Top Latin American Travel Attractions: the Galapagos

Article Directory :: Travel & Leisure Articles

Trips to Latin America are great for so many different reasons; whether you love adventure, culture, nature or all three - it's all possible. So many hotspots offer a vast number of different activities and the Galapagos is, of course, known for great wildlife viewing and taking in the wonders of this world famous archipelago. Whether you are after scuba diving or just seeing as much as you can by boat, a Galapagos cruise has it all for the nature lover inside you.

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are unlike anywhere else in the world. They are located about 600 miles off the mainland of Ecuador of which country they are considered part of. Because of their isolation, birds and animals have evolved here that cannot be found elsewhere. Often, people take a combined Machu Picchu and Galapagos tour and to get to the latter, you will need to fly from Quito or Guayaquil.

Although the landscapes are quite special, it is the wildlife that most people make the trip for. They do not fear humans so it is quite easy as well as remarkable to walk through colonies of tortoises, iguanas, sea lions and birds.

There are several islands and you will see different things on each one. Some are more noted for their wildlife while others are visited more for the terrain. To see the most of what the park has to offer, most people take the tour by way of a cruise. They are typically divided into the Northern Loop and the Southern Loop.

Boats can vary greatly in terms of their class, their size and also where they travel and length of tour. Some are quite basic while others are luxury class. There are 16 passenger yachts on up to ones large enough to hold 100 passengers. Each boat only has permission to land on certain islands so you should take a look at what each as to offer to make the best decision when picking a tour to book.

If diving is something you want to do while you are there, look into boats that include this activity. Some actually specialize in that so if this is important to you, take a closer look at those. The Galapagos are considered as one of the best places to dive in the world. Snorkelling is also often part of the amenities that are offered.

Cruise lengths are usually between four and eight days in length. Obviously, the longer the length of the cruise that you choose, the more that you will get to see. Shorter cruises will go to either the Northern or Southern Loop islands while longer ones will allow you to see some in each.

If you would rather not go by cruise, you could also use one island as a base and take daytrips to other ones. It can take more time but cost a lot less to go this route. Most of the available tours depart from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. If you do decide you want a cruise, you should book it as soon as possible to make sure you are able to get the boat that you want.

EasyPublish? this article - publishers click here

More articles by Terry Philips

football score ron paul nevada buffalo chicken dip super bowl 2012 soul train nevada caucus ufc 143