In December 2019, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the Galapagos Islands, a destination that tops the travel bucket lists of many, including my own.
While it was truly a magical adventure, my trip took me outside of my comfort zone on more than one occasion. Departing for the Ecuadorian paradise, I didn’t know what to expect on my journey, and I’m still surprised to this day that I was able to see and do some of the things that I experienced while I was there.
THE JOURNEY
The long journey to get to the Galapagos Islands came with some unexpected hiccups. It began with a red-eye flight to New York, followed by a 12-hour layover (of which I was sure to take advantage of as it was my first time visiting the Big Apple). I cabbed into the city, and then saw everything by foot, equipped with a long list of must-see spots, and while I checked many off my list (Times Square, the rink at Rockefeller Center, the Macy’s Christmas window, FAO Schwartz, Grand Central Terminal, and the Empire State Building), I did so during a torrential downpour (which turned into a snowstorm). The city was empty, and by the end of the day, I ended up throwing out my sopping shoes and purchasing a new pair.
After a long (and wet) day exploring the city by foot, I was notified by email that my evening flight from New York to Guayaquil, Ecuador had been cancelled. Starving, I found a restaurant that literally had my name on it (La Pecora Bianca), where I noshed on pasta and sipped on red wine while trying to figure out what to do next. Thanks to the hard work of my trip host, I ended up spending an unexpected night in the city, in a cute little pod hotel in Brooklyn (Pod Brooklyn Hotel). I had to leave at 2am to catch my updated flight so it was a short stay, but definitely worth revisiting on my next New York adventure.
Upon arrival in Guayaquil, another flight delay meant another last-minute overnight stay. I met up with the rest of my travel group there and we spent the night at Hotel Del Parque, a serene spot just outside of the city. The next morning we were on our way – the last leg of our journey before arriving at our final destination.
I had left the Vancouver airport at 8pm on December 1, and didn’t land in the Galapagos Islands until around noon on December 4. My long-awaited journey was finally about to begin and I was pooped but pumped!
RELATED: CHECK OUT MY FIRST-TIMER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – LONELY PLANET
THE ADVENTURE
Once we landed on Baltra Island (one of the 13 islands that make up the archipelago), it took a bus, a boat ride, and another shuttle to get us to our resort, and boy was the journey worth the wait.
Set in the centre of a private giant tortoise reserve, nestled between two inactive volcanic craters, and surrounded by stunning Scalesia trees, I soon discovered that Pikaia Lodge was an eco-lodge like no other, one that not only provided the creature comforts of home, but that provided a fully-immersive experience for guests, allowing us to walk in fields with wild horses and crawling tortoises, dine on five-star meals, and then plant a tree to help the surrounding species grow and thrive.
RELATED: CHECK OUT MY STORY ON THE BEST WAY TO EXPLORE THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – BC LIVING
For the following five days, my time was packed with adventure. Days were spent either exploring the sights found inland, creeping through caves and tracking giant tortoises, or aboard the private luxury yacht of Pikaia Lodge, visiting the varying species in the area, hiking up volcanoes, kayaking, and taking it all in.
At first, the close encounters with wildlife had me feeling uneasy, but I quickly warmed up the unique environment. From the adrenaline rush of snorkelling nose-to-nose with white-tipped reef sharks, and standing between two alpha male sea lions as they charged each other in a fight to show dominance, to the heartwarming sight of a sea lion mother giving birth to and nursing her pup before my eyes, and watching a male blue-footed booby (a species found only in the Galapagos) sitting on his soon-to-hatch eggs while the mother searched for food, I was able to experience firsthand how locals coexist in harmony with the creatures of the Galapagos Islands – home to the rarest and most diverse species found in the world, and the inspiration behind Darwin’s theories of evolution after having walked in the same footsteps.
The journey was nothing short of magical, and I came home brimming with stories to share. I ended up writing about my experience for Lonely Planet, BC Living, and WestCoast Families Magazine, and I feel like I could continue to write more about all there is to see and do there.
RELATED: CHECK OUT MY STORY ON HOW TO EXPLORE THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS WITH KIDS – WESTCOAST FAMILIES MAGAZINE
Now may not be the time to travel, but when we can explore the world once more, be sure to add the Galapagos Islands to your bucket list (if you haven’t already).
