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Galapagos Islands Visits
Santa Cruz
This is a full-day yacht excursion along the east coast of Santa Cruz. South Plaza is a steep-cliffed island formed by uplifted lava. You can admire the hefty sea lions as they sun-bathe and play. The island is also famous for its colorful land iguanas. Their shades vary from yellows and oranges to reds and greens. In the evening, it's back to Hotel Silberstein for dinner!
North Seymour
Today's adventure lands you on North Seymour, a Galapagos island that accommodates large colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds. Our sea lion friends, so ubiquitous on the islands, will be there to welcome you.
Bartolomé
The volcanic and moon-like landscape of Bartolome appears deserted but harbors amazing sealife. In the water, you might spot a penguin darting after fish or a sea-turtle scouting the soft sand for a nesting place. This is a very popular snorkeling destination for Galapagos cruises.
Don't forget your camera! When you climb to the island's highest peak, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of Pinnacle Rock and Bartolome's surrounding bay. This monolith provides some of the most photographic scenery in the Galapagos Islands.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is characterized by its dry landscape and is overgrown by opuntia cactuses. This is one of the best places to study land iguanas. You might see a sea turtle or a shark while snorkeling in the cool waters.
Floreana
Floreana became famous for its "Post Office", a place where pirates and seamen placed their letters in old casks, hoping to have them delivered later on by someone returning to their homeland. This old custom is kept alive by many travelers. If you see a postcard there for someone living in your homeland, feel free to deliver it upon your return!
The "Devil's Crown" is an almost sunken crater. Only a semicircle of volcanic rock remains above sea-level. These rocks provide a home to breeding colonies of blue-footed boobies and red-beaked tropical birds. The Crown is a snorkeler's paradise.
Another beautiful site is Cormorant Bay. Its dense mangrove belt, close to a beach and a tranquil lagoon, is inhabited by flamingos, bahama ducks and more.
Land Based Tours
Santa Cruz Highlands
Traveling by bus, your Galapagos tour rises into the highlands of Santa Cruz. On a hillside farm you can find the giant "Galapagos Tortoises" which gave the islands their name. The following walk is a visual delight; the path bends into enormous lava tunnels formed by the island's volcanic activity.
After lunch, you'll walk to a beautiful white beach carved with lagoons. Here you will see a great variety of seabirds and land iguanas.
Charles Darwin
The Charles Darwin Research Center was created in 1960 by an international
committee in order to promote research, conservation, and education
in the Galapagos Islands. The center is located on Isla Santa Cruz,
a short walk away from Puerto Ayora. At the center, visitors can tour
the Van Straelen Exhibition Center where staff members are available
to answer questions about the islands and the ongoing restoration process.
The center also runs slide shows (narrated in several languages) that
describe the history of the islands and the current conservation efforts.
In addition to the exhibition center, the tortoise rearing house and the adult tortoise house, provide opportunities for visitors to observe the 11 subspecies of tortoises up close. In the rearing house, hatchlings and young tortoises are nurtured until they can be released, at about four years of age, to their home islands. Nearly 2000 young tortoises have been released so far!
Tortoises that cannot be released back into the wild find their home in the adult tortoise house, an area with several different enclosures for the education and protection of tortoises from each subspecies. Handling the tortoises is prohibited, but this is a great place to get close up photos of the tortoises feeding on cacti and snoozing by the artificial pond. It is also the only place to see the last remaining member of the Isla Pinta subspecies, Lonesome George. He is estimated to be anywhere between 100 and 150 years old! Efforts are being made to encourage him to mate with a female of a related subspecies, but so far he has shown little interest.
Beyond the tortoises are several shaded patios along the elevated boardwalks that weave throughout the center. Here visitors can take a break from the crowds and observe many of the native bird species, including Darwin's famous finches.
Don't miss the Charles Darwin Research Center as part of your Galapagos experience! Nearly all of the Galapagos cruises include a stop at the center as part of their standard itineraries.
