Open Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm 01242 253 073

Excursions in
Galapagos

Back to Galapagos

Tortuga Bay

The picturesque white-sand beaches of Tortuga Bay are well worth the effort of the hour long stroll from Puerto Ayora. You do not need a guide as it is very easy to find your way to the beach from the town, just ask your hotel to point you in the direction of the small registration hut where the dedicated path begins. Here is your last chance to buy water as there are no supplies beyond this point, so do come prepared. Once you reach the end of the stone path that winds through the vegetation, you arrive at the expansive bay which stretches along the coastline. At the first more exposed bay you can see sun-bathing marine iguanas, brown pelicans and even the occasional flamingo. The second mangrove lined bay of Playa Mansa is more sheltered, so makes a great swimming spot.

Las Grietas

‘Las Grietas’ is a fantastic swimming spot that is easily reachable from the town of Puerto Ayora. The name means the ‘crack’ and describes the inviting water-filled crevice in between two tall cliffs. Locals can be seen fearlessly jumping from the cliffs, so it also makes a good people watching spot. To reach the area from central Puerto Ayora take a short water taxi across the port to the Angermeyer Point, and walk towards the signed Finch Bay hotel. From the hotel you continue past a lava-strewn path for five or ten minutes until you reach the area.

Puerto Ayora

With its 12,000 residents, the town of Puerto Ayora is a surprise to many who would expect the Galapagos to be home to flora and fauna alone. If it wasn’t for the swooping pelicans, diving blue-footed boobies and bobbing marine iguanas at every turn, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for any small coastal South American town. Even though the town is fairly touristy, it still an attractive relaxed spot to explore on foot. Along with the string of souvenir shops that line the main drag, the town is also home to a wide array of restaurants producing some of the best food you’ll find in the Galapagos. The main area to explore is the waterfront Avenue Charles Darwin and surrounding off shoot roads, where you’ll find the majority of the restaurants and shops. If you continue walking along this road with the ocean on your right you’ll reach the town’s main attraction, the Charles Darwin Research Centre. This is where you can learn more about the scientists and volunteers who are helping to preserve the Galapagos, as well as get the chance to see some tortoises including some babies in incubators. In total it will take you 20 minutes to walk from the main port. It is well signed, but do ask the friendly locals for directions if you need assistance.

El Garrapatero

A 30 minute taxi ride from the town of Puerto Ayora, you’ll find the attractive beach of El Garrapatero. You’ll be dropped roughly 15 minutes’ walk from the beach itself. On arrival at the beach you’ll be rewarded with tide pools, fantastic snorkelling opportunities and viewings of the resident flamingos and black necked stilts.

Tortoise Reserve

The highlands of Santa Cruz are one of the best places to see giant tortoises in the wild; a tortoise reserve is usually one of the highlights of a Galapagos trip. Often a visit to a reserve will be included within a cruise itinerary, but if you are staying in a hotel during your time on Santa Cruz you may want to arrange this yourselves. El Chato Reserve is part of the National Park and requires you to be accompanied by a guide, whereas at the privately owned Rancho Primicias next to El Chato you can explore by yourselves. It will take about thirty minutes by taxi to reach from Puerto Ayora, so ask in your hotel if you’d like to arrange a visit.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the archipelago. An airport on the nearby island of Baltra is often a starting or ending point for Galapagos cruises, so Santa Cruz is likely to feature in your itinerary at some point. In terms of excursions, the central island has a lot to offer visitors. From sandy bays to volcanic features to lush highlands with roaming tortoises. The much hyped Charles Darwin Centre in Puerto Ayora is also included in some itineraries.

Diving the Galapagos

For the experienced diver, the Galapagos is a wonderful place to spot an extraordinary array of underwater life including turtles, sharks and rays. Currents can be strong and visibility low, so do bear this in mind! Diving day trips can easily be arranged from Puerto Ayora, to visit sites such as the famous Gordon Rocks for hammerhead sharks (you need a minimum 30 dives) or North Seymour Island for sealions and turtles. Please remember it is recommended to have 24 hours after diving before you fly after your dive.

