Before leaving Guatemala in 2006, after teaching there for three years, I headed south for the Galapagos Islands, a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I have just taken some time off from blogging this summer, so, if you have stopped at this blog before, thanks for joining me once again.
At the dock on the island of Baltra, a short bus ride from the little airport after a flight from Guayaquil, Ecuador, we were welcomed by sea lions lounging on the bench. Our small ship cruiser held only twelve passengers and five crew members—not a luxury liner, but comfy and inviting. I’m not one for those larger cruises so popular these days, with their high-end amenities, their crowds debarking all at once, and their hotel-style entertainment. I chose this tour because it was a small, intimate group, emphasizing hiking, snorkeling, and time on the islands.
The passengers: an active, friendly family of ten spanning three generations including a family friend, one well-traveled and a bit standoffish older British woman, and me. We made our introductions and settled in as we boated to our first hike in the Galapagos Islands.
During the next eight days, we hopped from island to island, sampling the mysterious and beautiful landscapes and encountering fascinating animals, like a tasting of fine wines. Guided by the knowledgeable, humorous, and energetic Mauricio, the journey was active and diverse. Each day might include a hike along beach or hills or through lava fields, a dinghy ride along mangrove rimmed coastline hiding wildlife only our guide could spot, and a snorkeling stop or two with underwater treasures. I wish that I had recorded each island and which wildlife we found there, but I didn’t include that in my journaling. All of the islands we visited had no humans living on it; there was only one island in the Galapagos chain where employees lived.
We learned the difference between endemic species, found only here; native, those that arrived on their own; and introduced, human-brought species that were usually detrimental to the fragile balance of the natural ecology. Many of the fauna inhabitants were unique species, as Charles Darwin had discovered as he formulated his theory of evolution.
Mauricio knew where different creatures congregated, and promised that each day would be better than the last. There were new discoveries daily that stretched our understanding and appreciation of these remote islands of Ecuador. I’ve included mostly land creatures in this post. The next posts will feature sea life and birds.
Yellow-crested land iguanas stood motionless as we walked by under prickly pear cactus trees. There was often a jumble of so many animals mingling together, an unlikely scene. Black marine iguanas sunned in piles over lava rock. Are they gregarious, or do they feel warmth or a sense of security by their closeness? Neon yellow and orange Sally Lightfoot crabs scuttled under the rocks, rumored to have been named after a Caribbean dancer, due to their exceptional agility.
There was some well needed downtime on the boat sitting out on deck as we motored between sites. The children played hide and seek, exploring every corner of the ship. Time to get to know my yacht mates and share stories about our lives and travels—I felt a bit like one of the family by the end of the eight days—or scribble in a little notebook while watching for birds and whales to the rhythm of the waves. And at night, quiet moments staring out at the unfamiliar constellations in the southern sky packed with brilliant stars, and an unexpected memorable romance (smile).
Galapagos Islands: Galapagos adventure, Galapagos sea life, Birds of Galapagos
Ruth Rosenfeld 
A treasure trove of information and experiences in your post, dear Ruth, with photos that I found simply fabulous
Thank you for making me travel virtually with you 🙏🙏🙏
It was fabulous
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Thanks so much, Luisa! It was, by far, one of the most fascinating places I have ever experienced. You are always welcome to come along!
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Oh my dear Ruth, it is always my pleasure💐
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We’d love to visit the Galapagos someday. I’m not one for larger groups either, so good call on opting for something smaller. Great shots, especially of the iguanas.There’s so many of them!!
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Thanks! The iguanas were everywhere, and with those strange almost-human facial expressions.
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You had a great adventure. I really enjoyed your article. You’ve made me think I should consider visiting these islands. I might look into it.
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Glad you enjoyed this one, Neil. It’s a fascinating place to explore like no other.
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Welcome back! Your time off from blogging was short, but much missed. The Galapagos have been on my radar for quite some time, but I haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet. Looks like you saw an incredible array of wildlife during your stay, and this inspires me to head over there sooner than later! Thanks for sharing, Ruth 🙂
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Thanks so much, Rebecca! The wildlife is so amazing and different. Sea creatures and birds to come. Put it on your list!
