The Silver Galapagos hosted our Silverseas Galapagos cruise - what an incredible adventure. Today we look back at the trip.
Getting there and back
The Galapagos is not really that far but not easy to get to. In our blog on Quito we described the logistics getting there. Leaving was not much easier. We leave the ship in the morning, bus to the local airport in Baltra and arrive in Guayaquil mid afternoon. Next we leave the airport and check into a day room at a local hotel. There we have dinner as well as a shower. Our plane for Miami leaves around midnight. Miami airport is full of other north bound passengers at 4 am. We have plenty of time to catch breakfast before our flight home. Not enough time for sleep. Still, it's so worth while getting there.
Silver Galapagos story lines
In our overview post we described 5 story lines: Geology, Marine Life, Terrestrial life, the people on the ship and cruise life on the Silver Galapagos. The vacation is both active and engaging. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much we covered and learned. The ship, The Silver Galapagos never docks - you get to and from the ship via zodiacs.
Daily activities
Here's a few fun photos covering the entire trip.
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Quito and the Museum of the Equator were fun -
Just getting into the Silver Galapagos. We spent a lot of time on the zodiacs -
One of many great meals -
Snorkeling was terrific -
For added traction, the guides laid these towels out for the guests. The marine iguanas didn't mind. -
Gotta love Blue Footed Boobies -
Everything seemed mello in the mangroves. Especially this lounging sea lion -
Sea Turtles exude the Galapagos natural environment -
Galapagos means Tortoise
Each day seemed like a new highlight. We themed each day's blog post by the animals we encountered:
- Penguin Spotting
- Marine Iguanas
- Mangrove adventure
- Sea Lions
- Land Iguanas and cactus
- Giant Tortoise
- Quito and the Equator
Summary
This was a trip where the pictures are great but the actual experience is just so much better. A trip to the Galapagos will appeal for those looking for adventure, looking to learn new things and those that expect a certain level of service and quality. You need to be relatively physically fit to really get the full experience. There's really no place on earth quite like the Galapagos and so this is a true bucket list destination. As the Unesco web site says"
This archipelago and its immense marine reserve is known as the unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution. Its geographical location at the confluence of three ocean currents makes it one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual plant and animal life – such as marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, giant tortoises, huge cacti, endemic trees and the many different subspecies of mockingbirds and finches – all of which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.
UNESCO
We felt that Silversea did a wonderful job. We were warned ahead of time that the food might not be as good as other Silversea ships because of the restrictions imposed by the Ecuadorian government. Perhaps, but the food was excellent throughout. The crew were excellent, the cabins very spacious, the equipment provided top notch and the expedition guides were fantastic. The staff shares the passenger's excitement as if it was their first time seeing something. There is joy on that ship, the Silver Galapagos. And that makes for a great vacation.