Bartolome

If you've ever considered what it might feel like to walk on the surface of the moon, the volcanic landscapes at Bartolome are likely to be a familiar scene! Dotted with impressive craters, volcanoes and lava flows, it is an incredible landscape with spiralling oozing patterns of solidified lava. It may appear desolate, but one of the most fascinating things to see here is how life is slowly reintroducing itself. Green and white arid and littoral zone plants as well as the the odd lizard can be seen emerging from the cracks. Pinnacle rock is one of the most photographed spots in the Galapagos. Once you have climbed nearly 400 steps, you are rewarded with striking views of lush mangroves and two semi-circular coves that are joined in the middle. The area is also a popular snorkelling site as it is home to marine animals including white-tipped reef sharks, rays and sea-lions. There is also a white sand beach with marine iguanas, sally light-foot crabs, sea lions and, if you are lucky, Galapagos penguins.

Española

One of the most impressive and the oldest islands in the archipelago, Española is one of the more diverse and rewarding in terms of flora and fauna. A real highlight, this island is home to some endemic species. The waved albatross is the most famous, and nests here from April to December. This is also the only place where marine iguanas can change colour to attract a mate! Blue footed and Nazca boobies line the cliffs year-round, mockingbirds, American oyster catchers, Galapagos Hawks, finches and marine iguanas are amongst a few of the animals you might see.

Fernandina

The youngest and most volcanically active island in the Galapagos, Fernandina is one of the more pristine islands that you will visit. It has never been invaded by foreign species and therefore remains remarkably untouched by external influences; land iguanas have flourished without predators, while cormorants have adapted to become flightless and more adept to swimming as they have not had to fly away to escape predators! Galapagos sea lions and blue-footed boobies are in abundance, while mangroves are home to rich variety of bird life. Fernandina is also renowned for its Aa and Pahoe lava flows.

Floreana

Historically fascinating, Floreana has a chequered history and was home to pirates, buccaneers and convicts. In later years the fertile soils attracted whalers, who set up 'post office' for ships to collect letters to transport to England. It is still operational today, so you can drop off a postcard or two in the wooden barrel. Although this was the first island inhabited by man, it is also home to a vast amount of wildlife. Giant tortoises have been extinct since 1840, but green turtles still nest on the beach near Punta Cormorant from December to May, and the salt lagoon is home to greater flamingos and stilts. Devil's Crown is a volcanic crater and snorkelling spot, which is a nesting site for blue footed boobies and frigate birds. During mating season blue footed boobies perform their famous courtship dance and the male frigate puffs its bright red neck to attract mates.

Genovesa

Genovesa, or 'bird' island, is one of the prettiest and most impressive islands in the Galapagos. Boats usually sail through the opening in the huge caldera, and approach the curved white sand bay of Darwin's Bay. Here you are inundated with thousands of birds nesting in the salt bushes and seals playfully frolicking along the shore. If you are lucky, you may see a short eared owl after climbing Prince Phillip's Steps. The arid interior is teaming with birds and clouds of diverse species can be seen swooping overhead.

Rabida

Red in colour due to its high iron content, tiny Rabida is in the centre of the Galapagos. Visually striking rouge tinted cliffs and red sand beaches make this island very distinctive. You can walk along a short trail to see prickly pear cacti, Galapagos doves and blue-footed boobies nesting in the cliffs.

Santa Fe

Beautiful Santa Fe is one of the most attractive spots within the Galapagos. A walking trail leads to spectacular views of the blue waters, and endemic Santa Fe land iguanas often block your path on route!

Santiago

Santiago is teaming with dense vegetation, scalesia forests, a fur seal grotto and a volcano. Once inhabited, Puerto Egas was once a salt mining area with a black sand beach, while Espumilla is home to nesting sea turtles. Inhabitants introduced livestock which devastated the landscape, so today it is rather barren although it is returning slowly following conservation efforts.

Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat)

Resembling a pointed hat, vegetation is just beginning to develop on this volcanic island. A trail to the beach may allow sightings of the elusive Galápagos penguin, while the cliffs are full of scuttling orange sally-lightfoot crabs. Only small boats are allowed to stop at Sombrero Chino, as the lava is fragile and can break underfoot.

North Seymour

North Seymour is a tiny island located above central Santa Cruz and Baltra. It was formed by a seismic uplift, and is flat with small rugged cliffs. A forest of low bushy vegetation covers the island, which home to flocks of swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed and Nazca boobies, magnificent frigate birds and marine iguanas. You'll also see Galapagos land iguanas, which have been reintroduced following their extinction. It is one of the best destinations to visit during the mating season as you will see the inflated red pouches of the frigate bird proudly being displayed.

