The Galapagos IslandsThe Galapagos Islands' reputation as one of theworld's great travel experiences is more thanjustified, and it is one of those destinations thatsurpasses all expectations. The diverse range ofanimals that live on these remote islands have no fear of man, and this is what makes theexperience a truly unique one. A trip around their home is a real delight and will provide many lingering memories. Walking along sandybeaches, skirting around the lazy sea lions as their inquisitive pups try to steal your shoelaces,watching the comical blue-footed boobiesperform their mating dance, carefully steppingaround a tangled pile of sun-bathing marineiguanas and admiring the male great frigate bird'sinflated red chest will all be part of anunforgettable Galapagos experience.40Galapagos sea lionsLand iguana

Galapagos WildlifeThe foremost attraction of the islands for visitorsis the fearlessness of the animals, enabling you toenjoy one of your closest ever encounters withnature. The birdlife is abundant, with albatross,penguins, boobies, frigate birds, flamingos,cormorants and finches among the species youare likely to see. Reptiles are most famouslyrepresented by Lonesome George, believed to bethe last surviving giant tortoise from the island ofLa Pinta, and there are numerous marine iguanas,golden land iguanas and colourful lava lizards. No amount of photos will prepare you for thesheer number of sea lions seen across thearchipelago. In addition, there is a smallpopulation of fur seals. The diversity of thewildlife is not solely reserved for terra firma withan estimated 400 species of fish roaming theGalapagos waters. Exploring the GalapagosExploration of the Galapagos is either undertakenon an expedition cruise vessel or as part of apackage from a hotel or lodge. No two days inthe islands are the same due to the enormousdiversity of landscapes, flora and fauna, but eachday tends to start with an early rise. Every visitorsite is approached on a panga (small inflatablespeedboat) where a wet or dry landing awaits.Wet landings will involve taking the panga to theshoreline and disembarking into the edge of thesurf whereas some visitor sites have jettiesconstructed to allow for a dry landing. In groups that will number a maximum of 16 (this is the maximum passenger to guide ratioallowed by the Galapagos National Park), you willexplore each visitor site on foot, maybe with anoptional snorkelling excursion afterwards. Theprocess is repeated in the afternoon at anotherarea of interest, perhaps rounded off with sometime on a beach. Back on board the boat or inyour hotel there will be time for a drink andsome dinner before a briefing on the followingday's activities. Most people tend to go to bedearly in Galapagos thanks to the combination offresh air and new experiences, and in preparationfor the following morning's adventures.www.audleytravel.com/ecuador ?01993 838 655 ?Ecuador & the Galapagos41Audley in theGalapagosWith the wealth of options available,planning a trip to the Galapagos canseem like a daunting prospect. We hope this is where we can help as ourspecialists have travelled extensively tothe islands with Audley. We havearranged trips for over 2,500 clients inthe last ten years so have all of theirexperience and feedback to draw on.We offer a hand-picked choice ofexpedition vessels and comfortablehotels which we believe will provide aperfect base for your Galapagos trip. This information iscollated together with inspirationalfeatures and answersto commonly askedquestions in our dedicatedbrochure. Please call ourspecialists on01993 838 635for your copy.GALAPAGOSTAILOR-MADEJOURNEYSFORTHEDISCERNINGTRAVELLERSea lion pupGiant tortoiseNazca boobiesBlue-footed boobyMarine iguanaFlightless cormorant