Where on Earth are the Galapagos, anyway? How do you get there and how does one get around and meet all these fantastical creatures?

One unforgettable step at a time. That’s how!

What and where are the Galapagos?

The Galapagos Islands belong to Ecuador and sit about 1000km off the country’s Western shores. To reach this fiercely protected archipelago, you must fly either from Quito (the Ecuadorian capital) or the seaside town of Guayaquil.

The Galapagos are volcanic in nature and surrounded by mineral-rich waters which attract a large variety of birds and an abundance of marine life. The volcanic activity together with the extreme isolation of the Islands, led to the development of unusual animal life which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection after his visit in 1835.

UNESCO have added the Galapagos to it’s World heritage list calling it a ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. These 21 Islands are teeming with wildlife but only a few inhabited by man.

What kind of animals can you see in the Galapagos?

Expect to see an array of unique wildlife not found anywhere else on Earth!

Wildlife encounters in the Galapagos are an absolute guarantee and, because animals haven’t been hunted here for decades, they are unafraid and rather curious!

You don’t just spot iguanas, giant tortoises and colourful birds in the Galapagos, you have to walk around, beside and carefully over them! Especially the sea lions, who take up prime position on the beach!

You’ll snorkel with curious seals and dive deep with hammerhead sharks. See hundreds of unique bird species and recognise animals from all those wildlife documentaries you’ve watched. Except in the Galapagos, you’ll feel like you’re living in one!

Best time to go to the Galapagos

It is always a good time to visit the Galapagos! Depending on what you would like to see and do, every month is a winner for one reason or another.

The Equator runs through these Islands but they are anything but tropical. Both the sea and wind currents can be chilly and, although there’s plenty of luscious wilderness, it just doesn’t feel like the tropics. Expect temperatures to hover around 24C degree all year long.

The rainy season lasts from December to May with the rain lowering underwater visibility for divers. But, water and air temperatures are higher at this time.

Wildlife events – nesting and birthing of turtles, courtship of various birds and migration of certain marine life (humpback whales!) – are dictated by seasons, so if there’s a specific event you want to see, you can time your visit accordingly.

The bad news is that no matter when you visit the Galapagos, you simply won’t be able to experience everything this magical place has to offer. The fantastic news, however, is that no matter the time of year, there will always be an incredible event to witness.

Getting around the Galapagos

Although there are some options for land-based visits, the best way to experience the Galapagos is on a short cruise.

Distances are considerable, and if you base yourself on one of the few Islands that allow it, you’ll only have options for a few day trips to other Islands with most of the day spent travelling to and from.

On a typical day of a Galapagos cruise, you’ll wake up at sunrise after having calmly sailed through the night. Anchor by a stunning uninhabited island and after a delicious breakfast, it’s time to disembark the ship and explore!

Every Island on the Galapagos offers something unique: be it a specific colony of birds, resident tortoises, historic sites, stunning beaches or sensational hiking trails. Mornings are usually spent exploring an Island on foot whilst the afternoons are usually dedicated to water sports like SCUBA diving, snorkelling and swimming, so you can explore the underwater World of the Galapagos.

After a day of exploring, enjoy a refreshing drink on the deck, soak up the sights around you and recap the day’s encounters.

The Galapagos are a magical, natural wonderland. No two days are ever the same here, with each stop offering a wealth of great things to see and do and always leaving you in awe.

To book an exciting trip to The Galapagos,

call Rosie at Mosaic Travel on (03) 5275 4583

The post Ultimate Galapagos Guide appeared first on Mosaic Travel.

When you start planning your once-in-a-lifetime Amazon adventure, you’ll come to a crossroad: should you choose a lodge-based adventure deep in the heart of the rainforest or would it be better to cruise along the Amazon River and its numerous branches instead?

Every decision you make about your tour of the Amazon will be consequential to this first choice. Both travel methods offer sensational benefits unique to each other and, as expected, there are also a few downsides.

To decide which option is best for you, ask yourself these questions before planning an Amazon adventure:

• How much comfort do you need in the Amazon, one of the most challenging ecosystems on Earth?
• What is your budget for your Amazon adventure?
• How active are you normally, and how active would you like to be on your trip?
• What time of year will you travel? In the Amazon, water levels are crucial to choosing your travel style.
• How flexible can you be in regards to your travel dates?
• How immersive would you like your Amazon experience to be?

