The islands of Bartolomé and Rábida lie in the middle of the Galápagos archipelago. They are each about 2 million years old, which makes them middle-age, geologically speaking.

At 6:30 in the morning, we landed on Bartolomé to climb to the top of it. We do this by climbing the 400 wooden steps that the National Park built to prevent erosion on the fragile island, where plants and animals struggle to exist due to harsh natural conditions. Along the path it is possible to see many interesting geological features. It is a journey to the past of the Galápagos, from flowing lava to the arrival and establishment of species that now attract so many people from all latitudes.

On top of the island the most beautiful scenario is presented to our eyes. We can see surrounding islands and lava of different ages, amount, and color. This variation results in different colored sand from the breakdown of the lava.

Later on, we head to the beach for a wet landing to start underwater activities, such as snorkeling. This is a different world. A world of sharks, stingrays, colored fish, invertebrates, sea stars, and impressive giant schools of small fish everywhere. One of the best moments was encountering penguins, especially one that put on a show of catching fish in front of the GoPro camera I had in hand.

The afternoon offered different things to enjoy. Some guests kayaked along the coast, where it is always possible to see plenty of wildlife like marine iguanas, birds such as boobies, and pelicans diving for fish or just perched on the rocks. Turtles and sea lions are other attractions of the area, but what most impressed the kayakers were the four giant manta rays feeding on plankton. Definitely a wonderful and enjoyable excursion.

Deepwater snorkeling also brings us so many surprises. The location we chose had calm waters and good visibility. Again turtles, playful sea lions, and multiple fish congregated. A nice surprise was to see a couple of giant manta rays glide by very close to the snorkelers.

After all these activities, we were ready to go on land to observe sea lions lying on the unique red sand of the island. Pelicans nesting on salt bushes along the beach are one of the best attractions of the season – after sea lions, of course. (We do not want to make the sea lions jealous.) Further inland, we see a variety of land birds like finches, mockingbirds, flycatchers, and warblers. Their tameness made this outing especially unforgettable.

A beautiful sunset provided a great finish to the day.