birdsandwildlife
Member
I just wanted to say I had a great time in the Galapagos even though I couldn't afford a cruise. Airfare ran about 700 USD for the cheapest airline between USA and the islands with an overnight in Guayaquil being required. The average hotel was 15-20$ per person. Food was as little as 3-5$ for inexpensive but good food. Usually chicken or fish with rice and a salad for dinner or lunch and eggs, jelly, and bread for breakfast with juice or coffee. I mostly ate at the places that seemed to cater to locals. A few times I ate at the places catering to tourists but the food was around the same quality and costs 2-3x more.
As for the wildlife, I found most of my targets.
Baltra: Land Iguana
Santa Cruz: Lava Gull (ship ports), sharks (ship ports at night), lava heron (ship ports at night also seen during day at various places), Barn owl (highland ranch), Vermillion Flycatcher (highland ranch), tortoises (ranches and roadsides), blue foot booby (bay tour), Red billed Tropicbird (bay tour).
Isabella: Galapagos Penguins (Tintoreras, Los Tunnels, bay tour), Manta Ray (Los Tunnels), Green turtle (Tintoreras, Tunnels, bay tour), Flamingo (town lagoons), Galapagos Hawk (near tortoise breeding center), fur seal (tunnels), leatherback turtle (Tunnels), huge swarms of seabirds (Tunnels), Nasca Booby (tunnels), blue foot booby (tunnels, tintoreras, bay tour)
North Seymour: Land Iguana, Frigate birds mating, Swallow Tail gull, blue foot booby with young, galapagos doves.
If you've been thinking about going to the galapagos, but cannot afford a cruise, I'd encourage you to give the land based travel a try with a little research it can be rewarding.
Here are some trip photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/109504143@N05/11002328085/in/photostream/
As for the wildlife, I found most of my targets.
Baltra: Land Iguana
Santa Cruz: Lava Gull (ship ports), sharks (ship ports at night), lava heron (ship ports at night also seen during day at various places), Barn owl (highland ranch), Vermillion Flycatcher (highland ranch), tortoises (ranches and roadsides), blue foot booby (bay tour), Red billed Tropicbird (bay tour).
Isabella: Galapagos Penguins (Tintoreras, Los Tunnels, bay tour), Manta Ray (Los Tunnels), Green turtle (Tintoreras, Tunnels, bay tour), Flamingo (town lagoons), Galapagos Hawk (near tortoise breeding center), fur seal (tunnels), leatherback turtle (Tunnels), huge swarms of seabirds (Tunnels), Nasca Booby (tunnels), blue foot booby (tunnels, tintoreras, bay tour)
North Seymour: Land Iguana, Frigate birds mating, Swallow Tail gull, blue foot booby with young, galapagos doves.
If you've been thinking about going to the galapagos, but cannot afford a cruise, I'd encourage you to give the land based travel a try with a little research it can be rewarding.
Here are some trip photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/109504143@N05/11002328085/in/photostream/