.

Frigate birds following our boat, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

As we sailed around the islands, we were often followed by frigatebirds. They are an iconic part of the Galapagos experience, as they soar gracefully across the ocean on their oversized wings. They have the largest ratio of wingspan to body weight of any bird in the world, with some wingspans measuring up to 230 cm wingtip to wingtip.

We had seen lots of them and noted that some had red markings under their neck. However, we didn't realise the significance of that until later, when we landed on North Seymour Island.

Two male frigatebirds trying to impress a female, Nth Seymore Isl, Galapagos

On North Seymour, we were amazed find that the red neck-marking is a sac on the males. They puff it up to attract a mate, and when puffed up, it's huge and quite a bright red. The female has white around her neck and head and doesn't puff up. 

We saw many couples nesting and loved their large, white and fluffy chicks. They were very easy to spot in the sparse vegetation, and we were able to get really close and had a spectacular view of them.

Land iguana eating cactus, Nth Seymour Isl, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

On North Seymour, we also got our first and only look at a Galapagos land iguana. They are quite different to the many marine iguana that we had seen. They are yellow-brown in colour, and feed on cactus fruit. 

We saw quite a few fossilized skeletons just lying around. Apparently quite a lot of them die because of the limited amount of food available on the island.

Darwin Lake, Isabela Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Our next stop was Targus Cove on Isabela Island, where we had a steep uphill walk to Darwin Lake, an inland salt water lake formed inside a volcanic cone. Climbing further took us to a lookout giving great view over the islands.

Targus Cove is an historical site visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, and was also the hideout of various whalers and pirates due to its safe anchorage - some even carved their name in the surrounding rock.

Wildlife spotted there included flightless cormorants and sea lions. Then we popped over the side of the zodiac for a snorkel in the beautifully clear water, seeing many colourful fish, sea algae, coral, and starfish.

Galapagos hawk and Galapagos fur seal on Santiago Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Santiago Island was our next stop, where we disembarked at Puerto Egas. While walking along its volcanic black beach, we came across a large Galapagos hawk, standing proudly beside the rocks on which lounged a Galapagos fur seal and its pup.

These hawks are endemic to Galapagos Islands and due to a decline in numbers, are considered a vulnerable species. We felt very privileged to see this one.

The Galapagos fur seal is also endemic to Galapagos. They are the smallest fur seals in the world and love the rocky grottos on the Island. Unfortunately, they are endangered because of marine pollution, ocean warming, and bycatch.

Sombrero Chino Isl, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

Our next stop was Chinese Hat, aka Sombrero Chino. An indeed, when seen from a distance, this volcanic island looks just like a traditional Chinese hat. It is one of the smallest islands in the Galapagos group, but it has a beautiful white sand beach, very clear water, stunning views, and colourful vegetation.

We saw all of the usual suspects here, such a marine iguana, sea lions, etc. Then we went snorkelling in the beautifully clear water between here and Santiago Isl, seeing parrotfish and puffers as well as pretty corals.

Marg among the red carpet weed, Galapagos Isl (UNESCO), Ecuador

Back on Santiago, we feasted our eyes on the stunning vegetation as well as the wildlife. The vegetation that caught our interest is called Galapagos carpet weed and it is native to Galapagos.

It’s a spreading succulent plant that has fleshy leaves and small white flowers. While normally green, it turns a reddish colour during the dry season. We'd seen it on many of the islands, but seeing it as the sun set on Santiago, highlighted its beautiful colour.

At the Bartolomé Island lookout, Galapagos Island (UNESCO), Ecuador

Bartolomé Island was our next highlight. From the bay opposite, we climbed almost 400 wooden steps to get a spectacular view of Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island, and other surrounding islands. The black lava of the islands, green vegetation, golden sand, and blue water, provided a wonderful landscape.

While there, we also saw Pinnacle Rock, a huge and slender naturally eroded rock that looks like giant barb. We snorkelled there and loved it, seeing penguins zooming around, a sea lion, a few reef sharks, stingrays, and many tropical fish.

Unusual volcanic rock at Sullivan's Bay, Galapagos (UNESCO), Ecuador

One of our last stops was Sullivan Bay, on the other side of Santiago Island. What we saw here was an amazing and unusual pattern of lava activity called Pahoehoe, which was formed in 1897.

By this time, we had completed our western circuit of the Islands and were headed back to Santa Cruz Island. This trip has been fantastic, and travelling on the western route meant we got to see everything on our ‘wish list’ and more.

We saw heaps of animals, sea creatures, and birds; enjoyed some spectacular scenery; learned about different types of plants that survive on the lava rock, and swam and snorkelled off some stunning beaches.

Our co-passengers on the Millennium for our Galapagos Island cruise

The boat, the guide, the captain and crew all made for a fabulous cruise, along with the good company of our fellow travellers.

On each island, the number of visitors is limited and there are only a small number of boats that do the western route. This was great as it seemed we had the islands all to ourselves - very special. This has been truly an adventure we will never forget, and a highlight of our South American exploits to date.

We flew back to Guayaquil feeling very sad to be leaving Galapagos.

Marg in Guayaquil, Ecuador

Once back in Guayaquil, we grabbed a taxi to the Manso Boutique Guesthouse, an interesting place in an old, many-storied building right on the Guayaquil waterfront. Our room was clean but basic, in a convenient location, and with a nice view.

Guayaquil is Ecuador's main port, and its largest city with a population of almost 3 million. It sits on the Guayas River which runs into the Pacific, providing good access to the Galapagos Islands.

After dropping our luggage, we headed out into the city for a look around.

One of the dozens of land iguana in Iguana Park, Guayaquil, Ecuador

One of the first things we saw was an amazing park in the city centre nicknamed Iguana Park, because of the many giant land iguanas that have made their home there. The locals pet them and feed them, and there are so many - it was amazing.

Opposite the park was a beautiful cathedral and as we walked further, we found more interesting places, including the Malecón 2000, a walkway around the riverfront.

Guayaquil was interesting, but it was soon time to move on. So we bought bus tickets to our next destination, which is Ecuador's UNESCO town of Cuenca. 

This is part of a blog series about our travels through the north-eastern countries of South America. The first blog in this series is called “In and around Santiago”.