The Galapagos Islands are among the most fascinating places on Earth. Galapagos Islands Discovery. What many people don’t realise is that the history of the Galapagos goes back much further and that Darwin wasn’t the one to actually discover the islands. Galapagos Islands Discovered, Deemed Worthless 10 March 1535 After his ship drifted off course on a journey from Panama to Peru, Bishop Tomas de Berlanga of Panama discovered the “worthless” Galápagos Islands entirely by accident, on this day in 1535. Strong currents caused his ship to drift off course westwards towards the islands. The Bishop and his crew were low on supplies when they came upon the island and had trouble finding food and water. The Bishop and his crew were low on supplies when they came upon the island and had trouble finding food and water. The islands gradually move eastward towards the mainland. The Galapagos were unintentionally discovered on MARCH 10, 1535, shortly after Bishop Tomas de Berlanga and crew had been on the brink of completely losing faith and stamina while lost at sea. As you’ll discover, the Galapagos have been subject to significant external influences and changes over the centuries, starting with early explo In additions to the positives, tourism also has some negative impacts on Galapagos. The bishop’s ship stalled strong currents carried him out to … The Galapagos Islands were officially discovered by Fray Tomas de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama, in 1535. And believe me when I say this: you will discover the Galapagos Islands, but you will also discover yourself through them. These are all recorded in the datazone produced by the Charles Darwin Foundation.. The Bishop and his crew were low on supplies when they came upon the island and had trouble finding food and water. The Galapagos Islands were officially discovered by Fray Tomas de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama, in 1535. The islands became internationally famous as a result of their being visited in 1835 by Charles Darwin; their unusual fauna contributed to his groundbreaking theories on natural selection. The Galapagos Islands were discovered in 1535 when father Tomas Berlanga, the bishop of Panama sailed to Peru to settle a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and his lieutenants after the conquest of the Incas. Observe the world with new eyes and you will see it for the first time, every time. He was on a journey from Panama to what is now Peru. The list is always growing – despite scientists studying the wildlife on and around Galapagos for three centuries; new species are still being discovered every year. The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of 13 major islands and more than a hundred smaller islands that straddle the equator off the Ecuadorian coast. Discover Galapagos offers unmatched Galapagos Cruises and Galapagos tours available to anyone willing to take the trip of their lifetime. The islands were formed by volcanic eruptions about 5 million years ago and some of the volcanoes in the western part of the archipelago are still active, so new land is still being formed to this day. He was on a journey from Panama to what is now Peru. The Galápagos Islands were discovered in 1535, but first appeared on the maps, of Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius, around 1570. Welcome to your gateway to the majestic and enchanted Islands of the Galapagos! Discover the Islands of the Galapagos Archipelago. The Galapagos were discovered in 1535 by Fray Tomás de Berlanga, the first bishop of Panama, who happened upon the islands by pure chance during a sailing voyage to Peru.All in all, his encounter with the islands was not a happy one. When visitors on Galapagos cruise vacations first start exploring the archipelago, few know that they follow in the footsteps of centuries of adventures. Galapagos Islands, island group of the eastern Pacific Ocean, administratively a province of Ecuador. We have gone above and beyond in hand picking the best Galapagos … The natural history of the Galapagos Islands has fascinated visitors since their most famous guest landed there in 1845. The Galapagos Islands were officially discovered by Fray Tomas de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama, in 1535. He was on a journey from Panama to what is now Peru. The islands were named "Insulae de los Galopegos" (Islands of the Tortoises) in reference to the giant tortoises found there. On his visit to the Galapagos Islands, Charles Darwin discovered several species of finches that varied from island to island, which helped him to develop his theory of natural selection.