Following in Darwin's Footsteps: Island Hopping in the Galápagos 🇪🇨
If you've ever taken a biology class you've probably heard of Charles Darwin. In the 1830's Darwin was offered a chance to sail around South America as a naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle. During his five years on the ship, he observed living things, took detailed notes, and collected samples to bring home. One of the stops was the Galápagos Islands, where they stayed for about five weeks. What he discovered there led him to publish his theories on evolution by natural selection. Whether you support his theories or not, the Galápagos is home to very unique animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. I've always dreamed about visiting these islands since learning about them in high school. I knew I wanted the final trip of my year off to be someplace special, so I decided the Galápagos would be the perfect way to end this exciting year of travel and also celebrate my 33rd birthday!
Boston ➡️ Miami ➡️ Quito
My flight from Boston was bright and early in the morning. Security was a breeze but my disposable camera did cause quite the scene. I asked for it to be hand inspected but it did not pass their swab test and set off many different alarms, so it ended up going through the X-ray. I have no idea what that will do to the film, but I think it should be fine! After landing in Miami I had a few hours to hang out in the airport so I grabbed a sandwich for lunch and enjoyed people watching. The flight from Miami had a bit of turbulence but I still ended up sleeping for about an hour. The time went by quickly and before I knew it, we were already descending into Quito, Ecuador! The line at immigration and customs was not long at all, and I got through in about ten minutes. I had arranged a private transfer to my hotel, and I met my driver in the terminal. He was holding up a sign with my name on it, which was a first for me. He dropped me off at the Quito Airport Hotel and I checked into my room. This hotel is set on an farm, family run, and less than 10 minutes from the airport. They have a swimming pool and a gym too. Everyone was very nice but did not speak much English, so I got to practice using my Spanish which is no bueno. Luckily I know just enough to get the gist and communicate for basic needs. I crawled into bed feeling exhausted and excited for the rest of my trip.
In the morning, I made some coffee and walked around the property for a bit before sitting down for breakfast. There were several horses, alpacas, dogs, ducks, and even a cat. The property also had a ton of fruit trees. I watched an alpaca walk right up to a mini horse, and then spit in his face! It made me chuckle. For breakfast you have four different choices and the woman in the kitchen cooks it for you on the spot. I went for scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. I showered and packed up my bags, relaxed for a bit while watching planes pass overhead, and then I arranged for a taxi to take me into downtown Quito. The ride there was about 40 minutes through winding hills and some highways. If you do come to Quito, make sure to bring cash for the taxis and for tipping. In stores cash is also preferred and you will almost always get a better deal when purchasing souvenirs. They use U.S. currency in Ecuador so it is easy to bring cash if you are traveling from the states. I checked into my next hotel, Ikala Quito Hotel, and got settled into my room. Here I would be meeting my group for the rest of the trip. I booked the Galapágos Island Hopping Tour with Much Better Adventures. I've done several group trips this year and I love the conveniences they provide. I met my roommate Katya who is originally from Russia and is now a chemical immunology professor in New York City. We both were tired from our long travels and took naps before we went downstairs to meet the rest of our group! A few people had flight issues so they did not make it in time for dinner. We met one of our local guides, Wilson, and he was very nice. I enjoyed beef tenderloin and a dessert of figs while Wilson went over the trip details with us. Tomorrow we would meet his brother Edwin for a tour of Quito.
Churches & Chocolate 🍫
This morning we all had breakfast in the hotel and met Edwin and the rest of our group in the lobby. In total there were eight of us, three traveling from the U.K. (James, Kate, and Laura), and five traveling from the U.S. (Katya, Anna, Nicole, Mark, and me). We loaded up into the van to begin our day of touring Quito. Our first stop was the local market where we learned about the many different types of fruits in Ecuador. There are so many! Edwin purchased several for us to try at lunch today. The market also had seafood, vegetables, hand made goods like baskets, and even a floor where you could visit a healer for your ailments. Edwin explained that all the healers were women.
Next we went to La Basílica Voto National which is a Roman Catholic church. The gargoyles on the outside are all native Ecuadorian animals like marine iguanas, monkeys, and birds. We were able to go inside and admire the amazing architecture and stained glass windows. We were able to see part of a wedding taking place during our visit. We climbed up to the very top of the cathedral on a steep ladder, and it was worth it for the beautiful view of the city. Underneath the church is a crypt which you can also tour! Technically this church is still incomplete because Ecuadorians believe the end of the world will come if they finish construction.
