In Darwin's Dreamland: 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

Claudia Joseph says that the joy of this archipelago is to “see nature up close”. She sails on the expedition yacht La Pinta for a four-night cruise around the islands. READ MORE: Best times to book a cheap summer vacation in 2024

By Claudia Joseph for the Sunday Mail

Updated: 09:01 BST, 01 Sep 2023

Walking around a bend in the forest of Palo Santo, on the remote island of Genovesa , I stop. A short-eared owl is perched on a wooden bridge just a yard away, staring at me with its piercing eyes and clutching its talons.

Yet, despite my proximity, the magnificent creature does not move an inch. That's the joy of the Galapagos: seeing nature up close and personal.

Here in this archipelago of 19 volcanic islands, you're 600 miles from Ecuador. , at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. You are also in a place renowned among zoologists and ornithologists for its incredibly rich fauna.

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

Now I follow in his footsteps.

Seeing the short-eared owl isn't the only treat in store. 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 have really changed...