Galapagos Islands Vacation Packages
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A holiday to the Galapagos Islands will be the excursion of your lifetime. Found 1,000 km from the Ecuador, the archipelago consists of 13 major islands, five of which are populated. Learn more about the widely known Islands taking a journey here!
The primary reason for travelers to visit the Galapagos Islands is most likely the large number of animals, openly romping with that are known to plenty of people primarily through the Natgeo Channel.
The Galapagos Islands certainly affect you greatly. Take a trip with us and have the experience of your life between sea lions, graceful albatrosses, fiery crimson sally light-foot crabs, and sneaky frigate birds. Allow your dream become a reality and book with us today!
When is the perfect time to travel the Galapagos?
There are two seasons: December to May is hot and wet and June to December is usually dry and cool. Annual precipitation in the lower regions is 2-4in and the temperature ranges around 69°-84°F/21°-29°C.
The Galapagos’s weather conditions are dependent on ocean currents. The quick climatic alteration due to El Niño is usually devastating: as much as 55% of sea lions and marine iguanas can perish through this time.
The convergence of three significant oceanic flow provides a tremendous mix of marine life to Galapagos. Despite being situated in the tropics, the Islands’ micro-climate is curiously dry. During the cold season, the Humboldt Current brings relatively cold water, that generates thermal inversions that prevent rainfall.
At this time, a fine mist called “garua” is formed as cool, wet air just above the water meets a higher tier of air that is warmed by the sun.
‘El Niño’ is a phenomenon that takes place about every 5-7 years. The south trade winds slow its speed and cause the sea temperatures to increase significantly and cause storms and precipitation.
The Galapagos were discovered by chance at 1535 by Father Tomas Berlanga, Bishop of Panama.
Due to the long distances involved, the only practical approach to explore the Galapagos is by live-aboard ships, which traveling between islands, largely at night, and also make various stops each day. More than 80 vessels are licensed to operate in the archipelago and also there are countless combinations of stops and paths. Most cruises go ashore twice a day: 10 total days on the ship typically means 20 coast landings, 10-20 snorkels, and many panga rides (pangas are little, open outboard-powered boats) to approximately 10 different islands.
Exploring on your own is much harder. Getting around separately is catchy and all visitors must be accompanied by a licensed naturalist guide at all landing sites. However four islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Floreana and Isabela) have hotels of varying sizes and criteria and a couple of vessel operators offer day-trips.
Following in Darwin’s footsteps calls for a flight from Quito or Guayaquil, on the mainland, to Baltra or San Cristobal. Some cruises leave from Baltra (the dock is a five-minute drive from the air terminal).
GalapagosInformation.com provides an assortment of tailor-made live-aboard tours on many different boats carrying from 4 to 16 passengers.
Wildlife movements vary, and every month has its own highlights. For example, green turtles start their egg-laying in January; penguins interact with swimmers on Bartolome largely from May until the end of September; humpback whales start to arrive at June; July through the end of September is the ideal period for most seabird activity; peak pupping for sea lions is around August, while their pups play aqua-aerobics with snorkelers at November; and December is the month to get hatching giant tortoise eggs. So, always there’s something about to happen.
The hot, humid, slightly rainy season (with occasional tropical showers) is from December to May (March and April are usually hottest and wettest). The seas are usually calmer and clearer now of year (using 60ft-80ft visibility average) and the water temperature averages 79° F (26°C), so this period is best for snorkeling.
The cool, drier, windier year (with occasional drizzle or mist) is from June to November. Sea temperatures at the time of year fall to as much as 66F (19C) and visibility frequently goes to 30ft-50ft, whilst sea swells can make some landings catchy.
How to Get to the Galapagos Islands
Planning your trip to the Galapagos Islands? Not sure how to get to the archipelago? It is simple. Your first destination is mainland Ecuador. Whether you’re traveling in the USA, Europe or anywhere else, you need to book an global flight to Guayaquil or Ecuador’s capital, Quito. Their isolation is one of the qualities which make them so special. You might be asking yourself just how one arrives to the islands. Charles Darwin moved to the Galapagos Islands on the Beagle, but modern-day explorers arrive at jet. There are no direct international flights to the Galapagos Islands. The only real daily flights to the Galapagos Islands leave from the cities of Quito and Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador. International travelers must make sure to land in the city in order to begin their Galapagos experience. From both Quito and Guayaquil, there are daily flights linking Ecuador with cities around the Americas and in Europe. Direct flights in the US cities of Miami, Houston, Atlanta, and New York arrive Daily. From Europe there are direct flights from both Amsterdam and Barcelona. After on southern Ecuador, passengers carry on to one of 2 airports in the Galapagos Islands. The busiest airport in the Galapagos is on Baltra Island. The next airport is around San Cristobal Island. Flights from Quito and Guayaquil fly there daily bringing passengers into the enchanting islands. In the airports at the Galapagos, passengers transfer for their cruises or resorts in the port cities of the islands. When booking a cruise in the Galapagos, it’s highly advised to reserve your flights along with the cruise. This ensures an on-time entrance and avoids the risk of missing the cruise death. Our expert trip advisors are able to help you arrange all the details of your trip 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 about 2.5 hours, and it requires a little less time from Guayaquil. As soon as you get to the mainland, you’re just a few 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 visitors in Galapagos are surprised to be greeted with desert-like vegetation–many are expecting a continuation of the lush greenery they witnessed on mainland Ecuador. In fact, the majority of the archipelago’s land area is covered by the brown and gray vegetation often found in deserts. The Galapagos Islands are situated in the Pacific Dry Belt, and in typical years just the greatest altitudes of the larger islands receive enough rain to support tropical plant life.
The structures of Galapagos could be grouped into three major vegetation zones: the coastal zone, the more arid zone, and the humid highlands.
Coastal plants are found in the narrow zone near the shore and are distinctive because of their tolerance to salty conditions. Mangrove trees are among the most common plants found within this zone, and they serve a significant function since the breeding sites for many birds, like pelicans and frigate birds. They also give much needed shade regions for iguanas and sea lions, in addition to refuges for sea turtles.
The arid region has become the most broad 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 above the dry zones are the very green and lush, humid zones. The humid zone is only found on the larger, higher islands. The majority of islands in the archipelago do not rise in elevation above the arctic zone.
GALAPAGOS CRUISES 2024
NEMO 3
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