Experience the Amazon by River Cruise

The Pros

Amazon cruises have become increasingly popular, given they offer the kind of luxury and comforts most travellers used to fantasise about.

The Amazon is amazing, that’s true, but it’s also extremely harsh. It can be unbearably hot and humid and an unrelentingly challenge, where a million creepy crawlies constantly remind you that this is a place governed by nature, not man! Amazon river cruises offer a respite to all that, in between phenomenal excursions and adventures.

At the end of a long day exploring the wilderness by canoe or on foot, searching for sloths, toucans, monkeys and anacondas, it’s just heavenly to come back to an air-conditioned cabin, have a refreshing shower and enjoy a gourmet dinner in absolute comfort.

On a luxury cruise boat, you can enjoy a magnificent Amazonian sunrise from the comfort of your bed, as the scenery glides past your floor-to-ceiling window as if on a film reel. 

The Cons

So, what’s the downside? Well, all this comfort and luxury comes at a cost: Luxury Amazon cruises are certainly more expensive than many lodge-based adventures.

Cruises also depart on certain dates, follow a certain itinerary and can’t be changed. Your independence, in this sense, is compromised and you have to plan your travel around the cruise dates and accept their itineraries.

Experience the Amazon by Lodge-based adventure

The Pros

Many travellers dream of an Amazon adventure their entire life: of being surrounded by wild animals and overwhelming wilderness, of feeling like a true adventurer exploring the jungle with a machete in one hand and a bandana in the other, swinging from vines while roaring like Tarzan!

If this sounds like you, then a lodge-based Amazon adventure has your name all over it! 

The lodges are gorgeous places to stay, some of them set in stunning remote Amazonian locations.

Lodge-based journeys are immersive to the max, making you feel at one with nature and giving you an unfiltered Amazonian experience, bugs and all! Choose to stay in a lodge and you’ll be surrounded by it on all sides, seeing monkeys as you enjoy your breakfast and falling asleep to the sounds of the jungle.

Your adventure will be when you want and for however long you want. You’ll have total travel control following whichever itinerary you wish.

Lodge-based Amazon adventures can be the stuff of lifelong dreams.

The Cons

No matter how luxurious the lodge, a few basic rules remain: electricity is limited, insects are not, air-con is hard to come by and meals are a lot more basic than the kind you’re served on cruises. 

Eco-lodges in the Amazon build their beautiful thatched-roof huts with sustainable natural materials, which unfortunately allow insects to crawl through, although mosquito-netting and fans will ensure you won’t be feasted upon at night.

Top-end lodges still won’t give much reprieve from the Amazonian conditions and come in at a steep price!

Amazon Adventures – Other Things to Consider

Water levels can vary dramatically throughout the year and determine which way you will experience the Amazon despite your personal needs and wishes.

During high water levels, on-land excursions are curbed and here is where cruising reigns supreme. You can reach deeper into the Amazon rainforest than ever before, exploring various river off shoots and regions where no lodges have been built.

If you manage to reach a remote lodge to stay in, you simply won’t be able to get around much on foot, leaving you to explore by canoe.

50/50 There are also options for a 50-50 compromise, where you spend a few nights in a beautiful lodge to soak up that wondrous wild experience and then cap off your adventure in style on a cruise for a few nights. What a wonderful way to experience both!

It (almost) doesn’t matter! I’ve never met anyone who’s travelled to the Amazon and regretted the experience, no matter how much they spent or how much they suffered the heat and humidity.

The Amazon is the South American bucket-list destination that has the ability to change the way you think about the World, the way you consider nature, our planet’s wilderness and all the wonderful creatures that inhabit it.

It is an astounding place to visit, no matter how, where and when.

So choose for you: for your level of fitness and budget, for your priorities and your necessities and for your dreams and desires.

Then enjoy the magnificent Amazon!

To enquire about a trip to the Amazon, call Rosie at Mosaic Travel on (03) 5275 4583

The post Lodge VS Cruise – What’s the Best Way to Explore the Amazon? appeared first on Mosaic Travel.