Galapagos Travel Blog

Española Island

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:22:00 +0000

A rocky shoreline and rising swells await your landing at Punta Suarez on Isla Española in the far southeast of the archipelago. One of the smallest of the “large” islands (23 square miles), Española offers a coule of visitor sights and various special treats. Immediately upon landing, you can walk among sea-lion colonies to get close up photos of these adorable creatures. From here a short trail leads through colonies of lue footed and masked boobies. There is no need to stray off the trail here, you may actually have to be careful not to step on them along the way! An assortment of dancing couples in courtship highlights the walk.

Colonies of marine iguanas also line the path and are about as immobile as the rocks they rest upon. And don’t worry if a tiny black Galapagos snake crosses your path and are about as immobile as the rocks they rest upon. And don’t worry if a tiny black Galapagos snake crosses your path – its not dangerous. A highlight toward the end of the trail is the colony of giant waved albatross. This is the only nesting place for this species; they arrive from their travels from March through December. Keep walking, at the edge of the sea cliff are spectacular views of the ocean, the rocky shoreline, and a giant blowhole that sprays water neary 100 feet into the air.

Travel to the northeast side of the island is Gardner Bay, where a white sand beach and plenty of good swimming await. An offshore rock provides a great snorkeling opportunity. Española Island offers tourist no modern facilities and is accessible only as part of a prearranged tour. Reaching Española Island requires a long overseas passage, so the shorter tours with smaller boats are less likely to visit here.

Keep reading the other posts on our Galapagos Travel blog for more on the Enchanted Islands.

Floreana Island Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Most Galapagos travel agencies spend time checking out the wildlife near shore on a panga boat ride. Expect to find sea lion colonies, lava gulls, and pelicans. At Punta Cormorant there is an olive green beach with a short trail that leads across a narrow section of the island. Along this trail is a small brackish lagoon where bright pink flamingos and other lagoon feeders dwell. Sometimes there are dozens of flamingos here, but even if the flock is away there is still a good chance o witnessing a lone individual or two. Flamingos are very shy and nervous animals, so this is a good place to use your zoom lens. At the end of the trail is a white sand beach divided by black lava rocks.

Here you’ll find colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs dancing about and stingrays swimming in the shallows. It’s a great place to swim, but watch your step near shore. Shuffle and slide your feet through the sand to avoid stepping on a stingray. A panga ride from Punta Cormorant offers a special treat in the form of the Devil’s Crown. This volcanic plug that pokes out of the water just offshore is a great place to see nesting and resting shorebirds.

It is also one of the Galapagos best snorkeling areas. The crater offers a small coral formation and numerous species of bright tropical fish, including the blue parrotfish, various triggerfish, and the pufferfish. For an extra special rush, follow your guide’s lead and look for sharks. You may be fortunate enough to spot the awesome hammerhead and white tipped reef shark in one swim. Floreana Island has a few modern facilities and is accessible as part of most tours, particularly the shorter ones. There are a few places to stay near Black Beach on the western side of the island.

Keep reading the rest of the Galapagos Islands Travel blog to learn about the other magical islands !

Isabela Island

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:53:00 +0000

Isabela is a monster compared to the other Galapagos Islands. At 1,771 square miles, it makes up nearly three-fifths of the archipelago’s landmass. Connected by five relatively young volcanoes, two of which are sometimes active, Isabela’s sheer size makes it difficult to travel around and visit within the time frame of most tours, especially since the main sights are on the island’s far west side. Few standard tours undertow weeks in length visit Isabela, unless they skip the other major islands.

One of Isabela’s main attractions is at Urbina Bay, about midway up the island’s west coast. This uplifted plateau was underwater until 1954, as evidenced by embedded coral and other marine life. The area provides a good opportunity to see large marine iguanas, pelicans, flightless cormorants, sea turtles, and some of the few remaining mangrove finches.

The impressive Volcan Alcedo, 4,144 feet high is visible from here. If you have the time, do an overnight hike to the rim of the caldera. It offers active fumaroles and a spectacular view, and is the best place in the Galapagos to witness giant tortoises at home. Other overnight hikes include Volcan Cerro Azul and Volcan Negra (Santo Tomas). All of these hikes require permits and a willingness to rough it. Inquire well in advance at the National Park office in Puerto Ayora. Nearby is Tagus Cove, where early sailors often anchored. Look closely and you may spot their graffiti scratched into the side of cliffs, as well as possibly the Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant.

Tagus Cove

South of Urbina Bay is Elizabeth Bay where there is no place to dock and farther west is Punta Moreno. A dry landing is available, as well as a rough trail over lava flows and among brackish pools. Wildlife here is less abundant and diverse than on other islands that have been around longer.

Nevertheless, pioneering species are evident, as well as penguins and other shore birds. The main town is Puerto Villamil, along the south coast of the island, and inhabited by a few thousand people, with the smaller village of Santo Tomas inland from here. You can arrange travel to the interior of the island from Villamil.

