The
Galapagos
Islands,
located
about
600
miles
off
the
coast
of
Ecuador,
are
truly
one
of
the
planet's
wonders.
They
rank
up
there
with
Africa
as a
'must-visit'
destination
for
sophisticated
travelers
worldwide,
and
particularly
those
interested
in
wildlife.
Galapagos
is a
relatively
newer
tourism
destination,
as
the
first
organized
trips
didn't
start
until
1967.
While
the
Galapagos
are
certainly
a
destination
onto
themselves,
mainland
Ecuador
is
also
a
fascinating
destination
in
its
own
right.
As a
result,
you
can't
go
wrong
extending
your
Galapagos
cruise
and
seeing
more
than
just
these
islands.
We're
excited
to
assist
you
in
planning
your
visit
to
the
Galapagos
- an
adventure
we
guarantee
you
will
never
forget.
Visitors
are
steadily
increasing
to
the
Galapagos,
which
is
putting
a
strain
on
the
infrastructure
and
the
environment.
Tourism
has
provided
jobs
and
income
for
residents,
and
many
visitors
have
become
advocates
for
conservation
after
visiting
the
destination.
There
is a
fine
balance
between
the
positive
benefits
of
tourism
and
the
strain
tourism
puts
on
the
environment.
For
now,
tourism
is
being
managed,
and
we
support
a
moratorium
on
increased
growth.
You
visit
the
Galapagos
islands
by
river.
The
most
popular
way
to
visit
the
islands
is
on a
Galapagos
Islands
cruise,
where
you
sleep
and
eat
aboard
ship,
visiting
the
islands
by
day.
Or
you
can
stay
on
land
at a
hotel,
and
take
day
trips
by
boat
to
nearby
islands.
The
latter
is
less
preferred
largely
because
you
can't
visit
most
of
the
islands
on a
day
boat
from
land,
and
it
involves
more
travel
back
and
forth
on a
smaller
vessel
and
becomes
less
practical.
Visits
to
the
uninhabited
islands
are
always
done
by
day,
as
visitors
are
not
allowed
to
be
ashore
on
the
uninhabited
islands
after
sunset.
Large
cruise
ships
don't
visit
the
Galapagos.
They
can't
get
the
permits
and
the
islands
aren't
capable
of
handling
thousands
of
people
at a
time.
As a
result,
on a
Galapagos
vacation
you
travel
on a
smaller
yacht-like
ship,
or
small
cruise
ship,
generally
accommodating
anywhere
from
10
to
100
passengers.
Naturalist
guides
travel
with
you
and
escort
you
to
the
islands
providing
expert
commentary
on
various
aspects
of
geology,
birdlife,
wildlife,
fauna,
etc.
Key
Traveler
offers
our
unique
Cash
Back
and
Price
Assurance
to
assure
you
get
the
best
deals
on a
Galapogos
river
cruise.
Key
Traveler
has
been
serving
travelers
for
20
years.
Experience
counts.
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