10 Days Galapagos Island Hopping

From the Village of Santa Rosa you can hike down through the Guayabillo forest to the Tortoise Reserve, though it is easier to view them on one of the farms where they share the fields with cattle, watch out for the only “TORTOISE CROSSING” signs in the world ! There are also many mosses, ferns and other epiphytes on the trees, watch out for the small and large tree Finches, from Los Gemelos the road descends in a straight line to Itabaca Channel which separates Santa Cruz from Baltra, almost immediately it turns into the transitional zone and then, in marked contrast to the south side, there is a very long dry-zone. From the Village of Santa Rosa you can hike down through the Guayabillo forest to the Tortoise Reserve, though it is easier to view them on one of the farms where they share the fields with cattle, watch out for the only “TORTOISE CROSSING” signs in the world !

TINTORERAS, where we can do some snorkeling and watch the different species of fishes, corals and resting sea turtles. Then we’ll continue with the boat along the coast watching species like: blue-footed boobies, penguins, pelicans and frigate birds. Reaching the Isle of TINTORERAS, we’ll get to know the blue shark, marine iguanas and sea lions.

Los Tuneles. Canals in the lava rocks with bridges and caves. Cactus grow on the rocks and many big turtles, rays and fish can be seen swimming in the canals and pools filled with sea-water. includes snorkeling at a similar nearby site where sea-horses and sharks can be seen. Los Tuneles, Isabela-Galapagos had heard a lot about Los Tuneles, but the one thing that made me want to go there was this: “It’s like snorkeling in an aquarium.” It takes about an hour to get to Los Tuneles from Puerto Villamil, but what a glorious hour it is! There is an oceanic path of sorts that is primarily shallow water near the shore. So on the way, we got to see giant manta on the surface, so many sea turtles I was afraid we might run over one, and of course, those vistas on the land

A tiny forest of silver-grey Palo Santo trees stand just above the landing, usually without leaves, waiting for the rain to bring them into bloom. This island is teaming with life! You might have to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana; blue-footed booby nests sit beside the trail where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Further along, the rocky shore displays white sand, and large flocks of pelicans mass for a dive-bomb feeding frenzy, rendering a tableau for us from ages long past. The trail turns inland to reveal the largest nesting site in the Galapagos of the “magnificent frigate bird.” These huge, dark acrobats have two-meter wingspans, and males, with puffed up scarlet throat sacks; sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks.

Santa Fe offers one of the more beautiful and sheltered coves in the islands. Its turquoise lagoon is protected by a peninsula of tiny islets forming an ideal anchorage. The island lies to the southeast of Santa Cruz within sight of Puerto Ayora. Like North Seymour, Santa Fe has been uplifted seismically. Galapagos hawks are often spotted. The giant prickly pear cactus found here live up to their name, with tree-sized trunks. lucky hikers can spot harmless Gal. snorkeling in this area, You can expect to see a variety of marine life, including sea lions, turtles, rays, and sharks, marine iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, herons, and hawks.

Pinzón is home to giant Galápagos tortoises of the endemic subspecies Chelonoidis duncanensis, Galápagos sea lions and other endemic species. It has no visitor facilities and a permit is required to visit. It has an area of 18 km2 and a maximum altitude of 458 meters. Pinzón marks the geographical center of the Galápagos Islands, but neither of the two main Galápagos tree species are present. In the humid zone a unique species of daisy tree is found. Endemic Fauna: Penguins, Galapagos Sharks, White-tip Reef Sharks, Rays, Reef Fish Difficulty: Moderate: open-water snorkeling from boat (no disembarkation on Pinzon island)

Bartolome is famous for Pinnacle Rock, a towering spearheaded obelisk that rises from the ocean’s edge and is the best known landmark in the islands. Galapagos penguins—the only species of penguin found north of the equator—walk precariously along narrow volcanic ledges at its base. Sea lions snooze on rocky platforms, ready to slide into the water to play with passing snorkelers. Just below the surface, shoals of tropical fish dodge in and out of the rocks past urchins, sea stars and anemones. A perfectly crescent, pink-and-white sandy beach lies just to the east of the pinnacle. Sea turtles use the beach as a nesting site and can sometimes be found wading in the shallow water near the shore, or resting in the sand to recover from the arduous task of digging nests, laying eggs and covering them over.

Recommended sites to visit: -Las Loberias Beach -Visit the Treehouse, as part of a trip to a gorgeous beach, Giant Tortoises and a Crater Lake -Watch the Sunset at Punta Carola -Visit the Interpretation Centre -Walk up Frigate Bird / Cerro Tijeratas Hill for a spectacular view -Hang out with Sea Lions Saving the best for last! Without doubt, our highlight on San Cristobal were the sea lions. These guys are literally everywhere, in far greater quantities than on any of the other islands, lying on benches, in the road, on boats… yep, generally everywhere you can imagine. They are very used to humans (although you aren’t supposed to get within 2 metres of any animal in the Galapagos), so are easy to take photos of. They are also endearingly, unbelievably cute. We visited in December, which happened to coincide with sea lion babies being everywhere. And if there’s anything cuter than a baby sea lion wobbling across the sand, I don’t know what it is. So yes, sea lions. You can’t miss them.

This trip makes a 360 loop around the island in a boat or speed boat visiting several coastal areas mainly and some stops for snorkeling or beach time. Snorkeling is the main activity and expert and skillful local fishermen will take you to their traditional spots such as Fresh Water bay, Rosa Blanca (beach,walk,snorkeling), Punta Pitt (boat ride), Bahia Sardina (beach,snorkeling), Punta Pucuna (walk,snorkeling), Cerro Brujo( boat ride), Kicker Rock (snorkeling) among others. Depending on the conditions, you can also experience vivencial fishing and if the luck is on your side you might catch a good tuna, albacore or wahoo that may be prepared at any local restaurant.