Eco-Zone Explorers

UNIQUE ADVENTURES IN A UNIQUE WORLD

Contributed By Jascivan Caravalho

The Galapagos Islands, a world heritage site and one of the most famous places on the planet, is a must visit for every adventurous traveler. The story of this exceptional archipelago is intertwined with the history of the human race itself. It’s a tale of violent eruptions and the formation of the volcanic islands that played a major role in Charles Darwin’s ground breaking theory of evolution, one of the most important moments in the human journey.

From barren volcanic outcrops these islands slowly developed into the home of a stunning variety of unique wildlife, and thanks to careful control, that wildlife is still here for you to see today.  The islands retain their original untamed nature, offering discriminating travelers the chance to enjoy an exciting and challenging voyage of discovery.

With our Galapagos Ecological Adventures program you can design and follow your own path into this fascinating environment. It’s a unique experience that’s not only more dynamic and adventurous – with spectacular hikes, kayaking, snorkeling and biking – it’s the way to spend quality time with the family, actively exploring the islands on a path less traveled. With this special program you’ll have more time to explore your extraordinary surroundings, and more time to enjoy the enchanted atmosphere.

But Galapagos is more than spectacular wildlife and scenery. It offers you that little bit extra. The human touch. Here you’ll be accompanied by local guides who are knowledgeable about, and devoted to their island home. And they’re passionate about preserving it. They’ll show you life here on the islands as they know it. As no one else can. And with us you’ll have more time to get to know some of the friendly people who will make this a really personal experience. This is a truly special way to experience the enchanted isles, the way to get the most out of your stay.

Your exploration can be as adventure filled as you want. As part of our flexible program you’ll be able to kayak, snorkel and bicycle on the islands, avoiding the throng of visitors and the crowded trails. Here you’ll get a closer, more active view of the place that fascinated Charles Darwin and has played an unequaled role in human history.

Galapagos Ecological Adventures offers experiences that go beyond the limits of the traditional one week boat tour with its problems of being confined amongst strangers, the risk of sea sickness and the rush hour traffic of the tour boats. This is a more independent program, with a wide range of accommodation that will suite everyone’s taste -  families, couples or groups of friends – and the flexibility to operate any day of the week, and if you choose, to adapt to extensions to your cruise.

GETTING UP CLOSE TO THE ISLANDS’ UNIQUE WILDLIFE

As part of this program you’ll visit three islands and get a chance to spend time with the unique wildlife that inhabits the islands: the sea lions, the giant tortoises, the marine iguanas and much, much, more.

First stop is the impressive Island of San Cristobal. This is the place to see sea lions. There are thousands on the Island, in colonies and small groups, and you’ll have a chance to see them close up as we walk and bike alongside. The animals are surprisingly tame and will let you approach with no problem. The colonies of Frigate birds that inhabit the island and have occupied a small bay are also something to see, and you’ll have a chance to get up close to these spectacular birds with their red chests, as we kayak and snorkel in the nearby waters. Also on the menu is the impressive Leon Dormido,  a rock formation that is a great place to snorkel amongst dolphins and sharks, and to be dazzled by a myriad of brightly colored fishes.

Next is Isabela island, not only the largest, most volcanically active and most interesting of the chain, but also the least visited and the most relaxed. It’s four times the size of the next largest island, yet has only 20% of the Galapagos population. Here you’ll be able to get a close look at the very source of the Galapagos spectacular history; you’ll see five active volcanoes and hike into the second largest volcanic crater in the world, Sierra Negra. It’s an awe inspiring site.

On Isabela you’ll get close up to the archipelago’s famous wildlife. It’s all here: giant tortoises, sharks, marine iguanas, sea lions, manta rays, boobies, penguins and flamingoes (this is the only place in the world you can see both at the same time).  And for good measure the island also boasts the most extensive wetlands in the archipelago – recognized as a globally important site -  where you can visit the ‘Poza del Diablo’ with its brilliantly colored flamingoes.

And as a fitting end to a memorable trip you’ll visit the island of Santa Cruz. Here you can relax and soak up the atmosphere in the charming port of Puerto Ayora, the major link between the islands and the mainland. You’ll swim in Tortuga Bay, one of the largest fine sand beaches of the entire chain, where you’ll also be able to kayak in the turquoise waters. There are lava tunnels and rock fissures to explore, where you can snorkel amongst the fishes in the crystal clear water.

The highlands also have a lot to offer.  You’ll find huge tunnels and strange sunken areas formed by subterranean activity and volcanic activity the islands are famous for.  On the surface are the farms where you can see Giant tortoises in their natural habitat. And speaking of Tortoises, a trip to Santa Cruz would not be complete without a visit to the home of ‘Lonesome George’, the most famous tortoise in the world.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

The Spanish bishop Tomás de Berlanga, who discovered the islands in 1535 when his ship was blown off course, was the first to call these the enchanted isles. This is an exceptional place, and one that must be preserved for all humanity.