Next we went to El Panecillo (which means small piece of bread), home to the Virgin of El Panecillo, one of the highest statues in South America. She sits a top the hill which used to be a sacred Inca site. The Virgin of El Panecillo is 135 feet tall, has large angel wings, a crown with twelve stars, and she stands upon a chained snake wrapped around a giant globe. We learned that the sculptor built the statue in Spain entirely out of aluminum and each of the 7,400 pieces were labelled so when it was shipped to Quito it could be put together like a giant puzzle. Edwin told us she looks over Quito and is the protector of the city.
From there we stopped at Yumbos Chocolates for a chocolate tasting. At the tasting we learned that Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of cacao. They also export a lot of petroleum, shrimp, and bananas. We learned all about the process of making chocolate which was very interesting. We tried all sorts of flavors like lemongrass, mint, coffee, and tangerine. We even got to sample 100% chocolate, cacao beans, nibs, a brownie and syrup. We even rubbed cocoa butter on our hands, it smelled really good! I really enjoyed this experience and I purchased a sample pack of chocolate to share with my family.
Our next stop was another church, Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, which has beautiful gold leaf decorations inside. Inside you have to take off your hats and talk quietly. For lunch we went to Plaza Grande and ate at Café Del Fraile. This restaurant was on the second floor of a really nice building with a courtyard inside. We got to sample all the fruit that Edwin purchased from the market. We tried tamarillo, granadilla, and a few others. My favorite was the pitahaya which is similar to dragonfruit. For lunch I decided to get the Locro Quiteno, which was a cheesy potato soup.
The final activity of the day was heading to the "Middle of the World!" Ecuador is so named because the equator goes right through the country. The famous Ciudad Mitad del Mundo statue is actually not even where the true equator is. The real equator is much closer to the line that is painted in the Intiñan Equator Museum. This is where we went instead of the crowded Mitad del Mundo statue. Our tour included interactive demonstrations where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere, learn about sun dials and sun calendars, try to balance an egg on a nail and become an "egg master", and watch the Coriolis effect cause a sink of water to drain in different directions on either side of the equator (still not convinced about this one).
The tour guide explained how people used the sun to track the planting and harvesting seasons, and that in the equator the sun is tracked from North to South, instead of East to West. We also learned about the different animals of the Amazon Rainforest and saw exhibits highlighting the indigenous way of life in Ecuador. He explained the importance of the Pachamama, or Mother Earth. There were real shrunken heads on display, a burial chamber, preserved snakes, blowguns, and more. We also heard a story about a parasitic candiru fish that can travel up a man's urethra if he pees in the river. This might be more of a myth but it is still scary to think about! Overall this museum was very educational and we had a lot of fun. If you are interested in the culture of Ecuador I would recommend stopping by for a visit, and it only costs $5. For dinner tonight we went to La Canoa. I tried the coconut rice with shrimp and really enjoyed it. I usually don't like shrimp but I wanted to try something new and I am glad I did. For the most part, every meal we had on the trip included some kind of fruit juice and a dessert which was always a treat.
Journey to the Galápagos 🐢
Today we made our way from Quito to the Galápagos Islands which involved so many different methods of transportation. First up was a bus ride to the airport. Before you fly to the Galápagos your bags all have to go through biosecurity and get inspected for possible pests, seeds, fruits, or anything that could disrupt the fragile ecosystem. After your bags get inspected, anything that is going under the plane gets sealed closed with zip ties! I forgot to get my suitcase tied so I had to go back and do it again, and then I made the mistake of leaving a battery in there so I had to go through the line again and get it opened and re-tied. This is why being early to the airport is always a good thing! Luckily Edwin came with us and helped me through all my mistakes. I would have been lost without him. 🤣
Our flight to Baltra Island was about two hours. I was lucky to have a window seat so I got a glimpse of the islands from the air. When we walked off the plane we immediately saw some land iguanas. They were huge and had a beautiful yellow color. In order to visit the islands you need a $20 transit control card, a declaration for biosafety, and the $200 National Park entrance fee in cash. After they checked our documents, we picked up our bags and met our guide Stefanía. She would be with us for the next six days as we explored the Galápagos! Next, we got on a public bus that took us to the Itabaca Channel, where we had to catch a water taxi to get to Santa Cruz. Here we saw our first sea lion of the trip sleeping on the dock! The ferry ride was $1 and only took about five minutes because the islands are so close together. They throw your luggage on the top of the boats in a giant pile, which was fun to watch and slightly concerning. Luckily, no bags fell off into the ocean. Then we got on another bus and began our activities for the day. Our first stop was at Los Gemelos, which means "the twins." They are a pair of volcanic sinkholes that formed when two empty magma chambers collapsed. The larger sinkhole is about 280 meters deep! Since then the craters have filled with vegetation and have become a great place for birding.
