Disclaimer: this review will be very long. However, the Galápagos Islands largely deserve it. The first site inscribed on the list is an exceptional one. My expectations were immeasurable (after all, I am a biologist, a birder and a scuba diver, the Galápagos should be a paradise for me!), but they have been surpassed! Story day by day.

Days 1-2: Logistic
The first two days were filled with travel and acclimatisation. I left Quebec directly for the Galápagos via Quebec City - Montreal (due to a delayed flight) - Toronto - Quito - Guayaquil (only a short stopover without getting off the plane) and finally Isla Baltra. There is a ferry to Isla Santa Cruz and a bus waiting for travellers to take them to Puerto Ayora. In February 2020, the access fees to the national park were 100$, plus another 20$ for some kind of tourist card. I completed this second day by checking out the dive shops and buying my ferry ticket for the first hour the next morning. Off to the stunning Isabella.

Days 3-4: Wildlife viewing on Isabella

After arriving in Puerto Villamil, I spent two days walking the trails around the city. The beach, first of all, is beautiful and teeming with shorebirds, pelagic birds, marine iguanas (I loved these! See how cool they are!) and colourful crabs. A path of almost 6 km leads to the Muros de las Lagrimas, an abonimation built by inmates in the days when Isabella was a penitentiary colony. It crosses coastal environments, rock formations formed by successive volcanic eruptions (notably the Tunel de Estero, a small lava tunnel), mangroves (El Estero is one of the most fascinating branches of this path), ponds and some steep climbs to spectacular lookouts (Cerro Orchilla, but especially Mirador de las Lagrimas). Giant turtles abound on the last section of the trail. Despite their apparent placidity, they should not be disturbed and should be kept at a respectable distance. Species seen in this area include semipalmated plover, Eurasian whimbrel, ruddy turnstone, sanderling, wandering tattler, lava gull, brown noddy, blue-footed booby, brown pelican, striated heron, Galápagos Mockingbird, and Galápagos flycatcher.

Another trail (Sendero de los flamencos) runs north to the west of the Iguana Crossing Boutique Hotel. It crosses several ponds where water birds abound (white-cheeked pintail, black-necked stilt, common gallinule) and leads to a turtle breeding centre (Centro de Crianza Tortugas Gigantes Arnaldo Tupiza Chamaidan). Here it is possible to observe turtles of all ages. Pushing a little further, one reaches a larger pond (Posada De Flamengos) where the presence of Caribbean flamingos seems almost assured. A last interesting area of Puerto Villamil accessible by foot is La Concha de Perla. It is possible to snorkel there. The sea lions are very numerous here and don't hesitate to monopolize the benches.

Day 5: Sierra Negra

Excursions within the Galápagos are expensive, but essential to get out of the inhabited areas. I opted for three organised trips, two on Isabella and one from Puerto Ayora. My first was an excursion to the Volcán Sierra Negra. The bus takes us to the head of the trail and it is then possible to hike at your own pace, with only a few breaks at the main points of interest to wait for the group and enjoy the explanations of the naturalist guide. The difference between the desert of the coast is striking. The heights of the volcano (1124 m above sea level) visibly capture more humidity and the vegetation is more luxuriant. After about 3 km of ascent, we reach the edge of the caldera of the volcano. It is the largest caldera in the Galápagos and its width is impressive. The hike then takes us along the eastern edge of the caldera for 2.5 km, before descending to the northern flank of the volcano in fields of relatively recent lava. This is where I was able to observe the only land iguana on my trip. The lunar landscape is fascinating and several small volcanic cones punctuate it. From this place it is possible to see Isla Fernandina. The return trip is quicker by the same path. Smooth-billed anis were abundant on the volcano.

Day 6: Galápagos penguins

My second excursion, the next day, had a very precise objective: to observe the Galápagos penguin. The best places around Puerto Villamil to observe this species are Los Túneles and Tintoreras. Los Túneles is at a greater distance from the city and the excursions are a bit more expensive. The snorkeling opportunities there are, however, said to be extraordinary. I chose Tintoreras because it is possible to kayak there with the excursionist Paddle To The Penguins. They offer a very nice kayak trip combining bird watching and snorkeling from the beach of the Embarcadero de pasajeros. It was especially extraordinary to paddle through clouds of blue-footed boobies diving and breaking water to capture their food. We then observed a single penguin resting on the rocks, before getting into the sea for snorkeling. The waters were full of fish, sharks and sea turtles. An American oystercatcher and a few white-vented storm-petrels were also observed.

