galapagos

Confession. For years I dreamed of going to the Galapagos Islands, but I had no idea what country it was in. 

I realized we were all on an adventure together, and even if I had a slight handicap, nothing was going to ruin the spectacular sail through these islands.

In the Galapagos, there are no promises of seeing blue-footed boobies or rare finches but what you are guaranteed is a one-of-a kind adventure with nature.

The islands are seen as an ecological paradise where exotic and rare animals roam. Believe me, they have all of this in spades but, what is rarely captured in photos or blog posts is that the locals are their unsung heroes.

I wish I could tell you that I was some fearless traveler who ventured into the unknown wilds of Ecuador, but that would be doing you a disservice. I was terrified.

The group – along with the trip itinerary – were amazing, but I firmly believe that without our local guide, the trip would not have meant what it did to me.

Here are seven totally amazing experiences that you shouldn’t miss once when you get there (having experienced them myself on Intrepid Travel’s 10-day Active Galapagos trip)!

Coming right up: giant tortoises and adorable seals, new friends and magical places, and all manners of adventures on both land and sea…

When to go and what to see in the Galapagos Islands.