Tailor-made The Galapagos Islands: Highlights

Experience the blue-footed booby mating dance

To attract a mate, the male blue-footed booby will perform an elaborate and rather entertaining courtship ritual. He begins by lifting his enormous clown-feet one-by-one, and then stops in a distinctive pose, beak raised skyward, whistling loudly, pointing out his tail and opening his wings. This is accompanied by a love-offering of sticks and twigs. If the female responds with a similar dance, mating will take place. Breeding can take place at any time of the year when the food supply is abundant and at a number of locations across the archipelago.

 
Observe the courtship of flightless cormorants

The Galapagos cormorant, is unique to the Galapagos Islands, and a fine example of the highly unusual fauna found in the archipelago. They are unique in the sense that it is the only cormorant that has lost the ability to fly. With around only 1500 left in existence, it is one of the rarest, in both numbers and attributes, birds in the world.

 
Scuba dive in the Galapagos

Due to the islands' remote location on the equator combined with the cold current running through the archipelago know as the Humbodlt Stream, the marine life is prolific. Live aboard dive cruises that take in Wolf and Darwin Islands in the northwest of the archipelagos offer some of the best places in the world to see large pelagic fish and mammals. Be prepared to see schools of hammerhead sharks, turtles, rays, barracudas and even whale sharks.

 
See giant tortoises

With added exciting news that Lonesome George may have finally mated, the giant tortoises on Santa Cruz Island are one of the highlights of any Galapagos trip. With weights over 500 lbs (250 kg) and shells measuring 59 inches (150 cm) Galapagos tortoises are among the largest on earth. These land-based turtles are slow moving and known for their long life span of more than 150 years.

 
See the waved albatross

Between April and November, the enormous waved albatross flock to Espanola Island in their thousands to reproduce. Around 12,000 pairs have been recorded on the island and their elaborate courtship displays include bill clicking, circling, swaying and whistling.

 
Snorkel in the Galapagos

Most people think of the bird life, unique scenery and giant tortoises when they think of the Galapagos but the marine life is also magnificent. All the boats offer snorkelling and it occurs in calm coves and bays. Snorkelling with sea lions, Galapagos penguins and even flightless cormorant is a memorable experience!

 
View Pinnacle Rock

Arguably the most iconic site in the Galapagos Islands, Pinnacle Rock is an eroded tuff cone on Bartolome Island. Best viewed from the summit of Bartolome Volcano, this is one of the most breathtaking views in the archipelago with moonscape landscape, Sullivan Bay and Santiago Island all in shot.

 
Watch sealions playing

Many think that sealions just spend their day catching fish or basking in the sun, yet few realize just how active these playful creatures can be, and watching them waiting for the wave and then surfing it towards the shores provides a humourous insight into this side of their personality, as you watch them ride in, swim out and then ride the waves in again!

 
Watch the leaping manta rays

A common yet often overlooked highlight of the Galapagos Islands. Huge manta rays measuring up to 10 feet in diameter can be seen playing from the beach or your vessel, jumping into the air and performing for their watching public.

 
Witness the magnificent frigatebird mating

One of the most common shorebirds seen in the Galapagos is the Magnificent frigatebird. During mating season, male frigates inflate their red throat pouches to attract females. It is a colourful affair and an interesting one with other males trying to "peck" the inflated pouches to reduce the chances of their competition!

 
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