Exotic Ecotourism
Galapagos Island Tours Include The Exotic, The Remote, & Science.
From Grandparents, Adult Children, To Grandchildren; Galapagos Island Tours Has Something For Everyone
The difference between a book about the Galapagos and being there is a Galapagos Island Tours. Nowhere on earth does the vivid and breathtaking experience for all generations present itself as dramatically as a Galapagos cruise around the islands – the birthplace of Charles Darwin’s research and theoretical formulation of evolution.
Galapagos Explorer packages and programs excite the mind and tingle the senses, from their luxury onboard experience to immersion hikes on several islands where wildlife abounds. Just imagine stepping on rock that Charles Darwin stepped on. Imagine, too, seeing some of the rare indigenous birds, say, or the green turtles that he was the first to study, some species found nowhere else in the world but in the Galapagos.
Trips begin onboard the Explorer II where all accommodations are suites, fitted in luxurious style. Plus, the ship includes a library, meeting rooms for a family or group, a solarium, Jacuzzi and bar, just to name a few of the state-of-the-travel-art surroundings.
In addition, Galapagos Island tours begin with a naturalist program onboard ship in preparation for tours on land. There are Spanish lessons, next-day briefings with two tours per day offered, star gazing, theme parties, whale watching – the list seems endless!
Once on an Island, the adventure accelerates. The Galapagos National Park provides certified bi-lingual naturalists that educate all ages, from children to parents, to grandparents. Subject areas may include bird watching or visiting one of the pristine beaches. Some bird species for example, are nearly identical, yet may have different colored beaks when found on different islands – part of the adaptation process Charles Darwin discovered, due to geography and diet.
The Interpretation Center on San Cristobal Island offers additional information at a leisurely pace, providing linkages between the human population and ‘natural history’, with evolution emerging as a perception-altering scientific set of principles affecting how humanity understands the world.
Hiking tours may include trips to the world-renowned Charles Darwin Station, offered twice on the itinerary by Galapagos Explorer. Then, the walking tour can continue along rocky escarpments, visiting dedicated paths to point out island vegetation or flora. Along the way, one might see the land iguanas or Galapagos tailed gull, possibly an endangered wave albatross or Galapagos penguin.
Galapagos Island Tours also provides numerous opportunities for families on land and off. Sea life is abundantly rich in the Galapagos. There are some sea turtles that appear nowhere else on the planet other than in the waters around the Galapagos Islands. The underwater population includes hammerheads and whale sharks, dolphins, and over 300 species of fish, many enormously colorful and distinctively adapted to the Pacific waters off the coast of Ecuador.
While there is some coral found in the area, it is limited due to the formation of the Galapagos Islands by volcanoes. Still, invertebrates and certain fish thrive among some of the volcanic shelving and are only visible by scuba diving. Diving offers one of the best ways to see evolutionary patterns underwater for the adventurous. Galapagos Sub-Aqua partners with Galapagos Explorer, providing equipment and provisions for underwater viewing. Travelers need to be licensed and insured prior to diving.
Snorkeling is also a hugely popular adventure sport offering a closer, more intimate view of an ecosystem. The Galapagos Explorer provides equipment and programs for multiple shallow water locations. Snorkeling can be particularly fun at Rabida, Punta Vicente Roca, or Gardner Bay, where there are large schools of fish in crystal clear waters. Snorkelers might see eels or manta rays, reef sharks or angel fish. The great advantage of snorkeling is most any age can participate with minimal training and is a low-impact activity to the environment.
The beauty of a Galapagos Island vacation is the rare ability to offer activity or interest for everyone in the family. The archipelago that comprise the Galapagos Islands rest off the coast of Ecuador in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean, an exotic destination, an ecological wonder, and the laboratory that changed the scientific world.
In short, The Galapagos Islands reveals a ‘zoo without gates’, a ‘classroom without walls’, an immersion learning experience in an adventurous ecologically sensitive area for the sports-minded and education junkies alike. There is no better way to participate in nature that both individuals and families can enjoy, than to take a Galapagos Island tour.
