Before we traveled to the Galapagos the first time, we dreamed of seeing the marine life. And since we aren’t divers, snorkeling is the next best thing. During our many trips to the Islands, we’ve seen lots of marine life. Here are some of the highlights. Learning to Snorkel When we first arrived, our daughter [...]
Bryan Haines
Have you ever swam with sharks? The odds are that you won’t even see one on your Galapagos trip. Well, unless you go looking for them… As a family, we’ve snorkeled many times in the Galapagos and swam with lots of amazing animals including sea turtles and sea lions. And I had never seen a [...]
On Santa Cruz Island, you can walk through lava tunnels. On our last hike to Volcan Chico (Isabela Island) we saw smaller versions of these tunnels: lava tubes. Our guide explained that while the lava flow begins to cool and harden on the outside, the lava remains hot and liquid inside. Eventually the hardened lava forms [...]
Just minutes from Puerto Ayora is a fantastic peaceful beach: Playa de las Alemanes (German Beach). While there are lots of beaches on Santa Cruz Island (like Tortuga Bay, Garrapatero or even Playa Escondida) many are not that close to town. Playa de las Alemanes is very close to the town – and you can [...]
La Loberia – the sea lion nursery on Floreana Island – is one of our favorite places in the Galapagos. It is the first time we every snorkeled with sea lion. We shot this photo on our way to La Loberia. The colors of the path, ocean and sky speak for themselves. Our guide told [...]
The main attraction at Ingapirca is the Castillo de Ingapirca (or Castle of Ingapirca). This main structure is also known as “la elipse” or “templo” (temple). It was in this castle that ancient astrologers established the agricultural calendar of the regions. It was also used in their religious festivals. The Castle of Ingapirca The photo [...]
The Galapagos National Park has a pretty big job: Protect all the islands and their plant and animal life. The National Park Entry fee helps fund these initiatives. Learn more about how your Galapagos entry fee is used. Why Galapagos Rules are Important With approximately 160,000 tourists visiting the islands every year (more than 400 [...]
Ecuador is rich in both natural and cultural beauty. Visiting mainland Ecuador will give you opportunity to see both. This is a photo of the main structure at Ingapirca – located north of Cuenca in Ecuador’s Andes mountains. The rest of the complex is to the left of this structure. Learn more about Ingapirca or the [...]
While the term is most often applied to sharks and piranhas, a feeding frenzy can occur among most any type of animal. In the Galapagos, one of the most stunning examples of a feeding frenzy is by sea birds. In this video below, hundreds of blue footed boobies are feeding in the Itabaca Channel. The Channel [...]
The baby tortoise hatching season is an exciting one in the Galapagos. Learn more about the baby giant tortoises (video). At both of the nurseries (Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands) you can see baby tortoises at different stages of growth. They generally stay at these centers for the first 4-6 years of their life, and then [...]