Most of us learn about the Galapagos at a young age in school when we cover evolution and genetics. I remember my high school physical science teacher sharing Charles Darwin’s story and distinguishing between the different finches of the islands. I would imagine myself in the Galapagos, with crystal clear waters and volcanic peaks, immersed in nature and observing animals in a world of their own.

I didn’t think much about the Galapagos for years. Learning about them in the context of high school science made them far way both in terms of location and realities. But when I booked my ticket for Ecuador in November, everyone who knew where I was going would ask if I would visit the famous islands.

At first, I felt a strong urge to visit – kayaking with baby sharks and playful sea lions sounded out of this world.

I hesitated because along with the positive praise was always a warning about high costs. When I first started looking at flights in December (from Guayaquil to Santa Cruz) they were $600 and up, which just didn’t seem doable.

I came to Ecuador with the intention of teaching yoga in exchange for food and accommodation, so splurging on a week in the Galapagos would cost more than many months of my ‘typical’ Ecuadorian life.

Then something changed.

While at an energy exchange in a sacred Andean valley in March, I had a deep and sudden desire to do it, to take the trip. My birthday was approaching and I felt like it was time for the next part of my journey. I’d been working online the past few months as a clinical educator and virtual assistant so I had some money saved, and flights were much more reasonable at a third of the previous price. And I would be travelling with another person, which always makes trips a bit more affordable.

There was no better place I could think of than the Galapagos to spend the Spring Equinox and the start of my first Saturn Return. Flights and accommodation were booked and we took off ten days later, planning to spend March 16-25th exploring and connecting.

The magic of the Galapagos was palpable as soon as we arrived.

Day 1: Arrival to Isabela

A smooth travel day is not something to take for granted.

We made it to Isabela on Wednesday evening after taking two buses, two water taxis and one ferry from the airport. The timing was perfect, and we got two of the last spots on the ferry from Santa Cruz – if you can call it a ferry since it was more like a speed boat.

While waiting at the dock we were greeted by sea lions, baby sharks, giant sea turtles, manta rays, and loads of fish.

Once we arrived, we learned that the island of Isabela has an annual week-long festival, and that happened to be the last night of celebrations. There were tents set up along the small town square in Puerto Villamil, and a stage was blocking any traffic from flowing as kids played and friends laughed all around. Vibes were high and positive energy covered the town like a blanket.

Exhausted after a long travel day, we had an early night after enjoying a maduro and papas fritas and walking through the crowds.

Day 2: Iguana Beach

Blue skies, warm air, and the flamingos in the pond outside our room welcomed us to our first full day in the Galapagos.

After enjoying a fresh breakfast on the roof prepared by Timea, we headed for the beach just two minutes from our accommodation. We walked through the Pink Iguana, a funky bar with all the makings of a good time – beach volleyball, slack lines, rooftop patio, and a gorgeous beach with sunset views – and it also happens to be where an iguana reserve is located.

With beaches made of soft, light sand and jagged, black rocks, iguanas are basically invisible until you see the ground start to move or hear them as they expel excess salt from their bodies.

We saw these guys everywhere, often times stacked in massive cuddle puddles or climbing over friends.

The sun was hot and the beach was deserted. Beautiful shells and pieces of coral were scattered around the sand. We walked for ages. At the end of the beach was the entrance to a pathed area for walking and cycling. We followed it to the first beach, La Playita, where we met heaps of iguanas cooling off in the sand.

Feeling fatigued and overheated, we took a naked swim in the ocean and walked back along the beach to siesta before exploring more. A chill evening felt necessary. We made rice and canned vegetables for a quick breakfast on the rooftop under a massive nearly full moon overlooking Flamingo Lagoon.

Day 3: Cycling with Giant Tortoises

Our first priority of the day was laundry. Each piece of clothing was washed in the bathroom and hung outside to dry.

It had been a while since we had access to a washing machine, which means we were constantly washing our dirty clothes in the bathroom sink of our accommodation. And after a while of sink washing, there comes a time when a real wash is needed. We were definitely at that point but still had to stay strong a little longer since laundry in the Galapagos was so expensive.

Our next task was to rent bicycles for the day.

We started with our bikes down the same beach we walked the day before, heading beyond La Playita on the trail to El Muro de las Lágrimas, the Wall of Tears. The wall was built by hand in the 1940s and 1950s by prisoners who were sent to Isabela Island, showcasing the darker side of the island’s history.

On the way, there were various stopping points and trails that branched off. One of them was a beautiful lookout point with views of the volcanic peaks, the ocean, the forest, and the lava formations.

The Wall of Tears marked the end of the bike path. I was humbled, walking around it in admiration. A giant turtle was sheltering by the bench we were resting on and soon we were climbing stairs to more lookout points above the wall.

Cycling along the sandy and stony path was phenomenal. We saw giant tortoises, mangroves, beaches, and lagoons.

