Galapagos Islands for Real Travellers

Latin America is an increasingly popular holiday destination, especially Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The most popular way to see the islands and their amazing indigenous wildlife is to take a cruise; the most rewarding is to stay for a while and help to preserve the fragile ecosystem.

Tourists pay around £2,000 for a 10-day trip to this remote part of Latin America, but as a volunteer you can pay as little as £1299 for 6 weeks.

Real Gap Experience (www.realgap.co.uk) - one of very few gap year companies to offer this experience - organise two weeks in Quito, Ecuador, learning Spanish and 4 weeks or more on locally-run environmental volunteer placements such as the Giant Tortoise Project.

The Galapagos giant tortoises are under threat in their natural habitat, where introduced species, such as goats and rats are a threat. Volunteers help in all aspects of turtle conservation, including feeding and monitoring, and measuring turtle eggs on Isabella - the largest of the islands, and where they currently need the most help. Other volunteer projects include local environmental education, teaching English or other subjects, and media projects.

Staying with local families, volunteers receive a friendly welcome and three meals a day. Free time may be spent with the locals, surfing or enjoying a noisy game of volleyball, or snorkeling and scuba diving and exploring the islands with other volunteers.

The popularity of some kind of gap year, anything from 4 weeks to a full year, is continuing to grow very fast. Real Gap Experience has experienced a 300% increase in passenger numbers from 2004 to 2005. The company has produced a new comprehensive 76 page brochure covering programmes in over 30 countries around the world. www.realgap.co.uk hosts a state-of-the-art website with a ground-breaking search facility which enables people to find their ideal gap year programme from among hundreds of options.

Real Gap offer the widest choice of work, travel, fun and volunteering programmes of any UK gap year provider. Their flight inclusive programmes are ATOL protected (ATOL 6527) and for all other programmes bookers receive a personal insurance certificate guaranteeing against the company's financial failure. 

For more details call Real Gap Experience on 01892 516164
Or visit www.realgap.co.uk

Pics available.

For more information and media enquiries please contact:
Jennette Baxter: 01342 316337 / 0794 0174 303 pr@baxter1.clara.net
David Stitt: 01892 516164 David.Stitt@realgap.co.uk