Santa Cruz Island

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Chances are that your tour will begin here. A ferry from Isla Baltra provides transportation to the north side of Santa Cruz, land land transportation will continue to Puerto Ayora, where cruise vessels are docked.

Unfortunately, Santa Cruz Island is in grave danger as a result of continued development and travel. In fact, it has the largest population of all the Galapagos Islands, with over half of the archipelago’s 20,000+ inhabitants. Its future will depend on a recent moratorium on immigration to the islands and effective regulation of agricultural expansion as well as other indirect impacts of tourism.

Puerto Ayora, the main town and focal point for tourism, lies on the south side of the island. Within walking distance is the Charles Darwin Research Station. Most travel tours stop by the station at some point during their visit. The walk from town to the research station passes through a unique “forest” of manzanilla, saltbush, and various cacti. Insect, which are relatively under represented on the islands compared to the mainland, abound in various shapes and sizes. Birders will enjoy Darwin’s finches, fly catchers, and Galapagos mockingbirds.

The research station is important for understanding the magic of the Galapagos Islands and its struggle to survive. At the main travel center are numerous exhibits that describe the archipelago’s natural history, geology, historical issues, and conservation efforts. Slide shows are also presented here in serval different languages.

Farther along the main walkway is the tortoise conservation and rearing center. Learn about the natural history of the remaining endemic subspecies, as well as other ongoing projects. In addition, you can visit the center’s tortoise incubation and repartriation facilities, where repopulating efforts continue at full speed.

There are several small beaches nearby that are great for relaxing. Back in town, the ocean front street is a good place to pick up a souvenir or relax with a drink and a sunset view of the Academy Bay. Prices here are a bit higher than on the mainland. Don’t expect at the last minute to find an inexpensive, disposable underwater camera. They cost up to $25 here, compared to $15 in Quito. While you are lounging about near the shoreline, the wildlife – including marine iguanas, pelicans, and other shorebirds – may join you. Pangas, the little rubber motorboats, wait as water taxis at the pier to transport passengers between the island and their boats. Arrange to have a crew member pick you up, or take a water taxi for just over $1.

Recommended link: Travel and Tourism Directory

Enchanted Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:22:00 +0000

To speak of the Enchanted Islands is to be filled with the magic and nostalgia of all time and to see the archipelago from the air is to visualize this as the place where creation began and where it will end. The sea is not the same shade as the Carribbean, this is a mixture of places in different colors where the seals and their families are seen basking in the turquoise waters, and where the depth is made quite apparent by the intense shade of blue. To see the volcanoes which have literally given rise to these very different islands, some strikingly large and others decidely small, places where visitors can dream of spending a day, a year or even indefinitely observing the species which only exist here and which are usually only seen on a documentary or film on evolution. Green hillocks emerge from the sea as if intending to reach the sky in what is a unique place on the planet, only 1,050 kilometers from the Equator and discovered purely by accident in 1535 by Fray Tomas de Berlanga, the first person to set foot on the island when the ship in which he was traveling from Panama was dragged to the islands by the strong sea currents.

The first pirates were known to be aware of the islands by 1684, the time when Ambrose Cowley showed a distant place on the sea charts, a place where the tortoises were enormous and where there even existed animals from prehistoric times.

One significant factor equally indicated by the pirates as Fray Tomas de Berlanga is how tame were the animals which inhabited the islands. For many years the islands were used by the pirates as a place to rest, somewhere to bring and share out the treasure taken from the boats they had attacked, a place to carry out repairs on their boats and to stock up on food by taking the tortoises on board for a supply of fresh meat.

Conservationists say the islands haveactually lost numerous species due to human depradation during the 17th and 18th centuries. Officially the Archipelago de Colon, the islands also came to receive the name of the Galapagos Islands in honour of the gigantic tortoises which have lived here for millions of years.

Santiago Island

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:12:00 +0000

Santiago Island is one of the places most frequently visited by volcanologists with its many different craters created by inverted lava flows incorporating a great variety of the island´s species: iguanas, seals, flamingos, red crabs and fur seals.

One impressive sight is the beach surrounded by lava cones in James Bay where the black sand contrasts with the green seaweed which serves as food for the species. There´s also a salt mine and Sullivan Bay is one of the places to appreciate the most recent eruptions, over the last hundred years, and also the place where its possible to walk over lava flows still with vents for the gases to escape from the volcano.

Don't leave the Galapagos without traveling to Santiago Island !

Baltra Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:03:00 +0000

Baltra Island, only 100 meters above sea level and a surface area of 27 square kilometers, this little corner of the archipelago is the first place visitors come into contact with the islands, since here the airport is to be found, built in 1942 by the United States Navy when they were controlling the boats passing through the Panama Canal. With a temperature above 28 degrees at times, this place has a desert like landscape with flora typical of arid zones and brightly colored cacti typical of the volcanic landscape since these are to be found between the rocks which supported the lava found.

