The Galapagos Islands

A small world within itself

“The archipelago is a small world within itself, or rather a satellite attached to America…” Charles Darwin’s description about the Galapagos Islands on his voyage aboard the Beagle in 1835.

The Galapagos Islands are a small world – completely isolated, surrounded by turquoise waters that break against volcanic rock coasts. Vegetation makes its way between ancient lava flows to breathe life into a lunar landscape.

Waking up to the sound of sea lions and birds in an uninhabited camp far from civilization inspires visions of exploration: enjoying breathtaking sunsets, walking along a pristine white sand beach, taking in the scent of an ocean breeze, being amazed by the marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies and frigates flying in search of their food, enjoying freedom.

Thousands of miles from where the Inuits invented kayaks, these fragile wooden artifacts covered with animal skins – now modernized – are the most ecological and fun way to explore the coast of San Cristóbal Island at our own pace. Even better, they allow us to get closer to nature.

Our travel companions? Sea turtles and iguanas, birds, sea lions – maybe even dolphins. Small and large volcanoes remind us that we are standing in an extreme environment where plants and animals adapted to survive.

But what lies on the surface is only a fraction of the Galapagos Islands’ biological wealth. Entering the depths of the sea reveals a crystalline world where light filters through to illuminate hammerhead sharks, turtles, fish of thousands of colors, sea horses, jellyfish, and many more.

Though perhaps the best reward is to return to camp in the evening and enjoy a serene sunset, the sky overflowing with a saturated array of colors before letting them slip away over the horizon. In a savored farewell to the day, we welcome the night and its pinpoints of pure light within a dark velvet sky: mystifying constellations, planets, and shooting stars.