Our next stop was lunch at Rancho El Chato! This is a private ranch that allows people to walk around on their property with the giant tortoises that live here. The tortoises come to this ranch because it sits within their natural migration path. The ranch is located in the highlands of Santa Cruz where there is an abundance of food and freshwater for them during the dry season. During the wet season, they migrate back to the coast. Once we finished our meal we put on rubber boots and started our tour. I did not realize how many tortoises we would see, but they were quite literally everywhere! It was amazing to see them with my own eyes. All over the ranch they were walking around, eating, and a few were submerged in the ponds with just their nostrils sticking out. On the ranch there are also three lava tubes which are underground tunnels formed by flowing lava. As the lava flows, the outer layer of magma cools and create the outside of the tube. Once the hot lava has flowed out, a hollow cave like structure is left behind. The lava tubes were really fun to walk through and were much larger than I imagined.
Facts about Galápagos Tortoises:
They can live to be 170 years old.
Males are larger and have longer tails than females.
Males have a concave underside to allow them to mount the females during mating.
As tortoises age, their shells become smoother.
Tortoise poop helps to fertilize the native plants on the island.
When tortoises "fight" they stretch their necks upward and whoever is taller wins!
There are 12-13 different subspecies of giant tortoises that have slight genetic differences.
Our hotel tonight was Fernandina, where we stayed for the next two nights. The hotel had a pool, breakfast included, and a very cute cat that was hanging around by our room. In the Galápagos you have to be careful not to drink the tap water, our guides even told us not to brush our teeth with it! Make sure to fill your bottles from a filter at your hotel or purchase bottled water. Katya and I walked around the town for a bit and saw some sea lions, a curious heron, and our first marine iguana. There are a ton of shops and restaurants here so make sure to leave time to check it all out. The shops close during the middle of the day when it's hot, but they stay open very late after dinner. Another thing to note is that there are no rental cars for tourists on the islands. Stefanía explained that even for the people who live here, having a car is not really an option because there are strict laws. The only people that are allowed cars usually require it for their business or because they have a mobility issue. So, if you are thinking about a trip to the Galápagos make sure you are prepared to walk, rent a bicycle, or take a taxi.
For dinner tonight, we ate at 1835 and my favorite part was the cheesecake! After dinner we walked to the Santa Cruz pier and got to see black tip reef sharks swimming around and even more sea lions. The sea lions were laying in the middle of the pier and all over the docks. I've never been this close to sea lions before, so it was very exciting (and we all realized that they smell very bad)! A few of us went to get mojitos at a bar that Stefanía recommended before heading in for the night. In the Galápagos you must be remember to cautious around the wild animals. The sea lions here are not afraid of humans and as long as you give them space, they will stay calm. Stefanía told us that she is more afraid of the sea lions than the sharks! When people get too close to animals or get in their face for a photo, that is when things can go wrong. So if you go, make sure to respect the animals and try to maintain a distance of at least six feet.
Exploring Santa Cruz Island
Our first stop of the day was the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center & Charles Darwin Research Station. To get there, we walked along a boardwalk with many informative signs about Charles Darwin, tortoises, different types of iguanas, and invasive species. We learned that just like sea turtles, the temperature of the tortoise eggs determine if the tortoise will be a male or a female. The cooler eggs will become males and the warmer eggs will become females. The Darwin research station had a gift shop, cafe, and a ton of different biological specimens. It was fun to walk around and see all the different tortoise shells in the center.
We got back on the bus and drove to a local woodworking shop, owned by Jorge Torres and his family. He explained how as a child he always had an interest and talent for creating things out of wood, and now he is able to support his family with this business. He asked us to pick an animal (we chose a tortoise) and he carved it for us on the spot in about twenty minutes. He uses chainsaws for the larger carvings and smaller sanders/saws for the smaller ones. Most of the tools in his shop he modified and created specifically for his work. After he carved the tortoise, we played a little game to choose who would receive the carving and the winner was Kate! His artwork was very beautiful and it was amazing to watch him create something so intricate.
