When people ask me where my favorite trip has been, I have a hard time answering. Each location has so many highlights and I could always do more exploring in a new city or country, but the destination that is at the top of my list right now is the Galapagos. I’m lucky to have traveled to the Galapagos Islands last year with a group of Amazing Journeys travelers and it was truly amazing. It was such a unique destination with surprises along the way and I wanted to share some of my favorite aspects of the experience.

Wildlife – If you are a wildlife lover, the Galapagos Islands absolutely needs to be at the top of your “must travel” list! From marine iguanas to sea turtles to blue footed boobies to sea lions, there are incredible animals at every turn. Many of these species can only be found in the Galapagos and seeing them in their natural environment is just incredible.

Colors – As a photographer, the colors of the Galapagos Islands had my camera working overtime! I couldn’t get enough of the vibrant greens of the plants on land, the crystal clear blue waters, the contrast of the orange Sally Lightfoot crab against the stark black lava rocks and the wash of colors that were changing by the minute with each amazing sunset.

Activity level – Every day in the Galapagos is different – you could be snorkeling one day, taking a zodiac ride the next, kayaking, hiking or swimming. I love that you can be as active as you want on an itinerary like this, but that you can also enjoy everything that the islands has to offer from the comfort of the ship, on land or riding in a panga. Everyone in our group was able to make their experience exactly what they wanted and needed.

Remoteness – Imagine walking onto a quite beach with only the sounds of the water, the animals and your friends surrounding you – no lines, no traffic, no commotion. The Galapagos Islands are very restricted in the amount of visitors that come at one time, so as you are exploring, you sometimes feel like the only person in the world.

Cruising experience – Cruising is the only way I would want to explore the Galapagos Islands. Getting to sail from island to island makes the experience not only enjoyable and relaxing but allows you to maximize your time. You may explore one island in the morning, come back onboard for lunch and be in a different location in the afternoon. The expedition ship has a small number of passengers but boasts a delicious restaurant, casual places to relax, a dedicated learning space and experts that travel with you.

I could go on and on, but I guess I will stop here. If you’ve ever considered a visit to the Galapagos Islands, I encourage you to check it out! And if you’re considering it in the near future, I highly (highly) encourage you to come with us on the amazing journey to Ecuador and the Galapagos in December. Can you imagine ringing in the new year under the star covered sky while floating in between islands of the Galapagos? Pretty cool, huh? Whether you’re an animal lover, a water sports enthusiast, a photographer, a lover of cultures, someone who is looking for a unique way to celebrate New Year’s, or any other type of traveler, you are in for an experience of a lifetime. To see some of the things we’ll be seeing and doing on our trip, click here to watch a little video we’ve put together for you.

We hope to see you soon in this amazing part of the world!

Erin

Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the most incendiary book in the history of science, and coincidentally, the 200th birthday of the mild mannered Englishman who wrote it. Charles Darwin did not invent the idea of evolution, any more than Abe Lincoln–who happens to share his birthday on Feburary 12–invented the idea of freedom. What Darwin provided in The Origin of Species was a powerful theory for how evolution could occur through purely natural forces, liberating scientists to explore the glorious complexity of life, rather than merely accept it as an impenetrable mystery.

Contrary to popular belief, Darwin did not visit only Galapagos.  He actually only visited these islands just once in his lifetime.  As indicated from his journal, he visited and researched his evolutionary theories in many parts of the world:

“The day has past delightfully.  Delight itself, however, is a weak term to experess the feelings of a naturalist who, for the first time, has wandered by himself into a Brazilian forest” – Darwin: February 29, 1832

“It is scarcely possible to imagine any thing more beautiful than the beryl-like blue of these (Tierra del Feugo, Chile) glaciers, and especially as contrasted with the dead white of the upper expanse of snow” – Darwin : January 29, 1893

Geneticist Theo Dobzhansky wrote 37 years ago that “nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution.”  That light, which began as a glimmer in the mind of a young naturalist aboard H.M.S. Beagle, today casts a beam so bright we can read the very text of life by it.  Darwin would be overjoyed to see how much he did not know, and how much we have yet to learn.