Inside Darwin’s dreamland: The creatures of the Galapagos Islands are oblivious to humans – but you’ll remember them and their spectacular natural habitat for the rest of your life

As I round a bend through the forest of Palo Santo on the remote island of Genovesa, I come to a stop. A short-eared owl sits on a wooden bridge barely a few feet away, staring at me with beady eyes and clenching its claws.

But despite my proximity, the beautiful creature does not move an inch. That’s the nice thing about the Galapagos: seeing nature up close and personal.

Here, in this archipelago of 19 volcanic islands, you are 960 kilometers from Ecuador, deep in the Pacific Ocean. You are also in a location renowned among zoologists and ornithologists for its amazingly rich abundance of wildlife.

Located on both sides of the equator, it is here that Charles Darwin landed on the Royal Navy sloop HMS Beagle in 1835 – his observation of species such as the giant tortoise and mockingbird inspired his theory of evolution.

Now I follow in his footsteps.

Seeing the short-eared owl is not the only treat in store for you. Francisco Dousdebes, my guide on Genovesa, says sea lions, boobies, giant tortoises and seagulls can all be seen up close. As he adds, “The Galapagos really changes the mindset of travelers and allows them to immerse themselves in nature.”

My journey begins with a two-hour flight from Ecuador to Baltra Island, before taking the ferry to Santa Cruz, home of the Charles Darwin Research Station. The temperature is 16 degrees Celsius and there is a warm breeze, but the landscape is barren and dotted with cacti. Not what I expected.

Nature abounds in the area. Unaware of the tourists, they laze in the sun as pelicans swoop above the harbor wall. I board a bus to the highlands and traverse the mangrove coast towards a reserve to see the famous giant tortoises.

Hibiscus, citrus and avocado trees are found here, as well as scalesia – giant daisy trees native to the Galapagos.

The sound of yellow warblers fills the silence, and monarch butterflies flutter like giant tortoises, trudging about, nibbling vegetation and wallowing in shallow pools.

It’s a short bus ride to the island’s main town, Puerto Ayora, where you can join the Galapagos expedition yacht La Pinta for a four-night cruise around the islands.

After welcome bubbles and a dinner buffet I roll into my cabin where I am lulled to sleep by the rocking of the yacht. At sunrise, you can lie in bed and watch the sunrise over the small island of Eden off the northwest coast of Santa Cruz.

It’s time for our first Zodiac boat excursion – an exploration of the coast of the islet, the remains of a volcanic ash cone.

You can’t land on the island, but there’s an abundance of wildlife on the dramatic coastline, dotted with prickly pear and candelabra cacti. Sea lions bask in the sun. Large piles of marine iguanas are stacked on top of each other, looking quite content despite the squash. Red rock crabs lurk in crevices, while pelicans sail above the azure sea and blue-footed boobies dive with precision to catch their prey.

For the more adventurous, the deep blue waters surrounding the island are the perfect playground for kayaking and paddle boarding.

Or you can take a ride in La Pinta’s glass-bottomed boat, a favorite among children on board the yacht and those who aren’t avid snorkelers.

Next stop is Chinese Hat, one of the smallest islands in the archipelago, formed when a volcano on nearby Santiago Island erupted, spewing lava and rocks into the sea, forming a volcanic spatter cone.

Strolling along a 400-meter trail that begins on the crescent-shaped white-sand beach, home to a sea lion colony, we stumble upon marine iguanas, spread out like starfish in the sun, and more red rock crabs.

But the piece de resistance is snorkeling in the crystal clear waters between white tip reef sharks and Galapagos penguins. I spot jewel-colored rainbow wrasses with iridescent pinstripes, silver sergeant major damselfish, bright blue king angelfish, and schools of yellowtail surgical fish.

The next day, rise at the crack of dawn for a sunrise walk on Bartholomew Island, named after Darwin’s naturalist and lifelong friend, Sir Bartholomew Sulivan, who was a lieutenant aboard HMS Beagle.

After climbing the wooden stairs to the top of the island – an extinct volcano with red, orange, green and black formations – you arrive at a breathtaking view.

In the foreground is Pinnacle Rock, a volcanic rock that rises from Sullivan Bay like the London Gherkin. In the distance you can see the enigmatic outline of the island of Santiago, where Darwin spent six days. Not only is Santiago one of the best places for swimming and snorkeling, the island is also a favorite among green turtles for mating and nesting. Then there is the geology.

The path across a lava field created by a series of 19th century volcanic eruptions is fascinating. It is an eerie landscape with lava that resembles twisted rope.

Afterwards, a dive or snorkeling around the white coral sand beach is highly recommended, although I have never seen so many mosquitoes. Insect repellent is a must.

On the last day at La Pinta we drive to Genovesa, which has become known as ‘Bird Island’ due to its numerous and varied bird species.

It is here, after climbing Prince Philip’s Steps, named after the late Duke of Edinburgh after he visited the Galapagos in 1964, that I first see the short-eared owl hidden in the undergrowth. But this isn’t the only natural wonder: red-billed tropicbirds fly overhead, darting between their nests and the bay as I scramble up the stairs to a seabird colony, full of Nazcas and red-footed boobies. At the end of the trail, I stand at the edge of a rocky lava plain, enthralled as petrels and frigatebirds plunge into the sea.

According to my guide Francisco, Prince Philip, who visited the Galapagos Islands three times, described it as an ‘unfiltered wildlife experience’.

Who am I to disagree?