I´ve just returned from 8 days in the Galapagos Islands and it was absolutely amazing!
On our first day, Katie and I arrived in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island and got on a boat. It was a 16-person Catamaran and we had a really great group of passengers with us. There was a group of German tourists, two British ladies, and three young couples, from Switzerland, Australia, and England, who we spent the most time with. On the first day, we went into town to visit the Introduction Centre, where you hear a brief explanation of the history of the region, evolutionary theory (which was not entirely accurate), and whatnot. We got back on the boat in the evening and, overnight, sailed to Espanola Island.
Friday, we got off the boat at Gardiner Bay, on Espanola, where we saw tons of sea lions just chilling on the beach. You can walk right up to them, although you´re not really supposed to, and they don´t get scared at all. You do have to watch out for the males though, because it´s mating season and they get a little touchy. Since it´s mating season, we got really lucky and saw a sea lion giving birth on the beach! It was very cool and also a little bit gross. The beach itself is also incredible, white sand and clear, torquise water. Next, we went snorkelling off the island and saw fish, sea lions, sting rays...lots of great stuff. Then we went back to the boat and sailed to Punta Suarez, which is also on Espanola. There, we did an amazing hike where we saw the best wildlife. We saw more sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, nasca boobies, albatrosses...I think that´s it...just incredible and the views were amazing as well because the hike follows a path along cliffs that look out over the ocean. After the hike, we got back on the boat and sailed to Floreana Island.
Saturday morning we arrived at Floreana and got of a Punta Cormorant. We did a short walk to a lagoon and saw tons of flamingos, probably the silliest looking animals. Then we walked to another beach where you can stand ankle-deep in the water and baby sting rays swim all around your feet. Next, we went snorkelling again and saw sea turtles and a sea lion that was so playful, she just swam around with us for awhile. After lunch, we went to another beach on Floreana and swam with sea turtles, sea lions, and penguins. We got back on the boat later in the afternoon and sailed to Santa Cruz. On the way, we saw a few whales and dolphins from the boat.
On Sunday, our last day on the boat, we got to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. We went to a tortoise breeding centre and saw the piece de resistance of the Galapagos, giant tortoises. They are so funny looking and massive, I loved them. We also explored a lava tube and visited the Darwin Research Station, which was a highlight for me. You may know that I have a small obsession with all things Darwinian, so I really loved it. We didn´t get to see Lonesome George (the last remaining tortoise of his species), but we saw more tortoises and land iguanas and learnt a lot about the conservation efforts that take place in the Galapagos.
Monday, Katie and I went to Tortuga Bay, which is an amazing beach outside of Puerto Ayora. It´s secluded by a peninsula, so the water is perfectly calm and clear and there was not a single other person there. After lunch, we took a boat to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island, which is much smaller than Puerto Ayora but has amazing character. We just wandered around town for the evening and met up with a couple who had been on the cruise with us.
On Tuesday, we spent the day exploring Puerto Villamil. We went to Concha Perla Lagoon, which is supposed to be a great spot to swim with sea lions. It was beautiful, butafter seeing a GIGANTIC sting ray swimming around, I got scared. Instead, we went to the port and had a fisherman take us over to Las Grietas, which is a set of small islets where you can snorkel and see sharks. We saw a ton of sharks and by the time we went snorkelling, I was somewhat freaked out. But it was still a lot of fun. That night, we met a group of volunteers who work on the island and went out to bar with them. It was a lot of fun and we got to meet some really interesting people, which is always nice.
Wednesday, we got up very early to hike the Sierra Negra volcano. If I understood correctly, it´s the second largest volcano in the world and the largest basaltic caldera in the world. We saw incredible views, especially of the crater. It last erupted in 2007 I think, so you can clearly see the lava tracks through the crater. It was a really great hike, if somewhat challenging. That night, we visited another hostel where people tend to congregate and spent the night with other travellers and the long-term volunteers on the island. There was an Italian couple staying at the hostel and they decided to cook dinner for everyone, so they set up two family-style tables on the beach and about 30 of us had this amazing dinner together. It was so much fun and everyone was so nice and interesting to talk to. I heard some really great travelling stories and got some good ideas for places I would like to visit.
Thursday, our last day in Galapagos, Katie and I went back to Puerto Ayora where we just hung out and relaxed for the day. This morning, we flew back to Quito. I think that pretty much covers all the details of trip. It was a really unbelievable trip and I´m so glad I had the opportunity to go. Now, I have another week of volunteering in Quito before I leave for Peru on October 30.
Hasta luego!
Sarah
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