Next we went to a coffee farm, El Trapiche Ecológico. We met the owner, Adriano Cabrera, and he showed us around. We got to see the process of pressing sugar cane to make alcohol and how they grind and roast coffee beans. I took a turn using the press and it was harder than I expected. We got to try coffee, raw sugar, and even some alcohol! It was really interesting to see the fruit that the coffee beans come from and how they get crushed, roasted, ground, and finally turned into coffee. Imagine if every day you had to pick the fruit, crush it, roast the beans, and then grind it to make your morning cup of coffee? Seeing the entire process start to finish made me think about how lucky we are to have the conveniences we do. Before we left, I purchased some raw sugar to bring home.
Up next we headed to lunch at the Highland View. It was a bit cloudy and rainy so our view was not the best, but the Magic Swing did make up for it. The swing was huge and was a lot of fun to ride. There was a cute dog named Oreo too. After lunch we walked down to see some animals that they had on the property. They had donkeys, chickens, horses, pigs, and goats. We took turns feeding them bananas!
Next we headed to the beach at El Garrapatero. We took bikes to get there but would be riding back in the bus. The bike ride was very pleasant and mostly downhill. When we arrived to the parking lot, the bus was there waiting with snacks and cold drinks. From there, the beach was about ten minutes from the parking lot, so if you plan on visiting, be ready for a short walk. Luckily it was on a nice stone pathway. We all went for a swim here which felt amazing! The water was a bit tough to see in and there were a few rocks, so be careful. I ended up cutting the top of my foot on a rock pretty badly and had to get it checked at the local hospital. Everyone in my group took good care of me, provided me lots of band-aids, and I even got a piggy back ride back to the parking lot (Shout out to James!). The cut looked deep but it ended up being only a surface level wound. Phew! I just needed to keep it clean and dry for the next day which was great news. I am so thankful for our guide Stefanía, she brought me to and from the hospital and to the shoe store so I could buy some new sandals that wouldn't rub up against my cut. Dinner tonight was at Agave Bistro, and I had the pesto pasta which was really delicious. We ended the night by walking to the pier to look for sea lions and sharks.
Tortuga Bay & Isabela Island
This morning began with a trip to Tortuga Bay Beach which is one of the nicest beaches on Santa Cruz. Tortuga is the Spanish word for turtle. To get to the bay you have to walk about two miles, first on a stone path and then along the beach. The beach initially looks very rough, but if you walk further you will reach an entrance to the bay which is very calm. It took us about an hour to get there. There are no bathrooms or facilities so make sure you go before you start the long walk. The sand was very soft, the water was beautiful and shallow, and there were a ton of mangroves all around us for shade. There were so many marine iguanas sunning themselves and one little sea lion sleeping in the mangrove trees. We were visited by several little finches as well.
If you get here early there are kayaks that you can rent, but when we arrived they were already booked. We spent a few hours here enjoying the beach. I was sad I couldn't go in the water because of my cut, but I made the most of it by walking along the shore and taking a ton of pictures of marine iguanas. Before we knew it, it was time to pack up. The walk to the parking lot was very very hot, basically one hour in the direct sun! By the time we got back to the bus we were all very sweaty and slightly delirious. For lunch we went back to 1835 and I got a taco bowl.
The afternoon consisted of making our way from Santa Cruz to Isabela. To get to Isabela we took the two hour speed ferry. Before you board, all your luggage gets checked at biosecurity and then you take a smaller water taxi to the larger ferry. The ferry had about thirty seats, with some upstairs and some downstairs. I elected for a seat downstairs towards the back of the boat. If you have issues with sea sickness, I recommend taking some medication with you as it was a very bumpy ride. I don't usually get sea sick but I took the medication anyway, and I am glad I did. Depending on where you sit, you may also get wet! I ended up sleeping for most of the ride. Perhaps the medication made me drowsy or I was just tired from all the walking today. Once we arrived to Isabela our bags were checked at biosecurity again, we paid the $10 entrance fee, and then we were picked up by a taxi. This taxi was pretty funky, it was a truck hauling a covered wagon with wooden benches inside. We arrived and settled into our hotel for the next three nights, Cally Hotel, which had air conditioning and was in a great location! All the shops, restaurants and bars on Isabela were in close walking distance to our hotel and it felt very safe. For dinner tonight we went to Shwarma Hot and sat upstairs on the second floor. My favorite part of this meal was the soup, and we learned it is custom in Ecuador to serve their soups with popcorn! I will be bringing this tradition home. After dinner we went to Heladería Ecofrost and the coffee ice cream may have been the best I've ever had. I did coffee and chocolate ice cream with a homemade chocolate shell on the top. It was the best treat after a long day of traveling.
