HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
The small archipelago, like a scattered handful of pearls, owes its first official mention to an accident that brought the Spanish bishop, Thomas de Berlang, to the islands. The clergyman was on his way from Panama to Peru, but his ship ran aground and the equatorial current carried the ship west of the continent for two days.

Berlanga, delighted by this coincidence, and impressed by the unreal beauty of the island, called it “Enchanted” in his report to the Spanish king. Later, the pirates who plied the local ocean spaces called the archipelago each in their own way. Eventually, the archipelago became known as the Galapagos, thanks to the elephant turtles that astonished everyone (“galápagos” from Spanish means “land turtles”). But the names of local islands History preserved from the navigation map of the English flibusters Ambrose Cawley, who generously gave tiny areas of land the names of the familiar pirates.

Today it is one of the provinces of Ecuador, consisting of nearly twenty volcanic islands and over a hundred rock formations. A total of slightly more than 25,000 people live on portions of land of about 8,000 square kilometers. In addition to the remarkable wealth of local fauna, most of which are endemics, the archipelago is famous for the research of Charles Darwin, which led him to create his famous theory of the origin of species. It was the Galapagos, which Darwin called “the paradise of evolution,” that became the true illustration of his scientific work.

This small archipelago of islands lost in the Pacific Ocean can truly be considered a wonder of the world. Here, in complete isolation, unique Galapagos tortoises, marine iguanas and the most “northern” penguins managed to survive. Thanks to the incredible natural diversity of species of flora and fauna the islands have gained such popularity among travelers from all over the world.

ARCHIPELAGO ATTRACTIONS
Tourists come to the Galapagos first and foremost to get acquainted with the striking fauna. Here you can really see with their own eyes unusual and rare species, many of which are not found anywhere else on the planet.

Only six islands are inhabited, the rest of the land is a sanctuary for rare mammals, reptiles and birds. Even where people live, animals feel like real masters and rest peacefully on the piers and beaches. Each of the protected islands is unique in its own way.

SAN CRISTOBAL
Like most of the islands in the archipelago, it is a dormant volcano. Puerto Baquerizo-Moreno, the provincial capital, boasts one of the two Galapagos airports. The local harbor is adorned with a statue of Charles Darwin commemorating his visit in 1835. The real “stars” of San Cristobal are recognized sea lions. They are everywhere – on the pier, on the beaches, on the benches and under the benches – in unprecedented numbers. You won’t forgive yourself if you miss this sight.

Tourists should also take a look at the island’s only source of fresh water, Lake El Junco. Fregatber Hill (Frigate Hill) is a great vantage point to watch the flights of these amazing giants. You can get acquainted with the unusually beautiful boobies at their nesting site, Cape Pitta. Diving enthusiasts should not miss the lucky opportunity to swim among mantas and hammerhead sharks in the coastal waters of Kicker Rock. San Cristobal is home to about 8,000 people and they are all very welcoming to visitors.

BARTOLOME
It’s a must-see for the fantastic lunar landscape of piles of volcanic craters not only on land, but also underwater. Tourists climb a boardwalk staircase of 388 steps to the top of the island, which offers a magnificent view of the black cone of Baltra Rock. Along the way, lava lizards sniff underfoot and Galapagos hawks circle overhead. On the coastal boulders, you’ll find funny little penguins that immigrated to the Galapagos hundreds of years ago from the Antarctic with the cold ocean current.

SANTIAGO
The island abounds in wildlife, especially species endemic to the Galapagos. Darwin, who visited the island in October 1835, wrote in his notes that the local population of land iguanas was so vast as to be incalculable, and the expedition had long been unable to find a place to pitch its tent.

Santiago has been a favorite of pirates since ancient times. The comfortable local bay of Bacañe, surrounded by amazing red tufa and basalt shores, is famous for its palosanto trees and huge cacti. Sea lions like to bask on the island’s beaches, and divers can meet sea turtles and reef sharks here.

ISABELLA
The outline of the island resembles the contours of a chess horse. It is the largest part of the Galapagos landmass. The island owes its name to Queen Isabella of Castile. It is worth noting a strange fact: despite its superiority in area to neighboring islands, Isabella is poorly developed by people. Perhaps the reason lies in the particular geological activity and the dramatic change of landscapes. There are six volcanoes on the island, five of which smoke periodically. The highlight of Isabella can be considered its location on both sides of the equator. The main population of the island is concentrated in the town of Puerto Villamil. It is the third most populous settlement in the Galapagos province and the administrative center of the canton of Isabella.

In the coastal waters you can observe 16 species of whales, as well as Pacific green turtles and rays. Galapagos iguanas favor the beaches of the island because of the local variety of seaweeds. If you sail through the narrow channel to Elizabeth Bay, you can take great photos of the unusual colorful mangroves along with their inhabitants – blue herons and huge frigates.

FERNANDINA
Despite the impressive size of the island, you can only disembark at the Punta Espinoza peninsula. Fernandina is famous for its active volcano La Cumbre, which “woke up” in 2005 and 2009. Because of this, movement of tourists on the island is limited to the coastline. It would be interesting to look at the multi-colored lake in the mouth of the volcano, but at the moment, tourists are not allowed there.

To compensate, you can watch countless iguanas basking on the frozen volcanic lava flows and sometimes go for a swim in the ocean. Only on the islands of Isabela and Fernandina do native penguins breed.

FLOREANA
The island’s specialty is pink flamingos, which are very fond of the lagoon at Punta Cormorant (Cape Punta Cormorant). And in the coastal dunes of black sand local turtles lay their eggs.

ESPANOLA
The Galapagos albatross is the island’s calling card. Española is home to the famous cliff, which the birds use as a springboard for takeoff. The Hooded Mockingbird is another unique species of bird that lives on the island. Travelers may also encounter local iguanas with unusual bright colors.

SANTA CRUZ
The second largest and most populated island in the archipelago. The largest city of the Galapagos, Puerto Ayora, boasts a developed tourist infrastructure. From the local port begins almost all maritime excursions to neighboring islands.

In the highlands of Santa Cruz, frequent drizzle and downpours create a microclimate that makes the local flora and fauna differ significantly from those along the coast. The contrast is stupendous, with volcanic lava and desert landscapes below, and green pastures and humid rainforest in the mountains. Giant tortoises prefer to rest and feed on lush greenery before their upcoming migration to the shores of the ocean here. The island offers attractions to suit all tastes:

• Los Gemelos twin craters;
• La Galapaguera El Chato turtle nursery in the forest where the ancient giants mate;
• Tortuga Bay: ideal conditions for surfing in the strong waves that roll up on a long white beach.