Travelers coming to the Galapagos for snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea diving practice around the island which is separated from the Santa Cruz by a channel. On a trip through the transparent waters the first travel companions are the seals and varioua birds, including chaffinches, all of which are likely to be seen during the fifteen minutes it takes to arrive at Santa Cruz, 900 square kilometers and the most highly populated of the islands.

The Enchanted Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Travel to the Galapagos

The enchanted islands as they are commonly known, attract thousands of tourists each year wishing to visit the place for first hand knowledge on the theory of evolution by the natural selection of the species. These visits consist of guided travel tours lasting a few days and with strict control on admission to avoid the endemic species. Some of the places do not allow access to anyone from the boats.

The most curious thing about this place is that visitors can move freely amongst the seals, iguanas,tortoises.... None of which are frightened by human presence, although it has to be said that neither is anyone allowed to lay a hand on any species.

Strict safety and travel regulations have been imposed since 1978 when the archipelago became listed as one of the Unesco World Heritage Sites. Actually the jewel of Ecuador and even though other countries have threatened to take possession, the Galapagos Islands have remained the very point of reference for this country which just so happens to be right in the middle of the world.

This blog is perfect for those of you traveling soon to the Galapagos Islands. My blog has many resources about anything you can think of when considering a trip to the Galapagos.

San Cristobal Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:33:00 +0000

The easternmost (and fifth largest) of all the islands is San Cristobal. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the main entry point and is the provincial capital of the Galapagos. Some flights actually arrive on San Cristobal and some tours begin here, although most begin in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. The town is quite pleasant, with laid back atmosphere and unique Afro-Ecuadorian culture.

Galapagos Travel- San Cristobal

A short ride or walk from town provides the opportunity to see the islands’ best and newest visitor center. Very modern and illustrative, it is well worth a visit to learn about the human and natural history of the island. Everything is written in both English and Spanish, and the interactive approach to the displays makes it quite enjoyable.

Another short trail out of town leads to Frigate Bird Hill, where both the greater and the magnificent frigate birds are known to nest. The hill also provides good views of the bay. Northeast of town, past the village of El Progresso, is the highest point on the island, Cerro San Joaquin (2,930 feet); and several miles farther, El Junco, a freshwater lagoon. Not many tours head out this direction, but the trail offers a good opportunity to view the inter island life zones without the heavy traffic of Santa Cruz Island.

The tiny Isla Lobos is about an hour of travel northeast of Puerto Moreno by boat. Although not as spectacular as some of the other stops, it is the site of the main sea lion colonies of San Cristobal. Swimming with sea lion pups in the shallows is a tour highlight for many people.

Farther down the coast another hour or so is the sheer rock outcrop of Leon Dormido, or “Sleeping Lion”. This tiny island has been eroded in half, and boats can pass right through the center if the ocean is calm enough. Just circling around its massive vertical walls is exciting. There is no landing here, but boats will drift around while you snorkel between the rocks.

The marine display is usually fascinating, there’s a good chance of witnessing sharks or even a massive, spotted eagle ray. Punta Pitt and Turtle Bay lie at the north end of San Cristobal. Punta Pitt offers the chance to see all three species of boobies nesting in the same area, and the only place to see the nesting red footed booby. Sea turtles are often found at Turtle Bay. Inland and a good hike away is Los Galapagos, one of the best places to witnesss the giant Galapagos tortoise in its natural environment. Many tours do not have time for the four hour round trip hike into this area, so be sure to inquire if you are interested.

- Article written for the Galapagos Travel blog

Galapagos Islands Birds Trivia- Answer Correctly and WIN

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:03:00 +0000

Which of these five birds are found on the Galapagos Islands?

Readers with the correct answer will be entered into a drawing for a free Galapagos Islands tee shirt and cap.

* Enter your answer below to participate :)

Baltra Island - Travel Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Beautiful shot of a pelican feeding !!! Most travelers enter the Galapagos Islands via the small airport at Isla Baltra, which was developed as a US airbase in the early 1940s to protect US interests from a perceived trheat from Germany at the Panama Canal, as well as to prepare US forces en route to battle against Japan in the South Seas. In fact, Baltra was the largest military base in all of South America at the time, and created the first large scale wave of immigrants from mainland Ecuador and surrounding countries. They built the infrastructure in record time. Now it is an Ecuadorian air base with only remnants of a bygone era. Travel essentially begins here.

Just north of Santa Cruz Island, Baltra is a tiny island (10 square miles) that is primarily used as a point of arrival and departure for island tours. If you are on a prearranged tour, your host will probably meet you at the airport. Or follow the crowd from here to the shuttle bus, which takes you to the ferry that crosses over the Santa Cruz Island. Wait along the shoreline and watch as pelicans dive for fish nearby. Your wildlife viewing has already begun! Once on Santa Cruz, another bus or private transport will cross the island to Puerto Ayora, where most travel tours begin.