Here conservation is not a luxury, it is essential, and that’s why this ecological adventure is designed to generate minimum environmental impact. It’s a program planned for those who care about limiting environmental and social impacts on these unique islands, and support the conservation of this fragile world heritage site.

This is the pleasant, unhurried, and responsible way to visit the Galapagos. And what’s more, the friendly islanders will help you enjoy it even more.

Visitors are welcomed into the village with unique face paint design.

We have recently just come back from an extraordinary tour to the Amazon region of Ecuador. We were the guests of the Huaorani people and stayed at a new ecolodge they own and operate. There is really too much to absorb to write a complete description the of this experience at this moment but this was one of the best travel experiences that we have ever encountered. It was adventurous, but we felt safe. We were greeted by the Huaorani warmly, and it was a genuine welcome, not a “professional” welcome, the guides were very enlightening and we intereacted closley with them over the 5 days. I will defintiely be writing more, and uploading more photos, but for now I just wanted to get some content published to whet your appetites.

The Huaorani are a well documented people who have had a major struggle trying to keep their lands, their language and their people alive in the face of a world hungry for the oil that happens to be in their traditional territory.

One of the ideas they had was to embrace ecotourism in order to bring in sorely needed cash but also to have outside people gain an understanding of their situation. In a very short while they have managed to create a high quality, authentic ecotourism experience that is quite different from the normal type of  ecolodge. While most ecolodges are usually centered on natural history, Huaorani Ecolodoge is about the Huaorani, who are completely integrated in nature. So you could say its about natural history that includes the human element.

Is it possible to raise your consciousness just by being a birdwatcher?

Walking down almost any city street I hear robins, sparrows, crows, some starlings and occasionally a jay. All these common city birds live with us and yet how often do we let the sights sounds of birds hover just outside our sphere of awareness? They are probably our closest link with nature on a day to day basis.

Birds are almost always around, but they seem to mostly occupy a parallel universe. Once you start to watch and listen for birds, you start see them everywhere.

I make no claims to be an accomplished birder, but being aware that birds are all around gives me some comfort that I have not entirely eradicated my natural instincts.

Birdwatching is a very popular activity, requires little gear and is easy to learn for men, women and even kids. Once learned and practiced a little, you can really start to see birds all around.

There were no real courses that I could find so we made a program in Costa Rica for anyone interested. Takes place at the beautiful OTS (Organisation for Tropical Studies) sites in Costa Rica and travels to other eco-zones. Its good for adults and families. Accommodations are simple.

By all reports I am getting the unrest yesterday (Sept 30, 2011) in Ecuador has settled down. It appears that for the moment the police have returned to work and the country is now operating as normal. The airports are open and flights are landing and taking off. Roads are open.

These types of protests and demonstrations are quite common in Ecuador and other South American countries they often less serious than they sound in the news.

Once when travelling in Mexico we experienced a big demonstration in La Paz, Baja California Sur. At the time we spoke no Spanish so we scampered back to our hotel to wait it out. Well, it was a big demonstration with bull horns and people parading with signs. Much to my chagrin I found out the next day it was a big rally to elect the new Miss La Paz beauty queen.

Similarly once in Arequipa,  Peru I was watching BBC world news and they reported a big farmer’s demonstration, right there in Arequipa. We were only a few blocks away and had no idea.

These events can be alarming when you read about them, and they can get ugly, but for the majority of the time as a visitor, you won’t often even be aware that anything happened until its over.

Remember that old phrase “it was hot enough to fry eggs on” ? Guess what? It’s really true. And you can cook a whole lot more than you ever imagined with today’s solar cookers.

I confess, we actually own both a solar oven and a solar stove, so I really know of where I speak.  Most recently my aunt and her travel companion came for a visit and we cooked both the potatoes and the roast pork (grass fed, free range, with herb rub mixture of salt, cracked pepper and coriander, rubbed rosemary,  and a few chili flakes ) out side on the solar appliances. Needless to say they had some great stories and pictures to take home to Edmonton.

But solar cooking is also having a dramatic impact on the lives of people in the “developing world”.  It has spawned a very successful and highly laudable micro-enterprise in the northern mountains of Nicaragua.

Here’s some information and an invitation to join us on a very special journey to take part in this project  in real life.

Nicaragua Solar Project

Feb 17, 2011  $1999 pp CAD (see brochure for details of inclusions)

We are very happy to be working on a program with the Solar Women of Totogalpa in Nicaragua where we bring a small group of people from North America to a remote village in the Central American highlands.

