Galapagos Experience: Volunteer & Travel 3 weeks

Lead Adventures was very patient and answered all my questions prior to my three week trip to the Galapagos Islands.

I spent three days in the highlands on
Santa Cruz and four days in the highlands on San Cristobal doing a variety of volunteer work. In Santa Cruz I shredded leaves for soil making, planted trees and plants, and applied preservative to sign stakes. In San Cristobal I mixed soils for planting mixtures, filled planting bags with soils, picked guava and passion fruit for eating, helped prepare food for meals in the kitchen and cleaned out some tortoise ponds at a nearby breeding center.

I also enjoyed the many activities that were scheduled for me. This included several snorkeling trips, visits to tortoise breeding centers, a 'long' walk to the second largest volcanic crater in the world, a visit to the 'Wall of Tears', and free days to schedule trips for yourself or to just enjoy some free time. I saw a wide variety of fish, rays, marine iguanas, tortoises, and birds, including frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, pelicans, flamingos, etc.

The mosquitoes at the project in the San Cristobal highlands where we slept under mosquito netting and wore mosquito netting hats, when needed, was one of the only negatives. All in all, it was well worth the trip.

The volunteer work (at the National Park greenhouses planting coffee) was not too demanding. It was nice to know that I was helping to contribute to the welfare of the local farmers. I really enjoyed my time on the Galapagos Islands. This is a great way to travel there because you are able to spend time with the people instead of a cruise where you only get to visit for one day, but a combination of both would be ideal as then you would get to see more islands. Everyone was so nice and friendly, the food was excellent. The islands are very safe, there was never any problem walking around by myself, even at night.

Was stationed at the greenhouse in the highlands of Santa Cruz island. Volunteering in planting Galapagos coffee and lemon was inspiring. Labour intensive but good fun. Rewarding-feeling to be able to contribute to society in my own way.