Santa Cruz Island Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:01:00 +0000

Chances are that your tour will begin here. A ferry from Isla Baltra provides transportation to the north side of Santa Cruz, land land transportation will continue to Puerto Ayora, where cruise vessels are docked.

Unfortunately, Santa Cruz Island is in grave danger as a result of continued development. In fact, it has the largest population of all the Galapagos Islands, with over half of the archipelago’s 20,000+ inhabitants. Its future will depend on a recent moratorium on immigration to the islands and effective regulation of agricultural expansion as well as other indirect impacts of tourism.

Puerto Ayora, the main town and focal point for tourism, lies on the south side of the island. Within walking distance is the Charles Darwin Research Station. Most tours stop by the station at some point during their visit. The walk from town to the research station passes through a unique “forest” of manzanilla, saltbush, and various cacti. Insect, which are relatively under represented on the islands compared to the mainland, abound in various shapes and sizes. Birders will enjoy Darwin’s finches, fly catchers, and Galapagos mockingbirds.

Santa Cruz Island Galapagos Turtles

The research station is important for understanding the magic of the Galapagos Islands and its struggle to survive. At the main visitor’s center are numerous exhibits that describe the archipelago’s natural history, geology, historical issues, and conservation efforts. Slide shows are also presented here in serval different languages. Farther along the main walkway is the tortoise conservation and rearing center. Learn about the natural history of the remaining endemic subspecies, as well as other ongoing projects. In addition, you can visit the center’s tortoise incubation and repartriation facilities, where repopulating efforts continue at full speed. There are several small beaches nearby that are great for relaxing.

Back in town, the ocean front street is a good place to pick up a souvenir or relax with a drink and a sunset view of the Academy Bay. Prices here are a bit higher than on the mainland. Don’t expect at the last minute to find an inexpensive, disposable underwater camera. They cost up to $25 here, compared to $15 in Quito. While you are lounging about near the shoreline, the wildlife – including marine iguanas, pelicans, and other shorebirds – may join you. Pangas, the little rubber motorboats, wait as water taxis at the pier to transport passengers between the island and their boats. Arrange to have a crew member pick you up, or take a water taxi for just over $1.

Just southwest of town lies another interesting sight – Turtle Bay, with one of the nicer beaches in the islands. Take the self guided trail near the Pacifictel telephone office and walk for about 45 minutes to the white sand beach. There you may find various seabirds, marine iguanas, and perhaps a shark or two.

In the interior of Santa Cruz, you can also explore the highland ecosystem. There are a few trailed areas worth inquiring about if you have an extra day or two on the island before or after a tour, including lava tubes, sinkholes, and a tortoise reserve. There are tours of eight days or longer that explores the highlands, so be sure to inquire if you are interested.

Puerto Ayora is the hub of tourist activity on the islands and has the best modern facilities. Plenty of shops, restaurants, and Post and communications are also available here.

On the north side of the island are a couple of visitor sites for boat tours that generally begin or end at the nearby Baltra Island, a snorkeling destination. Las Bachas offers a beach landing just west of the channel to Baltra Island. There is a good swimming here, as well as a variety of wildlife that includes marine iguanas, crabs and great blue herons. Pink flamingos are sometimes found in the lagoon. Farther west is Caleta Tortuga Negra, a small cove that provides a breeding ground for green sea turtles and is a habitat for reef sharks, rays and blue herons.

Galapagos Snorkeling and Swimming

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:33:00 +0000

Snorkeling is readily available on tours and is a highlight for many visitors. The water remains a pleasant 72F from January to April, but can drop to a chilly 64F throughout the rest of the year. Although the snorkeling doesn’t offer the sheer concentration of tropical reef fish as found at the Great Barrier Reef, for example, the variety of marine life is astounding.

Nowhere else on earth can you witness a rainbow of tropical fish, awesome hammerhead sharks, giant sea rays, causal sea turtles, and lightning fast penguins all in the same place. For a real treat, snorkel the shallows near a family of sea lions. They will swirl and twist in a dizzying display of underwater antics, especially the young pups and will expect you to swim where your guide recommends.

Tower (Genovesa) Island

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:52:00 +0000

An outlying island, it is well worth making a trip out here, as you can see not only large colonies of red-footed boobies, but nests of frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropicbirds, storm petrels and masked boobies as well. Some other birds that have been spotted here as well include the endemic Galapagos Dove and short-eared owls.

Tower is a small island at the upper right hand corner of the Galapagos Islands. It is not visited as often as the more central islands because of the length of the voyage and the possiblity of rough seas. There are two tourist points on the island: the beach and tidepool area around Darwin Bay and the inland area reached from the bay by what are known as Prince Philip's Steps. Both sites are very good for seeing marvalous birdlife like the redfooted booby.

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 17:28:00 +0000

Travelers to the Galapagos can stroll around the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, pass by the statue of Darwin, go into a local cafe for a cool drink, and check out the small museum and the shops there.Your guide might arrange for the group to take a bus to the highlands.

