![](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466030/map.800_0_1.jpg)
Pinta
(Abingdon)
Marchena
(Bindloe)
Isabela
(Albemarle)
Santiago
(James)
Genovesa
(Tower)
Fernandina
(Narborough)
Santa Cruz
(Indefatigable)
San Cristóbal
(Chatham)
Española
(Hood)
Santa Fe
(Barrington)
Floreana
(Charles)
Pinzón
(Duncan)
WelcometoaspecialeditionofExplorer magazine!Throughthesepages,you’lltraveltoaplaceunlikeanyother:theGalápagos Islands.
![](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466025/NGX1019_EE_02a.480_0_1.png)
![The Galapagos Islands](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466020/title_the_galapagos_islands.640_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466021/seelion.640_0_1.png)
TheislandsweregivenbothSpanishandEnglishnamesbyearly visitors.
EarlySpanishsailorscalledtheislands“LasEncantadas.”Itmeans“theenchanted.”Howperfectforaplacethatalmostdisappearsinthe mist!
Theislandswerediscoveredin1535bySpaniardTomásdeBerlanga.HisshipwasboundforPeru.But,itwascarriedoffcoursebystrong currents.
Fromthe1500stothe1800s,piratessailedtotheGalápagos,lookingforgoldandsilver.Whalerssailedtotheislands, too.
![](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466087/globe.480_0_1.png)
Theseislandsteemwithlife.Frigatebirdssoar.Sealionscalltotheiryoung.Gianttortoiseslumber along.
Takeacloserlookatthemapabove.Ithelpstellthetaleofhowtheislandscametobe.Youwilllearnthenaturalhistoryoftheplace.Youwillreadaboutafamousvisitor,CharlesDarwin.Andyou’lllearnabouttheislands’mostmemorablespecies,thegiant tortoise.
Wehopethisissuewillinspireyoutolearnmoreaboutthe Galápagos!
Brenna Maloney,
managing editor,Explorer
![](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466023/NGX1019_EE_02b_2.640_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/galapagos_the_islands/466029/map.960_0_1.png)
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