Snorkeling with Sea Lions
Today was a jam packed day filled with several activities. First we rented bicycles and biked to the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center . We happened to visit during feeding time and got to see all different sizes of tortoises eating their breakfast. It was amazing to see the babies that could fit in the palm of your hand and know that someday they could grow to be over 500 pounds! We even got to see a pair of tortoises mating, or attempting to mate. The male tortoise makes a very strange sound and some people say it is the loudest sound in the rainforest. At the center they incubate the eggs, hatch them, and take care of the tortoises until they are large enough to be released. All the breeding centers on the islands have made a huge impact on the tortoise populations, helping them to recover from near extinction. It is really nice to see all their efforts pay off. In February 2026, they released tortoises on Floreana Island, returning the species there for the first time in roughly 150 years. The goal is that someday the population will be healthy enough and they won't even need the breeding centers anymore.
From the breeding center we continued along the bike path, making a stop at Playa del Amor. At this beach we got to see baby pelicans being fed (which looked very uncomfortable for the parents) and tons of marine iguanas. We continued on towards the Wall of Tears, El Muro de las Lágrimas. In the 1940's and 1950's, this site was a prison camp. As part of their punishment, the prisoners stacked heavy volcanic rocks into a wall which collapsed over and over again. Each day in the hot sun they would rebuild parts of the wall and watch it fall apart and crumble. The harsh conditions here led to hundreds of prisoner's deaths, and some legends say you can still hear their cries. Now, only a small part of the wall remains. You are not allowed to drive or take a taxi to get here, so biking and walking along the path are your only options. The path to get here was a mix of sand and gravel, plus it had a few steep hills, so you may have to get off your bike and walk parts of it. It was challenging at some points but overall not too difficult. You may also see some wild tortoises wandering around on the path. The bike ride back was much easier, as most of it was downhill. We returned our bikes and stopped to see the flamingos in the lagoon. Lunch today was at Booby Trap. I got schnitzel with mashed potatoes.
This afternoon we had a snorkel tour on Las Tintoreras Islet. The trip began with a short boat ride to the islet and a thirty minute walk around on the rocks. There is a path but we had to watch our step as there were tiny marine iguanas everywhere! The guide for this tour spoke to us about the different wildlife you can find here. We were lucky to see a flightless cormorant (he said it was very rare!) and little Galápagos penguins swimming around. On our walk, we got to see white-tip reef sharks (tintorera), several large sea turtles, bright red sally lightfoot crabs, blue footed boobies, and sea lions.
We made our way back to the boat and got ready for our snorkel. Once in the water, we followed the guide around the islet. He pointed out so many animals so it was best to stay close to him. This was by far my favorite experience of the trip. We saw so many large parrotfish, several huge sea turtles, sea urchins, a giant marbled ray, a white tipped reef shark resting, and the best part was the sea lions swimming with us. We even saw some penguins on the rocks. The sea lions looked so graceful underwater, and they were very curious. One sea lion swam right up to Nicole and jumped over her, practically landing right on her head! We all laughed. I wish the snorkeling didn't have to end.
On the way back to land we stopped to see a blue-footed booby colony. There were hundreds of them. We noticed that some had very bright blue feet and really stood out from the rest. We also got to see two great blue heron chicks in their nest. Stefanía told us that we were very lucky to see all of the animals today and that most people only get to see one or two of the animals I mentioned. We all got cleaned up and then got dinner at La Casa Del Asado De Anibal Garcia which was a BBQ place. The portions were very large, I got steak, chicken, and shrimp! If you like lobster, this would be a great place to try it. To end the night we went to get drinks at the Pink Iguana Bar which was right on the beach. It was the perfect way to end an amazing day!
Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano
Today our activity was hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano Trail. This trail is very long, about 10 miles round trip, and takes 4-6 hours to complete! Make sure to pack a lot of water, sunscreen, and snacks. To get to the starting point of the hike we took the wagon bus to the bottom of the trail. The ride was very beautiful and breezy. After arriving at the trail we all used the facilities before starting our hike. The first part of the trail was steep and very muddy but while we were here we saw the rare bird, the vermillion flycatcher. It was a beautiful bright red color and caught a moth right in front of us!