Now that San Cristobal has an airport and a number of tours start and end there, the town is undergoing some rapid enhancement in its tourist-related facilities. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno also is the jumping-off point several small excursions to nearby islands. Isla Colon offers a dry landing, sea lions, and frigate birds. And Kicker Rock and Isla Lobos are impressive sites, often visited on the last afternoon before the departure from the airport at the village. Kicker Rock is a boat-based tour around these dramatic monoliths jutting out of the water. Isla Lobos is a brief land visit.

The Interpretation Center on San Cristobal, Galapagos

This center is a spectacular addition to the islands. It was inaugurated in August 1998. Its supporters included the Spanish government and the government of Ecuador. The center is on the edge of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, and it is reached by a short bus ride, arranged for you by your Galapagos travel guide. The center is wonderfully designed to tell the natural and human history of the islands and to serve as an active educational resource for visitors, island schoolchildren, and other residents. It is a beautiful, light, airy building, made of the local stone and wood to blend into the slightly hilly landscape on which it is located. You move easily from room to room, from era to era of archipelago history. The displays are stunning, with luminous portrayals of the geological evolution of the islands and colorful displays of land and marine life.

The human history is told through a combination of paintings, old photographs, and three-dimensional re-creations of early life on the islands. The horrendous story of the penal colony that existed for more than 150 years, until it was closed in 1954 when the appalling conditions there became known internationally, is riveting and dismaying at the same time. The intriguing story of some of the twentieth century’s distinctive immigrants from Europe, with broken dreams, divided loyalties, and suspected murders, is equally well told.

For a little break from the learning, take a few minutes to walk and travel outside the building along the boardwalks that extend from it into the surrounding thickets of Palo Santo and other dry, lowland vegetation. The wind sweeps up the hillside from the harbor, and you will have excellent views of the water a kilometers or so away.

Rabida Galapagos Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:47:00 +0000

The Galpagos Travel blog gives you a feel for the Rabida. At first glance, Rabida is another typical beach-plus-mangrove-plus-flamingo lagoon site. But what makes it very different and very memorable is the color of the beach and island soil: a rich russet that gleams in the sun and gives everything on it a special quality of soft beauty. The reddish hue comes from the oxidation of the iron-rich lava that is the basis of its soil.

Rabida-Galapagos

The island is an hour and a half by boat from Sombrero Chino. It is small, just a little over 2 kilometers across at its widest point. It is steep and rugged and rises to more than 400 meters at its highest point, although the visitor will be staying at the lowest elevations. The chief vegetation on the slopes is opuntia cactus, Palo Santo trees, and other scrubby bushes. Right at the shoreline is the band of mangrove that separates the beach from the saltwater lagoon inland just a few meters.

The landing is a wet one onto the narrow strip of beach. Usually a number of sea lions are on the beach or in the small caves that have been formed in the cliffs at the water’s edges. Even if you see no sea lions basking or swimming at the beach, your nose will tell you whether they are still to be found a little farther on. Be careful when you walk into the mangrove strip because the sea lions also love to sleep in the shade of the bushes. It is entirely possible to unexpectedly step on an extended flipper. An irritated Galapagos sea lion can move amazingly quickly and inflict quite a bite, so caution is called for.

It takes only a minute or two to reach the lagoon.With any luck there will be flamingos sieving through the brackish water for the minute plant and animal life that they depend on for food. Each time I was there we also saw several Galapagos white-cheeked pintail ducks (Anas bahamensis). This is a very attractive bird with a steel-blue bill decorated by fuchsia stripes along its lower length.

The trail is a gentle 1-mile circular route. It goes up a slight slope to a cliff that overlooks a small ocean inlet. The path leads to an excellent view of a tiny cove; its white sandy bottom and blue waters are set in the frame of the red cliffs on which you stand. You will have a lovely stroll among the Palo Santo trees, and there are some sweeping views of the ocean from the low cliffs that the trail approaches. Always there is the contrast of red soil, blue water, white sea floor, and gray-green vegetation.

Bartolome Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:11:00 +0000

This is the single most visited place in the Galapagos. If you saw just one photograph of the islands before you came, it probably was of Bartolome’s Pinnacle Rock, towering over a perfect blue cove, lined by a copper-colored beach, and set off by the rugged profile of Santiago not far in the distance.

There are two sites on this small island: a hike up an extinct lava cone for a sweeping view of the nearby islands and a beach where snorkeling and birdwatching can be very good.

Bartolome Galapagos - Summit Trail

The landing for the summit trail is a dry one, directly from the panga onto a rock and concrete stairway from water level. The trail is 600 meters one way. It is a wonderfully designed and sturdily constructed boardwalk, built to preserve the fragile tuff cone surface from the erosion of thousands of visitor feet. The boardwalk steps are easy to manage, wide and not too high. There are several points where you can pause and look out at the increasingly spectacular view as you make the ascent.

