Galapagos Islands

It is difficult to find the words to describe what we can see and experience there... 

We spontaneously booked a 5-day tour to the Galapagos Islands and boarded a cool catamaran. The rocking on the ship took some getting used to. At night, it felt like being on the Euro-Mir at Europa-Park, except it never stopped ☺🙃

The first excursion on land was amazing. We went in search of the Galapagos Giant Tortoise in pouring rain. They are not difficult to find: with a shell length of over a meter and weighing almost 300kg, they are quite noticeable 🐢

With the Archipell 1, our boat, we visited different islands. With our guide Fernando, we explored the various landscapes and observed different species of animals. I have never seen so many birds before. But with Fernando's extensive knowledge, even that became interesting. And we saw not just any birds: for example, the funny blue-footed boobies that dance in circles or the frigatebirds that can inflate their red pouches. 🦅

Things also got exciting in the water. We went snorkeling either from the shore or from the Zodiac boat. We saw beautiful underwater landscapes. Fish of various colors swam around, almost like in a home aquarium 😉 

But the real highlights underwater were the larger animals... We saw countless Galapagos sea lions on land and in the water. When the sea lions are not swimming or playing, they are a little mischievous 🙈

We were lucky enough to see two Galapagos penguins, as they are unfortunately endangered... By the way, they are the only penguins that can be found north of the equator 🐧

What else did we experience? Oh yes... A huge green sea turtle swam beneath us. We watched it and moved on. It was an unforgettable experience. It is about five times my weight, but it swims so smoothly and peacefully underwater with its large green shell, incredible 🐢

We discovered various species of stingrays on the ocean floor and on the beach. Some were very small, while others had a diameter of one meter.

After a few close encounters, we also spotted the fish that the Galapagos is famous for. Both of us held our breath and our hearts raced. Shortly after jumping into the water from the Zodiac and swimming away, we saw two large whitetip reef sharks! What should we do now? Just stay calm and watch, it's not that easy... but worth it! Since they are normally not dangerous to humans, they lost interest in us and disappeared into the depths 🦈

We enjoyed our time on the Archipell. We tried different Ecuadorian dishes and cocktails, or just enjoyed the view from the sundeck. On our route, we visited the islands Santa Cruz, Floreana, Española, and San Cristobal. 

It is important to know that many of these endemic species on the Galapagos Islands are endangered. Meanwhile, a large part of the Galapagos has been protected and people have become aware of the importance of the sensitive animal and plant world, so that this paradise will hopefully continue to exist.

We could write much more about every snorkeling experience and every island, but we will tell you about it when we return 😉