Getting to the Galapagos Islands and Santa Cruz

Due to the remoteness, the Galápagos islands are not an easy place to get to. The best way to get there is by taking a plane from the Gyuaquil or Quito airports on the mainland. I flew AeroGal into the Isle of Baltra (about an hour and a half from Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz), but there are daily flights to San Cristobal as well. For being so isolated, the Baltra airport was really nice. There is an $100 entrance fee when arriving in the islands. Make sure to have cash available, as they do not accept anything else. Here is a map of the Galápagos Islands from Wikipedia to help make understanding the archipelago a little simpler.

 

From Baltra, I took a bus, a boat, and another bus to get to Puerto Ayora. Boats are the best way to get around the islands. I didn't spend a long time on Santa Cruz, but i did stay just long enough to photograph some of the unique animals that call the island their home. 

The first thing I noticed about the Santa Cruz port, was the abundance of marine iguanas. Hundred sit out in the sun, layered on top of each other creating a really cool sight. 

Red Rock Crabs also sit on the rocks around the port. They are quick, so getting a good photo was not easy! Remember that even though the animals may look friendly, it is dangerous to touch them and could result in an injury. It is illegal to touch the animals, and the Galapagos National Park Service recommends staying at least 6 feet away at all times.

   Sea lions casually stroll along the port and fall asleep on boats, benches, and walkways. They will pose for pictures and make cute noises to get the tourists attention. It is rare for sea lions to be so friendly. Remember not to touch, but you can get close enough to snap a few awesome photos!

  Photo courtesy of my friend Jamie Killian