All along the walk, you will be struck by the stark beauty around you. The gracefulness of the contours contrasts with the near-barrenness of the slope on which you climb. As you look closer, you will see the little lava lizards scampering across the ground or sitting on one of the small boulders that were blasted out of the throat of the now-extinct volcano that formed the island.

The wind picks up as you reach the very top of the island, so it’s best to bring a windbreaker here. There are several flat areas on which to stand and look all around you. There is nowhere else on the islands where you can get such a strong sense of the sheer number and variety of sizes of the islands of the Galapagos Travel. The nearest island you can see is Santiago, a few minutes away by boat. South are Santa Cruz, Baltra, and Seymour Norte. Rabida is to the southwest. And there are dozens of islets and large rocks protruding from the ocean’s surface.

The larger islands are dramatically colored, with the typical orange base, the sweeps of black lava, and the fringes of gray life. The ocean’s color ranges from nearly white at shorelines to turquoise to blue and gunmetal gray. The profiles of the land, the contours and dimensions, are endlessly fascinating and beautiful. Pinnacle Rock (about 70 meters high) at the mouth of the Bartolome cove sets off the scene admirably. The top of the island is very far above it, and you can easily see the frigate birds that use it as a roost between their raids on other birds.

Keep an eye on the water further out, too. On my latest visit, huge manta rays were leaping out of the water, turning somersaults as they emerged.

Sullivan Bay Galapagos Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:48:00 +0000

As your boat passes by Santiago Galapagos on its various trips and as it pulls into Sullivan Bay itself, you often see wedges of black lava cutting across the island’s reddish slopes. Santiago is a classic volcanic island, rising to a dominant cone nearly 1000 meters tall at its northwest side. It also has many smaller cones projecting from its major slope, some having craters and others not.

Sullivan Bay Galapagos Islands

Sullivan Bay is the place to be reminded of how active the volcanic earth building is in the Galapagos. This site features a lava flow slightly more than 100 years old. It is a great swath of lava that oozed down to the sea, curling around small cones that came before it, adding land at the sea’s edge where there was no land before. There is a lot to be learned here about land-building processes, but first there is the feeling of astonishment and mystery as your walk over the shiny black lava fields.

The landing is a dry one onto a small ledge. You should wear lightweight running shoes to protect your feet on landing and on the fairly smooth but sun-baked lava flow. (You guide may have toughened bare feet, but visitors rarely do). Watch for penguins near the landing area. You may be lucky.

As your enter the lava field, what looks from a distance to be monotonous paving turns out to be a multilevel terrain of sheer fascination. It is like being in immobile black batter – 110 square kilometers of it. The proper name for this kind of flow is pahoehoe, pronounced with five syllables (“pa-ho-e-ho-e”). the word is Hawaiian for “ropey”. It is used by scientists everywhere to describe the same type of lava flow and surface character. It is a very apt word, conveying very well the shapes the lava takes as it flows fairly slowly, hardening into fans and swirls and protrusions of roughly parallel rope-shaped strands.

This kind of pattern is formed when the superheated lava cools more rapidly on its surface than in its interior. The lower, hotter part continues to flow and the upper parts begin to drag as they cool and harden, this uneven cooling gives the flowing mass its characteristic fan shape, with a series of curving creases roughly perpendicular to the direction of the flow. The flatness of the land over which it flows (the lava tends to separate and flow around obstacles such as earlier-established volcanic cones) and the fact that this flow went rather slowly overall (it was not the result of explosive volcano-buildin) allowed the flow to meander. There are fans a few inches in diameter as well as ones several meters across; they all interweave and overlap in the most marvelous fashion. Some of them look very much like other things; one part you’re likely to see the one called “pig guts” by the locals, and there’s no arguing the accuracy.

Stay tuned for more on my Galapagos travel journey...

Puerto Egas - Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:15:00 +0000

In my travel throughout the Galapagos Islands I really enjoyed visiting Puerto Egas of James Bay... The trail, which actually follows the remnants of a road wagons once used to haul the salt, starts to wind away from the shore and up around the slopes of the crater’s cone. It’s hard to get much of a sense of the topography at first; there’s just a slope on your left side and flat ground to the immediate right. It’s an easy walk, although on a very hot day it can seem a lot longer than it is. Wear tennis shoes, not sandals; light-weight slacks also are a good idea. Somehow this hike seems to be one of the hottest excursions. The way to minimize discomfort is to keep a close eye on the sights alongside as you walk, and don’t be impatient to reach the rim of the salt crater itself.

But move along; as the elevation gradually increases, the birdwatchers in the group probably will have some great moments. The slope of the crater is a likely place to see the vermilion flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus). Just as it stands out in the dark piled on each other in layers, two or even three deep. This seems to be a way of retaining each other’s body heat. They seem to complete with each other for the spot that has the most direct exposure to the sun, even if it means clinging nearly vertically from a shoreline boulder with tails hanging out into space.

