The Galápagos Islands belong to the Ecuadorian territory and are located in the Pacific Ocean over the equator, at 960 km from the continent, equivalent to 600 miles. The archipelago is constituted by 13 greater islands and more than 200 islets and rocks that cover about 8.010 km2.

The volcanic eruptions and the geological changes had created these 13 greater islands, 6 medium and more than 42 small islands and islets that were formed 6 million years ago. Not only Galápagos geography is wonderful, but its flora and fauna which gave an incentive to the interest of Charles Darwin.

The Islas Galápagos have no comparison with any other place in the world and are, without overreact, one of the earth’s wonders. In 1973 this archipelago was formed, with the Isabela, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal cantons, where Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the county town, is located. Is not only a National Park, but professed Natural World Heritage Site. The Baltra island is protected zone, and is where the airport is established and base of the Army and the Air Force of Ecuador.

In the protected regions we find three subsystems: Park, Marine Reserve and Human Settlements. The submarine chain CARNEGIE RIDGE joins the archipelago of Galápagos with Sudamérica and the Cocos Ridge links with Central America, although these submarine chains never integrated America.

Galápagos Islands
Bartolome Island presents incredible volcanic landscapes, that are rock formations and volcanic ashes, and a fauna composed of coastal birds, lizards and grasshopper where people occasionally can see penguins. In the Santiago Island in Puerto Egas people can see migrant coastal birds, sea lions, marine iguanas, seals of two hairs, terrestrial birds and landscapes with lava formations and volcanic ashes. The Rábida Island show us marine lions, with beaches and red land, with lots of lava lizards, terrestrial birds, flamingos and pelicans.

The Isabela Island in Punta Vicente Roca shows its crystalline waters with diversity of fishes and rests of volcanic materials, watching different types of lava, with the presence of seals, gulls, Galapagos’s swallows, masked piqueros, piqueros of blue feet, and if we are lucky, dolphins. If we continue with the Islas Galápagos in the North Seymour, we see marine lions, gulls of bifurcated tail, frigate birds, piqueros, lizards, terrestrial birds, terrestrial iguanas and seals of two hairs.

In Santa Cruz, in the Parte Alta (El Chato) we observe terrestrial turtles in natural condition, terrestrial birds, and lava tunnels. Bachas is a coralliferous beach with coastal birds, a marine turtle’s centre, small lagoons where people can occasionally see flamingos. In Caleta Tortuga Negra people can see nesting gulls, Galapagos’s swallows, masked piqueros, piqueros of blue feet, seals and hardly ever dolphins.

In Floreana Island (Punta Cormorant) we watch marine lions on dry vegetation surrounding of lagoons and terrestrial birds such as flamingos, lizards, and with beaches of coralliferous sand with marvelous landscapes and the oldest mail of Galápagos.

En Bahía Gardner (Punta Suarez) in Española Island, we see colonies and large groups of marine and terrestrial birds. The most surprising are the albatross, marine iguanas, endemic lizards of the island, marine lion’s colonies, Galápagos turtles beside volcanic landscapes generated by lifting with their cliff. Fernandina Island (Punta Espinoza) is one of the most virgin islands of the earth, with colony of marine lions, marine iguanas, zayapas, no flying cormorants, hardly surrounded of coastal vegetation with manglares by lava fields and volcanic landscapes.

Cruises Galápagos
The itineraries are organized in the M/V Galapagos Legend and in the M/V Galapagos Coral cruises. They are unique and with a real functionality, these luxurious yachts are designed with high quality materials that give comfort in a warming marine context. Their terraces of sun or shadow and the Jacuzzi make a space for a total relax.

Their social areas, like the bar, are worthy of spending a time for distraction. The kitchen service is as good as the best luxury restaurants, presenting a complete breakfast buffet with home made bread, as far as elaborate dinner menus, tasted and made by professional chefs. From Ecuador’s gastronomy, with variety of exotic fruits, to special menus for the kids or for special diets.

The reservations of the most luxurious and top quality cruises are made in advance. To go to Islas Galápagos is necessary to take a flight that lasts about 2 hours from Guayaquil or Quito to the Baltra Airport or San Cristóbal. In the cruises you would discover Galápagos at its utmost. The average time of the trip to the Islands is of 3 or 7 nights, depending on the navigation, to the West Islands and to the East Islands.