Galapagos Nov 2006 Trip Report

[LBR]

Hi Everyone,
Recently returned from a Thanksgiving diving trip to the Galapagos aboard the Aggressor.
We had a great time and I posted a trip report here:
http://www.silentkids.com/travel/galapagos.shtml

 

[Tavi]

Cool!! Nice pics!!

It's on my wish list. I'd love to see Hammerheads and Whale Sharks!!

Thanks for the report

 

[wahlaoeh]

Excellent trip report & fantastic pixs. Thanks for posting.
I'd love to go back some day

Jovin-

 

[ECR]

LBR--

As I read your report, I was disappointed for you that you had gone directly to Guayaquil instead of spending some time in Quito. Good to see at the end that you did get some Quito/mountain time in. It has so much more to offer as a destination than Guayaquil, which is just a place you have to stay overnight because of airline schedules.

We did the Galapagos in 2002 (aboard Sky Dancer, also a wonderful experience), and Quito was my way point coming and going. We did three days of touring before the islands: a city tour and Equator visit on Day One; Cotopaxi on Day Two; Otovalo market on Day Three -- all arranged through Nuevo Mundo Expeditions, who were great. Only a half day of walking around on the way home, but it was Easter and there was a festival in the Parque El Ejido a few blocks from our hotel. Interestingly, we also stayed at Hostal Los Alpes and were entirely charmed by the place. Did you find it in Lonely Planet, or some other guidebook? Were you awakened by a rooster?

We've been to some fabulous places before and since, but Quito and the Galapagos is still tops. We are going back this March. Will do some different land tours, and will be on the Aggressor. Not whale shark season -- definitely poor planning -- but still .... Already salivating.

--ECR

 

[LBR]

Thanks for all of the comments! ECR, I do remember the rooster next to Los Alpes Hotel in Quito, it didn't bother me too much as I was still on the Aggressor sleep schedule (get up at 5:30am) but I did think it was odd it was there as the neighborhood seems pretty upscale. We found the place on Tripadvisor and would recommend it, the fireplace in the lounge is nice place to relax on a chilly Quito night!

 

[deeper thoughts]

Some of the best pix I have ever seen

 

[Tobagoman]

Excellent post and pictures!
My wife and I are heading to the Gallapagos in April of 2007. We fly into (and out of)Guayaquil and stay there three nights before our flight out to pick up the boat. We would like to get up into the mountains to tour. Do we need to rent a car to do that from Guayaquil or are there tour operators out of there that you know of? Any idea how long of a drive it is between Guayaquil and Quito?
Thanks

What camera set up were you using for you photographs?

 

[LBR]

Tobagoman & deeper thoughts, thanks for the comments.
Tobagoman:
We flew from Guayaquil to Quito so I'm not sure what the land options would be from Guayaquil. Renting a car to go to the mountains might be a bit tricky as the roads we took in the Andes around Quito were mostly dirt and unmarked, although if you know Spanish you could probably find your way around. We found a guide who picked us up from our hotel in Quito and took us into the country by emailing the Bellavista Cloud Reserve, you may want to look for similar places around Guayaquil.
My underwater camera was recently stolen so I ended up renting one from the Aggressor.
They gave me a Olympus SP350 in a Ikelite housing with one strobe. I would have rather rented the Nikon D100 their divemaster was using. As others have commented before, taking good underwater pix in the Galapagos is tricky due to the currents.
For the land pix I used my Nikon D80, I really like that camera.
Have a great trip!

 

[Tobagoman]

Thanks for the reply. I just looked at prices of flying out of Guayaquil to Quito and it looks to be around $110.00 round trip/pp, which might be the best way to go. Stay a night or two in Quito and then go back to Guayaquil for one night before the flight to the Galapagos. Do you recommend the hotel you stayed at in Quito?

 

[LBR]

Tobagoman,
Yeah, Los Alpes was very nice and in a safe/quiet neighborhood, it's right by the U.S. embassy. I think the owner is Italian and the restaurant in the hotel serves pretty good Italian food. There is a fireplace lounge with free WI-FI access too. Just beware you'll probably hear the rooster next door at sunrise!