The walk will be an easy 15 minutes, ending at a small plain of black lava flow. This area is pocked by three aquamarine potholes. These holes are formed in the same way that the Santa Cruz lava tubes were formed, only these are not land-locked. The lava flow went out to the open sea and now the water rushes in and out of the tubes with the tides. The tops have caved in here and there, making the open pothole that you look down into. At one time, visitors could swim in these grottoes, but the combination of risks to swimmers of surging tides and of disturbing the wildlife has closed this option.

The main two pools are a wonderful sight, they're connected as they are to each other, with a bridge of black lava arching over them near the middle of their length. The exit of the pool to the open sea also has an arch over it, where it’s great just to sit and watch the water flow back and forth below you.

Travel Galapagos - James Bay

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:10:00 +0000

James Bay travel in the Galapagos Islands

If you travel to Galapagos make sure to make a stop in James Bay… This bay, on the northeast side of Santiago, is a lovely stopping place in itself, but its chief function is the starting point for three visitor sites: the salt crater, the fur seal grottos, and Espumilla Beach, with its flamingo lagoon. The first two are reached from the same anchorage, and Espumilla Beach is a short boat ride to the northern end of the bay.

Before moving to the visitor sites themselves, it’s worth noting that this Galapagos bay usually offers a particularly good chance to savor the sea life around you. If you travel there in the early morning or late afternoon, sit on deck and watch what goes on around the boat. The boobies plunge for fish, and the pelicans dive and then swim along the surface, followed closely by the brown noddies, who hope that fish will spill out of the pelicans’ pouches. Sometimes a noddy even sits on a pelican’s head to be really close to the action. Sally lightfoot crabs scuttle over the exposed black rocks near the shoreline. (They’re especially easy to see on the rock protruding, fingerlike, above the surface near the point where you will disembark.

When I was there in an El Niño year, this Galapagos anchorage was the place where I saw the most storm petrels (Oceandroma castro) at once, flitting and dipping over the water’s surface as they fed. The water was so calm that in the flat light of evening it gleamed as though dark oil had been poured on it. Only these tiny birds, themselves nearly completely back, relieved the unbroken somberness as I peered down onto the water.

Travel Galapagos - Santiago and Nearby Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Travel Galapagos suggests touring Santiago’s numerous visitor sites and its location in the center of the islands make it one of the most familiar islands of a Galapagos travel. You go from site to site on Santiago, learning about the human history of the islands and seeing the fur seals or Galapagos hawks. Some of the shoreline was created by lava flows just a hundred years or so ago. You will take a quick jaunt to Bartolome’s Pinnacle Rock or pull into the quiet cove of Sombrero Chino to anchor in a storm. But wherever you go around the island, the cone of Santiago’s Sugarloaf Volcano or the sweep of black volcanic rock on its shores will appear again and again, giving you a visual anchor for a major part of your visit.

If you travel to Santiago-Galapagos it may wind up being the jumping-off point for the very long trip northeast to Genovesa, home of the red-footed boobies and thousands of storm petrels. It is also an important example of successful eradication of introduced species – with pigs eradicated in 2001 and the goat population soon to follow.

Travel Galapagos - Santiago (San Salvador, James)

Your itinerary is likely to bring you back to Santiago (James) Island several times. Its visitor sites are on the east and west sides of the island, and its central location in the archipielago means that your route will pass it often as you criss-cross to the more distant islands or to the numerous visitor sites on nearby islands.

This island has powerful evocations of past human use, including the extraordinary ravages of introduced goats and the remains of several attempts at salt mining. It also has some of the most impressive natural sites: the fur seal grottos, a flamingo lagoon, and the geologically recent lava flows at Sullivan Bay. At each of the sites, birdwatching is particularly rewarding, with sightings of flamingos. Galapagos hawks, or vermilion flycatchers likely. Migrating shorebirds are seen regularly also.

Travel Galapagos - Plaza Sur

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Traveling the Galapagos Islands without visiting Plaza Sur would be a huge mistake. There’s a lot to see for travelers. Plaza Sur is a tiny island, the southern one of a pair of crescent-shaped islands not far-off of the east side of Santa Cruz. Plaza Sur is just 130 meters wide and a kilometer long. Unlike the conical volcanic islands, it is the effect of shifts in the earth’s crust, which have lifted it on top of the surface of the water. It is like a tilted tabletop, expanding gradually from the beach to cliffs of about 20 meters on the south side.

I like to emphasize Plaza Sur for those of you who travel Galapagos for a number of reasons. For instance, landing on the islands usually is trouble-free because there is a small cement jetty to which the panga can pull up. If the water is calm, you should be able to make a dry, sometimes slippery landing and then take the easy walk of about one hour. The only problem to landing is that sea lions also love to lie on the jetty. The guide usually has to clap or make other noises to make them go away, usually rather grumpily.

