Guide to the Galapagos Islands

Galapagos is a chain of islands off the coast of Ecuador. There are only 5 inhabited islands among the total 19, which make up the archipelago, in Galapagos. Complete with a four-day cruise and a national park Galapagos in an animal lover's delight featuring some of the most exotic animals in the world.

Tortoises, flightless Cormorants, marine iguanas, Darwin finches, cacti, penguins, sea lions, crabs, fish, and amazing plants are some of the features you will see in Galapagos. Darwin finches are named so because of the explorer Charles Darwin who ventured to these islands a century and a half ago. The only place in the world where you can see a cactus and a penguin living in harmony is this unique habitat.

A volcano hike past lava tubes leads you to a breathe taking view of an amazingly blue-green ocean. Along the four day cruise you will also encounter trails which exhibit strange plants, sleeping iguanas, and Galapagos's most popular animal the tortoise.

These massive land tortoises are slow-moving, almost blind, and commonly live to be 100 years old. If you get too close to the tortoises they will retract into their shell. The sounds that accompanies the retraction is similar air being sucked into a vacuum. The tortoise's lungs are so large if they remain inside their shell for too long it could damage the lungs.

Past the tortoises is lush, green vegetation containing a path that dead-ends. At the end of the journey a shelter awaits. The shelter supplies rubber boots to wander out into the muddy fields to get a closer look at the tortoises. Once the fun is over you get to relive it on the walk back to the ship.

More than 97 percent of the archipelago is a National Park for Ecuador and a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. This park contains the second largest marine preserve in the world, behind Australia. Special species such as the blue-footed boobie are safe in this protected environment. The bird looks like a sea gull with bright blue feet! Who could resist ugly marine iguanas and blue-footed birds?

All visitors to the Galapagos must pay a $100 entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park. Cruise ships can't exceed 90 passengers, so make your reservations today! The trip is worth every penny. Galapagos, off the coast of Ecuador, is just a hop away from Atlanta, Georgia. The travel time isn't as bad as you might think. To plan your trip to Galapagos check out their site here.