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Galapagos Preparation

Middle Georgia College

Division of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering

1100 Second St. S.E. - Cochran, GA 31014

Telephone 478/934-5305 Fax 478/934-3554

Updated May 13, 2013

GALAPAGOS PREPARATION – The trip is scheduled for July 1-11, 2014. For more information see my web site, http://galapagos.mgc.edu; click on “Next Trip”. Also see video clips on YouTube – search for “Galapagos by Pasto” or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22dkqU7rW5Q. I also have videos and pictures on my Facebook page. The trip is arranged by Holbrook Travel, based in Gainesville Florida. More information is available at: http://www.holbrooktravel.com.

Trip –We fly from Atlanta to Quito, Ecuador where we will spend 2 nights. From Quito we fly to the Galapagos to meet our guide and board our ship, the Floreana. The ship is a 16-passenger vessel with the comforts of a larger ship but on a smaller scale. We spend 7 days on board, eating and sleeping as the ship sails from island to island. Two or three times a day we go to shore in a dinghy (small outboard motor boat) to tour various sites and swim. We visit the town of Puerto Villamil and the Charles Darwin Research Station. On the trip we will see land and marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, sea lions, and many other forms of wildlife. We return from the Galapagos to Guayquil, spend part of a day touring the city and fly to Atlanta for the conclusion of the trip.

We are limited to 16 participants. For this reason we are asking you to commit as soon as possible to reserve a spot. Once 16 spaces have been reserved you will be placed on a waiting list.

Cost –The total cost of the trip is around $5,000. This covers everything except souvenirs and tips, including roundtrip airfare from Atlanta,. It sounds expensive but is a bargain for a trip of this nature. Some scholarship funds may available for Middle Georgia College students.

Form – If you decide to go, I will give you a form, AEducational Travel Participant Form” (From Holbrook Travel). Complete the form and return it to me along with your deposit.

Since space is limited, I am suggesting these steps to reserve a spot for the trip:
1. To indicate interest and to reserve a spot, return to me the AEducational Travel Participant Form” and a deposit of $350 as soon as possible. A check should be made out to Middle Georgia College which I will deposit in an account for this trip. This is refundable up to the date deposits are due to Holbrook, January 21, 2012. Spaces on the trip will be reserved in the order deposits are received.
2. I will forward the participant form and the deposit to Holbrook Travel prior to the due date.
3. The balance is due to Holbrook Travel on March 16, 2012. This can be paid to Middle Georgia College or directly to Holbrook Travel. At this time your balance on deposit with MGC will be forwarded to Holbrook.

Vaccinations recommended include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and yellow fever. Normally a yellow fever vaccine is not needed for the Galapagos because it is too dry for many mosquitoes. The local health department can provide tetanus and hepatitis B. For local participants, the Bibb County Health Department will give the hepatitis A vaccine. Check the CDC web site for more information.

Passport is required. If you live in the Middle Georgia area, a good place to get it is the Warner Robins post office on Russell Parkway

Travel insurance: Recommended but not required; I can provide more information.

Items to take include comfortable walking shoes, shorts and T-shirts, swim trunks, hat, sunglasses, cameras, and backpack. Ecuador uses US currency.

Recommended reading: Galapagos A Natural History by Michael H. Jackson, or Galapagos A Natural History by J. C. Kricher. A good source for both is Longitude Books, www.longitudebooks.com. Students desiring college credit will be provided one of the books.

Thanks,

John D. Pasto

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