Prepare for an adventure-filled exploration through the Galapagos Islands on this beautiful island. During World War II, the islands airport was a US Military base protecting the Panama Canal from enemy attack. Surrounding the airport now you will see land iguanas indigenous to the island.

Gardner Bay on Espanola’s northern side hosts one of the longest beaches in the Galapagos, and a beautiful way to start the day. During a morning walk along a soft white sand beach, you’ll visit a sea lion colony, look for pups playing in shallow water pools, and search for the startlingly red Sally Lightfoot crabs, shorebirds, and marine iguanas. Afterwards, go for a swim, snorkel or just relax on the sparkling white sand.

Among the many sights of Isla Espanola is Punta Suarez, a rocky point of land where guests may observe various colonies of sea birds as well as fauna found nowhere else on the planet. Also on this island is Bahia Gardner, a beautiful beach offering an excellent opportunity to relax and swim.

Floreana Island was once a penal colony for Ecuador, the first capital of the Galapagos and where Charles Darwin met the viceroy of Galapagos. Your excursion options include a medium-intensity wet landing at Cormorant Point (or Punta Cormorant), where you may see two plant species found only at this particular site, as well as flamingos, stilts and whit cheeked pintail ducks. Or try advanced snorkeling in Devils Crown Volcanic Cone to spy grunts, groupers, chubs, spotted eagle rays, white-tipped reed sharks, sea stars, parrotfish and rainbow wrasse.

In 1954, the Alcedo Volcano erupted on the island of Isabella, the largest island of the Galapagos, lifting part of the ocean floor about 32 feet to reach the surface. This intriguing land is now known as Urvina Bay, and as you walk on these exotic shores, keep in mind you are walking on the remnants of once-sunken coral reefs, so be sure to notice the rock formations – coral heads of yesteryear. Youll also see colorful marine iguanas, turtles, seashells, and birds like the flightless cormorants.

Fernandina is the youngest island in the Galapagos and,as Darwin wrote, it is “covered with immense delugesof black naked lava.” Along with its extraordinary blacklava rocks, this point of land hosts the largest colony ofmarine iguanas in the Archipelago, along with sea lionsand a nesting site for flightless cormorants.

About one million years ago, six volcanoes (five of which are still active) coalesced to form seahorse-shaped Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos Islands. At 1,790 square miles, it’s larger than all of the other islands combined, and, because it’s located on the western edge of the archipelago near the Galápagos hotspot, it’s one the world’s most volcanically active places. While many of the Galapagos islands are home to wildlife only, Isabela had a robust population of 1,749 in the 2006 census. From Tagus Cove on the northwestern side (which sheltered whalers, pirates, and buccaneers in days of old) to the laid-back resort town of Puerto Villamil at its southern tip, the island offers visitors a dazzling variety of terrains, wildlife and experiences. The Cromwell Current hits the base of Isabela’s west coast, causing nutrient-rich water to up well creating the perfect feeding environment for ground for fish, whales, dolphins, and birds. Because 16 species of whales have been identified in the area (including humpbacks, sperms, sei, minkes and orcas), it’s regarded as the best place to see whales in the Galapagos. As is often the case in the region, animal species abound. Visitors can hope to see penguins, cormorants, marine iguanas, boobies, pelicans, Sally Lightfoot crabs, Galápagos land iguanas, Darwin’s finches, Galápagos hawks, and Galápagos doves. There are many and varied ways to encounter wildlife on Isabela: at Moreno Point, near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast, visitors traverse a lava path to find pools at which a wide variety of birds feed. Vicente Roca Point offers some of the most dramatic landscapes in the Galapagos and the opportunity to see the remains of Ecuador Volcano

A small uplifted island just off the northeast coast of Santa Cruz. The island’s low-lying landscape is covered with colorful saltbush, scrub, and giant prickly pear cactus. A subspecies of land iguana is found on the island in plentiful abundance and sometimes can be seen munching on the cactus. The southern cliffs are steep and rocky, and home to numerous seabirds as well as a bachelor colony of sea lions. Looking down into the clear blue waters, schools of surgeonfish swim by as birds shoot in and out of the holes in the cliff. A short hike and Zodiac ride provide ample opportunity to observe the beauty and wildlife of the island.

The cliff shore of the island is home for sea lions, pelicans, blue footed boobies and tropic bird. In addition, large schools of fish can be observed from the zodiac rides.

Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz) Dragon Hill, or “Cerro Dragon,” is named after its population of land iguanas. The site offers a beautiful view of the landscape and two small brackish lagoons where flamingos and other shore birds occasionally feed. Along the trail, well cross a beautiful “white forest” of Palo Santo (incense) trees and Galapagos cotton plants. Excursion options include a high-intensity hike with swimming/snorkeling at the beach, high intensity snorkeling from a zodiac followed by a short walk and a low-intensity Zodiac ride along the coastline with optional dry landing for animal observation

A fifteen-minute stroll from one end to the other along Charles Darwin Avenue promises plenty of sights and sounds in this, the largest city of the Galapagos Islands. A charming seaside town, Puerto Ayora features Ecuadorian and international cuisine, local artisans and shopping as well as snorkeling and scuba diving.

Prepare for an adventure-filled exploration through the Galapagos Islands on this beautiful island. During World War II, the islands airport was a US Military base protecting the Panama Canal from enemy attack. Surrounding the airport now you will see land iguanas indigenous to the island.