Experience Ecuador’s Archipelago On A Private and Custom Tour

The food available at many of the eateries on the Galapagos Islands is diverse with fresh ingredients that are sourced from the local area. Many of the dishes feature seafood such as lobster, crab, sea cucumber and other fish. The island of Santa Cruz Island offers some of the best food with plenty of meat, grains and vegetables that are locally sourced. Some of the best dishes to try include ceviche, which is fish marinated in lemon, and encebollado, a popular fish soup. Passion fruit, papaya, tree tomato, blackberry and guanabana are also popular types of fruit that can be purchased at local stands in the towns.

The Galapagos’ rich marine life makes it a popular place to snorkel where divers can get a glimpse of over 440 fish species and different types of mammals. Crab, rays, sponges, black corals, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and scallops are all present.

Explore various hiking trails and beaten pathways that can take you to amazing viewpoints where you can enjoy some of the most exotic scenic views in the world, such as the Scalesia Forest or Sierra Negra – the world’s second largest volcanic crater.

A typical well-planned island-to-island Galapagos cruise will allow you to see these stunning desert-like volcanic islands set in an azure ocean (which just happens to be a national maritime reserve) and observe endemic and native species such as the Galapagos Albatross, The Galapagos Giant tortoise, The Galapagos Marine Iguanas, the Lava Lizard and the Galapagos Sea Lions. All this while spending restful night’s in your “floating boutique hotel.”

Spanning 4896 square miles, some 600 km off the coast of South America, the Galapagos consists of 13 main islands, which are known to be some of the most active volcanic “hotspots” in the world. Actually, this is one of the few places on our planet where you can walk on lava and witness the formation of volcanic geological history in the form of lava fields, like the ones on the island of Fernandina.

Those considering staying in the Galapagos either before or after their cruise will be rewarded with a splendid selection of world-class ecologically-focused luxury hotels and resorts to choose from. Also, staying at a hotel on a land-based tours can be an attractive alternative for enjoying the islands, frequently saving you money and giving better access to scuba diving. Exploring the islands from a land-based hotel might also be a better alternative for those prone to seasickness.

As the birthplace of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, scientific history was made on the Galapagos Islands. The islands’ mixture of geography, geology, a large number of endemic animals and above all the scientific history connecting the archipelago to Darwin and the theory of evolution combines to make the Galapagos a truly unique destination, which is exactly why UNESCO refers to them as a “..unique living museum.”

Completely protected and therefore fearless of humans, there are few places in the world where you can get so close to the animals, which in turn leads to amazing up-close and personal photo opportunities. Add to this the islands’ stunning landscapes with azure seas in the background, and you have a world-class photography destination.

In the Galapagos, you can even explore the labyrinth of underground lava tubes that run deep underneath, throughout much of the Galapagos Islands. While many of these amazing caves are well lit, a good flashlight and a sturdy pair of shoes can allow you to explore much of the subterranean caves without a tour guide.