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Galapagos vacation cruise really should be high on almost all parent’s destination checklist. For lots of, the Galapagos Islands brings some intrigue to those in search of one of the few surviving magnificent creatures encounters on this planet. Having a ferocious, natural beauty and incredible fauna, the remote Galapagos Islands needs to be visited by yacht, and more specially, a high end ship providing the very best amount of accommodation on board. Traveling in a Galapagos small ship cruise means that you will gain entry to some of the finest visitor sites, many of which are sealed to greater cruise lines.

Galapagos Islands Climate and Weather

Due to the confluence of freezing water flows coming from the west and the south, the Galapagos has an unusual dry and moderate climate for the tropics and it is commonly considered sub-tropical. This makes Galapagos travel a year-round family vacation alternative. Galapagos weather is considered equatorial, cooled by the Humboldt Current, and is characterized by two significant periods:

The warm, wet period

Late December to June is definitely the hot and wet season, with March and April usually being the hottest and wettest weeks. Around December, the trade winds drop and the climatic equator (located north of the topographical equator) shifts south towards the Galapagos, triggering the westward-flowing current to slow, decreasing the upwelling and letting hotter water from the Panama Current to shower the archipelago. Galapagos weather conditions are known by rain clouds that form in the event the inversion layer breaks down, and the air warms and rises, causing regular afternoon rains. Even during this time of year; but, the small hills get only minimal rain.

The colder, dry season

This season, also referred to as the “garua season” extends from late June to December, when it is comparatively dry and cool with increased cloudier skies and occasional drizzle or mist (garua) through the day. August is the coolest month. During this dry season, Galapagos weather conditions are relaxing, the water temperature is lower and there are usually clouds around the higher levels. Line of sight is often reduced in the water due to plankton blossom, but this mix of circumstances produces a lot more activity in the water and food is plentiful. Due to the fact Galapagos climate is not very hot during this period, it is also the reproduction period for many sea birds and shore birds, marine iguanas, sea lions and fur seals.

El Niño and La Niña

El Niño is a disruption of the sea and atmospheric systems of the shoreline of South America that causes abnormally warm water conditions, a switch in the path of the winds, modifications in currents, and drastically increased rainfall. The higher rainfall contributes to the dangerous flooding on the Pacific, while, at the same time, leading to drought in the western Pacific, as far as Australia. This particular event is anticipated simply by tracking modifications in temperatures on the top of the sea, wind conditions, and water flows next to Ecuador and Peru.

Galapagos Islands Cruise Itineraries

Every accredited vessel sailing the Galapagos follows a 15-day path approved and established by Galapagos National Park. During this period, a ship might not visit the same site twice, with the exception of the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. How lines section the 15 times may fluctuate, but four-, five- and eight-day options are the norm. Passengers can frequently combine these sections into 11-, 12- and 15-day cruises.

All ships basically follow the same protocol, regardless of itinerary: Island visits and water-based activities are done during the day, and also the majority of navigation is performed immediately.

Since the approach to cruising continues to be standardized, choosing the proper itinerary includes a lot to do with cruisers deciding which visitor sites are in 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 say the western islands are far better — it is an issue of personal preference. When you rail is also an important factor.

There is one major exception: “Live aboard” ships carrying seasoned sailors are the only craft to see the northern islands, Darwin and Wolf, prime places for ski lovers. At Darwin, where there is no landing site, schools of hammerheads are known to congregate.

Galapagos cruises are usually paired with land-based visits to Peru’s Machu Picchu, the Ecuadorian rain forest or other South American hotspots. Most passengers will spend a day or two exploring Quito or Guayaquil pre or post-cruise. It is basically necessary, given the flight logistics.

Each of these Galapagos’ official visitor sites has something special to offer, but travelers will have the ability to experience the best hits — sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, endemic birds — about the majority of islands. Here are a couple of the most popular spots.

Santa Cruz includes the Galapagos’ most populous “town,” Puerto Ayora, and will be the island chain’s most important tourism hub. The island offers visitors the sole opportunity to experience the Galapagos’ interior high-lands, among a few areas to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Even the Charles Darwin research laboratory, a visit to which will be included on each travel, is also situated here.