Snorkelling

With an almost magical array of underwater life at your fingertips, snorkelling is a wildlife enthusiasts dream in the Galapagos! Over 400 species of colourful tropical fish swim side-by-side with playful sea-lions, giant manta rays and surfacing sea turtles. Snorkelling is a big part of any trip to the Galapagos, and should be expected to feature heavily on cruise itineraries. Equipment will be provided and opportunities will be given to snorkel, usually at least once per day depending on the itinerary and the islands you are visiting. Depending on the landing site, you will either swim from the beach or disembark from the panga (a small motorised motor boat).

Exploring the Galapagos on Foot

Don't forget to bring your walking shoes - exploring by foot is often the best way to experience the diverse Galapagos flora and fauna. There are many dedicated nature trails throughout the islands, some can be taken independently while for others you must be accompanied by a dedicated naturalist guide. Trails and paths vary from gentle strolls through mangroves and cacti forests to the more challenging ascents to spectacular look out points. All activity can be classed as gentle to moderate - the most strenuous is the caldera hike to Sierra Negra on Isabela. The main thing these trails have in common is that you are very likely to be bombarded with phenomenal wildlife sightings, whether its stepping over tangles of lazing land lizards or tip-toeing around nests of red-footed boobies!

Exploring the Galapagos by Panga

A 'panga' is an inflatable motorised dinghy, usually carrying up to ten passengers - they serve as the main transportation method to get from your Galapagos cruise to reach each visitor site. Nesting bird cliffs, rocky coastlines and mangrove estuaries are sometimes easier to view from the water so, where this is the case, the panga ride is used for the excursion itself.

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

The town of Puerto Baquerizo is likely to be your base for relaxation or exploration in San Cristobal. Even though hotel development is on the rise here, the sleepy town retains its charm and is a lovely place to relax or use as a jumping point to visit the sights. Unlike many islands in the Galapagos, lots of nearby surrounding areas on San Cristobal can be visited by yourselves. La Loberia is a sea-lion laden beach with interesting surrounding walking trails. It is just a short taxi ride from the town, or a 45-minute stroll. The famous Interpretation Centre is well worth a visit, and gives an easily digestible overview of the Galapagos, including the biology, geology and human history. If you are looking to go further afield you can hire a taxi for a day to explore areas such as Galapaguera to see tortoises, misty El Junco Lagoon and perhaps the beach at Puerto Chino. It is worth asking at your hotel about the best way to combine visits and to get the most competitive rates for a taxi for the day.

Exploring the Galapagos by Kayak

Kayaking is a real treat in the Galapagos, and often can be booked directly from your hotel or will be included as an optional activity during Galapagos cruises. The experience can bring you face to face with curious sea lions and extremely close to surfacing sea turtles without even having to get wet! Galapagos restrictions mean that it is only possible to kayak in certain permitted areas, so do grab the opportunity to try kayaking when offered! Do let us know if this is something that you would like to experience, and we can make sure your boat or hotel includes this option.

Puerto Villamill

During your time in Puerto Villamill relaxation will be likely to be on the cards. You are in a great position as the town backs onto a wildlife rich lagoon, and the beaches and sandy roads make great spots to leisurely explore by yourselves. Ask your hotel for directions to the 1 km long boardwalk trail to the nearby Villamil Lagoon, known for its abundant birdlife. Continue to the end and you’ll reach a giant tortoise breeding centre, and another lagoon can be found another five minutes’ walk up the main road. Snorkelling at Los Tintoreras and cycling in the town are also popular. An interesting historical attraction is the Wall of Tears, a 100 metre wall built by convicts from lava rocks. The penal colony closed in the 1950s, and the wall represents an interesting period of Galapagos history. The site is around seven kilometres from the town, so is a short taxi ride.

Sierra Negra Trek

The caldera hike at Sierra Negra is one of the most impressive in the Galapagos. The trail is roughly six or seven miles in length and it is common to see hawks, finches and short-eared owls along the way. During the cooler season it can be foggy, and do come prepared for changeable weather.

Isabela Island Exploring

Extensive lava flows from six volcanoes have joined to form the largest island in the archipelago, making Isabela one of the most active volcanic spots on earth. Puerto Villamil is a sleepy town with much to see, including a tortoise breeding centre and the 'Wall of Tears', built by convicts from lava blocks. Sierra Negra is a popular caldera hike, with impressive views and many species of Darwin's finch. The island is the most likely spot to see Galapagos penguins, greater flamingos and there are more roaming wild tortoises than on any other island.

We'd love to keep in touch.

Sign up to get our latest team news, travel tips and holiday inspiration straight to your inbox.

© 2025 Holiday Architects ltd. All Rights Reserved.