Day 7: Puerto Ayora

The next day, I took the ferry back to Puerto Ayora. This city, the most populated of the archipelago, is far from having the charm of Puerto Villamil. I spent a few days exploring the main attractions. First of all, a visit to the Charles Darwin Scientific Station is a must. It is possible to observe specimens of several species of turtles at various ages, as well as iguanas. The station is bordered by a beautiful shell beach. I have enjoyed visiting the centre, but I believe it could benefit from some additional investment, notably to improve the educational and interpretative material.

The other obligatory stop around Puerto Ayora is the beach of Bahía Tortuga. There is a long, well-designed path leading to it, but the charm stops there. It is a long way from the idyllic landscapes of Isabella. This beach was practically deserted by bird life and even the marine iguanas were less abundant. The currents are dangerous and swimming is forbidden. Consequently, the swimmers take refuge in a protected enclave to the west, Tortuga Laguna, which then becomes overcrowded. I understand that you can enjoy this beach if it is the only one you visit during a stay in the Galápagos, but it was really not my favourite. However, I have to admit that the temperature was not ideal and may have affected my appreciation.

Day 8: Scuba diving

I chose a two dive trip with the Galapagos People. This agency seemed to me to be the most serious and friendly among the ones I visited in Puerto Ayora. We dived around Seymour Norte (Channel) and Mosquera. We observed white-tip reef sharks, big stingrays, a sea turtle, an astronomical amount of fish and beautiful starfish. My heart goes out to moray eels, very big and numerous. We even observed them swimming freely and not hidden in the crevices of the rocks as usual. I was also amazed by the carpet of garden eels coming out of the sandy bottom. They are fantastic.

This excursion around Seymour Norte was also an opportunity to observe new species of birds. I would have chosen a land tour of the island with an excursionist if I hadn't dived in the area. In addition to the frigate birds that fill the sky, I should mention the swallow-tailed gull, the brown noddy, the Galapagos shearwater, the brown pelican and the yellow-crowned night-heron. A wonderful day in every respect.

Day 9: Highlands

This day was my favourite day on Santa Cruz. The highlands of the island conceal fabulous places, both geologically and biologically. I started by catching a bus to the small town of Santa Rosa. From there, it is possible to walk to Rancho Primicias or El Chato. I'm not sure what the difference is between these names and the indications on the spot are sometimes counterintuitive. El Chato is a well-known name among tourists and several arrows pointing in opposite directions indicate it. Just take the path on the left after the village and keep left at the fork. I started with the most extraordinary feature, the huge lava tunnel. I have a fascination for caves and I was amazed by this endless 400 metre long tunnel. I entered by the exit without realizing it and walked to the end without really knowing how long it was at the time. You have to crawl through a short section at the beginning. Apart from this passage, the tunnel is easy to walk through and well lit. Its perfect shape from end to end is fascinating.

I then reached the actual ranch. A network of paths crosses this park where the turtles seem to live in semi-liberty. A pair of rubber boots will be lent to you at the entrance and they will be more than useful. The trails are very muddy, but it will be very rewarding to walk them in search of turtles. They are indeed numerous, gigantic and everywhere. I have even seen a few in the middle of mating. The cattle egret can be added to the list of easily visible bird species.

I continued my day by convincing a taxi to take me to Los Gemelos. Observations of the Galápagos dove are frequent there according to eBird data. Los Gemelos are two gigantic depressions that have formed in the rock. A path runs along part of them and offers impressive views. I could not find the dove there, but the contemplation of the landscape and of the vegetation, this sector presenting many epiphytes, satisfied me all the same. A long walk took me back to Santa Rosa from where I was able to catch the bus back to the city.

Day 10-11: Last days

I tried to find an excursion for my last day, but to no avail. So I continued my tour on my own, starting with the narrow canyon and the very clear waters of Las Grietas. I then caught a taxi to La Media Luna. This trail, a little north of Bellavista, seemed to be a good place to observe the Galápagos crake. Even though I came back empty-handed on this side, I enjoyed the (again!) different vegetation compared to the other sections of the archipelago. Ferns and Miconia grow in profusion.

I left the next day for Quito, with another stopover in Guayaquil. I took advantage of the waiting time at the airport to remind myself of the fabulous moments I had experienced in the last week. The Galápagos is a fabulous place. The diversity of birds and other animals is not so great, but many of the inhabitants of the place can't be seen anywhere else. The diversity of landscapes and volcanic formations is extraordinary. Apart from the dove and the crake that I mentioned earlier, I also left having missed the hawk, the flightless cormorant and the three other endemic mockingbirds. However, it would have been impossible for me to see the last four with my itinerary. But... wait... What's that? Yes, it is! It's a Galápagos dove on a beam inside the airport terminal! These paradisiacal islands will surprise me until the end!