For an informative overview of all our Ecuador birding tours, see Ecuador: Field Guides Tours.

Enjoy guide George Armistead's slideshow of beautiful images from one of our 2010 tours.

Ever since Darwin, this island archipelago has been a showcase of evolution. Six hundred miles from the Ecuadorian coast, the Galapagos are of marine volcanic origin and have never been connected to a continental land mass. Thus both plants and animals inhabiting the islands are derived from species that, by one means or another, crossed vast stretches of ocean to colonize the newly formed land. As a result, most of the flora, the reptiles, and the majority of resident landbirds are found only in the Galapagos, many of them restricted to one or a few islands. Comparing related forms inhabiting the various islands against a background so rich in scientific history is one of the foremost joys for a naturalist.

Our tour of "Las Islas Encantadas" is designed to see as many of the endemics as possible (and, naturally, the fascinating mammals, reptiles, and flora) in the context of a short escape. Based on board our comfortable vessel with excellent food, naturalists, and crew, we'll travel by night to maximize our enjoyment of these ruggedly beautiful islands. For the same reason, we'll fly both to and from the Galapagos, focusing all of our time on the islands themselves and their fascinating natural history.

Would you like to extend your Ecuador visit with a day or more of additional birding or cultural options with a local guide? Check out the various possibilities on our Ecuador: Add to Your Tour! page.

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Combo Tours
If you would like a longer birding holiday, some departures of this tour may be combined with:
MONTANE ECUADOR: Cloudforests of the Andes
AMAZONIAN ECUADOR: SACHA LODGE