The Curious Traveller’s Guide to the Galápagos: A Trivia Challenge & Photo Journey

There are few places on Earth that hold the same mythic pull as the Galápagos. Scattered like stepping stones across nearly 200,000 square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean, the Galápagos Islands and their surrounding reserve form one of the planet’s greatest living laboratories of evolution. The "Islas Encantadas" or "The Enchanted Isles" was an early name given to what we now know as the Galápagos. “Enchanted” because their evocative appearance through the mist gave them a mystical quality and created a challenge for early navigators to locate them. 

Born from volcanic fire and forged in isolation, the Galápagos Islands sit atop a volcanic hotspot at the convergence of three tectonic plates. They rose from the sea with no soil, no trees, no life. Just raw basalt and ash. And yet, life arrived. 

A seed caught in the feather of a migrating bird. A spider drifting on a breeze. A lizard clinging to a raft of tangled vegetation. Birds blown off course. These unlikely pioneers became the founders of one the Earth’s unique ecosystems. 

Animals have had to travel a long way to populate the Galápagos, either through the air or the salty sea. As a result, the islands are primarily inhabited by birds and reptiles, which dominate the land fauna. Marine mammals like seals and some bats have also made it, but typical land mammals and amphibians are absent due to the challenges of crossing vast ocean distances and the inability of many species to tolerate saltwater. Once animals arrived on the Galápagos, they were geographically isolated from their continental relatives. This isolation allowed them to evolve independently, leading to a high level of endemism—species that are unique to the islands. For instance, approximately 91% of reptile species and 83% of land bird species are endemic. 

Though it was the mockingbirds that first got Darwin’s gears turning, it was the finches that stole the evolutionary spotlight. To the untrained eye, they’re just little brown birds. But to Charles Darwin, they were a key that unlocked the secret of evolution. Darwin was the famous naturalist who first explained how evolution works through natural selection—and the finches were his inspiration. Once life arrived in the Galápagos, it began to change. Isolated from predators and competitors, the flora and fauna of the islands adapted in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Different islands, different food, different beaks—each finch a variation on a common ancestor, sculpted by survival. 

This one is a gift: the Galápagos of course. The marine iguana is a creature of contradictions: cold-blooded yet dives into chilly waters; awkward on land but graceful in the sea. A relic of another time, thriving only on the Galápagos in the here and now.

Apparently, they’re quite buoyant and their slow metabolism keeps them alive without food and water for long periods allowing them to raft on the tropical seas from one place to another.  Now, they are a keystone species whose presence and activities are vital for the health and balance of the Galápagos ecosystems. As the primary herbivores, they significantly influence the vegetation by grazing on a wide variety of plants, including grasses, leaves, and cacti. This grazing helps maintain open grasslands and prevents any single plant species from dominating the ecosystem.  

Evolution is a great simplifier. With ample feeding close by, no need to migrate, and the absence of predators, flight became unnecessary. Flight uses a lot of energy so why do it if you don’t need to? Instead, flight was traded for improved diving capability—stunted wings, denser bones, powerful legs, and larger bodies (all the better for heat conservation in chilly waters). 

Three major ocean currents—the cold Humboldt Current, the warm Panama Current, and the deep Cromwell Current—converge here and create areas of upwelling. Cold currents bring nutrients. Upwelling brings nutrients from the bottom up into the light closer to the surface. From microscopic plankton to massive whale sharks, the waters surrounding the Galápagos pulse with abundance and diversity. 

There are quite a few masters of the air led by waved albatrosses like these, as well as pelicans, boobies, and frigates. From lifelong fidelity to flamboyant displays, the birds of the Galápagos turn romance into theatre.  

No performance is too extravagant when love is on the line. These sky-blue feet aren’t just for show—they signal health, vitality, and perhaps even the promise of strong offspring. 

They are called gular sacs, and the males use them to catch the admiring eye of a female. The males roost in low bushes and slowly inflate the sac. The bigger and redder the better, since it represents good genes and a healthy, well-fed mate. It's one of the most dramatic and unique displays in the bird world. 

Wildlife flees because it senses a risk. No risk, no reason to flee. Humans in the Galápagos have not persecuted most of the animals for more than a century, so the animals have no natural fear. Observation can become intimacy. That said, you must keep a respectful, two metre distance from all wildlife. 

The Galápagos Islands have long captured human curiosity—but not always gently. Though there’s no evidence of permanent Indigenous settlement, people have been setting foot here since 1535, when a Spanish bishop accidentally discovered the archipelago while drifting off course. 

From the late 1500s to the 1800s, the islands served as a hideout for pirates raiding Spanish galleons. Later came whalers, penal colonies, and failed attempts at sugar cane plantations—each wave leaving its mark. 

Today, the story continues. Over 30,000 people live on four of the islands, and more than 275,000 visitors arrive each year (as of 2023). The largest communities—Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno—are now hubs of conservation, science, and sustainable tourism, shaping the future of this biologically unique archipelago. 

Far from it. Though now celebrated as a haven of biodiversity, the Galápagos Islands have a troubled past marked by exploitation and ecological upheaval. For centuries, giant tortoises were hunted to near extinction by passing sailors. Invasive species like goats and rats—introduced by humans—devastated fragile habitats and outcompeted native wildlife. 

It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that a turning point came. In 1959, the founding of the Charles Darwin Foundation signalled the beginning of serious conservation efforts. Ecuadorian scientists, educators, and park rangers have played a central role in these efforts from the beginning, working alongside international researchers to study, protect, and restore the islands’ fragile ecosystems. That same year, the Ecuadorian government established Galápagos National Park—an essential step in protecting the archipelago’s unique life forms. These efforts were recognized globally when the Galápagos were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. 

The road to recovery has been long and ongoing. In the early 2000s, ambitious and coordinated eradication programs succeeded in removing many invasive species, allowing native ecosystems to begin healing. Today, conservation is not just a goal but a way of life in the Galápagos—an ever-evolving balance between human presence and the protection of one of Earth’s most extraordinary natural laboratories. 

The Galápagos Islands don’t just reveal rare creatures—they reflect who we are: our power to change, to harm, and to heal. In this living laboratory, we’re reminded that the story of life is still unfolding. 

Join us as we walk in Darwin’s footsteps, feeling the heat of ancient lava and the cool Pacific spray. Marvel at nature’s ingenuity—its resilience, beauty, and playfulness. 

This journey is about both seeing and listening—with open eyes, open hearts, and deep respect. Every step we take supports education, community, and conservation. 

The Galápagos are calling. Will you go? 

Journeys for the Curious