'It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.'
Charles Darwin, 1535

It was always our intention to complete our time in South America with a trip to the Galapagos Islands . This archipelago of volcanic islands (population 25,000) are distributed on either side of the Equator, 926km west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.

The islands are famed for their vast number of endemic species and were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle in 1535. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

However, visiting the islands is expensive - a US$100 national park fee is collected before you even see a sea lion. We arrived with nothing booked and went in search of a last minute deal. Despite it being low season, and after traipsing around tour agencies for a few hours, we realised that a cruise was beyond our end-of-year budget and so opted for a bargain multiple day trip package instead. This proved an excellent choice as our week's activities were jam-packed and incredibly diverse.

We visited the islands of Santa Cruz, Floreana, Santa Fe, Isabela and Daphne . A few incredible highlights included swimming through lava tunnels with giant sea turtles, sea lions, sharks and penguins, hiking around Volcan Sierra Negra and marveling at the massive giant tortoises in the highlands.

Unforgettable wildlife encounters and interesting facts:
* Sea lion - numbers about 50,000 and found on every island;
* Fur seal - more introverted than its sea lion cousin and endemic to the Galapagos;
* Giant tortoise - can live for several hundred years;
* Green sea turtle - can weigh up to 150kg and reach 1m in length;
* Darwin's finches - consisting of 13 unusual species each having evolved in its own way;
* Frigate birds - dazzling fliers, riding high on the thermals above coastal cliffs;
* Blue-footed booby - one of four booby species on the islands. During courtship it picks up its bright blue feet in an enchanting dance;
* Galapagos penguin - the most northerly penguin in the world;
* Galapagos flamingo - one of the world's largest;
* Marine iguana - the world's only sea-going lizard, growing up to 1 .5m;
* Land iguana - weighing up to 13kg, they engage in head-butting contests to defend their terrain;
* Lava lizards - the most commonly seen reptiles of the islands;
* Sally Lightfoot crab - named by English seafarers, adorn the rocks on every island and are extremely agile.

It was like visiting an alternate universe, some strange utopian colony organised by sea lions and arranged on principles of mutual cooperation. What was so extraordinary is the fearlessness of the islands' famous inhabitants - blue-footed boobies, sea lions, prehistoric land iguanas all acted as if we were nothing more than slightly annoying paparazzi. We were in awe as these islands continued to surprise and impress us - there is nowhere else like it on Earth.

Return flight to Quito, via Guayaquil, 3 hours.