Did you know that the island of Santa Fé is one of the oldest in the entire Galapagos archipelago? Santa Fé has underwater rock formations dating back approximately 4 million years. Its relatively flat surface is the result of tectonic uplift. In Santa Fe you will find one of the most iconic endemic species of the Galapagos: the Santa Fé land iguana. A very characteristic iguana due to its yellowish color. Another species endemic to this island is the Santa Fé rice rat, but don’t worry, it can only be seen at night.
During this day you will also be able to observe the largest species of opuntia cactus and the Galapagos hawk (the largest predator on the island), the blue-footed booby, the Galapagos sea lion, frigate birds (royal and magnificent) and the marine iguana.
Once the walk is finished, you can swim in the Encañada, where it is also possible to snorkel and observe sea turtles, rays, sea lions and colorful fish while swimming in the warm and crystal clear waters of this island.
Dive sites
The island of Santa Fé offers several sites for scuba diving. The first site is called the Punta and is composed of a pinnacle, the underwater floor of which is composed of stacked rocks forming a downward slope to a sandy bottom at approximately 91 feet (28 m). The second site, La Cueva, is also made up of rocks, with a network of “swim throughs” allowing you to have fun. Around Santa Fé, it is possible to observe a wide diversity of colorful fish, sea lions, red-lipped batfish and white-tip sharks. This island is only visited by daily trips from Santa Cruz. No diving cruise stops here.