IT is 175 years this year since the great Charles Darwin landed on the Galapagos Islands and despite considerable threats to its survival this enchanted archipelago continues to provide a unique experience in unspoilt Nature.
In 1831 when Darwin arrived on the islands he found a great diversity of flora and fauna, with creatures unknowing and unafraid of man. This happy state of affairs remains largely unchanged, though judging by the numbers of different cruise vessels that ply for tourists, you might expect the place to be overrun with people.
Happily, the traffic is still controlled, and the ships are small, though some experts maintain tourism combined with the numbers of people now living on the islands are endangering its natural balance.
Guerba, one of our leading 'adventure' tour operators, is now offering a ten-day cruise of the islands on their yacht that takes just 16 passengers. There are 13 islands in all is this archipelago and the key ones are visited, enabling visitors to walk the trails on Sante Fe and Santiago, go snorkelling off Rabida and visit the Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. June is the giant turtle nesting season, whales may be spotted in July, penguins and seas lions are active in September and sea lion pups are born in November. But the islands provide a constant panorama of wildlife and exotic scenery.
The yacht offers spacious two-berth air conditioned cabins, with en-suite bathrooms, there is a comfortable restaurant and meeting room, and plenty of deck space, and the ten-day cruise costs £1,300, plus $100 permit fee per person. Flights to Quito in Ecuador start from around £600 return. See www.guerba.com.uk