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Beautiful! What an incredible place to visit. Galapagos is on my list for sure. I love the prickly pear trees, they’re very bizarre looking.
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Those trees looked like something out of a fantasy landscape.
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I like the idea of smaller expeditions rather than cruise ship vacations. The voyage you enjoyed is much more intimate and provides a better learning environment.
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It was all about the places we were exploring off-ship. I imagine the big cruises have an emphasis on social life and hotel style activities as well. This smaller ship and group was a perfect size for me.
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Great to have you back and with a post that triggered so many memories for me! Like you we opted for a small boat cruise here, and for the same reasons 🙂 I love all your animal shots but especially the glow of the Sally Lightfoot crabs and the iguanas (both marine and land) which really fascinated me on our visit.
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It’s such an unforgettable place. Glad you found a small cruise as well. Thank you, Sarah, nice to hear from you. A couple more Galapagos posts to come…
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I’ll look forward to them 🙂
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Such a wonderful adventure. I love the small group concept.
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It was especially appropriate in this place where crowds of humans are kind of intrusive.
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We did a very similar tour of Galapagos. I am still astounded by the wildlife there and how unaffected they were by our presence. Maggie
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There must be a constant stream of humans visiting, but they are kept to well-defined paths.
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Welcome Back, Ruth. I hope you had a nice summer off the blog. Amazing photos of a place many long to go. I do hope Ecuador is continuing to protect the wildlife and ecosystem of the Galapagos.
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Thank you. I was there many years ago, but the guides were quite vigilant to keep their visitors from being at all intrusive. Very impressive.
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Looks like quite a climb on Bartolome (but well worth it for the view). Kudos for taking on close quarters with a small group of strangers. You never know whether eight days will be short or long as a result. Your photos speak to the undisturbed nature of the islands, which is wonderful to see.
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It was a bit of a trek to the top. There are designated trails and the guides are very careful to keep tourists off natural areas.
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I hope you had a nice summer break Ruth, and it’s nice to have you back on my feed. I’d love to go to the Galapagos one day, though am conscious of the over tourism now. Your photos of the animals are incredible, especially the close ups of the iguana. wow!
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Thanks so much, Hannah! The number of tourists allowed and group sizes are restricted. Hopefully that helps preservation efforts, but it may mean you have to book far in advance.
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This was fabulous! Such a wonderful reminder. The Galapagos were a huge travel highlight for me. What a special place it is.
Alison
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Thank you, Alison! It is so unusual and memorable, and quite a learning experience.
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I wholeheartedly agree with Alison… the Galapagos were incredible. Even when the husband and I almost got stranded on the coast overnight amongst the lava rocks! Your iguana photos are delightful. 🙂
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Thanks so much for your visit and comment. Did you get separated from your group somehow? That sounds like an interesting story!
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We went on a hike to a secluded beach (just us and one other person) that our guide said would take four hours with some “light” rock scrambling to get back… Galapagos Calamity. Four hours very quickly turned into nine, but we made it back to tell the tail!
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Sounds like a close call! Surprised they let you go with a guide. It seems that tourism is closely controlled there
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What a fantastic experience and a trip! Seeing and experiencing wildlife is a major reason why I travel. There’s nothing like getting to experience a wild animal up close, especially in its natural habitat (or close to it). Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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The wildlife in Galapagos is like no other place. And it’s well protected in their own natural habitat. It’s impressive and exciting to see. Thanks for read and your comment, Aiva.
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🥰🥰🥰
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Oh to have the privilege of island hopping in this stunning region Ruth. There are so many of Mother Nature’s wonders in this article, from the otherworldly prickly pear trees and the dramatic form of Pinnacle Rock to the majestic Yellow Crested Iguana and the incredible colour of the Lightfoot Crabs. Also, the lava is fabulous, the texture and twisty nature of it.
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Thanks for reading, Leighton! The landscape is almost as unusual and unique as the wildlife, eerie and exotic.
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