Galapagos Islands travel guide

Cities / Towns:

• Quito,
• Machachi,
• Vilcabamba

Regions:

• Galapagos Islands,
• El Oriente ,
• Santa Elena

Galapagos Islands

The beginning's of a new philosophy was born on these famously protected islands.

Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these nineteen islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique 'living museum and showcase of evolution'. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galapagos are a 'melting pot' of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflect the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life - such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch - that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution following his visit in 1835.

Galapagos Islands travel guide created by Unesco, last edited by Unesco