|
THE MAIN
ISLANDS TO VISIT IN GALÁPAGOS
Here you´ll find a description of the main places where
you can visit with a certified guide in Galapagos. Strange
animals, and vegetation are undisturbed by your conscientious
visit into their unique world.. Some of the islands have been
completely uninhabited.
All navigable tours visit two sites
each day. The ships anchors off shore and you are taken to the
landing spot in a panga (small boat) Some landing sites require
that you wade to the beach.
BARTOLOME
This small island is famous for the photogenic
pinnacle rock that looks sheared away from the cliff. The trail
passes different lava formations and pioneer vegetation on the way
to the summit. It is a one hour of moderate uphill hiking with
beautiful views of the surrounding islands and Sullivan Bay. Dry
landing.
Next to the pinnacle is a pleasant beach with a calm bay
for swimming. Penguins can sometimes be observed while swimming,
snorkeling or during a panga ride. A short walk through sand dunes
brings you to another beach. Swimming is prohibited but you can wade
in to see White Tip reef sharks and Green Sea turtles. Wet
landing.
Daphne
Major
The islet is a volcanic cone. Very steep climb
to the rim. Here tropic birds, masked boobies and frigate birds
nest. Great view of the inside of the crater with numerous blue
footed boobies. Difficult dry landing.
back
ESPAÑOLA
Gardner bay
Long
white sand beach that you can swim from the boat. Offshore rocks are
great snorkeling. A half-hour the beach passes sea lions, sea turtle
nests, marine iguanas, and shore birds. There are several small
islets close by that are recommended for snorkeling and longer
tours.
Punta Espinosa diving. Wet landing.
Punta Suarez
This site is unique.
Before leaving the dock unique wildlife are welcoming you. A
subspecies of the marine iguana with red and green coloration, large
seabirds, including the wave albatross (April to December) and
friendly mockingbirds make their home here. The two-hour walk takes
you past bird colonies, a blowhole and a lookout. Dry
landing.
back
FERNANDINA
Along with Genovesa, this is the most pristine
island you can visit in the Archipelago. Some have suggested closing
it to tourism for preservation. Home to the most active volcano in
the Galapagos. Remote location allows you to visit only on faster
boats or longer tours.
Punta
Espinosa
A lava field, with a large marine iguana
colony, that was uplifted about 70 cm. (2.1 ft) in the mid 70´s.
flightless cormorants nest here. Dry landing.
back
FLOREANA
Punta Cormorant
Landing
on a beach colored green by olivine crystals from a volcanic
eruption. An easy trail past to flamingo lagoon to a white sand
beach with a view of close islets. This bay is home to sea turtles
(seasonal), rays, and sharks. Although it looks great, swimming is
not allowed. On the return you can swim and snorkel along the cliff
at the green beach. Wet landing.
Corona del Diablo ( Devil´s Crown )
A
partially submerged crater excellent for scuba and snorkeling. Close
to Punta Cormorant, it is a favorite spot for sea lions, white tip
reef sharks, rays, and colorful fishes. No landing.
Post Office Bay
A historical visit to
the eighteenth century barrel (and subsequent additions) erected for
a post office by British whalers. People still use the barrel to
send letters, but just for fun. Beyond this barrel is a trail to a
lava tube cave. The high point of the trail offers a view of the
bay. This site may be of interest for history buffs, but we found it
to be more like a tourist trap. You can swim in the bay although it
is rocky. Wet landing.
back
GENOVESA
This is one of the two most pristine islands you can visit
because there are little or no introduced species . The horse shoe
shaped island is the rim of an underwater volcano barely sticki8ng
out. Ships anchor inside the picturesque caldera. Because of its
distant location it is missed by many of the smaller
boats
Darwin Bay
Coral
beach, sea lions, red footed boobies and other birds . The bay has a
tided pool and a beach for swimming . Good chance to see hammer head
sharks while snorkeling. Wet landing.
Prince Phillip´s steps
Step trail to
cliff top with many types of birds colonies including red footed
boobies, masked boobies, gulls, great frigate birds and tons of
Galapagos storm petrels. Dry landing.
back
ISABELA
Isabela island is the largest ( 4588 sq. km/1771 sq. miles )
and tallest ( 1707 m/ 5600 ft). It is made up of six volcanoes
joined by extensive lava flows. From the ocean they often look like
separate separate islands. The visiting sites on the western coast
are very remote so you need to be on a long tour or a big boat to
get there.
