A friend of ours just came back from The Galapagos Islands as a result of our recommendations. This sparked my memory of the trip. I thought I would share just a couple of pictures and a few tidbits about our trip.
I wanted to go because as our planet continues to change, the fragile ecosystems are at risk. With that said, see it while it’s still there! David Attenborough filmed a Galapagos Documentary – 3 episodes that weave a magical look at the world of the Galapagos Islands and their inhabitants. It’s stunning photography. Attenborough narrates the three episodes and they are aptly named – Origin, Adaption and Evolution. If you are on the fence about going, just take a look at this series and you will want to book the trip!
Pikaia Lodge
We are not big fans of boats….Most people see the Galapagos from a cruise ship or smaller dive boat, and then you make stops at different islands. we found a way to see the islands without floating.
We stayed at the Pikaia Lodge on the large island of Santa Cruz. The lodge is set on top of two volcanic craters and is one the largest private wild giant tortoise sanctuaries. We would go by car to the water and then motor out to the next island to visit for the day.
We went to an island off of Santa Cruz that has large populations of both the magnificent frigatebird as well as the blue-footed booby. Yup – I said it….
We saw sea lions and giant iguanas. Beautiful coastline that went on for miles next to pristine ocean. The thing that struck me about the Galapagos Islands is that all the creatures live in complete trust of human beings. Truly a look into a bit of the world where humans are not hurting but helping species survive and thrive.
Anyway, we left Santa Cruz and went to Quito, which is the capital city of Ecuador. This is where we toured some magnificent churches and sweet little streets. We spent our 24 hours eating and sleeping!
Our last stop was in the cloud forest in at the Mashpi Lodge which is a private forest reserve located within the district of Quito. It’s high up and feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. The Mashpi website says this about the lodge location: “The Mashpi Reserve – a steaming, breathing and living place – perfectly showcases the lungs of our planet and the organisms that live therein”. I think that pretty much sums it up. We saw so many birds! We hiked everyday through the forest and we were never disappointed.
Aracari 
Choco Tucan
So, here was a quick little peek into our trip to the Galapagos. I hope I have inspired you to take a look at planning the trip and making it your own adventure!
So are you going?
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