Galapagos Island Cruises

The prefect destination for nature lovers and naturalists, the Galapagos offers visitors a unique habitat to tour. And though not many species of animals reside here, what makes these islands so special is the fact that each island has its own endemic wildlife species. This presents an incredible sight, as while on one island a bird may have a shorter beak, on another island the same bird’s beak may be longer. This creation of subspecies is what visiting the Galapagos is all about.

The only way to take a tour of the Galapagos Islands is by boat. Most cruises to and around the Galapagos are often part of all-inclusive vacation packages, offered by many travel companies in Ecuador. Basically there are two kinds of cruises offered by tour groups; those that are usually based in Puerto Ayora, with day cruises to each of the islands, and boat cruises where one spends their entire vacation aboard a cruise liner or yacht, only going on land when a boat docks on an island.

To take a Galapagos cruise it is best to fly to the islands and then catch a boat from Puerto Ayora, as public transportation between islands is unfortunately rather limited and can be quite expensive. Organized cruise tours are a tourist’s best bet to get the maximum from their Galapagos trip. The main reason for this is because it gets quite difficult to see the outlying islands easily.

Day cruises in the Galapagos usually start from Puerto Ayora and begin at dawn. These cruises are a great way to enjoy the rich natural diversity that the Galapagos has to offer. However, with so much time spent traveling back and forth between islands, there is not much time for one to truly appreciate each island’s distinctive characteristics.

The best way to cruise the Galapagos is by a boat tour, where one gets to stay aboard a luxury cruiser while touring each island. This kind of a cruise not only allows one to have the entire Galapagos experience, but also lets visitors get acquainted with the rich marine diversity that these islands have to offer. Most cruises in the Galapagos are either sightseeing tours or scuba diving/adventure tours for those who want to have a more active vacation.

| | | |