The Galapagos Islands are well known for their closely approachable wildlife, but did you bring binoculars for bird/wildlife viewing?
If so, did you find them useful, and if not, did you wish you had?
We did not bring them, or miss them. However, there was a birder on our trip with a pair of honking big ones. If you want to get a good look at the smaller birds, I’d bring them. The iguanas, sea lions and blue-footed boobies are pretty fearless, and would let you get closer than the guides will.
Yes, the Common Galapagos Guide is a shy creature and wary of humans that approach too closely.
There are rarely times when wildlife is too far to see comfortably with the naked eye. I brought binoculars, but I don’t think I ever used them.
Yeah, I never really wished I had brought binoculars. Like others said, there’s a huge temptation to touch those animals that are just hanging out there completely unafraid of humans. I very nearly tripped over iguanas whose skin color completely camouflaged them against the black volcanic rock. That said, if you have a DSLR with an image stabilized zoom, I’d bring it along.
:smack: grammar
Since the OP is asking about personal experiences, this is better suited to IMHO than GQ.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
PS. I have not been there myself, but I think no matter how tame the wildlife is, there may still be things that are far enough away that you might want to have binoculars for.
Agreed - sea birds would likely be an example.
(I can’t imagine being without binoculars in a place full of exotic birds.)