Buccaneer Cove is located on the northwest coast of Santiago Island. Its landscape is spectacular, with its cliffs filled with seabirds and its red sand beach. A unique landscape of the archipelago !

This site, as well as Santiago Island in general, is full of history. At the time, it was an interesting stop for sailors who docked there to collect fresh water, wood and also meat (mainly tortoises).

Urbina Bay is located on the west side of Isabela Island. The short treck inland allows you to see different type of wildlife such as land iguanas, mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks and occasionally, giant tortoises. You can also have a spectacular view of Alcedo volcano.

At the beach, you will be able to see the largest marine iguanas in the Galapagos. You can also see pinguins,  flightless cormorants, sea turles and much more while snorkeling around the area.

This Bay can only be visited by boat. This mangrove-covered environment is home to abundant life. You can observe several species of birds, sea turtles, rays, and with a little luck, you will be able to observe juvenile hammerhead sharks which take refuge in the mangroves. You can access this site through certain naturalist cruises or by day trips departing from Santa Cruz.

Located in the San Cristobal highlands, La Galapaguera is one of the Park’s breeding centers for giant Galapagos tortoises. This is the only site where you can observe the giant tortoises of San Cristobal in semi-captivity in a re-introduction project. This center aims to ensure the efficient reproduction of giant tortoises. Juvenile turtles are kept at the center until they reach a sufficient size to resist predators.

This is an amazing place to observe those beautiful creatures in a magical environment.

This beach is only accessible by sea. Its visit is often combined with a trip to Leon Dormido or with a tour of the island (tour 360). This beach is compose of two sections : one section of white sand and one section of mangrove.

It is a nice place to just relax on the beach with sea lions or take a swim in crystal clear waters.

Your National Park guide will be able to give you a lot of interesting informations about the fauna and the flora that cover this region.

Genovesa is a small island located at the northeast of Santa Cruz. This island is the paradise of bird lovers. The flat trails will leads you through the mangrove and saltbush where you will see nesting red-footed boobies. You can also see other species of bird like the lava gull, blue-footed boobies, lava herons and more. This island is only accessible via a very limited number of naturalist cruise itineraries.

Floreana is one of the 4 inhabited islands of the archipelago. It has only around a hundred inhabitants. The island offer very good wildlife watching opportunities. You can see flamingos, Nazca boobies, Blue-footed Boobies, Floreana Mockingbirds, sea lions and more. The island is full of important history for the Galapagos archipelago and which is worth learning about! Floreana can be visited by cruise, day trip or by staying overnight in the only hotel on the island: The Wittmer Pension.

Point of interest: Cormorant Point

Cormorant Point is located on the northern part of Floreana Island. It features a golden-greenish beach that is compose of a mixture of minerals, all of which are responsible for the sand’s unique color. Not far inland, a brackish lake home to a variety of migratory and coastal birds, is also ideal for flamingo-watching. Here, there’s quite a large percentage of flamingos living in one single pond ,considering the small population of Galapagos Flamingos.

Floreana also offers a couple of interesting dive sites: Devil’s Crown, Champion Islet, Cormorant Point

Puerto Egas, located on the western side of Santiago island (south end of James Bay), was once the site of a salt mine. It is now a beautiful tourist site that can visited by foot. The rough volcanic rocks make for some interesting walking. Puerto Egas offer two separate trails: The first along the coast to the fur seal grottoes and the second inland to the Salt Mine Volcano. The Galapagos fur seal prefers rocky coastlines where shade is available and the grottoes of Puerto Egas are ideal. The coastal trail ends at the grottoes. The inland trail is approximately 3 km long and ends at the top of the salt mine crater. During your hiking in Puerto Egas, you can easily spot sea lions, fur seals, marine iguanas, pelicans, blue-footed boobies and lava herons. Excursions to Puerto Egas are offer on naturalist cruises.

Dive site

Puerto Egas also offer amazing scuba diving. Dives sites offer shallow dives suitable for beginner level divers. The bottom consists of a irregular slope, mainly made up of sand and no deeper than 12 meters (40ft). Current is usually very little here, thus making it a enjoyable dive. Marine life is abundant, however, visibility may be a little limited. You can almost always see fur seals and sea lions during the dives. You can also find some animals here that you usually only find around Isabela Island such as sea pens, horn sharks, sea horses and sand anemones. 

Cerro Mesa is a nature reserve located on Santa Cruz Island. With an elevation that offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, Cerro Mesa is known for its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem. The region is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including several endemic species of plants and birds. Visitors can explore well-marked trails that pass through different habitats, from dense forests to more arid areas. One of the main attractions is the volcanic crater, which offers spectacular views and is home to several species of birds.

Additionally, Cerro Mesa has viewpoints from which you can enjoy views of the island and ocean, making it a great place for bird watching and photography. The reserve also participates in conservation and reforestation programs, contributing to the preservation of the natural environment of the Galapagos.

Los Gemelos, also known as the Twin Craters, are two impressive geological formations located on the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. These formations, although often called craters, are actually volcanic sinkholes created by the collapse of empty magma chambers.

Surrounded by a lush forest of scalesias, a plant endemic to the Galapagos, Los Gemelos offers a unique environment, different from the typical coastal landscape of the islands. This cloud forest is home to rich biodiversity, including endemic species of flora and fauna, such as Darwin’s finches, owls and several species of ferns and mosses.

A visit to Los Gemelos begins with a hike through well-maintained trails that allow visitors to explore these spectacular sinkholes. The trails are lined with dense, green vegetation, creating a calm and refreshing environment. As you progress, it is common to find local birds and hear the sounds of nature surrounding the area.The views from the crater rims are impressive, offering panoramic views of the huge depressions surrounded by vegetation. This contrast between the deep craters and the surrounding greenery creates a visually striking scene, perfect for photography and nature lovers. In addition to its natural beauty, Los Gemelos is a great place to learn about the geology and ecology of the Galapagos. Local guides often provide detailed information about the formations, the island’s volcanic history, and the importance of cloud forest ecosystems in biodiversity conservation.