Ever since Darwin, this island archipelago has been a showcase of evolution. Six hundred miles from the Ecuadorian coast, the Galapagos are of marine volcanic origin and have never been connected to a continental land mass. Thus both plants and animals inhabiting the islands are derived from species that, by one means or another, crossed vast stretches of ocean to colonize the newly formed land. As a result, most of the flora, the reptiles, and the majority of resident landbirds are found only in the Galapagos, many of them restricted to one or a few islands. Comparing related forms inhabiting the various islands against a background so rich in scientific history is one of the foremost joys for a naturalist.

Our tour of "Las Islas Encantadas" is designed to see as many of the endemics as possible (and, naturally, the fascinating mammals, reptiles, and flora) in the context of a short escape. Based on board our comfortable vessel with excellent food, naturalists, and crew, we'll travel by night to maximize our enjoyment of these ruggedly beautiful islands. For the same reason, we'll fly both to and from the Galapagos, focusing all of our time on the islands themselves and their fascinating natural history.

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment
"I have been on other Field Guide tours and trust them. Who wouldn't want to go to the Galapagos Islands? The tour was excellent. Guide Willy Perez, I knew from previous reports from other people, knows his birds, is detail-oriented, and very personable and humorous. Your office service was excellent. The extra day they set up beforehand was very enjoyable and they made sure I knew exactly what to expect. Everything, including travel, was handled extremely well." F.H., GALAPAGOS 2019

Combo Tours
If you would like a longer birding holiday, some departures of this tour may be combined with:
MACHU PICCHU & ABRA MALAGA, PERU
AMAZONIAN ECUADOR: SACHA LODGE
CLOUDFORESTS OF ECUADOR: All the Best of the Wild Northwest