Archipielago de Colon: Gal Pagos Islands

Added: 10/01/2006
If you want to know where birds fly underwater, rivers burn and where you can snorkel with penguins, then Galapagos Islands is the place to go! Located off the coast of Ecuador in South America, these islands are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. With protected areas found in the Highlands, which are the Andes Mountains, and the low areas, known as part of the Amazon basin, these islands were home to the Inca Indian tribes and entertained the first Spanish settlers around 1534. With some 60% of the remaining Ecuadorians, derived from the mixture of Europeans and Indigenous peoples, the remainder are of pure indigenous descent.
Outdoor activities make the magic of the Gal pagos Islands NP attractive to enthusiasts of rafting, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming and biking. The more adventurous can go trekking through the volcano laden areas as well as explore the forest in the Amazon jungle. A very important part of the Ecuadorian economy, the tourist market is catered to through daily displays of colonial architecture in Quito and Cuenca and train rides through the mountainous Andes as well as an open air market where tourists can watch jewelry being hand made, bean and corn being bartered and the Inca remains that offer a mysterious look at what existed in the Galapagos Islands in ancient times.

The native language in the Gal pagos Islands is Quechua language. The Quechua and Aymara languages are spoken in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. There are many different “regional” differences, however and the unification of their alphabet was designed to related people with their own regions. Also spoken in the most northern parts of Argentina, the language is not the same in all of the regions. Quechua is similar to Latin in that not all words are pronounced (or even used grammatically) the same. Therefore, this family of languages has over the years been broken down into two modern forms. If you are planning a trip to the Gal pagos Islands, it might be interesting to try to become familiar with some of the more useful statements and questions.

Cruises and group tours are available. Small children are welcome at the Gal pagos Islands, however the average temperature is around 85 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level of a consistent 85%. This may prove uncomfortable for older persons or those children who are under the age of twelve. As walking and hiking are tourists main method of travel, considering the health and endurance of travelers may be crucial parts of the travel planning.

Cotopaxi National Park covers over eighty eight thousand acres and boasts the Andean moorlands where Llamas, deer, rabbits, lizards and frogs roam under the skies filled with ducks, hummingbirds and the majestic condor! The Cotopaxi volcano, stretching 19,547 feet in the air remains an active volcano.

On the long stretches of beach separating the Pacific Ocean from the Island borders, sea lions, giant turtles, pelicans and penguins can be seen as well as looking out to the oceans display of whales, manta rays, hammerhead and white tipped sharks and eels.

The archipelago, the total of all the Gal pagos Islands, include Santa Cruz, Quito, Santa Maria, Isabela, Fernandina, Pinta, Marchena, Genovesa, Satiago, Baltra, Espanola and San Cristobal. The total land area of over seven thousand kilometers is home to abut 15000 people on the thirteen major islands and still some eight smaller islands.

If you are planning a visit to this beautiful region, the months between June and December are cool and cloudy while December through June are typically warm and sunny with hot and humid mornings with the skies breaking open with afternoon showers most every day.
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