ART SPATE: ANCIENT LANDSCAPES AND FASCINATING WILDLIFE OF GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Hola, Ecuador! Kind-hearted and generous country. Ecuador's, relatively, small size makes it comfortably to travel, good roads and an easy-to-remember currency. Picturesque colonial towns, Kichwa villages, Amazonian rainforest and breathtaking heights of Andes - it has a glaring array of wonders. And one of them certainly is the Galapagos Islands.

Undisturbed by humans until the 16th century, the Galapagos has attracted a myriad of visitors over the past few centuries, from pirates to whalers, scientist and tourists. Moreover, it was here Darwin made the discoveries, during his travel around islands, that would lead to his revolutionary theory of natural selection.

In the ocean mighty currents converge. At the waters' confluence is an archipelago of volcanoes, rising giants from the depths of the Pacific. Their tops break through some of the richest seas on the planet to form a constellation of islands. Lying in the Pacific Ocean 600 miles off Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands truly stand alone. Their volcanic, otherworldly landscapes, are a magnet for wildlife lovers. Fascinating wild nature which shows no fear of humans. Here, you can get up close and personal with massive lumbering tortoises, scurrying marine iguanas, the world’s only seagoing lizard, prancing blue-footed boobies, doe-eyed sea lions and a host of other unusual species both on land and sea.

The ancient landscape and rare inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands give visitors a unique view of the natural world. Unusual flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. It's an awe-inspiring experience you'll never forget. And while human involvement has only increased, so have conservation efforts to ensure its future preservation.