The Amateur Traveler talks to Jim Lutz from Vaya Adventures about Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.
Jim says, “The Galapagos has to be one of the most unique and wonderful wildlife destinations in the world. For any person interested in nature travel, wildlife, ecology, natural history, it’s really a must-see just because of the uniqueness of the circumstances and the wildlife and the very high percentages of endemic species that exist there. The opportunity to interact with the wildlife, sometimes it’s described as tame, I don’t know if that’s the right word, but the reality is you can walk right up to the wildlife in the Galapagos and it doesn’t run away. And it’s all around you, you have to walk out of the way of the birds and the reptiles while you are walking down the trails, they don’t move out of the way.”
“My most memorable wildlife experience would probably be swimming, snorkeling with about 10 hammerhead sharks swimming around me. I would say one of them was about 10 feet long. The types of things you can see when you are snorkeling there are really one of the most remarkable things of the experience with penguins, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and various species of sharks.”
The Galapagos is not an inexpensive destination but Jim makes a case for why you should visit and why you should visit using a small boat tour instead of some of the land itineraries that are getting more popular.
[itunes: https://traffic.libsyn.com/amtravm4a/351AmateurTraveler.m4a]
right click here to download (mp3)
right click here to download (iTunes version with pictures)
Show Notes
Vaya Adventures
Vaya Adventures Blog
The Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Small Ship & Yacht Cruises
Galapagos Islands
Tagus Cove
Galapagos Islands Video
News
Hotels Fight Night Noise
Hey You Big Idiots, Now Can I Use My Phone on Planes?
FTC slaps hotels with “resort fee” warning
Community
On Travel to Kenya – Episode 347 Nigel recommends binoculars
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2 Responses to “Travel to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador – Episode 351”
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Tags: audio travel podcast, ecuador, galapagos islands, podcast
matthew barker
Says:December 12th, 2012 at 2:29 am
For those interested in conservation at the Galapagos, here’s an interview with Jim on the International Ecotourism Society blog: http://www.yourtravelchoice.org/2012/12/how-to-take-a-more-sustainable-tour-of-the-galapagos-islands/
Marcello Arrambide
Says:March 4th, 2014 at 8:15 am
I recently came from the Galapagos. It was an incredible experience! I came across a lot of interesting animals and had a fun time shooting them 😀 So far I’ve posted photos of a land iguana, baby sea lion, and a lava lizard on my blog.