South of Santiago Island, Rabida has a distinctive red sand beach made from eroded cinder cliffs. Pelicans can sometimes to be seen nesting in the saltbush which backs the beach, and sea lions and the occasional flamingo in a saltwater lagoon behind the beach. There is a steep, looped trail where some of the island’s … Continued

Fernandina is the westernmost, third largest, youngest and most volcanically active of the Galapagos Islands, with a dramatic landscape of lava largely devoid of vegetation. It is dominated by a large domed cone reaching almost to 1,500 metres. At Punta Espinosa you can see flightless cormorants, sea lions, blue-footed boobies and an abundance of marine … Continued

With dramatic volcanic landscapes and lying directly on the Equator, the geologically-recent Galapagos Islands rate as one of the most unusual wildlife locations in the world. Above water there are plants and semi-tame animals whose geographical isolation and adaptation to the harsh conditions have led to the evolution of many unique natural histories, including marine … Continued

With its location close to Baltra and Santa Cruz, North Seymour is one of the most visited islands in the archipelago. However, it is well worth a visit for its abundant wildlife including nesting areas of marine iguanas, and the islands’ largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies. Land iguanas can also occasionally be … Continued

Santiago is one of the central islands and has a number of interesting visitor sites including the fur seal grottos and tidal pools at Puerto Egas and the lava flows at Sullivan Bay. Espumilla Beach is a good location for spotting some of the ten species of finch that can be found on Santiago and … Continued

Santa Cruz is the most central and most populated of the Galapagos Islands, with most people living in the town of Puerto Ayora, where the Charles Darwin Research Centre is also found. It includes a visitor centre and a giant tortoise breeding programme, and was the home of Lonesome George, for years the sole survivor … Continued

Located close to the north-east coast of Santa Cruz Island and thus within easy reach of Puerto Ayora, South Plaza is one of the most visited sites. Despite that, it has a good variety of wildlife to be seen, including land iguanas and one of the most concentrated sea lion colonies in the whole of … Continued

One of the youngest, Isabela is also the largest of the Galapagos Islands with five of its greatest volcanoes including Wolf, the highest at 1,646 metres. Despite Isabela’s size, there are relatively few landing sites because most of the island is covered in solidified lava. The town of Puerto Villamil in the south-east houses a … Continued

Sombrero Chino lies off the south-east coast of Santiago Island. It is a volcanic cinder cone with a steep-sided crown like a Chinese hat, hence the name. There is a short trail through interesting lava formations, and very good snorkelling with possible sightings of Galapagos penguins, manta rays and white-tipped reef sharks.