Galapagos Islands with alumni UBC

Our Galapagos private yacht expedition remains one of our most highly rated natural history programs and is consistently our travellers’ “trip of a lifetime.” Our study leader and our Galapagos naturalist guide are on board to lead island walks as we set sail to discover these remarkable island ecosystems, skirting past nesting boobies, scouting the seas for breaching whales, and snorkeling among colourful fish. Desolate at first sight, these rough and rocky isles are home to wonderfully strange and abundant wildlife. As Charles Darwin did almost 200 years before us, we will marvel at the highly adapted creatures found nowhere else on Earth.

All of the reptiles, half the birds, 32% of the plants, and 25% of the fish are unique to this amazing archipelago. It is a living museum of evolutionary changes.

What is so special about the Galapagos experience is that these creatures act as though humans are nothing more than a passing interest, allowing us to observe them up close. Undisturbed by our nearness, they engage in intriguing courtship displays, groom one another, forage for food, and nurture their young. Giant Tortoises graze in the lush highlands and dinosaur-like Marine Iguanas sun themselves on black lava rocks along the shores. Tiny Galapagos Penguins and playful Galapagos Sea Lions dart through the waters like torpedoes, while frigatebirds patrol the skies.