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A land where fauna and flora reign supreme !
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| Summary of this document: |
NB: Information provided in the present document are ment to give to potential travellers, as much pertinent data as possible relative to our different adventure-tours in The Galapagos, in order to help them in the preparation of their journey. These facts are loosely quoted and can be modified without notice. Should you have a question, please do not hesitate to contact us. |
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Environment
Technical Information
History in short
Climate
Fauna and flora
Equipments
Booking conditions
Meals and and gastronomy
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Tips on what to wear
Children and the journey
What to read
Electricity
Time zone
Procedures prior to departure
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Galapagos Islands
Islands or Colón Archipelago, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, constituting a province of Ecuador, about 1,050 km (about 650 mi) off the western coast of South America. The archipelago consists of 13 large and several hundred small islands lying on or near the equator. The principal islands are Isabela (in English, Albemarle), San Cristóbal (Chatham), San Salvador (James), Santa María (Charles), and Santa Cruz (Indefatigable). The islands’ total area is 7,964 sq km (3,075 sq mi).
Technical information
Status : region of Ecuador
Official Name: Archipiélago de Colón
Area: Total area (sea): 45000 square kilometers.
Total land area: 7882 square kilometers
Size: 430 kilometers long.
Population: 1990 Estimate: 12000 people.
Major settlements of people: Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), 4000; Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal), 2800; Puerto Villamil (Isabela), 1000; Puerto Velasco (Floreana), 700.
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Currency: $US sin 2000 (in place of Sucre)
- If you need currency, it is highly recommend to make the change on the continent (Quito) before heading to the Islands. Ask for small bills (as there is a lot of of forget $Us, especially 100 bills.
- In Puerto Aroya, you can withdraw change with MC. rd
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History in short
1485 It's believed that a northern culture from Peru ruled by the Incas, the Chimu, were the first visitors.
1535 The Bishop of Panama, Fray Tomas de Berlanga, was in route to Peru. His ship drifted off course by the ocean currents and "discovered" the Galapagos Islands.
1593 - 1710 The Galapagos Islands were pirates favorite hideout and supply base for water and meat (particularly the giant tortoises).
1793 - 1870 Industrial revolution had changed and rather than Spanish gold, seafarers searched oil which came from whale's blubber. This exploitation on the Galapagos, brought the tortoise, fur seals and sperm whales, near extinction.
1835 The Beagle visited the Galapagos Islands. Charles Darwin studied and noted the similarities and differences of the flora and fauna. He concluded that the species, to survive, would gradually alter based on environmental conditions.
1859 After 20 years of his life gathering supporting evidence, Darwin published "The Origin of the Species by Natural Selection".
1892 Galapagos is officially names "Archipélago de Colón" in honor of Christopher Columbus's discovery of American 400 years earlier.
1959 100th Anniversary of the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species, the Galapagos Islands became Ecuador's first National Park and the non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation was established to assist the in preservation of the islands.
1978 The Islands are declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO underlining its universal value for mankind
Climate
The ocean currents largely determine Galapagos Islands' weather. Normally from June - December, there is a cold current rising from the south which creates a cool moist fog called a garúa close to the ocean making the climate rather cool and dry. In December, the wind has less force; the ocean is calm and the currents change, surrounding the islands in the warm Panama Current from the North. These currents create a definable weather pattern of hot sunny mornings followed by clouds and occasional showers in the afternoons. Needless to say, this is usually the favorite time to visit. In other words: June - December cool, cloudy and dry season. December - June, warm, sunny and rainy season.
Fauna et flora
The islands are volcanic in origin, with level shorelines and mountainous interiors culminating in high central craters, some of which rise more than 1,500 m (5,000 ft) above sea level. Several volcanoes are active. The islands are fringed with mangroves; farther inland, although still in coastal regions, where little rain falls, the vegetation consists chiefly of thorn trees, cactus, and mesquite. In the uplands, which are exposed to a heavy mist, the flora is more luxuriant. The climate and the temperature of the waters surrounding the islands are modified by the cold Humboldt Current from the Antarctic.
The Galápagos group is noted for its animal life, which includes numerous species found only in the archipelago and different subspecies on separate islands. Unique to the archipelago are six species of giant tortoise (Spanish galápago—thus the islands' name). Other reptiles on the islands include two species of large lizards in the iguana family: a burrowing land lizard and an unusual marine lizard that dives into the ocean for seaweed. The islands contain as many as 85 different species of birds, including flamingos, flightless cormorants, finches, and penguins. Sea lions are numerous, as are many different shore fish. Part of the Galápagos is a wildlife sanctuary
Booking conditions
Please take the time to consult the regular booking conditions prior to book/reserve on one of our tours. Please note that special booking conditions may apply to some circuits and/or departures. In such case, information will be given to you on booking/reservation.
