Galapagos: it’s the dream trip of a lifetime for many visitors. The Enchanted Islands have been luring adventurous travelers ever since Charles Darwin’s famous visit.
Your Galapagos Islands tour is booked, your flight is scheduled: now what?
How do you fill the time leading up to your vacation? What can you do to make the most of your Galapagos trip, before you even go? Here are the top five tips from veteran Galapagos travelers.
1. Get a new camera.
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to upgrade, this is it! Galapagos is a photographer’s paradise, and that 35mm Canon AE-1 that your older brother gave you in 1982 is not going to cut it.
Get a digital camera with a good lens and a powerful optical zoom to get good shots of wildlife.
It would also be a good idea to invest in a massive memory chip or two. You don’t want to be deleting photos to free up memory space during your journey!
2. Get a mask and snorkel & learn how to use it.
Most boats, especially high-end yachts, will offer free use of snorkel equipment. However, if you have a special fin size or need prescription goggles, it would be a good idea to bring your own.
Practice using your gear in a pool so that come snorkel time on your Galapagos trip, you feel comfortable and can enjoy the amazing underwater life.
3. Get SCUBA certified.
Galapagos is one of the best scuba sites in the world, drawing divers from all corners of the globe. If you’ve ever wanted to get certified, this is your best excuse.
You can arrange your schedule to allow for a day or two of diving before or after your cruise trip.
4. Do some research.
Your naturalist guide will be extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Galapagos: wildlife, history, geology, etc.
But this can be a lot of information and specie names to remember – read Michael H. Jackson’s outstanding Galapagos: A Natural History or watch a Galapagos DVD such as IMAX Galapagos special or a BBC documentary.
Not only will you become more familiar with what you’ill be seeing, you will get even more excited for your trip!
5. Spend time packing
Checking off the list of necessities ahead of time.
Some items to make sure you pick up at the store and put in your luggage include: sunscreen, portable memory device (jump drive), prescription medicine, seasickness remedies, and extra cash for souvenirs and tips.
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