Overview
Take a trip to Galapagos Islands on your Ecuador Vacation
Located to the west of continental Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands on either side of the Equator in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also a national park and marine reserve to be experienced on an Ecuador vacation.
The Galápagos Islands were discovered by accident in 1535 when Tomás de Berlanga drifted off course sailing from Panama to Peru. The archipelago is perhaps most famous for the scientific expeditions that occurred there during the 18th century. Charles Darwin arrived in 1835 and studied geology, botany, and animals found there. His discoveries provided important evidence for his theory of evolution. Ecuador officially claimed the territory in 1832 and used it mainly for penal colonies. In 1959, 97% of the area became a national park and organized tourism began the following year with Galapagos tours. In 1978 the area was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 1985 it became a biosphere reserve.
The extraordinary Galápagos Islands have to be one of nature’s most important gifts to travellers. Totally unique, they consist of 127 islands and islets, 19 of which are volcanic and are located 1000 kilometres/620 miles off the coast of Ecuador. The UNESCO World Heritage organization calls it a “living museum and showcase of evolution.” Human settlements are restricted to only 3% of the area on four of the largest islands, though many more can be visited on an Ecuador vacation. The Galápagos National Park enacts strict regulations concerning where people can go, what they can do, and how many people can turn up in any one spot, ensuring a superb wildlife viewing experience for every visitor. A limited number of overnight boats are allowed to operate and each boat is equipped with a tracking device so that authorities can verify exactly who is going where at any given time.
Besides being a highlight of your Ecuador vacation, the islands are an ecological wonderland populated with fearless and incredible wildlife. The largest living tortoise species, the Galápagos Tortoise is famous for its long lifespan and can weigh over 400 kg/880 lbs. The distinctive blue-footed booby is synonymous with the islands, as are the colonies of curious sea lions. Besides unique wildlife, there are also excellent beaches that welcome swimming, diving and surfing. Numerous leisurely cruises also maximize your experience here.
Besides being a highlight of your Ecuador vacation, the islands are an ecological wonderland populated with fearless and incredible wildlife. The largest living tortoise species, the Galápagos Tortoise is famous for its long lifespan and can weigh over 400 kg/880 lbs. The distinctive blue-footed booby is synonymous with the islands, as are the colonies of curious sea lions. Besides unique wildlife, there are also excellent beaches that welcome swimming, diving and surfing. Numerous leisurely cruises also maximize your experience here.
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If you a looking for a unique experience, then a stay at Mashpi Lodge, Cloud Forest would be perfect. It is a remote high-biodiversity experience which boasts over 600 bird species, unique monkeys, and other fascinating wildlife
Ecuador has incredible biodiversity and varied landscapes, from the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands to the high-altitude Andes mountains and Amazon rainforest
Tourists often focus on the Galápagos or the Amazon, but the Cloud Forests — mysterious, humming with life, and relatively uncrowded — are a hidden gem.
One local tradition that travelers should absolutely try to experience in Ecuador is "La Diablada de Píllaro", or The Devils of Píllaro, held every January 1–6 in the small Andean town of Píllaro, in the Tungurahua province
Blue-footed booby
Galapagos Marine Iguana
Galápagos giant tortoise
Red Crab
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ExcellentBased on 5,196 ReviewsMary was absolutely fantastic to work with. She was incredibly responsive and quick to assist with every update and change my clients made throughout the planning process. Her expertise was invaluable, from recommending the perfect resorts to advising on the best way to travel between the islands.
My clients loved every moment of their trip, especially their resort stays and overwater bungalow experiences. As this was their honeymoon, creating a seamless and memorable journey was so important, and Mary exceeded expectations. They rated their experience a 5 out of 5 and could not have been happier.
Thank you, Mary, for your outstanding support and attention to detail. I truly appreciated your partnership and would not hesitate to work with you again for future South Pacific Island bookings.
I am from the TravelStore in Fresno.Jenn WWe had an exceptional experience with Goway Travel on our recent trip to Africa. From start to finish, every detail was thoughtfully planned and flawlessly executed, which made the entire journey stress-free.
The recommendations on where to go and what to do were absolutely fantastic! Each stop felt perfectly curated and exceeded our expectations. It was clear that Goway truly understands the destinations they offer and knows how to create a memorable, well-balanced itinerary.
A special thank you to our travel consultant, Bijal, who was outstanding throughout the entire process. Bijal was incredibly knowledgeable, responsive, and supportive while we prepared for the trip, ensuring that all our questions were answered and that every detail was taken care of. Their guidance made a big difference in building our confidence and excitement leading up to the trip.
I would highly recommend Goway Travel to anyone looking for a seamless, expertly planned travel experience. We will definitely be using them again for our future adventures!
