South America – Page 8 – the wandering spot

December 20, 2008February 26, 2025

Galapagos

9-island Galapagos 8D/7N cruise, part of ☞ Ecuador 2008 trip. We had a wonderful cruise on 14-person Samba (steel-hulled motor yacht, converted fishing boat) with multiple landings and snorkeling stops, and naturalist guide Juan Manuel Salcedo (now with ☞ Cheesemans Ecology Safaris.

Itinerary

Quito ➜ Baltra-Airport-Samba Motor boat ➜ Plaza Sur Santa Cruz-Charles Darwin Research Station-Puerto Ayora-Giant Tortoise Reserve-Los Gemelos ➜ Espaniola-Gardner Bay-Punta Suarez ➜ Floreana-Punta Cormorant-Post Office Bay ➜ Isabela-Punta Moreno-Elizabeth Bay-Urbina Bay ➜ Fernandina-Punta Espinoza ➜ San Salvador -Puerto Egas ➜ Bartolome ➜ Santa Cruz-Black Turtle Cove ➜ Baltra ➜ Quito

Map of Galapagos Islands on Wikimedia

Credit: ☞ Galapagos Islands topographic map
Click on image to see full-size

Video clips

Wildlife – 126 photos

Baltra, waiting room, our boat Samba ready for boarding

Plaza Sur, Opuntia and Sesuvium already red in dry season

Lonesome George (died in 2012 at age 102)

Darwin Station, tortoises arriving for breakfast

Looking for perfect snorkeling spot off the beach and rocks

Floreana, Punta Cormorant, beach with sea turtles, manta rays

Punta Moreno, where lava meets the Ocean

Lagoon in lava field looks “dead” but it is connected underground to the sea

Isabela, Elizabeth Bay full of sea turtles, penguins and pelicans

Paddling in brackish waters along mangroves

Rocky coast is home to blue footed boobies

Isabela, Urbina Bay turtle nesting site (accessible only off season)

Samba anchored at Urbina Bay, Fernandina on the horizon

Whale watching near North tip of Isabela

Sunset on the Equator, preparing to meet Poseidon at midnight

Life on the boat, wetsuits drying on front deck…

November 21, 2004December 26, 2022

La Paz – Lake Titicaca – Salar de Uyuni

During this trip we crossed 5500 masl for the first time on short trail to Chacaltaya summit.

Itinerary

☞ Cochabamba ➜ La Paz ➜ Copacabana ➜ Isla del Sol-Isla de la Luna/Lake Titicaca ➜ La Paz ➜ Tinawaku ➜ La Paz ➜ Chaclataya ➜ La Paz-Valle de la Luna ➜ Uyuni ➜ Isla del Pescado ➜ Salt Hotel ➜ Las Maravillas de Cepita ➜ Rock tree ➜ Laguna Colorada ➜ Sol de la Mañana Geyser ➜ Termas de Polques ➜ Laguna Verde-Laguna Blanca ➜ Villamar Mallcu ➜ San Cristobal ➜ Uyuni ➜ ☞ Cochabamba

To Chacaltaya summit

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Isla del Sol, Inca steps, Jardin del Inka

La Paz, Iglesia de San Francisco Sagarnaga

San Cristobal, packing and returning to Uyuni

November 20, 2004December 13, 2021

Cochabamba – Villa Tunari

Itinerary: Chicago ➜ Cochabamba ➜ Villa Tunari ➜ Parque Carrasco-Parque Machi ➜ Cochabamba ➜ ☞ La Paz-Lake Titicaca-Tinawaku -Salar de Uyuni ➜ Cochabamba ➜ Quillacollo – Tarata – Tiquipaya ➜ Cochabamba ➜ Chicago