Once you reach the island, the first thing you will notice is the vegetation. This is one of the islands with tree sized opuntia, or prickly pear cactus. They are very handsome with their bright russet bark, textured in a mosaic of elongated diamond-shaped plates. Growing from the bark are veritable explosions of gray spines, more than three centimeters long. Along the branches and at their tips are great fleshy paddles. These green paddles are a source of food for the finches and the land iguanas that are common here. It is wonderful to see the sturdy, pink tongued iguanas stand on their hind legs to munch on those spine-laden pads. Leathery gums seem to be their savior.

You see… Why would you travel Galapagos without checking out this fascinating island?

Travel Galapagos - San Cristobal

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:24:00 +0000

Travel Galapagos

San Cristobal, Galapagos is becoming a major tourism site now that its airport is being used as the arrival point for many travelers. The port, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, is the organizational center for the islands. A stroll down the main street can be enjoyable, and a cool drink often is welcome. Travel Galapagos should include birding in the hills behind the town can be rewarding too. Your group is likely to be taken to several visitor sites in the higher elevations.

Directly south of San Cristobal is Hood Island. It is the nesting site of the waved albatross, and there are colonies of Nazca and blue footed boobies. When you arrive on Hood you are greeted by some of the largest and most colorful of the marine iguanas and usually by lots of sea lions.
When you travel galapagos try to go West of Hood is Floreana, where there’s a good chance to see flamingos and migrating shoebirds in its large, brackish lagoon. For human history, Post Office Bay is the place to go. It’s a place that reminds you that Darwin came to this spot, and you’ll see mementos of many more recent visitors.

For snorkelers, one of the best moments of the trip can be a quick visit to Devil’s Crown, just a few hundred meters off Floreana. This ominous looking, partially submerged lava cone provides a protected area for swimming. If the weather is good and the sea calm, you’ll want to get into your panga for the short trip to the middle of the Crown and slip over the side for a few minutes of underwater beauty.

Travel Galapagos - Top 10 Interesting Facts of the Galapagos

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Travel Galapagos list the "Top 10 Interesting Facts of Galapagos" as follows:

1. Remoteness. There are almost no other islands off the western coast of South America and no easy means of rapid communication with the outside world.

2. Strong Currents. Many underpowered ships were carried from the central or South American coastal waters to the Galapagos

3. Inaccessibility. Despite the natural tendency of a boat to drift in the direction of the Galapagos, access to the islands has been for the most part tricky due to their remote location.

4. Tactical location. The Galapagos Islands are an ideally located supply port and lie directly in the entrance path of the Panama Canal. These facts were not lost on the major international powers

5. Dry Conditions. Many visitors arrived in search of water. Most of the early arrivals failed in this quest. A seemingly disproportionate number came to Floreana Island, due to the known water supply.

6. Safe Haven. The Galapagos was thought of and used as a haven by many. Most were disappointed with the reality of the harsh life.

7. Exploitation. The influence of man has brought several wildlife species, notably the giant tortoise, sperm whale, and fur seal, to the point of extinction.

8. Unprofitability. Repeated attempts at commercial use of the islands have met with failure. Tourism and modern day commercial fishing are proving to be the sole exceptions.

9. Surrealistic image. The islands have always been perceived as a blend of the angelic and demonic. Before the tourism industry referred to Las Islas Encantadas “The Enchanted Islands”, the correct translation and initial use of the expression meant “The Bewitched Islands”

10. The Galapagos Islands are often referred to as Darwin’s “living laboratory of evolution.”

Travel Galapagos – Trip Duration

noreply@blogger.com (Elvis Arias) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Most Galapagos tours usually travel for eight days, seven nights. In reality, only seven full days are spent traveling the islands, since typically the first and last days are partials, with an early afternoon arrival and departure. My blog refers to these as one week travel tours. The itineraries are, for the most part, well organized, and a diversity of flora and fauna can be observed. I would classify this as the minimum recommended travel duration that’s if you want to come away with a good feeling for the Galapagos. Unfortunately, I must say that there are a growing number of people who take a three to four day Galapagos travel tours. These travel tours cannot be recommended since travelers will spend so much time getting there, unpacking, repacking and ready to leave the irritations of travel, especially South American travel, will most likely overshadow the short experience itself.

In order to travel Galapagos well, a two week travel of the Galapagos Islands is suggested for those of you who want to get the max in regards to observation, photographic opportunities, and just plain enjoyment. I mean that why we’re traveling to Galapagos in the first place right? Let me further explain… Each island is different with its own matchless ecosystem and wildlife division. Not only are many species prevalent to the Galapagos Islands, they are also prevalent to a specific island. In other words, each island has plants and animals that you’re not going to see on any other island. The idea is, the more islands you travel too the more unique wildlife you’re going to se. If you want to see the redfooted booby, you have to travel to either Tower (Genovesa) Island or Punta Pitt on San Cristobal Island. If you want to see the waved albatross, you have to travel to Hood (Española) Island. If you want to see the flightless cormorant, you have to travel to Isabela or Fernandina Island. Trust me the list goes on and on…

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