There are many more endemic species to discover including flightless cormorants, waved albatrosses, land iguanas, and more, but perhaps the most famous inhabitants are also the least striking – the several species of finches known collectively as Darwin’s Finches.
It was the subtle differences between these birds across the islands, developing in isolation, that solidified Darwin’s theories on the origin of species during his stay on the islands as the naturalist aboard HMS Beagle in 1835.
With visitor numbers restricted, and only a select few islands and sites open to tourists, you need to choose the best way of experiencing the true Galapagos in the short time you will be able to stay in the National Park.
When you add to this the fact that many of the species you’ll encounter are endangered and can’t be seen anywhere else, even in zoos and wildlife parks, then it all adds up to a remarkable experience that really should be on everyone’s bucket list.