By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post

Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum of Natural history soon will offer a bucket-list type experience — a chance to travel to the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest in the summer of 2017 and learn about natural history.

“The trip really fits well with the theme of the museum, the mission of the museum,” said Dr. Reese Barrick, museum director. “It will be educational, but it will be unique.”

Last Spring, FHSU and Sternberg led a student trip to the Galapagos and Barrick wanted to organize one and open it up to the public.

“They really enjoyed themselves, so we thought we’d follow it up and leave it open to the general public,” Barrick said.

The trip is planned for June 3 to 14 and costs $5,000 per person.

The money paid will cover hotels, guides, most meals and transportation. The trip costs excludes the cost of airfare to and from Quito, Ecuador.

Barrick notes they need at least eight people for the trip to happen and deadline to sign up is the end of January. If the eight-person minimum is not reached, the trip won’t happen, Barrick said.

“The trip gives you a chance to see things you’ve never seen before and see nowhere else in the world,” he said.

According to Barrick, three people have already signed up, along with two Sternberg staff members making the trip .

Dr. Laura Wilson, Sternberg’s chief curator and paleontologist, will join Barrick to lead the trip.

Those taking part in the 10-day adventure will spend the first three days exploring the cloud forests of Mindo and Alambi — on top of the Amazon basin in Ecuador.

“In the cloud forest, there is one of the highest diversity of birds in the world,” said David Levering, Sternberg education director.

While in the cloud forest, participants will be able to explore the gorgeous forest, check out a butterfly farm, an orchid garden, and go tubing down the Mindo River.

“You get to see a different culture in Ecuador and see a different part of the world,” Barrick said.” It’s going to be different than just sitting at home and watching it on the Discovery Channel or National Geographic.”

He said the accommodations are nice in Ecuador and good meals will be provided each day.

“It’s not going to be like roughing it while camping at all, the accommodations are very nice,” Barrick said.

After the cloud forests, the trip will head to the Galapagos Islands, which are about 621 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

The Galapagos portion of the trip will last six days and will consist of snorkeling, beach combing and sightseeing.

The Galapagos land tour will be busy, but Sternberg and the tour guides are not trying to run the patrons into the ground.

“We are not trying to train junior scientists on this trip. It’s more about showing people some cool stuff and neat things to get them excited about biology and natural history,” Levering said.

The snorkeling will take place at Kicker Rock, home to sea lions, rays, sea turtles and many different types of tropical fish.

Following snorkeling, hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano and kayaking off the coast of Isabela Island are a part of the land tour to start of the Galapagos portion of the trip.

Barrick said participants can expect to be immersed in wildlife every day while in the Galapagos, but will be offered the chance to explore towns such as Puerto Ayora and Puerto Villamil.

On the trip, time will be spent  on three different islands in the Galapagos, starting with San Cristobal before flying to Isabela, then a boat ride to Santa Cruz to enjoy the highlands of the Galapagos.

On the final day, the opportunity is open to spend most of the day exploring Quito before flying back to the United States.

For those with health concerns, Levering said participants should be caught up on regular vaccinations.

“We are at altitude, so things such as yellow fever are not a concern for us,” he said.

Hepatitis is the biggest vaccination to be caught up on, according to the Centers for Disease Control, but Levering suggested having a flu shot beforehand.

“I recommend getting a flu shot as well, mostly just so you do not get the flu while over there or while you are traveling and it also will protect those who do not get a flu shot,” Levering said.

The zika virus is not a concern as the trip will not venture down to the Amazon, added Barrick.

For more information on the trip and to check out the itinerary, visit the Sternberg website.