Galapagos Island

Galapagos, the most popular travel destination in the world!

The week spent on the Galapagos Islands flew by. It felt like living in an aquarium. Galapagos offers a unique insight into the underwater world.

In Galapagos, we visited the three largest islands - Isla Santa Cruz, Isla Isabela & Isla San Cristóbal.

We landed at the airport on the island of Baltra, which is right next to Isla Santa Cruz. Baltra only has this small airport and a few shuttle buses that go to the pier.

Isla Santa Cruz / Part 1

Right at the beginning, we went to 'El Chato Ranch'. A nature reserve with giant tortoises and what tortoises they are. The largest ones can live up to 200 years and weigh around 300 kg. We walked through the park and saw dozens of tortoises. They are indeed very slow, and if they feel threatened, they release air from themselves and retract their heads completely. During the tour, we walked through a natural lava tunnel, which had formed over time. At the end of the tour, we were able to slide into a tortoise shell. Of course, I couldn't resist trying to stand up with the shell. With the help of the guides, I was able to stand up with the shell :)

On the same day, we left Santa Cruz to reach Isla Isabela. During our stay, we returned to Santa Cruz.

Isla Isabela

We took our personal speedboat and reached Isabela 2 hours later. It was already late, but a short walk on the beach was a must. We encountered a white sandy beach and turquoise sea. I was in paradise!

The next day, we practically spent all day in the water. In the morning, we went kayaking. The sun was blazing down on us like fire, and we couldn't swim in the sea during kayaking because we were surrounded by countless jellyfish. While snorkeling, we saw marine iguanas, sea lions, pelicans, crabs, turtles, and Galapagos penguins. These penguins are the only ones north of the equator! In the afternoon, we visited a turtle breeding center. They are really cute when they are small - I would have loved to take one with me. Another highlight on this island was watching the sunset on the beach with my Cuba Libre and reggaeton music from the bar. Completely happy!

Isla Santa Cruz / Part 2

Back in Santa Cruz, we were able to expand our knowledge at the Charles Darwin Center. We were flooded with information about turtles. On this island, I have seen the most beautiful beach to date - Tortugabay! I was so overwhelmed that I completely forgot about my camera. You really shouldn't miss this beach...

In the evening, I enjoyed some fresh fish and my usual Cuba Libre on the beach. Regarding food in general, it is worth mentioning that you can find something for everyone everywhere. It is more expensive than on the mainland (an average of $15), but of better quality.

Isla San Cristóbal

The boat trip took about 3 hours, and along the way, we saw dolphins. It was just like in the movies where dolphins jump out of the water and swim after the boat :D

The bike tour allowed us to see the island from above. We were greeted with a green view surrounded by the sea. We rode our bikes to another beach where we saw baby sea lions. Snorkeling was supposed to be on the agenda, but I just wanted to enjoy the moment. So I laid down on the beach next to the sea lions and rested.

We spent the last day on the Galapagos Islands snorkeling at Kicker Rock. Galapagos sharks and hammerhead sharks were waiting for us! Among the rocks, we encountered turtles, sea lions, baby sharks (about 1.5m long), Galapagos sharks, and hammerhead sharks. UNBELIEVABLE!

A unique week came to an end. I can only recommend everyone to visit these islands when given the opportunity :)

My journey now continues in Peru... a completely different reality, but undoubtedly just as impressive!