If You Could Talk To The Animals | Galapagos Ecuador
Ecuador's Amazing Diversity
Ecuador is a place of immense diversity, and there is no doubt the Galapagos Islands are unique. I was beyond excited when I lucked out and found a great deal on a small one-person bed on a ship, allowing me to splurge on this little side trip from the mainland. I honestly never could have imagined taking this adventure to visit this amazing area with animal species found nowhere else on the planet.
It truly is the place where Charles Darwin formed his theory of evolution, and because these animals have been isolated from the mainland for millions of years, they have no instinctive fear of humans. The coolest part? You really can just stand and talk to them as they stare curiously straight at you. It's such a surreal experience!
My adventure involved flying from Quito to Guayaquil, an overnight stay, then a short flight from Guayaquil to San Cristobal Island. After a quick bus ride, I boarded a zodiac to our small ship, The National Geographic Islander, for what would become an unforgettable Galapagos expedition that exceeded all my expectations.
Our first morning was absolutely magical. We explored Española Island, which turned out to be a wildlife paradise! I found myself surrounded by Darwin's finches, Galapagos hawks, and large colonies of blue-footed Nazca boobies - which quickly became my favorites! These boobies are honestly hilarious to watch with their bright blue feet and quirky behaviors. What made this island extra special were the species that live nowhere else in the world - the waved albatross, the hood mockingbird, and the little Hood lava lizard. I still can't believe I was actually walking among red and black marine iguanas and sea lions just lounging about without a care in the world! The adventure reached its peak when we went deep-water snorkeling at Gardner Bay, where I nearly gasped through my snorkel when a white-tipped shark glided by. What a thrilling first day on the water!
Day 2 took us to Floreana Island where we hiked at Punta Cormorant. The wildlife spotting just kept getting better! We came across flamingos, various shore birds, and those bright orange Sally Lightfoot crabs that seem to be everywhere. The highlight was definitely the turtle nesting beach where we actually witnessed a couple of turtles mating in the water - what timing! In the afternoon, we went snorkeling at Champion Islet, and I couldn't believe it when some of the sea lions decided to join us in the water. They swam right alongside us, twisting and turning - so cool! Having these playful creatures swimming circles around me was an experience I'll never forget.
Day 3 brought us to Santa Cruz - home of the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here we got to see their captive breeding program for those incredible Galapagos giant tortoises and land iguanas. What really blew me away was our trip to the highlands where wild tortoises forage freely. It's such a strange sight - looking out over a field that appears to be scattered with large rocks until you get closer and realize they're actually huge tortoises just hanging out! I kept doing double-takes because my brain couldn't quite process what I was seeing at first. These gentle giants move so slowly and deliberately - it was mesmerizing to watch them in their natural habitat after learning about the conservation efforts at the research station.
One of the absolute highlights of our expedition was visiting Bartolomé Island where I spotted my favorite creatures of the entire trip - penguins! They were so incredibly cute! I couldn't believe I was seeing penguins right there at the equator. These little Galapagos penguins are actually the only penguin species that naturally lives north of the equator, and they're perfectly adapted to the warmer climate. Watching their tiny bodies dart through the water with such speed and then waddle awkwardly on land had me completely charmed. I could have spent hours just observing these adorable little characters in their natural habitat!
Our visit to Genovesa, aptly nicknamed "bird island," was a dream for anyone who loves birdwatching! We hiked among massive colonies of frigate birds with their inflated red throat pouches, spotted red-footed boobies (such a fun contrast to the blue-footed ones we'd seen earlier), and more Nazca boobies going about their daily business. The island lived up to its reputation as a bird paradise! Then, after a quick shower of rain passed through, we got incredibly lucky - spotting a couple of short-eared owls camouflaged against the volcanic landscape. They were so well hidden that I would have walked right past them if our guide hadn't pointed them out. These unexpected discoveries were pure magic - the kind of moments that make you feel completely alive and connected to our amazing world!
The last day came all too quickly as we took our final zodiac ride to Baltra Island and then a bus trip to the airport. It really was an amazing week exploring what felt like a completely different world - one where you can actually talk to the animals and they seem to listen! Oh - and I did meet some great people (and new friends) on the ship as well!
From Baltra I flew back to Quito, both sad to leave the Galapagos behind but excited to start the next part of my journey – 25 days on the road exploring mainland Ecuador! The adventure was just beginning!
