Small human population in the south of the islands. This is one of the four populated islands; about people live in Puerto Villamil. This town is the result of almost years of interesting human interactions related to military plans and prison breakouts, and today is a welcoming site to explore and encounter the settlements that can tell the story.
Punta Vicente Roca visitor site is the best place to find the famous flightless cormorant. Located on the north side, the head of the sea horse is a very important marine productive area, hit by the Cromwell Current , offers the most extraordinary marine life so it is considered one of the best diving spots of the archipelago. Whales and sharks are often seen in our visits. Bahia Urbina visitor site is located on the central west side of the island and is the only place of the archipelago where tortoises have been born and are still there, in other words, they are a natural, untouched population.
All other have suffered migrations or problems with introduced species. Tagus Cove is located on the Northwestern coast of Isabela. It is a historical site visited by Charles Darwin in , where graffiti has been carved into the rock walls by visitors over the past centuries; this happened just before the Galapagos National Park was established in This cove was a hideout for whalers and pirates, as it is protected by the surf and is also a perfect place to anchor.
The name of the site dates back to when it was visited by a British ship, The Tagus, which had anchored there in search of giant tortoises to be used as food supply on the boat. We will return by the same path for an hour dinghy ride along a shoreline full of marine wildlife. Here, we will admire a variety of seabirds, such as blue-footed booby, brown noddy, terns, flightless cormorant and Galapagos penguins depending on the season.
The Galapagos penguins are only 1. There is lots to learn about the geology and natural habitat in the area to help you further understand the formation and evolution of the Galapagos Islands. And this is the place to do it! We were lucky to hear the first account story of its last eruption from our Galakiwi guide, Pablo, who was living on Isabela Island at the time of the incident.
Hearing the story while looking out onto the black caldera made the experience so much more surreal and impactful! The wall, constructed out of big rocks by prisoners in the penal colony, is about 25 m 65 ft tall and is located about 5km 3 miles outside of Puerto Villamil town. It is said that there was no real reason for the construction of the wall and that it was built purely as a way to punish the prisoners and break them physically and spiritually. Some locals in town believe that a wall is a haunted place , and many claim that at night they can still hear cries of those that died at the wall during its construction.
We reached the Wall of Tears by bike, but it is also possible to get there on foot via a hour return hike that offers a different perspective on the history of Isabela Island. Roaming around the center, you can see Tortoises throughout all the stages of life and from various parts of the Galapagos. An interactive display inside provides further info on their life journey.
So cool! Take the boardwalk back to town for a chance to spot flamingos in the wetlands on Isla Isabela. We were so grateful to be able to spend 4 days on Isabela Island during our tour with Galakiwi.
Being one of the few Galapagos islands with any human inhabitants the hotel offerings are rather limited, but there is enough choice to suit every type of traveler on sites such as booking.
You will also enjoy the sight of the red mangrove cove moving past the green leaf and the red root breeding ground for fish. You can reach here by taking a Galapagos nature cruise and landing off your ship or yacht on a panga ride or a dingy on this site with no landing site available.
The panga easily slides through a thin channel with lovely red and white mangroves on each side of it. The presence of the largest red mangrove or the Rhizophora Mangle along with other magnificent trees clearly shows that you are in the midst of the tropical Equatorial zone.
This is probably the only site where ancient tropical trees co-exist with penguins. The wonderful marine life and its clear waters make this site ideal for water activities like snorkeling and for spotting schools of sea lions, colorful fishes, and sharks.
You can motor or kayak past a few islands where you usually see Galapagos penguins. One of the best areas to take their photos. A colony of these magnificent birds inhabits a rocky islet at the entrance to Elizabeth Bay. Let your boat or kayak drift through a small passage lined with mangroves you emerge into an enclosed cove. Turn your motor off and look in the sheltered waters for marine turtles, rays, flightless cormorants, sea lions, and, circling overhead, Galapagos hawks.
Located on the eastern coast, across the Isabela Channel from James Island. Previously the site was only accessible by panga, the Galapagos Islands park service now permits land visits. Arriving at Punta Garcia begins with a dry landing in some rough current causing the panga and passengers to get wet. This is the only visitor site on Isabela Island reachable Galapagos Lava flow without sailing around the west coast.
Just above the shoreline, Flightless Cormorants used to be seen breeding between March and September. The birds now seem to have deserted the site leaving an occasional Brown Pelican behind. The Island looks like a giant sea-horse when looked from the sky and the Point Vicente Roca seems like situated on the nose of this giant seahorse.
Hovering between the enchanting ocean currents, the Galapagos Islands are the most wonderful scenic landscapes that can be explored on earth. The Point Vicente Roca is situated in the western part of the Galapagos. The site brings surprises to its visitors by revealing some of the most amazing wildlife creatures. The sea, as well as the surrounding lands, features abundant flora and fauna. Some of the species are also believed to be endemic. The Point Vicente Roca is a beautiful formation on Isabela island, which has been formed due to a massive volcanic eruption.
The surface of the Island has a double-layered turquoise rock, which gives the information about the age of this bewitching place. One of the most interesting spots amongst all of the Galapagos cruise destinations is its provocative partially submerged cave.
The cave becomes a center of interest for most of the visitors. The marine life of the island is very diverse and abundant, because of the cold water currents that flow through the island. These currents bring along copious amounts of nutrients to nourish the magnificent sea creatures of that lurk in these waters. The beautiful and precarious cliffs catch the fancy of the seekers.
There are various species of birds that can be found hanging on those cliffs. The species of living creatures that can be spotted at this brilliant place are the Galapagos penguins, blue-footed boobies , terns, Nazca boobies, sea lions, sea turtles, rays and the pufferfish.
Some of them are considered endemic. Voyagers really enjoy the sight of these millions of birds flying and performing other activities. At times, the explorers really get surprised when they discover such amazing and unique creatures.
It is hard to believe your eyes when you have so many exquisite species to explore up close. The Vicente Roca Point also makes a fine destination for all voyagers who have a thing for water sports. The location is stated as one of the fine destinations for water sports like snorkeling , diving and dinghy riding.
The abundant species of the marine life makes this place a perfect fit for diving and snorkeling. Divers and snorkelers enjoy the view of thousands of fishes swimming in huge swarms and the marine plantations are just breathtaking. The landscape created by the cliffs has an endless charm and the magnificent marine life is just impossible to miss. Since the place is a bunch of huge and vast cliffs, there is no space for landing.
Although itineraries do not provide landing facilities here, they provide some of the best zodiac ride opportunities. The trail skirts the edge of the caldera before veering off into the lunar-like lava fields north east of the crater. Follow the advice of Walter. This excursion focuses more on the geology of the Galapagos than its wildlife. However, you may see Galapagos Finches and Mockingbirds.
From the end of the lava fields there is also an impressive view of Elizabeth Bay. The walk takes hours in total. Although the incline is gradual, the hike can be strenuous for some due to the heat of the Ecuadorian sun. With Galapagos Safari Camp this guided hike is a private tour, and so you can always opt to walk just to the crater a round trip of 3 hours , depending on how you feel at the time. One of the best snorkeling sites on Isabela is Los Tuneles on the west of the island.
Also known as Cabo Rosa, this Venice-like volcanic world is made up of a series of semi-submerged lava tunnels and bridges. The only way visitors can access the tunnels is by boat, a trip that takes around 1-hour from Puerto Villimil. Depending on the conditions of the sea on the day, the captain may decide to stop at a site just before Los Tuneles for a snorkel, before continuing to Los Tuneles.
0コメント