We've put together a guidebook with everything you need to know about Ecuador and Galapagos. Written by our specialists, it details destination information, a wildlife guide, some suggested itineraries and plenty more to inspire your holiday. Fill in the form below and if you live in UK, your guidebook will arrive by post within the next couple of days. For those who live abroad, we will send you a copy by email.
Join our exclusive Imagine Latin America Small Group Tour, fully escorted by a local Tour Leader and Galapagos Naturalist Guide to experience the very best of Ecuador and the Galapagos’ prolific wildlife and spectacular landscapes. Enjoy scenic walks in Cotopaxi National Park and around the Sierra Negra Volcano, gain an insight into the Ecuadorian culture and spend six days discovering the wonderful wildlife of the Galapagos Islands.
On the Galapagos Islands you can expect to be rewarded with an abundance of wildlife all year round, therefore unless you have something in particular you want to see (for example the Waved Albatross, is absent from January to March), you can travel there anytime and always look forward to seeing something different.
Diving in the Galapagos is done in one of two ways. You can choose a "livaboard" dive boat which is specifically equipped for diving. On these boats you will dive up to four times daily including night dives. These trips are usually for one week but can be booked for up to ten days. The boats often go out to the remote islands of Wolf and Darwin, both famous for their schools of Hammerhead Sharks, giant Manta Rays and Whale Sharks. The other way would be to base yourself on one of the islands and go on 'day trips' to various dive sites.
When it comes to wildlife, no place on Earth compares to the Galapagos Islands. It must be the only place where you can swim with penguins, snorkel with sea lions and lumber along with giant tortoises. See cormorants dive into the water, dance with the waved albatross and ogle at the feet of the blue footed booby. Like Africa’s Big Five, the Galapagos Islands have their Big 15, which reflects the archipelago’s most unique and fascinating wildlife. Take a look at the Big 15 below and find out about the abundance of wildlife you can expect to see during a trip to Galapagos.
Famous for their incredibly fearless and unique wildlife, the Galapagos Islands are some of the most spectacular volcanic islands in the world. Isolated just off the coast of Ecuador, it’s the only place in the world where you can swim with a playful sea lion, plod along with a giant tortoise and ogle at the brightly coloured feet of the blue footed booby. There are several ways to explore this wild and magical archipelago and we have selected the best of all these options to get you started:
Officially known as “Archipiélago de Colón”, the Galapagos Islands are made up of 13 main islands, 6 smaller islands and a handful of rocks and islets. Of all the islands only four are inhabited, making a total population of approximately 25,000 people.