For many travelers, visiting the Galapagos Islands is a dream come true. While islands themselves are individually beautiful, it is really the animals of the Galapagos that steal the show.

READ: 28 Most Unique Galapagos Animals

One of our favorite aspects of foreign travel is digging into the local cuisine of our destination.

READ: 15 Ecuadorian Food Favorites: Dishes Not To Miss

The variety of things to experience, animals to mesmerize us, and new landscapes to explore made us drink in every moment of our week visiting the Galapagos Islands, and these photos will show you why.

READ: Postcards from the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are the trip of a lifetime for many travelers. Most travelers to the islands will opt for a cruise to see many of the more remote areas. However, not all Galapagos cruise tours are the same and which boat you select will have a significant impact on your experience. Here’s how to pick the right Galapagos cruise boat for you.

READ: How to Select a Galapagos Cruise Boat

Yellow, green, red, orange, blue, pink, purple. As I walked around Ecuador’s Saturday Otavalo market, my eyes were assaulted by a rainbow of colors. Everywhere I looked, tables were piled high with goods in every color imaginable. I realized that the Otavalo market is the most colorful place on earth.

READ: Seeing The Colorful Otavalo Market

For many travelers, Ecuador and the Galapagos is a trip of a lifetime! But it also poses a lot of challenges when trying to figure out what to pack. In many ways, visiting Ecuador is not one climate, it is three very different ones. Regardless of how you get there, one of your biggest decisions will be what to pack for Ecuador and the Galapagos.

READ: What to Pack for Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (Plus Key Tips!)

I don’t know what I was expecting from the Avenue of the Volcanoes high in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador other than a view of the legendary Cotopaxi, but this was better than I ever imagined. Looking back, the Avenue of the Volcanoes gave us some of our best memories of Ecuador.

READ: Cool Ridings in the Avenue of the Volcanoes

For many travelers, including us, the Galapagos Islands are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here, naturalists have been observing curious animals for nearly two centuries. It was here that Charles Darwin proved evolution. And it is here that visitors travel to experience one of the world’s most remote and remarkable destinations. Yet every visitor to these enchanted islands faces the challenge of picking the perfect Galapagos itinerary.

READ: Choosing the Best Galapagos Itinerary

Stepping off the plane in Quito, Ecuador, the first thing you notice are the colors. The entire country is bathed in bright reds, lush greens, deep blues, sunny yellows and everything in between. Some of that is because this is one of the world’s most beautiful countries. But much of it is also due to the Ecuador graffiti scene – a robust sub-culture that takes street art who whole new levels.

READ: Ecuador Graffiti: Street Art Expressions

In spite of an unexpected change of plans, we had a full day to explore all the fun things there are to do in Lima, Peru.

READ: Things to Do in Lima When You’re Short on Time

Like thousands of others, we had come to Puno, Peru, to visit Lake Titicaca – the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable …

READ: The Uros Islands of Lake Titicaca in Peru

The drive from Cusco to Puno, Peru, is winding and long but filled with historic stops and scenic views.

READ: The Long Drive from Cusco to Puno, Peru

Cusco is one of those cities in the world that grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go. Once you visit Cusco, it will haunt your dreams and you’ll be compelled to return again and again. Don’t say you weren’t warned! We set out a Cusco walking tour and discovered this city’s rich heritage.

READ: Highlights from a Cusco Walking Tour

Visiting Machu Picchu is breathtaking. The kind of breathtaking where we had to stop ourselves for a minute to remember the experience because there would never be another first time.

READ: Visiting Machu Picchu in Peru

Women selling vegetables during the Pisac market days in the Sacred Valley

READ: A Day in Peru’s Sacred Valley