South Plaza encircles less than one-tenth of a mile in area and is one of the Galapagos’ tiniest visitor websites. Nevertheless, the tiny island, that was shaped by volcanic uplift, makes a strong impression with its color-changing ground vegetation, sea birds and colony of Galapagos land iguanas. The successful male iguanas could be seen standing guard in front of a cactus tree, waiting patiently to provide a hungry female using a piece of prickly fruit.

Rabida: creates a bold statement when you arrive during its iron-rich red beach. Just inland is a brackish lagoon where visitors often visit flamingos, heads plunged underwater to scoop up crustaceans and algae using their bowl-like beaks.

Fernandina, the Galapagos’ youngest and westernmost island is best known for its not-infrequent volcanic eruptions, the most recent of which was in 2009. It’s situated at the locus of the “hot spot” that created, and is still forming and creating, the Galapagos. As visitors step across lava flows and around the massive population of land iguanas, they develop a first-hand understanding of the geological origins of the islands.

Floreana is home of the Galapagos’ famous barrel-mailbox in Post Office Bay. For centuries, those visiting the famed Ecuadorian isles relied upon the unspoken duty of pirates and whalers to get letters to an intended destination. A mariner would render a dispatch, then pick through the pile for missives he could deliver (travel schedule permitting). The tradition continues today; cruise passengers visiting the site can leave and take postcards out of a (contemporary) barrel. Floreana is home to the Galapagos’ famous barrel-mailbox at Post Office Bay. For centuries, those visiting the famous Ecuadorian isles relied upon the unspoken duty of pirates and whalers to Puerto Villamil and Nearby Areas – Isabela Island Cruises take in a variety of interesting points around the massive island. Puerto Villamil is a small vent in the south of the island, and it’s home to the clear majority of the island’s population. You can enjoy this fishing-community vibe, sample tasty freshly caught fish, engage with the cheerful kids, shop for souvenirs in the stores that are vibrant, and respect the islets that dot the shore. Stroll along the boardwalk, resulting through mangroves, and see flamingos, gallinules, whimbrels, and more. The Tortoise Breeding Center sits at the end of the boardwalk, helping conserve sea tortoises. The harbor is frequently filled with little luxury yachts and other sailing vessels, many of which take passengers on thrilling Galapagos cruises.

Isabela Island Cruises allow guests to discover the natural beauty of the largest island of the Galapagos. Straddling the Equator, Isabela Island is found in the western part of the Galapagos archipelago, near the volcanic Galapagos hotspot that created the island group. A lesser-visited area, it’s also one of the most diverse, and it’s no mean accomplishment in a place that is already famous for being one of the most diverse places on the planet.

Giant Tortoises

The giant tortoises of Galapagos are among the most famous of the unique fauna of the Islands. While giant tortoises once thrived on most of the continents of the Earth, the Galapagos tortoises currently represent among the remaining two groups of giant tortoises in the whole world -another group living on Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean. The Galapagos Islands were named for their giant tortoises; the old Spanish word galapago meant saddle, a term ancient explorers used for the tortoises due to the form of their shells.

The closest living relative of the Galapagos colossal tortoise is the little Chaco tortoise out of South America, though it is not a direct ancestor. Scientists believe the first tortoises came to Galapagos two–3 million years ago by drifting 800 kilometers from the South American coast on vegetation rafts or on their own. They were already large beats long time before coming in Galapagos. Colonizing the eastern-most islands of Española and San Cristobal very first, then they dispersed through the archipelago, finally demonstrating at least 15 separate populations on among the biggest Galapagos Islands.

Although there’s a good amount of variation in size and shape one of Galapagos tortoises, two primary morphological forms exist -the domed shells (similar to their ancestral type) as well as also the saddle-backed carapace. Domed tortoises tend to be considerably bigger in size and don’t have the up thrust to the front of the carapace; they live on the larger, higher islands having humid highlands where forage is generally abundant and readily available. Saddle-backed shells evolved on the arid islands in reaction to the absence of available food during drought. The front part of the carapace angles upward, allowing the tortoise to expand its head higher to reach the greater vegetation, such as cactus pads.

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