The Galapagos Islands earn their reputation as a must-do vacation destination. The sheer beauty of the volcanic islands and the turquoise waters of all shades are enough to greatly satisfy any traveler, but it’s the natural description, wild life and diversity of terrain from island to island within the archipelago that really make it a trip of a lifetime. Visiting the different islands – some thousands of years ancient, others that are still forming – one can see how Darwin was able to develop the theory of evolution based on the drastically varying landscapes of the different islands and the adaptation of the wild life from island to island.
Having lived in Quito this past year, I knew I couldn’t leave Ecuador without a trip to the Galapagos. As part of a final wrap-up of my time in the country, my mom came to stay and we visited the Galapagos. From mainland Ecuador, the flight is about an hour and a half (don’t forget your $100 cash per person for the National Park entrance fee). We flew into San Cristobal where we were able to stay the Interpretation Center and received a brief description of the islands (some excellent, juicy information surrounding the colonization of the islands!), and then met up with our boat tour.
