I was very hesitant to book this trip.

I despise cruise ships and I’m not a fan of organized travel, but when you travel to the Galapagos, you either have to stay on a ship with an itinerary or you can stay ashore where you see less and it’s more difficult to travel between islands. We chose the boat - and I’d do it again every day of my life.

I don’t remember how we decided on the Galapagos. All I remember is Ben buying me a magazine subscription and seeing an ad for sailing the Galapagos. I’m not usually an impulsive person, but I saw the ad and thought “why not”. We had been looking for a place to explore and here it was, presented to us. Little did we know we’d be the only Americans and we both had no idea who the hell Stanley Johnson was (our conservationist guest speaker for the boat).

We booked the trip through Intrepid and stayed on the Coral I. Each day was a mix of walking, snorkeling (usually 2x a day), and learning about the islands and wildlife. Note that this trip is very rigid with its schedule - you can’t just “wing it” one day. The islands are protected, so you must be with your guide at all times.

There are many different options for the duration of trip and what islands you visit. I recommend being on the boat for at least 5 days. Otherwise you’ve traveled a really long way and paid a lot of money for a very short adventure. It’s 100% worth it to stay longer.

Islands we visited

San Cristobal
Espanola
Santa Cruz
Rabida
Santiago
Floreana
Bartolome

It’s hard to highlight the good parts when they were all good parts

San Cristobal

**Boobies?!**

Our first day set the bar really high. I got to see one of my favorite childhood animals - the blue footed boobies. Who knew there were also red footed boobies?!

If that wasn’t enough, I also saw the whitest beach I’ve ever seen, and even more critters!

Espanola

Espanola is home to the Albatross - the largest wingspan of any bird - up to 11 feet. They use their wingspans to ride the ocean winds and sometimes glide for hours without flapping their wings or resting.

Along with the Albatross, we saw iguanas, lava lizards, nazca boobies, and sea lions. The iguanas were literally everywhere. You could almost accidentally step on them because they blended into the rock so well.

During our afternoon snorkel, I was swimming along, minding my own business when all of a sudden six sting rays swam right under me. I couldn’t turn the gopro on fast enough - I almost missed them. It was amazing and terrifying all at once. I didn’t know much about them so I wasn’t sure if they were friendly. They glided so gracefully through the water. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.

Once I thought I was safe back on shore, I saw a sea lion. I tried to say “hi” and his response was a little rude.

Floreana

Santa Cruz

**Charles Darwin Research Station**

The Galapagos Giant Tortoises average lifespan is 100 years, they can get up to 6ft, and weigh up to 573lbs.
Learn all about the research center.

Mangroves

Rabida / Santiago

These islands, teaming with wildlife, and their red / green / blue color palette were some of my favorites. You feel like you’re stepping onto a different planet.