Highlights? The snorkelling?never expected to do it so often and see so much! Also loved the highlands and wished we had more time there. AK, Abbots Langley Galápagos?always wanted to go there and it lived up to expectations. EC, Sevenoaks104 Galápagos IslandsGalápagos Islands at a glance2FERNANDINA (NARBOROUGH)The most active volcanic island with eruptions every few years. Its steep flanks are streaked by successive lava flows, mostly arid. At Punta Espinosa marine iguanas gather in their thousands. Other wildlife includes flightlesscormorants, penguins and sea-lions.1TOWER (GENOVESA)At Darwin Bay ships sail directly into the submerged volcanic caldera to anchor at the foot of the steep crater walls. The white coral beach attracts frigate birds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, tropicbirds and storm petrels. Snorkel here with hammerhead sharks.PHOTO ON PREVIOUS PAGE: Jshutterstock.commetropolitan touringjon crwys williamsElizabeth Bay..Tagus CovePunta Tortuga.Punta Espinosa..Volcán Alcedo.Puerto Egas..Kicker Rock.Black Tur.tle Cove...Post Office Bay.Punta CormorantPunta Suárez..Gardner BayPuerto.BaquerizoMorenoSullivan Bay.Punta Pitt.Isla Lobos..98.Punta Vicente Roca.Puerto VillamilUrbina Bay.Punta Albermarle.Punta Moreno.Prince Phillip's Steps.Darwin BayDARWINWOLF2 FERNANDINA5 ISABELAJAMES3 BARTOLOMÉRÁBIDANORTH SEYMOURMOSQUERABALTRAPLAZA4 SANTA CRUZSANTA FÉ6 SAN CRISTÓBALFLOREANAESPAÑOLA1 TOWERPACIFIC OCEANPuerto AyoraPuntaCarrionLas Bachas Cerro BrujoWhat you are likely to see and where1 Galápagos giant turtle 6 Masked booby 11 Flightless cormorant2 Sea-lion 7 Marine iguana 12 Waved albatross3 Fur seal 8 Land iguana 13 Galápagos penguin4 Blue-footed booby 9 Green sea turtle 14 Flamingo5 Red-footed booby 10 Frigate bird 15 Hammerhead and whale sharkDragon9137732414231042437889241046615102212674106561511111138721113729

105Essentials Climate Subtropical climate regulated by the cold Humboldt and the warm El Niño currents, weather varies during the year. December?May: hot season, warmer seas. June?November: cooler, garua season (mist in the mornings), cooler seas.Travelling from UK Time difference (GMT) -6hrs Travel time 17hrs 5ISABELA (ALBEMARLE)The largest island composed of 5 active volcanoes linked by lava flows. Tagus Cove is a natural harbour where pirates and whalers carved their ships' names on the rocks. The coral reef at Urbina Bay is home to land and marine iguanas, giant tortoises, flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies and pelicans. At Punta Vicente Roca there are rookeries and canals, with year-round whale sightings and great snorkelling.3BARTOLOMÉ (BARTHOLOMEW)A small arid island with blue-black lava flows, white-sand beaches and mangroves. Good for snorkelling and penguin-spotting.6SAN CRISTÓBAL (CHATHAM)The island has eroded volcanic peaksin the north and vegetated slopes in thesouth. The little town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the capital of the Galápagos Province. The Chatham mockingbird is unique to the island. Cerro Brujo beach is good for swimming.4SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE)The most populated island, with PuertoAyora and the Darwin Research Centre. White-sand Las Bachas is an egg-laying site for sea turtles. Mangroves grow in the lagoon at Black Turtle Cove and you may see white-tipped sharks, spotted rays and Pacific marine turtles.020 8747 8315 / journeylatinamerica.co.uk bookings, consultant advice and additional information Other islands you may visit Española (Hood)A relatively flat island, it hosts Gardner Bay, a sandybeach inhabited by a sea-lion colony. It's a nesting site for turtles, which snorkellers may spot, along with sharks, around the small islets nearby. Punta Suárez has many species visiting its cliffs and beaches (waved albatross, blue-footed booby, marine iguana). There's a spectacular blowhole, with spray shooting 30m high.Floreana (Charles)Best known for its colourful history involving pirates,whalers, convicts and colonists. Punta Cormoranthas a golden beach which is a nesting site for greenturtles (Dec?May) separated by a salt lagoon favoured by wading birds (pink flamingos, pintails). James (San Salvador or Santiago)Puerto Egas has a black lava shoreline inhabited by Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas and Galápagos fur sea-lions. Buccaneer Cove is a scenic area of steepcliffs, dark beaches and tortured lava.North SeymourA small island covered with boulders and scrubby bush. It is home to large colonies of seabirds (frigate birds, blue-footed boobies) and there is always a courting, mating or nesting ritual to see. PlazaA large colony of sea-lions lives on this tiny islet and there is a small cactus forest populated by land iguanas. Swallow-tailed gulls, tropicbirds and shearwaters nest along the cliff edge.Rábida (Jervis)Red-coloured cliffs back on to a beach with a sea-lion colony and there is a saltwater lagoon inhabited by flamingos. Pelicans, boobies and 5 species of finch have been spotted on the trail leading inland.Santa Fé (Barrington)This is one of the most beautiful islands, with a lovelyturquoise lagoon. Some of the giant cacti here growup to 10m high. There are land iguanas, sea-lions and lava lizards.20 Miles30 KMshutterstock.commetropolitan touringkatie phillipsraul gil / metroistockphoto.com