Bartolome is a small volcanic islet located on the side of Santiago Island in the central part of the archipelago. Its volcanic landscape makes a visit to this site a unique geological experience. We hiked upon a wooden structure and took a staircase to the top of the volcano. From the top we experienced an amazing landscape; the bay at Bartolome where the famous Pinnacle Rock stands, with Santiago Island behind. We had our first snorkeling outing in the shallow waters on Bartolome, accompanied by penguins, sea stars, and astonishing colorful fish.
In the afternoon we visited Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island. We walked first on the rocky shore where sea lions and iguanas were laying around and warming up. Then we passed through the wetlands and a series of brackish water lagoons where the mineral concentrations give a red coloration to the soil. The hike also took the groups to the nesting site of the Galapagos land iguanas.