We have partnered with a local NGO and a Nicaraguan tour company to create a unique tour that will take participants to the village of Sabana Grande to spend a week in what is termed a Sustainable Communities in Renewable Energy project. After the week here we take a few more days to see some of the rest of country and end up with a couple of nights in a small beach town near the Costa Rican border.

The idea of the project came several years ago and has really been advanced by the local women. This has proven to be very successful  as opposed to so many well-meaning, but poorly supported, aid programs that have failed in the past.

This is a very real experience and participants will stay with families in their homes. Conditions are very rudimentary, not that much different from camping – however, you will have incredible experiences that will probably change your view of the world.

Participants will:

* Build a solar oven with the local women’s group, the Solar Women of Totogalpa
* Tour an organic coffee farm and make your own solar roasted coffee in the community
* Listen to talks on Solar Dryers, Medicinal Plants, the Green Store project, and our micro-loan program
* Take a solar cooking class and learn about the importance of soy as you make delicious soy empanadas or chorizo
* Visit local families that have photovoltaic systems installed in their homes and learn how the sun’s light generates clean energy. Plus there will be some visits to other areas around Sabana Grande to see local sites.

Contact us at 888-778-2378 for detailed itinerary or check it out here.

More Background on the Women

The Solar Women of Totogalpa is a group of women with a vision for the future which they are making a reality every day.  They have been constructing, with adobe bricks made with their own hands, the first buildings on their newly acquired solar center grounds.  But along with the physical construction, the women are building strong bonds between former Sandinistas and Contras, and new economic and social models to further their development in a sustainable way.
Totogalpa lies three hours north of the capital city Managua, Nicaragua.  Nested among rolling hills and fertile plains, it is primarily an agricultural community tied together by strong family values.  By modern standards, life here is simple and lacking in amenities, yet it is a place where hard work is valued as highly as friends and family.  Through their own efforts and with the help of national and international organizations and volunteers, the Solar Women have been making progress toward a brighter future.
It has been eighteen years since the war officially ended in Nicaragua, but remnants of the conflict, such as landmines, continue to affect the community.  Many soldiers’ and civilians’ lives were taken by landmines, and those who survived have struggled for years to regain their mental and physical health.  It is that much more difficult being physically handicapped in a society which suffers from extreme poverty, natural disasters, and severe unemployment.  The immediate and most devastating effects are born by the land mine victims, of course, but the community as a whole also suffers from the impact that landmine injuries have on family and community relationships.

Recently, the Solar Women took a huge step to make their dreams reality by completing the construction of their adobe Solar Center building on three acres of donated land situated on the main through highway to Honduras, right off the Pan American highway.  The women have created a plan for a Solar Center that would house an office, research center, production shops, market, restaurant, and hotel.  This solar “campus” would provide the infrastructure they envision to promote and sell solar products and house and feed visitors coming to their model solar community for courses in solar technology.  They have planted many fruits and medicinal and culinary herbs on this site, all grown organically and with an eye toward not only feeding their community, but also marketing them regionally.  They enjoy experimenting with new foods and plants and how best to cook and dry them in the solar cookers and dryers they have designed and built. They also are in the process of exploring partnerships with coffee growers to solar roast and market their beans.

Dreams of a Solar Campus

In one year alone, the Solar Women contributed over 8,000 hours in volunteer work just on the their first building, making every one of the almost 6,000 adobe bricks with their own hands.  The first Solar Center building is now open and houses a small office, a shop for building photovoltaic panels and solar cookers, and a small warehouse.  It also functions as a center for the community for special occasions, such as the arrival or departure of Solar Culture Course participants and international volunteers.  The women, together with a local NGO , offer solar culture courses several times a year that not only teach the skills and technology of building solar panels and cookers, but the realities of life as a campesino in Nicaragua.

The Solar Women have also built a Clivus composting toilet and installed a solar water pump on the center grounds, and in partnership with ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), replanted more than 14,000 native trees in the community.  The women also maintain a Green Store (Tienda Verde), a Nanoloan Revolving Fund, and a Scholarship Fund/Committee.

The Solar Women have received national and international recognition for their dedication to sustainable development and for serving as a model to other communities in Nicaragua and beyond.  The most recent came from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, in partnership with the UN Commissions on the Environment and on Development.

To buy tickets to the Salmon bake, call 250-838-0004. C’mon out and support this event. What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon? More info at http://www.kingfishercentre.com/programsandevents2.html

Recently visited the Kingfisher Nature Centre near Mabel Lake, on the Shuswap River (from Enderby) and talked to Shona about the great work that the volunteers are doing here. Like so many great places, their funding has been reduced this year. Aug 7, they are holding a fundraising salmon barbecue roast and they have some special programs for the afternoon. If you are in the Enderby Salmon Arm, Shuswap area this weekend, I highly recommend this as a really great place to visit, a good cause and great food.