Soon we realized that the afternoon heat was not something to be played with, so we enjoyed a skinny dip and cycled back home for a cold mango juice and a siesta and emerged later to cycle around a bit more (and for more mango juice).

We heard about a beautiful snorkeling spot called Concha de Perla with natural pools and decided to cycle down to check it out.

The path started at the harbor and took us through mangrove forest and resting Iguanas before opening up to a beautiful calm swimming spot with children jumping in to the water and laughter filling the air. We were definitely coming back with the right gear to snorkel.

Visiting most of the island requires a guide since it’s a protected reserve, so on our way back we stopped at different tour companies to see what they offered. We settled on three days of touring – a volcano hike on Saturday, then a boat ride and snorkeling tour on Sunday, and finally a kayaking and snorkeling tour on Monday.

Pizza was shared for dinner and I had a cold choco banana before taking off to bed. Another early night in preparation for our early start the next morning.

Day 4: Hiking an Active Volcano

Our bus was scheduled to pick us up for our first tour at 7:30am. We were going to be walking up Sierra Negra, an active volcano with the one of the largest calderas in the world.

I woke up and made a quick breakfast of oats and banana and then we took off. Our group was small and our guide was knowledgeable. We hiked along a well-marked trail and learned about the history of the volcanos in Santa Isabela. The island is actually made up of 6 volcanos, and the last eruption was in 2018!

The walk was beautiful. Towards the end of the trail before heading back, we walked through red lava rock formations, like craters and lava tunnels, which spanned the entire horizon. Two curious birds joined us for a snack on the rocks before we made way for the bus and arrive home before 2pm.

With little desire to spend a small fortune on lunch, we sought out a small local-looking place with an $8 almuerzo menu. Our lunch was delicious, with a potato and lentil soup followed by a big plate of rice, minestra, and vegetables with fresh juice.

The rest of out day went by in a blur, between our siesta and wandering the streets of Isabela. We had an evening of recharging in preparation for another early morning.

Day 5: Spring Equinox and Birthday Celebrations

March 20th is a special day – not only because it’s my birthday but also because it’s the Spring Equinox.

The Spring Equinox is all about transformation, awakening, rebirth & growth as we move into the warmth of the light.

Our day was special for other reasons, too.

We booked a tour to Los Túneles that was leaving at 7:20am. A car came to pick us up and brought us to the touring agency to collect our gear, and then a taxi brought us as a group to the harbor. Our boat collected us and we took off on a beautiful 40 minute ride to the lava tunnels we would be exploring.

The ocean water was glassy, the sun was shining, and the manta rays were jumping.

As we approached our first destination, we came across a Galapagos Penguin, Giant Tortugas, and schools of fish. Floating on the clear turquoise water with so much life below us was beautiful.

Our boat came to a stop and we took a short walk along the lava walls and tunnels that were formed from previous eruptions, wandering around 500 year old cacti as we explored the breeding grounds of the Blue Footed Booby. After taking a few pictures we went back to the boat for our snorkel and flippers. Everyone jumped in and we floated face down through tunnels and arches, into caves and around coral reefs. Once we made our round, we found our way back to the boat and left for another magical snorkel spot just ten minutes away.

This place was unbelievable.

We swam with giant sea turtles, floated over manta rays, and spotted a hidden sea horse. The life that was present in these waters was incredible.

Time has been a tricky thing these days, and this day was no exception. Some moments seemed to last hours, while others flew by without me realizing.

Before we knew it we were back on the boat for lunch and then heading back to where we started in Puerto Villamil.

Mango juice, choco banana and siesta had become routine for us by now, except there was no Mango juice so we found ourselves a massive and delicious fruit bowl from Café Sorbete.

For dinner we ate at a Café Tal, a restaurant I had my eye on since our first night. Vegetables had been hard to find on the island and both of us had been craving something fresh. The food was so amazing, we decided it would be where we had every dinner from then on.

There is something transformative and powerful about experiencing another world.

Day 6: Kayaking with Boobies and Ocean Pups

Nothing like a good yoga session and an amazing breakfast from Café Sorbete to start the day. We were picked up at 10 for our kayaking tour and taken once again to collect our snorkel gear before a taxi brought us to the harbor. Among the sea lions and Iguanas were four two-person kayaks resting on the soft sandy beach. We hopped in and took off with our group to explore the lava rock islands and the creatures that live among them.

Almost right away we saw a penguin perched on a rock looking right at us. Around the corner was a juvenile Blue Footed Booby, and then a group of Brown Pelicans. Sea lions, which are like ocean dogs, playfully swam along our kayaks and one baby was there to greet us when we arrived at our destination – a natural pool, sheltered from the waves, filled with life.

We anchored the kayaks, put on our snorkels, and took off. Each day of snorkelling was so different and so amazing.

The baby sea lion played as we swam through schools of fish and around majestically massive turtles.

