The Galapagos - Ecuador's enchanted archipelago - lies on the equator over 600 miles from the coast out in the Pacific. The Galapagos consist of 13 islands, 16 islets and 47 rocks in a surface area of 3.029 sq. miles. Their total isolation from the continental mass, due to their volcanic origin, has allowed unique ecosystems to flourish with special fauna and flora. In 1959 the Ecuadorian Government declared the Galapagos Islands a National Park in order to protect the existing species. The Charles Darwin Foundation cooperates in this effort and has a scientific station on the islands. To discover the Galapagos Islands is to discover nature in its purest state. So pure, in fact, that it led the young English naturalist Charles Darwin, who visited the islands, is 1835, to write "The Origin of the Species" and the world has not been the same since. Through the evolutionary process, climate, ocean currents and the comparative lack of predatory enemies -including man- The Galapagos became one of the strangest and most compelling places on our planet. Flora and fauna, arriving on different "routes" across the waters from the mainland, colonized the original Galapagos lava beds. Although not all of the Islands are inhabited by humans, most television stations in the world have shown these volcanic lands where giant tortoises, iguanas, penguins and multitude of birds of all shape and colors live in a veritable paradise. The Islands are the peaks of gigantic volcanoes composed almost exclusively of basalt. Most of them rise from 6,600 to 9,900 ft. above the seabed. Some of these are still active today. The most spectacular creatures to be seen on the islands are the giant tortoises, but it is the sea - going iguanas that arouse the visitor's curiosity the most. They have adapted to the water to escape stronger land iguanas that also inhabit the islands. The land iguanas are rather tame and don't seem to fear the visitors. Albatrosses, cormorants, frigate birds, pelicans, herons, flamingos, finches, boobies and other picturesque-named birds, make The Galapagos a true paradise for nature lovers. In this Archipelago we can also see: sharks, seals, crabs, lobsters, sea urchins and 2,289 varieties of fish. Finally, there are the penguins, these Antarctic natives are the only ones in the world to have adapted to the climate of the equator. It is for all of these reasons, and many others, that UNESCO declared the Galapagos Islands a "Natural Heritage of Mankind" site. Getting to the Galapagos is not difficult, there are flights from Quito and Guayaquil. Currently it is possible to visit the Galapagos Islands on boats that travel along established routes through the main and smaller islands. These boats vary in size and accommodations with a large variety to choose from to suit tourist demands. Large boats with room for 90 people offer all the necessary comfort on its cruises. Small ships and yachts with room for 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20 passengers offer group charters although, in most cases, the accommodations are rather limited.   Galapagos Programs