Alcedo
Volcano
An overnight hike up the volcano . One of the
best places tom see Galapagos tortoises in the wild. Dry
landing.
Elizabeth
Bay
Panga ride. Mangroves, turtles, penguins, and
views of Isabela highland. No landing.
Punta Moreno
Lava flow with pioneer
plants, lagoons, and flamingos. Dry landing.
Tagus Cove
A step trail to a salt
lagoon crater, then beyond to a great view of the lagoon, and the
cove. Dry landing. Panga ride along the cliffs to see historic
graffiti.
Urbina Bay
An
area of ocean floor that uplifted from the sea in 1954 , with a
coral reef on it as proof. Flightless cormorants, pelicans. Wet
landing.
back
MOSQUERA
Very small white sand islet, between Baltra and Seymour. You
can see it from the airplane just before landing. Sea lions,
swimming and snorkeling.
back
NORTH SEYMOUR
A
small flat island. Rocks then a long sandy stretch where sea lions
and marine iguanas hang out next to a surf wave. The interior has a
Palo Santo and small Opuntia cactus forest with blue footed boobies
and magnificent frigate bird colonies. And hour and a half visit.
Dry landing.
back
RABIDA
The landing beach has unusual red sand. From there it takes a
forty five minutes to walk to trail that passes a flamingo/sea lion
lagoon and a look out. A nice cove in the rocks below the lookout
and the beach have good snorkeling . Look for the pelican nesting
area(seasonal) at the far end of the beach past the sea lion colony.
Wet landing.
back
SAN CRISTOBAL
Punta
Pitt
Impressive volcanic cliffs. The only visiting
site where all the three Galapagos boobies nest (red footed, masked
and blue footed). Wet landing.
back
SANTA
CRUZ
Caleta Tortuga Negra
You
panga ride inside the mangrove lagoon to look for the sea turtles,
rays and sharks in the clear calm waters. The motor is shut off to
silently row among the trees . No landing.
Las Bachas
Two white sand beaches.
One is popular for a swimming and snorkeling on both day and
overnights tours . There are small lagoons behind the beaches where
flamingos and great herons night be seen . Wet landing.
back
SANTA FE
Forest trail
A
thrirty-minute loop through the giant Opuntia cactus forest will
show you land iguanas that are unique on this islands. These rare
reptiles are esiest to find early morning and late afternoon. The
landing beach is known for its aggressive sea lions . Don´t get to
close. Wet landing
Cliff trail
A two hour trail with good views and a chance to see
some endemic vegetation including Scalesia. Wet
landing.
Snorkeling
There is exellent snorkeling
from the panga just off the point of the small islet that forms the
bay.
back
SANTIAGO
Bucaneer Cove
Between
Puerto Egas and Bartolomé, your boat will sail by a stretch of coast
on Santiago with beautiful cliffs, a small beach, and the Praying
Monk rock formation. Buccaneers landed in the cove in the late 17th
and early 18th century. Be sure you are scheduled to pass in the day
light or better yet, with sunset light.
Puerto Egas
Captivating colors and
shapes. The trail starts at the black-sand landing beach then goes
along the coast. Although the distance is short. It takes over an
hour to take in all interesting rocks formations, colors and
animals. Tidal Pools are filled with bright green algae that the
marine iguanas eat. At the end of the walk there is a grotto where
the Galapagos fur seals might be seen. Fun snorkeling from the black
sand beach with friendly sea lions. Wet landing.
Sullivan Bay
A good spot to visit
early in the morning since the hour-long walk is over a immense
black lava field. The lava flowed about one hundred years ago and
has only recently been colonized by the lava cactus and other
pioneer species . Interesting ropy lava formations (Pahoe-hoe), tree
moulds and tiny lava canoes are seen un close while the lush
highlands beckon from the distance. Good snorkeling from the beach.
We saw penguins from the panga. Dry landing.
back
SOMBRERO CHINO
That name means Chinese hat, because of the shape of this
small volcanic cone islet. Lava flows, Sea lions, hawks. Great
snorkeling. Wet landing.
back
SOUTH PLAZA
A popular spot for days trips and overnight tours because
of the variety of animals and close proximity to Puerto Ayora. Sea
lions and land iguanas are everywhere. The cliffs are home to
swallow – tailed gulls, boobies and tropicbirds. Opuntia cactus and
Sesuvium vegetation provide a colorful landscape. One part of the
islet is a sea lion bachelor colony. About two hours to walk the
trail. Dry landing.
back
- back to home page
- | 