After exploring around we kayaked back to the harbor and went for lunch at Café Sorbete (we REALLY loved them!), took our siesta, and then walked along a wooden path through beautiful lagoons to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. We saw huge tortoises that were over 100 years old as well as babies who have only been here for a few days.

Back at the beach, the Pink Iguana was alive with good vibes and live music so we hung around for sunset. It was great - we played volleyball, slack lined, and did some acroyoga in the sand with the sounds of sax and guitar around us.

To celebrate another amazing day, we went back to Café Tal for dinner and had another early night.

Day 7: Snorkel, Siesta, Signs

With no tours planned for this day, we enjoyed a laid-back morning with yoga and breakfast at our favourite place, (you guessed it!) Café Sorbete. We knew we wanted to go back to Concha de Perla to snorkel, so we walked down the road to rent what we needed.

Remembering that we hadn’t yet bought a ticket for the boat back to Santa Cruz Island the next morning, we asked three tour companies and were told all of the boats were full. We should have known better than to wait until the last minute, but we were able to get spots on the afternoon boat which worked out fine in the end.

Off again as we walked through the mangrove forest and arrived at the beautiful pools with far fewer people than our last visit. We spent our time observing the underwater life around the coral reefs and lava formations, and once again, it was amazing. On our way home from snorkelling, we stopped for a quick lunch and enjoyed cooling off during our siesta.

There was a small shop right around the corner from where we were staying that had the best choco bananas and queso empanadas. They also rented bikes and had drinks to purchase, but the signs they had hanging were worn and difficult to read. Timea offered to paint them and I joined her later in the afternoon after a nap to finish her project.

We had the best dinner at Café Tal and were glad to have another morning in Isabela to look forward to.

Day 8: Work & Travel Day

When the morning we woke up to was grey and rainy, we decided to visit Bar de Beto try to get something done with their Wi-Fi. Internet connection was hard to come by throughout our stay, so neither of us were able to get much work done.

After packing up our bags and enjoying a rooftop yoga session and a fantastic breakfast, we headed over to work. Around 2pm our taxi arrived to take us to the boat. We boarded the crowded Angy and decided to move up to the top for some more space.

Ten minutes into our two-and-a-half-hour trip, one of the motors stopped working. One of the crew members worked a bit of magic and ended up having to hold some lines in place for nearly an hour across rough waters. It continued to be a problem for the entire trip but the team made it work and got us to where we were going in the end!

The sun was just beginning to set as we arrived in Santa Cruz. Our hostel was a short walk from the dock and was more spacious than we expected.

As darkness fell over the town, we strolled the streets, appreciating how different it was to the sleepy port of Santa Isabela. With loads of restaurants, breweries, shops and spas, there was a vibe here that we hadn’t experienced in a while. We loved walking into all the little shops, visiting an amazing art gallery, and sampling artisanal watermelon cerveza.

Dinner was rice and vegetables (one of our staple meals) with a Mojito (definitely not a staple) from TJs, and dessert was ice cream from around the corner.

So much gratitude for being where we were and with each other.

Day 9: Charles Darwin & a Baby Shark

I spotted an Acai bowl on the menu of a place we walked by the night before, and it really stuck in my head.

Our plan was to walk to the Charles Darwin Research Station and then Tortuga Bay, so we headed off early and stopped for fruit and the Acai bowl on the way. It was delicious. The walk followed the curve of the coast and had the occasional turn off for different beaches and a ceramic garden. We walked through a marine life interpretation center before arriving at the Research Station, where we walked through the array of paintings, facts, skeletons, and models.

Tortuga Bay was another hour walk away, in the opposite direction, and we would need to walk right past our room. Hot from the sun, we decided to enjoy a siesta to cool down and then went on our adventure rested and ready.

The first part of the journey to Tortuga Bay was a beautiful walking path surrounded by cacti, trees, and lizards.

The second part was just as marvellous – a long, gorgeous beach with soft white sand and clear turquoise water.

Walking the distance of the path and the beach was rewarded with entrance to a calm bay among the mangrove forests and lava rocks, where I was greeted by a baby shark. We enjoyed our time floating in the water and basking in the sun. The walk back was just as amazing as the walk there.

A magical day to end our Galapagos journey.

Day 10: Travel Day

We were up to pack early in the morning so we could make it to breakfast at 7:30am and get to the bus around 8:15.

Breakfast was phenomenal – toast, eggs, fruit, coffee, juice. Exactly what we needed to feel fueled for our day.

On our way to the bus, we were stopped by a taxi and ended up sharing it with a couple so that it was the same price as the bus in the end, and we would get to leave a bit earlier.

The taxi dropped us off at the ferry, which dropped us off at the bus, which took us straight to the airport. Check in was easy and we slept nearly the entire two-hour flight.

Looking back, it’s amazing how much we saw and did in such a short time. Especially since we still managed to chill during the day and sleep early each night.

The Galapagos Islands are an amazing place where you can see all spectrums of life. It was a trip I will never forget and an experience I highly recommend.