South America : Galapagos

The Galápagos Islands lie on the equator six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador’s mainland. They are comprised of six main islands, twelve smaller islands, and over forty small islets. Biologically diverse, the Galápagos are one of the planet’s natural paradises and one of the most visited national parks in the world. The islands have never been connected with a continent, so, over hundreds of thousands of years, animals and plants from over the sea migrated to the islands and adapted themselves to Galápagos conditions; These species came to differ more and more from their continental ancestors, and as a result the flora and fauna that exist here are truly unique.

The islands are actually the peaks of enormous submarine volcanoes rising up ten thousand feet from the seabed. Volcanoes on several of the islands are active today, and fumarolic activity can sometimes be seen on Fernandina, Isabela, Pinta, and Marchena. Other Galápagos wonders include endless white sand beaches, lava tunnels, spectacular diving areas, and crystal-clear waters. The main attraction is animals without fear of humans. Sea lions, blue-footed and masked boobies, Darwin’s finches, gulls, and other birds, land and marine iguanas, fur seals, and Galápagos penguins allow visitors to come near for close observation. The Galápagos Islands are unlike any other destination in the world.

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