While it is true that Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands both take a bit more planning to visit than your average beach vacation, visiting these two iconic destinations doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, if you do the proper planning, these two locations are relatively easy to visit during one exciting trip. Believe me, I planned and took this trip myself, so I know that it is not only possible, but the trip won’t feel rushed in the least bit.
At 9,252 feet (or 2,820 meters) in elevation, the city of Quito, which is Ecuador’s capital city, is the highest capital city in the entire world. Not only that, but the city of Quito was also one of the very first World Cultural Heritage Sites designated by UNESCO back in 1978. The city’s beautiful historic center, with its cobblestone streets and beautiful 16th Century stone houses, is absolutely beautiful. Touring this area of the city alone is worth a visit to Quito. Not to be forgotten, Quito is the perfect city to fly into to launch a trip to another Ecuadorian treasure, and the world’s very first Cultural Heritage Site, the infamous Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos Islands is one of this world’s top tourist destinations. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to this island archipelago off the coast of South America to enjoy the beautiful vistas, interact with the diverse and amazing wildlife, and to scuba dive and snorkel in one of the world’s richest marine environments. The Galápagos Islands are truly one of this world’s greatest treasures and something that everyone should see in their lifetime.
The Galápagos Islands are one of this world’s most famous, and alluring, wildlife destinations. Ever since Charles Darwin visited the islands and documented the diversity of wildlife and wrote his theory of Evolution, people have been flocking to the islands to get a first-hand look at this amazing ecosystem. Not only do the Galápagos Islands have a staggering array of marine wildlife in its waters, but there are also a wide variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals found on the islands themselves.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to the Galápagos Islands to see the amazing and diverse wildlife that lives in the waters off their shores. There is no better way to get an appreciation for the diverse and amazing wildlife that call the Galápagos Island their home than to get in the water and interact with this wildlife. From the giant Whale sharks that flock to the outer islands in droves, to the amazingly large schools of hammerhead sharks, to the fun and playful Galápagos sea lions that can be found on and around the islands in abundance, there is no place quite like the Galápagos Islands for taking a snorkeling or scuba diving adventure.
The Galápagos Islands are an amazing place that draws photographers from around the world each year to capture its amazing landscapes and wildlife. However, as beautiful as the Galápagos Islands are, they can also be fairly challenging to capture in photographs. The weather, rocking boats, and the remoteness of the islands are just some of the many challenges that photographers face when they travel to the Galápagos.
Because the Galápagos is such an important and fragile ecosystem, there are many protections in place to prevent the ecosystem from getting spoiled. This is a good thing, as it is very important for us to preserve this beautiful place. However, it does mean that more planning needs to go into preparing a trip to the Galápagos then other destinations you might decide to visit.
The Galápagos Islands is as unique of a destination as it is beautiful and with that uniqueness are some challenges when it comes to packing for your trip. Being an island chain without a large population, especially on some of the smaller islands, it can be quite difficult to find things if you forget to bring something. For that reason, you will want to make sure you are extra prepared when it comes to packing.
We have had some incredible luck with weather on this trip, but today that luck ran out to an extent. We were scheduled to begin our tours at 8am this morning, with stops at the Charles Darwin Research Center in the morning and trips to the Santa Cruz highlands and a snorkeling adventure in the afternoon.
Today was our last day on Isabella Island, and we certainly made the most of the day. Today was the only day on this trip so far where we were allowed to sleep in a bit. Our tour guide was scheduled to pick us up from our hotel at 11:00am, so we had some time to relax first thing in the morning.