www.audleytravel.com/galapagos ?01993 838 635 ?Staying ashore and diving21Island hoppingAn island hopping itinerary is a great alternative to sleeping on a boat. In addition to staying inPuerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island, there arecomfortable lodges on Floreana and Isabelaislands. This is ideal for adventurous visitors and involves taking speedboat transfers(approximately two hours) between islands. The four, five and seven night programmes enable you to get to the outer islands, which have fewer visitors, to snorkel, scuba dive, andobserve the prolific wildlife.Walking toursAn alternative way to explore Isabela island, in the west of the Galapagos, is on a walking tour.Isabela is the largest of all the islands on theGalapagos with five active volcanoes (includingthe second largest volcanic crater in the world),and is one of the best places in which to seesome of the iconic Galapagos species such as the flightless cormorant, Galapagos penguin and giant tortoise.The base for these tours is the sleepy town ofPuerto Villamil with accommodation in a simplehotel. Excursions include daily walking toursaround the island, snorkelling trips and options for camping and scuba diving. These tours are agreat way to explore the Galapagos and get offthe beaten track.CASADELAMARITA, ISABELAISLANDThis delightful family-owned posada has tensimple rooms, some with ocean facing terraces.Located on the island's main beach, the posada is nicely secluded and only a short walk to theheart of Puerto Villamil. It is the perfect base from which to explore Isabela and is regularlyused as the base for walking tours of the island.Alternatively, it is ideal for some low-keyrelaxation time at the end of a Galapagos cruise.The colourful marine life of the Galapagos istruly breathtaking and the diving potentialunlimited. Swept by both the cold waters ofAntarctica and warm currents from thetropical Pacific, the submarine world of theGalapagos encompasses a huge variety ofspecies as diverse and exciting as those onland. 17 percent of the fish and 35 percent ofthe marine invertebrates in the Galapagos arefound only around this isolated archipelago. Although the diving in the Galapagos isfantastic and very rewarding, it is only for theexperienced and certified diver. The islandsare not suitable for novice or infrequentdivers due to the strong currents, sea swells,surges, cooler water temperatures andfrequently difficult entries and exits from thedive boat.Most of the archipelago is surrounded by very deep water, with depths off the westernislands of up to 3,000 metres. Generally thedives are drifts along the cliff faces or off-shore rocks and pinnacles. For dedicateddivers, we can organise specialised seven nightdive boat cruises on the Galapagos Sky(formerly the Sky Dancer) or Aggressorvessels. These boats concentrate heavily ondiving, with as many as five dives a day andjust two or three land excursions during yourcruise. These trips give you the opportunityto reach the most respected diving spots ofthe northern islands of Wolf and Darwin,famous for their schools of hammerheadsharks, giant manta rays and whale sharks(between May and November). Some boats featured on previous pagesadvertise 'occasional diving departures' wherea local dive operator will come to meet your expedition vessel during your cruise.They will take you off to a nearby dive site,but this does mean missing the scheduledland excursion at this time. This operationdoes not always run as smoothly as we wishand for this reason if you would like toundertake a couple of dives in the Galapagoswe recommend staying in one of the hotelsbefore or after your cruise and going outfrom there.Diving in the GalapagosKayaking in the GalapagosSnorkellingSpotted eagle rayDiving with whale skarks

What is included once I'm there?We can organise trips to Galapagos hotels on a bed and breakfast basis through to an allinclusive basis on a package that will include daytrips to nearby islands. If you are cruising on aboat all meals, transfers and excursions areincluded. Most vessels will also include use oftheir wet suits and snorkelling gear althoughsome may charge a supplement for this. YourGalapagos specialist will be able to advise onexactly what is included for your specific trip.How do I get there?International flights into Ecuador land in Quitoor Guayaquil from where it is a short flight tothe Galapagos. However, as these flights tend toleave early, you will need to stay overnight ineither city prior to your cruise. Upon arrival inthe Galapagos you will be met and escorted toyour boat or hotel.What countries can I combine with a trip to the Galapagos?Due to their privileged geographical locationcombinations with the Ecuadorian mainland, theneighbouring countries of Peru, Colombia andVenezuela, and the Central American countriesof Panama and Costa Rica, are possible. Wehave provided some suggestions and sampleitineraries on page 30.Is the Galapagos suitable for solo travellers?Any trip to the Galapagos is a very sociableoccasion so any single traveller will quicklybecome part of a group. Single supplements can be hefty, particularly when cruising, but anumber of the vessels featured in this brochuredo offer single-use cabins or operate a 'samesex share' policy if there is more than one single person on board.When should I travel to the Galapagos?The Galapagos can be visited all year round.Certain times of the year can be better forseeing different wildlife (see pages 6 to 11 formore details) although there is no optimum time to see everything. We do not advise against travel at any particular time of the year,although September can be the coolest andchoppiest month.How long should I spend in Galapagos?The vessels in this brochure will operate anything from a four day to two week itinerary.Packages from a hotel or an island hoppingprogramme typically involve a four, five or eightday trip. We believe that four days is a minimumbut will provide a wonderful experience in theGalapagos. A week offers a comprehensive trip,with two weeks being reserved for the keenestof wildlife enthusiasts.How much will it cost?The price of a Galapagos trip varies enormouslydepending on factors such as the time of yearyou travel, the type of boat or accommodationyou choose and the length of your stay. In thepreceeding pages you will see a variety ofoptions from simple hotels through to luxuriousexpedition boats. Please refer to our website for guidelines on prices or speak to one of ourGalapagos specialists.Your questions22Galapagos hawkGalapagos flamingos