Stefanía told us we were very lucky because many people come here specifically to see this bird and sometimes they wait hours and never see one. The hike was very misty so at first we couldn't see much. As we were walking along the rim of the caldera the clouds cleared up long enough for us to see it. The caldera was much larger than I imagined! The volcano is still active, with its caldera stretching 6 miles wide at some points. We reached the end of the hike and we had the option to continue on to see a second volcano, Volcán Chico. I was feeling very tired and sweaty at this point and didn't want to push myself too hard (especially with my foot), so I elected to stay back with a few others. While we waited for the rest of the group to finish the hike, we ate our boxed lunch which was fried rice, a juice pack, and an apple! The others returned and we made our way back down. By the end of the hike we were all very sweaty and tired. We took taxis back down to our hotel, showered and rested up. I spent my free time going to the ATM, laying on the beach, reading my book, and relaxing. Before heading to dinner a few of us met at Isabela Sunset Bar for some drinks. I got two Coco Locos which were served in a coconut. They were really good and refreshing, and we got to enjoy our drinks while watching blue-footed boobies dive into the ocean to catch fish. Dinner tonight was at The Beach Galápagos. Tonight was our last night on Isabela so we went out to the Pink Iguana Bar to celebrate our time on the island!
Last Day on Isabela
Our last day on Isabela Island! How did it go by so fast? We started with a snorkel right off the pier in a lagoon called Concha de Perla. This was a short walk from our hotel. Snorkeling here is free, you just have to bring your own equipment. You leave your belongings on the boardwalk and climb down the steps right into the water. I really enjoyed snorkeling here because it was very calm and surrounded by mangroves. We saw tons of parrotfish, a pufferfish, a white-tip reef shark, and I was lucky to see a penguin swim right by me.
There were a couple sea lions resting on the steps and swimming around too. After our snorkel we walked back to the hotel, showered and packed up our suitcases. We grabbed lunch at The Beach Galápagos, and enjoyed the view of the ocean during the day. We stopped to get some ice cream and take pictures on the Isabela swing before heading to the ferry.
We arrived back into Santa Cruz, scanned our bags at biosecurity, and checked into our hotel, the Fernandina. We all went out to do some last minute shopping before our flight back to the mainland tomorrow. I purchased a tank top and a long sleeve sun shirt from Garúa. For dinner tonight we met at the pier and took a water taxi to Eloise, which was the fanciest restaurant we've been to! Our table overlooked the water and we saw several sharks and a sea turtle swim by. We all ordered fun drinks, and I chose the mushroom risotto and a brownie for dessert! This may have been my favorite meal of the trip. We thanked Stefanía for being an amazing host this week and said our goodbyes.
Santa Cruz ➡️ Quito ➡️ Boston
We were picked up bright and early by the bus and made our way back to Baltra for our flight back to Quito. Again, there was a lot of transportation today! A private bus to a water taxi to a public bus and then a plane. Our flight took about three hours because we had to stop in Guayaquil to pick up a few more passengers. We landed in Quito and Edwin and Wilson were both there waiting for us! Edwin arranged for our transport back to the Ikala Quito Hotel and we had a few hours of free time before dinner. A few of us went to a coffee shop next door, Tres Gatos, and I got two hot chocolates, one was rose and the other was cardamom. It was so good! For dinner we went to Achiote, which specializes in traditional Ecuadorian cuisine. I went with a glass of wine and the lamb stew and it was delicious! Ok, THIS may have been my favorite meal of the trip. For dessert I had a gooey chocolate cake with coconut ice cream.
We all thanked Edwin for being an amazing guide and helping us navigate our trip! My flight out was early in the morning so I said my goodbyes to the group and went to bed feeling so grateful for my time in Ecuador. My taxi picked me up at 5 AM and dropped me off at the airport. I browsed the shops while waiting for my flight. My first flight from Quito to Miami was smooth and on time. I cleared customs and immigration, ate a meal in the Miami airport and then boarded my flight to Boston. I arrived safe and sound around midnight feeling exhausted but happy to be home.
Overall, my trip to Ecuador was everything I imagined and more! My favorite part of the trip was the snorkeling and all the animal sightings. If I were to go back to the Galápagos, I would probably spend more time on the islands and do as much snorkeling as possible! Maybe I would even try to scuba dive. I also did not realize it would be so hot! I was not anticipating sweating as much as I did, so if you visit, make sure to bring extra clothes or try and do laundry. I tried a lot of different foods which I enjoyed and learned a lot of new words in Spanish. I loved that Much Better Adventures planned all of our transportation, lodging, and meals! This was very helpful, especially with the specific documents we needed to enter the islands. Our guides were all so helpful and nice! I hope to return someday and explore more of this beautiful country.
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