it s all about the experience galapagos islands an outdoors adventure for travelers of all ages
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it s all about the experience few places have captured the imagination of travelers the way that the galapagos islands have these fascinating volcanic islands are located 600 miles off the coast of mainland ecuador right on the equator each of the sixty islands and islets is home to unique species of animals birds flora and fauna often with dramatic contrasts from island to island charles darwin was astonished by what he saw there when he visited in the 1830s and galapagos was the inspiration for his theories of evolution and his now-famous treatise on the subject the origin of species today under the watchful eye of the ecuadorian national park system and its status as a unesco world heritage site galapagos remains a living laboratory of evolution certain to delight nature lovers and active travelers of all ages it s not just the biological diversity that will astound you it s the sheer numbers of animals they have no inherent fear of man so you can walk among them interact with
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page 4 why book with frontiers tioning and a fully stocked bar because the majority of the islands are uninhabited the most practical and comfortable way to explore galapagos is by boat the selection process can be overwhelming with each and every boat claiming to be the best and yet we know otherwise you need naturalist guides with the highest level of knowledge and safety accreditation you need first-rate equipment you need bilingual crew in addition we are very familiar with our client s preferences for attractive interiors spacious bathrooms air condi with our extensive firsthand knowledge gained from ten staff trips in the past seven years plus perspective gained from hundreds of client trips to galapagos there is no one better positioned than frontiers for unbiased advice and reliable travel arrangements to these enchanting islands we have personally inspected all of the top-end options for charters and for individual cabin bookings so can help you compare the various choices w
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frontiers recommends parranda 125-ft 16-passenger motor yacht alta 140-ft 16-passenger ketch rigged motor-sailer lammer law 93-ft 16-passenger trimaran evolution 210-ft 32-passenger expedition ship eclipse 48-passenger expedition ship mistral 74-ft 12-passenger motor yacht polaris 238-ft 80-passenger expedition ship islander 164-ft 47-passenger expedition ship call frontiers 1-800-245-1950 · 01285 741340 in the uk · www.frontierstravel.com page 5
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page 6 a sample day in the galapagos might go like this 6:30 a.m you awaken in a quiet cove with the smell of fresh coffee drifting into your cabin step outside to catch the pinky hues of the sun rising 7:00 a.m breakfast is served on the afterdeck eggs pancakes and an array of fresh fruit 7:45 a.m disembark into motorized rubber zodiac rafts with your naturalist guide for your first shore excursion of the day shore excursions are usually planned first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon as the animals are most active the light optimal for photography and the temperatures coolest it s a wet landing so you step out into shallow water and walk onto the beach careful not to disturb any of the sea lions that are lounging there seemingly unaware of your presence although one could happily pass an entire morning perched on the sand among the sea lions the naturalist encourages you to begin the walk of the island in less than 50 paces our first blue-footed booby is spotted
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galapagos 17 percent of which are endemic including 18 species of morays 28 species of sharks 16 species of whales and seven species of dolphins add to this the possibility of encountering the enormous sea turtles playful young sea lions galapagos penguins and brilliant corals a few of the group remained behind to enjoy sea kayaking from the big boat 3:00 p.m return to the boat for a quick change of clothes and off for another land excursion this afternoon we re exploring an island of black lava rock one of the harshest looking environments imaginable we see a proliferation of marine iguanas literally dozens of them lazily writhing together and the delightful army of sally lightfoot crabs parading among them for a colorful display 5:15 p.m we return to the boat as the sun is setting but are distracted by a large black shape off in the distance which the naturalist immediately identifies as a whale we follow it around it covers great distances in a flash trying to capture
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page 8 a glimpse of the primary species blue-footed boobies red-footed boobies nazca boobies pink flamingos flightless cormorants frigate birds darwin s finches waved albatross penguins tropic birds sea turtles marine iguanas land iguanas tortoises sea lions fur seals sally lightfoot crabs dolphins
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the winged virgin of quito machu picchu extend your stay while a trip to galapagos can be accomplished in nine nights if you have a little extra time there are an infinite number of possibilities to consider here are just a few ideas andean highlands including the famous otavalo market one of the biggest and most colorful indian markets in south america this can also encompass horseback riding hiking hacienda visits amazon jungle visit colonial quito highlights climbing and mountain trekking including the possibility to ascend cotopaxi at 18,870 feet incan ruins at cusco and machu picchu in neighboring peru crossing the highest lake in the world lake titicaca into bolivia fly fishing in argentina and/or chile wine tasting in chile the otavalo market riding in the andes quito skyline call frontiers 1-800-245-1950 · 01285 741340 in the uk · www.frontierstravel.com page 9
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page 10 our clients tell eclipse trip of a lifetime met every expectation eclipse s guides and excellent service meals organization of snorkeling and trips on shore evening programs as well as wonderful entertainment of local musicians and dancers made the trip such a treat t.n weston ma alta our trip to ecuador and the galapagos was incredibly educational as well as fun we learned a ton and all of our questions were answered they kept us moving at a great pace always something to do great trip for kids too thank you so much m.t dedham ma our family had a ball together keep your thinking cap on for another adventure trip for this group although am not sure that the galapagos experience can ever be replicated j.j st louis mo
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frontiers mollie fitzgerald with daughter abby where do i begin our trip to the galapagos was incredible we all learned such a tremendous amount and had a great time doing it all our naturalist was terrific and seemed to think we brought good luck with us as we saw 3 different kinds of whales and not only got to see about 50 bottlenose dolphins but got to swim with one not to mention boobies dancing sitting on eggs and feeding babies albatross dancing and frigates attracting their mates our naturalist rescued a penguin whose foot was stuck it had been hanging upside down from some rocks for quite some time all in all it was an incredible trip on board the alta one that we will remember for the rest of our lives we will forever be huge frontiers fans and now budding naturalists as well t.m new canaan ct it was a perfect trip for a family who wanted an active educational experience it appealed to all of us ages 5 1/2 to 70 1/2 the presence of a wonderful naturalist guide made the w
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freshwater fishing atlantic and pacific salmon sea trout taimen peacock bass tigerfish golden dorado and steelhead fishing on some of the most famous rivers in the world renowned trout fishing in the southern and northern hemispheres a passion for travel for us it is a passion a passion for travel and a passion to share let our expert staff help guide you to your ideal destination saltwater fishing light-tackle fly fishing in warm waters for bonefish tarpon permit trevally milkfish and barracuda blue-water big game fishing on fly and conventional tackle unique tropical properties to accommodate all interests with differing standards of accommodation elegant journeys we know most corners of the world and can plan your customized travel from luxury barging and cruises to exclusive wine and garden tours to private family getaways and so much more wing shooting flighting decoying and walk-up shooting for doves ducks pigeons perdiz and other game birds in africa argentina uruguay boliv
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