


{"id":3871,"date":"2017-01-30T05:24:58","date_gmt":"2017-01-30T10:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.insightvacations.com\/?p=3871"},"modified":"2024-04-05T13:08:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T12:08:04","slug":"five-stop-guide-galapagos-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/five-stop-guide-galapagos-islands\/","title":{"rendered":"A Five-Stop Guide to the Galapagos Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A remote volcanic archipelago best known for its incredible wildlife, it took Charles Darwin\u2019s 1859 work, On The Origin of the Species, to really put the Galapagos Islands on the map. As the area emerged into the public eye, the Galapagos became a protected site, with 97 per cent of its landmass given National Park status in 1959, and additional UNESCO designations bestowed in 1978. Thanks to these precautions, visitors today can still walk by giant tortoises, catch lizards sunbathing, and swim with bottlenose dolphins. To help you navigate this ecologically diverse and fragile territory (scattered over almost 18,000 square miles), we\u2019ve put together the perfect guide that covers all the essentials, from geographical wonders to foodie delights.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Pinnacle Rock, Bartolome<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>One of the most photographed landmarks in the Galapagos Islands, Pinnacle Rock sits sandwiched between two sandy beaches, a snorkeling site (where fish, penguins and friendly sea lions play) and the lunar hinterland of Bartolome. Formed by magma heaping up in a \u2018tuff\u2019 as it hits the sea, its southern beach is favored for its larger animals, from Sally Light-Foot crabs to sharks.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3876\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos.jpg\" alt=\"The Galapagos Islands\" width=\"2119\" height=\"1415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos.jpg 2119w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-200x134.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-1920x1282.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-1320x881.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/underwater-crater-and-pinunderwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921st_p_pinnanacle-rock-istock-DC_Colombia.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotocle20rock20galapagos-2048x1368.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2119px) 100vw, 2119px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"IVcaption\">Underwater Crater and Pinnacle Rock \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/photo\/underwater-crater-and-pinnacle-rock-gm478800970-67539921?st=_p_pinnacle%20rock%20galapagos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iStock\/DC_Colombia<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sullivan Bay, Santiago<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To step upon Sullivan Bay is to find yourself atop the surreal swirls of one the planet\u2019s younger lava flows (a mere century old), which is known as panoehoe (Hawaiian for \u2018rope\u2019) or ropey lava for the rope-like shape that it solidifies into. A geological wonder in its own right, you might even be lucky enough to make out lava bubbles or lava tree molds on your trek across the once molten material.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3877\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos.jpg\" alt=\"The Galapagos Islands\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos.jpg 2121w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-1320x880.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/volcanic-santiago-island-istock-estivillml.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotovolcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536st_p_sullivan20bay20galapagos-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"IVcaption\">Volcanic Sullivan Bay \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/photo\/volcanic-landscape-of-santiago-island-gm499277971-42532536?st=_p_sullivan%20bay%20galapagos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iStock\/estivillml<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Panga Rides<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For islands spaced so far apart, the \u2018pangas\u2019 are indispensable for getting around. Essentially motorized dinghies or ribs, these highspeed fishing boats are used to ferry visitors from mangroves to coves, from caves to yachts and back again without complaint. They\u2019re also great at getting into smaller corners that larger boats baulk at, as well as in and amongst the sun fish, dolphins and sea turtles \u2013 so you can sail at the heart of some of nature\u2019s most spectacular displays.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3875\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos.jpg\" alt=\"The Galapagos Islands\" width=\"2125\" height=\"1411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos.jpg 2125w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-1920x1275.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-1320x876.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-600x398.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sea-lions-galapagos-istock-stockcam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotosea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677st_p_boat20galapagos-2048x1360.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2125px) 100vw, 2125px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"IVcaption\">Sea Lions Galapagos \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/photo\/sea-lions-relaxing-on-beach-galapagos-gm611079774-105072677?st=_p_boat%20galapagos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iStock\/stockcam<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Galapagos Food<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Combining the cuisines of the South American coast (especially Ecuador) with local fare, most visitors love Galapagian food. This is because it\u2019s mostly based around simple, light dishes that focus on fresh fruit and even fresher seafood. Favorites include tree tomato, shrimp, lobster and sea cucumber, but even the humblest dishes are usually a hit, from locro (a cheese and potato soup) to bolones (a plantain dumpling breakfast).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3873\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food.jpg\" alt=\"The Galapagos Islands\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food.jpg 2121w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-1320x880.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fish-at-local-galapagos-market-istock-sgputnam.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoaerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693st_p_galapagos20food-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"IVcaption\">Aerial View of Fish Market in the Galapagos \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/photo\/aerial-view-on-fish-at-local-fish-market-in-galapagos-islands-gm618458314-107617693?st=_p_galapagos%20food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iStock\/sgputnam<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bird Spotting <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Galapagos Islands host hundreds of species of birds, including some of the world\u2019s most endangered. Look out for the waved albatross with its 2.5-meter wingspan, or the unusual frigate bird and its distinctive red \u2018pouch\u2019. The blue-footed boobie (and its feet that look almost spray-painted) always elicit some laughs, unlike the minatory Galapagos hawk, which is the only raptor breeding on the islands.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3872\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos.jpg\" alt=\"The Galapagos Islands\" width=\"2470\" height=\"1638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos.jpg 2470w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-1920x1273.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-1320x875.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-600x398.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Blue-footed-boobies-istock-photon-photos.jpg-www.istockphoto.comgbphotoblue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139st_p_birds20galapagos-2048x1358.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2470px) 100vw, 2470px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"IVcaption\">Blue-footed-boobies \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/photo\/blue-footed-boobies-galapagos-ecuador-gm506149218-84068139?st=_p_birds%20galapagos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iStock\/Photon-Photos<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Several of these locations feature on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurygoldvacations.com\/us\/tours\/grand-tour-of-south-america-with-quito-and-galapagos-cruise-summer-2017?tab=itinerary&amp;utm_campaign=hg2&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_content=a-five-stop-guide-to-the-galapagos-islands&amp;c3ch=blog&amp;c3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Grand Tour of South America<\/a> with Quito &amp; The Galapagos trip. Book an escorted journey with us if you fancy seeing these incredible sights in the flesh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A remote volcanic archipelago best known for its incredible wildlife, it took Charles Darwin\u2019s 1859 work, On The Origin of the Species, to really put the Galapagos Islands on the map. As the area emerged into the public eye, the Galapagos became a protected site, with 97 per cent of its landmass given National Park [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":3876,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1831,1829],"tags":[919,920,921,253,917,918,546,846,407],"class_list":["post-3871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latin-america","category-people-planet","tag-animals","tag-birds","tag-charles-darwin","tag-food","tag-galapagos-islands","tag-sealife","tag-south-america","tag-volcano","tag-wildlife"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Five-Stop Guide to the Galapagos Islands - Insight Vacations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It took Charles Darwin\u2019s 1859 work, On The Origin of the Species, to put the Galapagos Islands on the map. 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