The Galapagos Eco-Lodge is committed to the environment and sustainability in more than words. It is not just our personal philosophy, but a pledge that we put into action every single day.
At the heart of this commitment is the elimination of environmental impact from the use of fossil fuels. Already, fully 60% of our power usage is from wind turbines.
San Cristobal Island is my home and the location of the Galapagos Eco-Lodge. It is also the site of one of the most dramatic and important conservation efforts anywhere in the world – the San Cristobal Wind Project. As such, it makes it an ideal spot for the eco-tourist and, indeed, for anyone interested in preservation and conservation of our planet.
As a guide and naturalist certified by the Galapagos National Park Service and the owner of the Galapagos Eco Lodge on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos Islands, one of my great pleasures is taking my hotel guests, cruise ship passengers, tourists and visitors snorkeling with the sea lions. The pleasure I get each time I do this is immeasurable to me and I am sure to my guests as well. As a ubiquitous and playful creature of the Galapagos Islands, the sea lions are sure to bring a smile and joy to everyone who encounters them and has the once-in-a lifetime opportunity to frolic in their natural habitat, the luxurious and pristine Pacific Ocean in which the Galapagos Islands are situated.
While every chance to swim with sea lions makes my heart feel good, there is one day I remember particularly well and with great fondness. And that is the day I share with you in this post. Before I do though, take a look at this glorious video taken that day by AquaSurround:
Though every day in the Galapagos Islands is very special, this was a day I was really looking forward to as I was taking my group to swim with the sea lions near Bartolome Island.
Until now, it’s been at closely kept secret – or, at least I
thought it was a secret. San
Cristobal Island
grows some of the best coffee beans anywhere in the world. Whether you’re
waking up and ready for that first burst of flavor for the day or you’ve had a
satisfying meal and want something special with your dessert, our coffee is the
answer.
And you can visit San Cristobal's historic coffee plantation to see the old growth trees and taste the coffee yourself. This is a very special adventure and shows the diversity of the Galapagos Islands.
As I said, I thought it was a secret. Now, I have discovered
that Starbucks – the ubiquitous world wide coffee shop – has discovered this
treasure too. In 2010 and again in 2012, it offered San Cristobal special blend coffee beans in
limited qualities – all of which are gone now.
Where are the Galapagos Islands? What are The Visitor Highlights?
Galapagos Islands Map From Wiki
The Galapagos Islands are spread out over a small piece of the Pacific Ocean and are remote from any other land mass. They are part of the country of Ecuador, but have many of their own laws and regulations, mostly focused on conservation and preservation of the land, sea and wildlife. When you come here, you have decisions to make about where to go, how strenuous your trip should be and how long to stay.
This post is meant to help you with these and many more questions. Here, I provide you with an overview of visitation to each of the Galapagos Islands, with some of their natural history and geography, along with the visitor site highlights of each Island. In addition, as I continue to blog about the Galapagos Islands, I will add links to detailed information about each site. As always, if you have questions, or you want more detail about anything mentioned in this article, please email me at blueattraction@hotmail.com.
The video below, by Alex Hantke of Aquasurround is one of the most beautiful you will ever see of the magnificent wild life, bird life and marine life you can expect to see when you visit the Galapagos Islands. It is a perfect introduction. Click here to see more of Alex's videos.
The Galapagos Islands are located about 600 miles off of the Pacific Coast of continental Ecuador. Though counted in different ways, they consist generally of 15 primary islands, 3-4 smaller islands and more than 100 rocks and islets.
The Galapagos Eco-Lodge is committed to the environment and sustainability in more than words. It is not just our personal philosophy, but a pledge that we put into action every single day.
