Students and faculty members from Heathwood Hall Episcopal School traveled to Ecuador and the famed Galapagos Islands as part of a natural history expedition organized by the PEAK Outdoors program. On this expedition, students spent time at high elevation in the Andes Mountains and in the Galapagos Islands, an equatorial archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean made famous by Charles Darwin and the voyage of the HMS Beagle.

During their 7-day stay in mainland Ecuador, a country of incredible ecological diversity, students visited the Cotopaxi volcano (19, 347 feet), walking up to the climber's hut at an elevation of nearly 17,000 feet, and a series of other large volcanic peaks, alpine lakes, rivers and waterfalls in the Andes Mountains. Students also visited Middle of the World Museum, a museum dedicated to science associated with equatorial and gravitational phenomena. Many locations of historic and cultural significance were on the itinerary as the group visited the President's home in Quito, and artisans shops, markets, and churches in Banos, Riobamba, and Cuenca.

During their 8-day visit to the Galapagos Islands, students traveled by boat to a series of islands in the archipelago where they explored the renowned marine, coastal and inner-island habitat led by a native naturalist. The island tour included Santa Cruz, Rabida, Santiago, North Seymour, Santa Fe, Espanola, and Floreana.

The following links take you to the Group Journal, a mucical Slide Show and the Photo Album. All are full of lots of colorful pictures; entries each day in the group journal were written by the participants themselves. Be patient, some sources may take a little time to open and download.

Hop on the tour bus and the Floreana yacht to visit this beautiful and historic South American country and the famous island archepeligo with the group...

Galapagos Group Journal
This is a daily account of the trip from the traveler's perspective. Each entry in this Journal was written by a group member during the trip (so the thoughts are fresh!) The joural also includes timely photos.

Galapagos Slide Show
This is a creative pictoral slide show of the trip complete with dazzling photos and cool music.

Galapagos Photo Album
This is a complete photo album of the trip, and a list of trip participants and significant locations. Click on any photo in the album to enlarge it.

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