I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge wildlife person. Love it, don't get me wrong, but it's not often the sole reason for selecting my next destination. I can now confidently say that the Galapagos has made a believer out of me! Travelers are able to interact with the wildlife in a way that very few places in the world can offer. This is not a spotting-from-afar-in-binoculars kind of experience, this is a in-your-face-try-not-to-trip-on-the-iguanas kind of thing. When was the last time you went snorkeling with playful sea lions who swim circles around you and curiously bite your snorkeling fin? Yep, THAT good.
I'm sure you've heard of the Big 5 in Africa? Well, the Galapagos has the Big 15, and for most visitors to the islands, the goal is to see as many species as possible.
Here are the Galapagos Big 15:
- Galapagos Albatross
- Blue-Footed Booby
- Nazca Booby
- Red-Footed Booby
- Flightless Cormorant
- American Flamingo
- Frigatebirds
- Galapagos Hawk
- Land Iguana
- Marine Iguana
- Santa Fe Land Iguana
- Galapagos Penguin
- Galapagos Sea Lion
- Galapagos Fur Seal
- Galapagos Giant Tortoise
In just a 5-day cruise, I checked off 13 out of the Big 15 species! And that's not even including the wildlife that didn't make the list - sting rays, dolphins, Darwin's finches, reef sharks, and more.
Does your list include any must-see species that are endemic to a specific island? Then let's find a cruise that includes the albatross on the island of Espanola, or the red-footed booby on Genovesa. But if you're like me and just want to have a good time and see as much as possible, you really can't go wrong! There's really no set of islands that is inherently better than another. The wildlife is everywhere in this nutrient-rich paradise, and it may have just changed the way I think about traveling for wildlife. Who knows, maybe gorilla tracking in Rwanda or polar bear spotting in the Arctic is next!
Adventure Life has been an extraordinary travel resource for us over the years and today was no exception. Our River Cruise booking was handled by Jess (who has been our personal trip planner for several years) the same day as our inquiry. Suggestions were given for cabin choice and pre-trip options (that were not shown on the cruise line's website) like airport transfers and prepaid gratuities. Trip insurance recommendations followed and we were assigned a travel co-ordinator till the end of the tour. All we have to do is show up! Great service from friendly folks.
APtravelwell
1 day ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
1 day ago
Although there was a lot of paper work, I received help and guidance when I needed it.
Donna Kirby
2 days ago
Our travel was flawless! The rider pickup (airport, hotel, ship) was seamless. Jane's recommendation for Emerald Cruise Sakara was everything I wanted but the experience was soooo much more. Adventure Life took care of each and every detail and this was the easiest of all my travels.
Anne Petty
3 days ago
Follow up was effective any questions were answered in a timely manner