The Galapagos Islands

The Galápagos Archipielago was discovered by accident in 1535, when Tomás de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama, drifted off course while sailing from Panama to Perú. He reported his discovery to King Charles V of Spain and included in his report a description of the giant galápago (tortoise) from which the islands received their name.

The Galápagos are an isolated group of volcanic islands that lie in the Pacific Ocean on the equator about 90° west of Greenwich . The nearest mainland is Ecuador , some 1000 km to the est, and Costa Rica , almost 1100 km to the northeast.

The Galápagos Archipielago is world famous for its incredibly fearless and unique wildlife. There, you can swim with sea lions, float eye-to-eye with a penguin, stand next to a blue-footed boody feeding its young, watch a giant 200 kg tortoise lumbering through a cactus forest, and try to avoid stepping on iguanas scurrying over the lava. The wildlife is truly phenomenal. The scenery is barren and volcanic, and has a haunting beauty all its own, though some find it bare and ugly. A visit to the Galápagos is for the wilderness and wildlife enthusiast, not for the average sun-seeker.