Harjit CElisa planned our trip. We were met at the airport by Paul who drove us to Arusha. Adam, our guide and driver was with us the whole trip and was very knowledgeable about the country and the animals & birds we encountered. Accommodations were excellent, meals were delicious and the Tanzanian people we met at each location were so kind and welcoming. A wonderful trip.pat vickersWe had a wonderful trip to Peru for 11 days organized by Goway. Overall the trip was great, we loved our guides throughout, some of the hotels were truly amazing and it was helpful having everything organized and having a point person to ask questions and check in while we were there.
Some main highlights were:
1) Machu Picchu- I am so glad we did two tours, because the weather was perfect for views, but also had an opportunity to see Machu Picchu more in depth with a knowledgeable and friendly guide and had a little extra time in Aguas Calientes to shop, explore and even visit the butterfly garden and do some birdwatching.
2) Cusco especially the Hotel Aranwa Cusco. The hotel was incredible, excellent service, modern updates, it was a true highlight of the trip. Cusco itself was also a highlight, loved our half day tour, plus getting ideas for our guide on what else to see in our free time and where to eat.
3) Lima- Aloft Miraflores was another highlight, very modern, nice pool and the best breakfast out of the hotels we stayed in. The location in Miraflores was also perfect, as there were plenty of restaurants, cafes and attractions nearby.
4) Everyone at Condor was great, from ensuring we had all our documents, tickets and itinerary to even stepping in to get water and agua Florida when we were feeling the altitude sickness the first hours in Cusco. Most of our rides and transfers were very comfortable and made the trip run smooth through all the different locations.
I have been telling my friends and family how wonderful the experience with Goway has been for our Peru adventure.
Eric Paul SchatzelShalini at Goway Travel was super helpful arranging our dream trip to Greece. We suggested locations and sights we wanted to see and she modified the trip perfectly for us. Working with local guides, securing transfers and accommodations as needed. Great hotels, private transfers, perfect locations, and she listened to all of our "wants" to make sure our trip was truly customized. Made for an amazing trip!Lorena BarettaEasy to work with . The reservationist gave me several options in a timely manner.Rita AllenWe used Goway on our 32 day vacation to New Zealand and Australia. The person I worked with on planning the vacation was really helpful. The way they let you plan a vacation allows for lots of flexibility. You don't have to go with one tour the whole time. We saw a lot and they tailored it to what we were interested in. All the hotels were great and in good locations. Most of the tours were good but we would have preferred to spend a little more time exploring on our own in Sydney. The only thing we were not happy with is the customer service while we were there. Hard to get a hold of and some of the instructions were not clear/ accurate. That was a little stressful. Good value for the money. Dawn Krafft HawkinsWe travelled to Morocco for 10 days, 9 nights, booked through GoWay- they used an excellent local tour company- Cynab. GoWay booked our flights with a stopover Paris, so we did a weekend on our own with family, then transfer to Morocco. Because dates of small group tours didn't work, we booked a private tour for 2, and it wasn't much different in price from small group. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. We were picked up in Casablanca and dropped at Marrakech airport 10 days later with the same driver the whole way. He was a very good driver, always told us what time to expect him next morning and was there like clockwork. Local guides were met along the way for tours of Medinas of Fes, Marrakech and Essouria. The trip was spectacular. Saw many beautiful sites. All the hotels were great- first night at Villa Mandarine in Rabat, with orange trees in the garden, the Oz Palace in Ouarzazate and the Merzouga luxury desert camp were paticularly special. The Jaal Riad in Marrakech was a beautiful hotel and a good one to relax by the pool our last day after our busy travel days. In Fes, the Merides up on a hill was a great respite from the intensity of a day walking through the Fes Medina. NIce to sit on the terrace and watch the sun go down and the lights come up. Although the days were packed, the hotels were always an oases of calm at end of day, and because we didn't need to do any navigating, it was very relaxing. Be prepared to be shown alot of artisan shops- its interesting to see and important to contribute somewhat to the economy, but I sometimes felt a bit pressured to buy, but we ended up with a reasonable amount of souvenirs and not a big cost compared to the trip. Overall a highly memorable trip, we felt very welcome in Morocco, people are very warm and hotel staff treated us royally. We felt very safe and comfortable the whole time. As someone with IBD, I was impressed I had no tummy troubles the whole time. The driver stopped at great places for lunch, and with the private tours in the city we could tell the guide when we wanted to stop and they always suggested a great place. Food was excellent throughout. A tour arranged dinner on a roof top restaurant in Marrakech was particularly special, with a gorgeous sunset and the waiters sang! The meal in the Sahara desert camp was also particularly special. Highly recommend this tripTWHello and Happy Travels.
I have been working with Isabella Luu for
two separate trips, one has traveled. They absolutely loved everything put together by Isabella.
She has been knowledgeable and helpful answering all questions I and clients have had. The work she put into these trips has shown by the ease of the clients travel.
Nothing says more than a Happy Client with smiles and a desire to rebook. THANK YOU Isabella. 04Dawn White Dream VacationsGreat Support throughout the process. Booking travel is a team sport these days and Allan was a supportive teammate in arranging a wonderful holiday for my clients!Della
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