One always hears about the Galapagos as such a richly biodiverse location. And it is true. But in my mind, biodiverse automatically meant green and lush. Visiting in August, this just wasn’t the case. Cold currents and southern breezes bring drier air at this time of year, and the land - at lower elevations at least - can seem downright arid. How in the world does this arid, dry area support such rich wildlife? The secret is in the water. Quite literally.
There is such a distinct difference above and below the surface of the water. Stick your face in the water with a snorkel mask on and you see such an abundance of colors, and an amazing volume of living things. Sharks, sea turtles, eagle rays, parrotfish, cornetfish, wrasse, seastars, urchins, flounder, moray eels, and so many more…. Sea Turtle, Snorkeling (Kevin Moore)
Pop up from your snorkeling wonderland and you see stark lava flows, dry shrubland and what seems to border on desert at times. You quickly realize that while you may find dozens of sea lions hauled out on one patch of dry land, literal piles of marine iguanas on another patch of dry land, and hundreds of blue-footed boobies or frigatebirds nesting on still another patch of dry land… the only thing these animals need from that dry land is, well, the dry land. They get every last bit of nutrition from the sea, brought together by the three main currents that collide at the Galapagos. Galapagos Penguins (Kevin Moore)
When you get in that water, and the flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, sea lions, and marine iguanas decide to join you, a question comes to mind…. Why did I not ever know about the Galapagos Islands as a snorkeling destination? Sea Lion, Snorkeling (Kevin Moore)
The trip planners at Adventure Life were very helpful and always replied to my inquiries right away. The excursions, accomodations, and local guides were excellent
Avi Argaman
1 day ago
Be sure to sign up for all the tours, otherwise you will be sitting on the boat since not all stops are moored at a dock. Some are anchored.
Gail Puryear
1 day ago
There were two best aspects to our trip:
1. The Adventure Life folks and the folks in Athens and Crete who supported our itinerary, guided us, and ran the cooking program were all superb.
2. Everything they all planned for us went without a hitch. When we needed a bit of help, they came through with really good answers.
We became aware of AL from a friend who had an excellent experience in a different location. So did we. We can recommend AL without reservation.
Tom Campbell
1 day ago
My agent Jeff did not push the sale while providing thorough information and replying quickly to my many questions.
Mary Lou Carlson
2 days ago
We have used AL for decades now to plan trips. Kassandra has been with us from the start and has never disappointed. She knows our family and our quirks and is always willing to fit the trip to us. This time we made her work for the booking because of family member schedules. It has all come together for a great Christmas gift for many families.
