This nonchalance is common among the animals of the Galápagos Islands, the chain of volcanic islands that lies roughly 620 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Because of the lack of predators here, most animals don't have the slightest fear of humans. It's not out of the ordinary for a vermilion flycatcher to peck at your shoelaces or for a land iguana to step over your camera bag as it seeks a place in the sun.
Later in the afternoon, when you grab a snorkel and step into the ocean, some baby sea lions get curious. Soon they are swimming alongside you, occasionally staring into your mask or nipping at your fins. One rambunctious youngster even gives the back of your bathing suit a sharp tug, making you feel like the Coppertone girl. The pup's mother cries sharply, and he quickly swims back to shore to join her.
Most people come to the Galápagos to see the amazing array of animals, many of them found nowhere else on earth. The most famous visitor to the islands, the naturalist Charles Darwin, found inspiration here for his groundbreaking treatise, The Origin of Species. "I never dreamed," he wrote in his memoirs, "that islands, about 50 or 60 miles apart, and most of them in sight of each other, formed of precisely the same rocks, placed under a quite similar climate, rising to a nearly equal height, would have been differently tenanted." Darwin postulated that the slightly different conditions on each of the islands had caused animals and plants to eventually develop into completely different species.
A Naturalist's Dream
The Galápagos chain includes more than a dozen islands whose rocky terrain is constantly being shaped and reshaped by volcanic activity. Since 1835, when Darwin came ashore, more than 60 major eruptions have been recorded, including two during the past decade on Fernandina and Isabela Islands, on the archipelago's western edge.
The islands are very close together, but each is unique. Rough volcanic rock, for example, rings Santiago, where dozens of marine iguanas are often seen nibbling on algae the receding tide has left exposed. In the resulting tide pools you can find snails, crabs, or even a stranded octopus. Bartolomé, on the other hand, is extremely sandy; its inhospitable landscape means that only a few animals, among them the shy Galápagos penguin, come ashore.
As Darwin noted, animals of the same species sometimes differ from island to island. The odd-looking birds called blue-footed boobies are common on Isabela, for instance, but their red-footed cousins are more numerous on Genovesa. Land iguanas are a buttery yellow on Plaza Sur, but on Santa Cruz they are bright orange. Marine iguanas the color of charcoal can be found on just about every island, but on Española they are called Christmas iguanas because they turn vivid shades of red and green in December.
Darwin's theories are especially intriguing when you consider the giant tortoises. The curve of their shells varies greatly from island to island. You can easily distinguish a tortoise that comes from San Cristóbal from one that comes from Santa Fé. Charles Darwin Research Station (tel. 05/526-146 or 05/526-147) on Santa Cruz provides the opportunity to view these sad-eyed creatures up close.
Under the Sea
Some of the most amazing Galápagos sights occur below sea level. From the comfort of a boat, you can watch sea turtles swimming just offshore, and dolphins and other creatures also make surprise appearances. With a mask and snorkel, you can spy starfish as big as dinner plates, among them the chocolate-chip sea star, so named because its yellowish body is dotted with brown. Sea urchins abound, and if you're lucky, you'll spot a moray eel before it darts back into its hole.
Along the sandy bottom lurk the spotted ray and the eagle ray. Although the sight of them is terrifying, the sharks have little interest in humans, content, it seems, to snack on the huge schools of fish circling the islands.
Seeing the Islands
Few visitors ventured to the Galápagos until 1959, when they were declared a national park. Not even five decades later, the islands must cope with 100,000 visitors each year. Concerned that the steadily increasing number of tourists will damage the fragile ecosystem, the Ecuadorian government has restricted access to most of the islands, which can only be seen with a guide licensed through the Galápagos National Park Service.
Except for short jeep excursions from one of the islands' four villages, the only way to see the Galápagos is by boat. The vessels cruising these waters range from yachts with room for less than a dozen people to cruise ships that can hold 100 or more. Journeys last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, although most take about seven days.
Amenities vary from vessel to vessel. The larger boats, such as the Galápagos Explorer II, operated by Canodros, and the Galápagos Legend, run by Kleintours, are veritable floating hotels with every amenity from plush lounges to swimming pools. Bigger isn't always better, though. These boats often have so many people on board that you may be asked to wear a name tag. And going to the islands can be a hassle when 100 passengers are clamoring to get into the small boats that carry you ashore.
Smaller yachts offer a more intimate experience. You get to know the other passengers well, and the captain often dines with everyone on board. Three ships run by Ecoventuras - Eric, Letty, and Flamingo I - have spacious cabins and polished teak interiors trimmed with shiny brass fittings. Cabins on the upper decks have windows you can fling open to catch the breeze.
Another plus on yachts: the guides have the time to explore a topic that interests you, whether it's orcas or ornithology. During a recent voyage on the Letty, naturalist Raúl Salazar Herrera delighted two young girls when he described how a Sally Lightfoot crab, the brilliant orange species crawling around all the islands, sheds its shell.
Essentials
Getting There
LanChile flies from Newark, New Jersey, to Guayaquil, Ecuador, which serves as a gateway to the Galápagos. Flights arrive early in the morning, allowing you to transfer immediately to a flight to the Galápagos. Continental flies from Newark and Houston. American flies from Miami.
Ecuador's Tame is the only airline that flies to the Galápagos. Flights leave once or twice daily from Guayaquil for Baltra, a tiny island just north of Santa Cruz. The flight takes roughly three hours and costs $350 to $400 round-trip.
When to Go
People head to the Galápagos all year, but the best weather is generally from May through June and November through December. The high seasons, when most people visit, are from November through March and from mid-June through August. At other times of the year you are likely to find discounted rates on some vessels.
What It Will Cost
The price tag per person for a double cabin on a three-night, luxury-ship cruise can run from $765 to $1,300 in low season and from $880 to $1,600 in high season. Off-peak rates usually apply from May through mid-June, September through mid-October, and early to mid-December.
To save money you can wait until you arrive on the islands and try to bargain for a cheaper boat fare, as operators sell last-minute tickets at the airport. The risk of doing this, however, is that you might not find an available boat, especially during peak season.
All visitors to the Galápagos must pay a $100 entrance fee, in cash only. The money is earmarked for conservation efforts.
Contacts
Canodros (tel. 04/228-5711 in Guayaquil, 800/327-9854 in the U.S., www.canodros.com).
Ecoventuras (tel. 800/633-7972 in the U.S., www.ecoventura.com).
Galápagos Conservation Trust (5 Derby St., London W1J 7AB, 207/629-5049, www.gct.org).
GalápagosOnline (www.galapagosonline.com).
Kleintours (tel. 02/243-0345 in Quito, 888/505-5346 in the U.S., www.kleintours.com).
Traveling to the Galápagos was a dream come true for Mark Sullivan, editor of Fodor's South America. He also edited the recently released Fodor's Chile and the upcoming Fodor's Kenya and Tanzania.
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