I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to travel right before the COVID-19 pandemic caused an international lockdown in March of 2020, and what better place to visit for a last hurrah than the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos were already very high up on my bucket list but having the opportunity to share the experience with my dad made it that much sweeter. We spent a week there between three different islands: San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela.  

Pandemic aside, March was a great time to travel. The climate was warm and sunny but not so hot that it was difficult to be outside. We landed in San Cristobal after spending a day resting near the Quito airport. We stayed at the Galapagos Eco Friendly, a charming family run hotel that we highly recommend! The family picked us up from the airport, made sure that we knew how to get around, and even provided us with bagged breakfast when we left before the kitchen opened in the morning. 

We decided to go on an afternoon walk on Lobos Island (Sea Lion Island). The number of seals and sea lions that we saw, not just here but throughout the Galapagos, was astounding! 

The next day, we set off on a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz, the biggest island on the Galapagos. We stayed at Suites, a small hotel in Puerto Ayora. The stay itself was great but if you decide to stay here, make sure you know exactly where the hotel is located ahead of time! We booked our stay on Trip Advisor, but the name of the hotel did not match the name on our booking confirmation. We spend a good part of our first day trying to find the hotel, and by the time we found it, it was already evening. We decided to go out and explore the town, found something to eat, and went to sleep determined to make the most of the next day. 

The next morning, we went on a long hike to Tortuga Bay. Despite the name, we unfortunately did not see any tortoises. The beach, however, was absolutely gorgeous. We were a little underprepared – I definitely recommend bringing swimming and snorkeling equipment as well as plenty of water if you decide to make this trip. 

Later, we went to the Charles Darwin Research Station where we saw plenty of cacti, native birds, and tortoises. 

We traveled a little ways out of town to go to El Chato – Giant Tortoise Reserve. Taxis were very easy to come by, so it didn’t take much planning even though the trip took most of the next day. At the reserve, we saw so many giant tortoises! It was absolutely incredible to be in the presence of such old creatures. This was definitely one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Our time on Isabela island might have been my favorite of all three islands that we were able to visit. We went on a few long hikes, walked along several beaches, and most importantly, we snorkeled! 

As our time in Isabela was coming to an end, COVID-19 cases were quickly rising, and Ecuador announced immediate closure of all international airports. We spent the end of our trip frantically trying to rebook flights so that we could make it home. We ended up getting the last two tickets on a Delta flight that left Quito at 11:50pm, 10 minutes before airports closed. 

We were definitely very lucky, and the trip was absolutely unforgettable. We were only there for a week, so there was so much that we didn’t get the chance to see. I will definitely come back to see some of the things we missed! Here are some takeaways from the trip, as well as things to remember for next time:

1. Be prepared with swimming and snorkel gear at all times!

2. Bring your own snorkel. They are not that expensive and usually better quality. Also, the places that we rented at required us to leave our passports, which was a little disconcerting.

3. Pay attention to local news. We were lucky to have overheard other travelers talking about the airport shutdown because we were not paying attention.

4. Take time to reflect.