Galapagos, Kingdom of Reptiles Part III: Isabela & Santa Cruz
Our short flight to Isabela took longer to check our bags than the duration of the flight. But as we landed, we were treated to a rare overhead view of the dried lava fields of this extraordinary island. After dropping our stuff at our hotel, we boarded our boat to head for the one hour journey to Tuneles, one of the most extraordinary locations on the islands.
The water conditions were a bit rougher than normal and the tide was high but our captain felt the entry was safe so we made our way to the entrance. This otherworldly land and seascape was only recently opened to travelers, previously it was a fishing spot but now fishermen have been hired to bring people to this special place. As we enter the area, we marvel at a small rock outcropping full of Galapagos penguins & blue footed boobies. The lava tunnels offer a view down into the water as turtles and fish pass by while blue footed boobies perch next to giant cacti.
After a short walk to take this place in, we enjoyed lunch on our boat and then headed to nearby El Finado for snorkeling. With the high tide, the first area we moved through had low visibility but we were still able to see several turtles (one nestled in some mangrove roots), as well as black tip reef sharks and a group of five spotted eagle rays. But as we passed through the mangrove, the water became much clearer and more green turtles came into view with every turn around the area. We were also treated to a group of white tip reef sharks hiding out in a cave.
The next morning, we headed away from the water to hike up to the crater of the Sierra Negra volcano, one of five active volcanoes on the island and the largest. Cool misty clouds greeted us as we got off the bus and started uphill. We were treated to several sightings of vermillion flycatchers, a brilliant red bird. As we got to the viewpoint, the dense clouds blocked our view of the crater but Pablo regaled us with stories of past eruptions.
Tortoise at Campo Duro
Plants our group planted to feed future tortoises at Campo Duro
On the way down, we stopped at Campo Duro, an agrotourism project that is participating in a tortoise reintroduction program. Our group had a wonderful lunch with food grown on the farm and then helped to plant tubers to feed the next group of tortoises that come through from the national park as they transition to the wild from the breeding center. We visited two adult tortoises that were not releasable live here and then took a tour of this unique farm.
On our final full day on Isabela, we split our time between land and sea. First, we explored the nearby mangrove estuary. Among the birds and mangroves, we saw a wild tortoise munching on plants; the local population is part of the reintroduction program helping to bring this species back. We also saw a couple of incredible marine iguanas lounging on the road, peeked into a lava tunnel, and heard stories of local history. That afternoon, we hopped on sit-on-top kayaks to explore the islands around Tintoreras across from the town. A gentle paddle offered a unique view of these islands and we spotted more penguins, boobies, and turtles along the way.
Feeding tortoise
Marine reptile posing
Before we caught our ferry to Santa Cruz, we headed to explore Tintoreras by foot and snorkel. First we took a short walk on one of the islands to learn about the marine iguanas nesting here and the lava formations of the island. As we walked to an overlook over a narrow shallow channel, we spotted a couple of white tip reef sharks (who the area is named after) lounging on the bottom (apparently not all sharks need to swim continuously). A curious sea lion came barreling into the far end of the channel heading straight for the sharks. He nipped at the sharks, sending them into a tizzy and then zipped back off, apparently just messing with them for fun! Our excursion ended with our final snorkel. Our first treat there was a seahorse, hanging tight to a drowned branch. That was followed by a bunch more sea turtles as we made our way around the island, the perfect way to end our stay on Isabela.
White tip reef shark
That afternoon, we caught the ferry to Santa Cruz Island, the most populous of the islands, for a two-hour ride. We had a bit of free time to explore before dinner and then met up for the nicest dinner of the trip at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the water. On our last morning, we took a tour of the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the organization’s efforts to restore the island’s tortoise populations. We got our first view of the unique saddleback tortoises with their interesting carapaces, along with many hatchlings. We also paid homage to the resting place of Lonesome George, the last known individual of the Pinta Island sub-species, the most famous Galapagos tortoise.
As we headed off in our different directions home or on further travels, we shared stories of our favorite parts of the trip. Over the week, we saw dozens of sea turtles, hundreds of sea lions, wild and human-bred tortoises, many species of birds, along with sharks, iguanas, rays, and many other animals. Our appreciation for the unique forces that created this wildlife paradise and the efforts it takes to protect it only grew as we traveled.
Learn more: Galapagos Turtles & Tortoises Conservation Trip