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The Galapagos Island chain, situated roughly 600 miles west of the region of South America, is quite possibly the absolute best area to watch evolution throughout its natural beauty.

Named, in Spanish, after the animal that’s definitely the most well-known of the island archipelago: The Galapagos Tortoise; the Galapagos boasts quite a few groups of small dainty islands all of which are created of below surface volcanoes eruptions.

Located on the equator, the Galapagos gains all the bonuses of this perfect position in that all the 16 islands have bright and sunny weather conditions all through the year! If that wasn’t enough they are at the crossroads for two vitally important trade winds: The North East winds (from North & Central America) and the South East winds (coming from South America). These winds are in all probability precisely what initiated the influx of sustainable life around the island chain – and are thought to have been the agent responsible for the huge woods covering the higher mountains of the islands.

These island of overwhelming natural beauty have triggered the evolution a number of diverse, and exclusive, habitats that have in turn permitted the regional wildlife, both plant life and animals as well, to develop in such a way that basically has numerous scientists stunned.

The rest of the Galapagos archipelago is also a scenario of extraordinary, not to mention really gorgeous fauna.

Galapagos Islands Weather and Climate

There are two seasons: December to May is hot and wet and June to December is usually cool and dry. Annual precipitation in the lower regions is 2-4in (60-100mm) and the temperatures varies somewhere between 69°-84°F/21°-29°C.

The islands’ climate is dependent on sea flow. The sudden weather change a result of El Niño may be disastrous: as many as 55% of sea lions and marine iguanas could die through this period.

The convergence of three significant oceanic currents brings an unbelievable blend of marine life to this islands. Despite being situated in the equator, the Galapagos micro-climate is remarkably dry. During the cool season, the Humboldt Current delivers moderately cold water, which creates thermal inversions that impede precipitation.

At this time, a fine mist called “garua” is formed as cool, wet air just over the water meets a higher level of air which is heated up by the warm sun.

‘El Niño’ is a a rare event that happens about every 5-7 years. The southeast trade winds slow its speed and cause the marine temperatures to raise substantially and cause stormy weather and rainfall.

Galapagos Islands Cruise Itineraries

Every licensed vessel sailing the Galapagos follows a 15-day route approved and established by Galapagos National Park. During that period, a ship might not go to the exact same site twice, with the exclusion of the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. How lines section the 15 times may vary, but four-, five- and eight-day choices are the standard. Passengers can frequently combine these sections into 11-, 12- and 15-day cruises.

All boats basically follow the same protocol, regardless of itinerary: Island visits and extra-curricular tasks are done throughout the day, and the majority of navigation is performed overnight.

All cruises start or end at one of two islands having a airport: Baltra, a U.S. military outpost during WWII turned Ecuadorian air base, or San Cristobal, the Galapagos’ second most populated island and home to the capital of their province, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Because the method of cruising continues to be standardized, picking the right itinerary includes a lot to do with cruisers determining which visitor websites are on their must-visit lists. Port research — especially photo searching — is essential. Keep in mind that the more the cruise, the further west the ship will reach. That is not to mention the western islands are better — it is an issue of personal preference. If you rail is also an important factor.

There is one major exception: “Live aboard” ships carrying experienced divers are the only craft to visit the northern islands, Darwin and Wolf, prime places for scuba enthusiasts. At Darwin, where there is no landing website, schools of hammerheads are known to congregate.

Most passengers will spend a day or two exploring Quito or Guayaquil pre or post-cruise. It’s basically necessary, given the flight logistics.

How to Access to the Galapagos Islands</h3

Planning your trip to the Galapagos Islands? Not sure how to reach the archipelago? It is simple. Your destination is mainland Ecuador. Whether you are traveling in the USA, Europe or anywhere else, you need to book an international flight to Guayaquil or Ecuador’s capital, Quito. Their isolation is just one of the qualities that make them so special. You might be asking yourself just how one arrives to the islands. Charles Darwin went to the Galapagos Islands on the Beagle, but modern-day explorers arrive at jet. The only daily flights to the Galapagos Islands depart from the cities of Quito and Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador. International travelers must make sure to arrive to the city in order to start their Galapagos experience. From both Quito and Guayaquil, there are daily flights connecting Ecuador with cities around the Americas and in Europe. Direct flights from the US cities of Miami, Houston, Atlanta, and New York arrive Daily. From Europe you will find direct flights from both London and Barcelona. After on southern Ecuador, passengers continue to one of two airports in the Galapagos Islands. The next airport is on San Cristobal Island. Flights from Quito and Guayaquil fly there daily bringing passengers into the enchanting islands. From the airports at the Galapagos, passengers move to their cruises or resorts in the port cities of their islands. When booking a cruise in the Galapagos, then it is highly advised to book your flights together with the cruise. This ensures an on-time arrival and averts the risk of missing the cruise departure. Our specialist trip advisors can help you organize every detail of your journey to the Galapagos Islands. Get in contact with them today to book your flights and cruise from Quito or Guayaquil. The trip from Quito the Galapagos is approximately 2.5 hours, and it requires a bit less time from Guayaquil. Once you get to the mainland, you’re just a couple of hours away from viewing the blue-footed boobies and tortoises and swimming with sea lions. Come to the Galapagos, and discover a world unlike any other!

Most of tourists in Galapagos are amazed to be greeted by desert-like vegetation–most are expecting a continuation of the lush greenery they observed on mainland Ecuador. In fact, nearly all the archipelago’s land area is covered by the brown and gray vegetation frequently located in deserts. The Galapagos Islands are situated in the Pacific Dry Belt, also in average years just the highest altitudes of the larger islands get enough rainfall to support tropical vegetation.

The structures of Galapagos could be grouped into three significant vegetation zones: the coastal zone, the arid zone, and the humid highlands.

Coastal plants are observed in the narrow zone near the shore and are distinctive due to their tolerance to sour conditions. Mangrove trees are among the most frequent plants found in this zone, and they serve a significant role since the breeding sites for many birds, like pelicans and frigate birds. They also provide much needed shade regions for iguanas and sea lions, as well as refuges for sea turtles.

The dry region is easily the most extensive zone in Galapagos and is comprised of plant species that are highly adapted to drought-like states, such as succulent cacti and leafless shrubs that blossom and grow leaves just in the short rainy season.

Located over the dry zones would be the very green and lush, humid zones. In parts of the zone, Scalesia trees form an extremely dense forest in the humid zone, with their branches adorned with mosses, liverworts, and epiphytes–non-parasitic plants that use bigger trees just for support. The humid zone is only located on the larger, larger islands. The majority of islands in the archipelago do not rise in elevation above the arctic zone.

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