Gastronomy
Food is a true paradise here for vegetarians as well as for others due to the variety of vegetables and fruits. There is 12 different varieties of bananas here!
You will try local dishes such as Caldos, (copious soups or stews), grilled Cuy (Guinea pig) and Lechón (Sucking pig), or llapingachos (patato and cheese crêpes). One the coastal region you will enjoy a Ceviche, a recipe based on fish and shrimps, marinated in lemon juice, garlic, onion, hot pepper and coriander, simply delicious. Fresh fruit juices are delicious mainly, tomata de arbol. Local beers, Pilsner or Club, are good as well as Aguardiente and rum.
- Indians have their own ancestral drink : Chicha, corn beer (low-alcohol) which is drunk during parties .
- Fruit juices are numerous and dilightful. When you order fruit juice do not forget to mention sin agua (without water) and sin hielo (no ice cubes). If you want to try something special ask for con huevos (with egg).
Tips on what to wear
Uptaded information to come...
Children a nd the journey
Taking in account the nature and the pressure of this type of journey, it is highly recommende not to have children under the age of 12.
What to read:
Boyce, B., A Traveler's Guide to the Galapagos Islands, Galapagos Travel, San Jose, 1990.
Jackson, M., Galapagos, a Natural History Guide, Calgary Univ. Press, Calgary, 1985.
Moore, Tui De Roy, Galapagos, Islands Lost in Time, Viking Press, New York, 1980.
Lopez, B., Galapagos, Rizzoli, New York, 1989.
Ele ctricité: 110V 60Hz.
Time zone: GMT -6 h.
Steps preceding any departure:
- You select the tour and dates you wish to book (or reach an agreement with us on your Tailor Made Tour's program.
- Using our Booking Form you make your reservation / booking.
- As soon as your booking request is received we get in touch with you to confirm the booking and we send you an invoice including payment instructions and booking conditions.
- Upon reception of this invoice you must send your initial deposit (25%) to secure your booking. NB: If your package includes the international flight and/or an insurance plan, it will be integrally payable with your initial deposit. You will receive your flight tickets and/or insurance enrollment confirmation on the next business day following the reception of your payment.
- After reception of your initial deposit we will send you a detailed and complete TRAVELER'S FILE.
NB: Unless your booking request is received within 30 days from the departure date, in which case you will receive your Traveler's File upon payment of your initial deposit, please allow between 15 and 30 working days for the preparation of these documents and 2 or 3 more days before receiving any printed material.
This complete file will contain the following detailed information:
- Voucher / proof of your booking.
- Detailed program with a map of the tour's route.
- Information on your tour guide(s) and other human resource(s) connected to the project.
- Information on the meeting point and a list of the inns and hotels with their description, address & contact information.
- Info on the cities, sites & regions visited on the tour.
- Technical & practical information.
- General recommendations for the traveler.
- Emergency plan and detailed maps of the country and /or region(s).
- Travel insurance complete documents and/or flight tickets (if included in your tour package).
- Your balance must be received 30 days before your departure or in the week following the reception of your Traveler's File if you are booking within 30 days preceding your departure.
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Comparing our tours and prices with others, consider...
- The number of participants in the tour. The SIZE of the group has a major incidence on the quality of the services provided by the tour leader and the driver. Small groups remain personal unlike large groups.
- What IS and what is NOT included in the tours & services you compare.
- Our tours respect the principals of ecotourism. Our guides, staff members and providers are meticulously selected to meet our exacting requirements and standards and they are remunerated equitably and considered with great esteem as we much value their participation to our mission.
- The quality standards of the services and accommodations we provide in our tours are high and our customer service is exceptional. We are committed to offering the very best to our travellers before, during and after their trip.
- We provide our travellers with the contact information of their tour manager who is available 7 days a week before and during the tour to promptly assist them with any situation or simply answer questions or doubts before the tour starts.
Procedures and deadlines summary:
- Upon reception of your booking request we will send you a booking confirmation & invoice (or another offer if the requested services cannot be confirmed).
- Upon reception of your invoice, you must send us your initial deposit (30% of the tour price + 100% of flights and/or travel insurance, if these services are booked through us). We accept all major credit cards, checks, wire transfers and cash.
- Your final payment must be received 45 days prior to your tour departure.
- We send you your travel documents by FedEx courier 30 days prior to your tour departure (or before). We also send you (at the same time) an electronic version (PDF document sent by email) of your documents to keep as a backup copy in your files.
All payments received are confirmed by our accounting dpt. the next day with an updated account statement sent by email.
General conditions
Feedback from our travellers
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Copyright © 1998 - 2012 Amerika Venture
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