Bartolomé and Santiago Islands
Today was our first full expedition day in the Galápagos archipelago; what a way to start! We visited Bartolomé Island in the morning and Santiago Island in the afternoon; both have amazing geological features and outstanding wildlife.
The walk on Bartolomé began before breakfast at 6:30am, just after sunrise, so the weather was great for walking. There is a boardwalk and staircases on the island that took us all the way to the summit where there is an incredible view. The landscape seen from this place is breathtaking; the different colors on the rocks make you feel as if you are walking on Mars!
Later in the morning, after our well-deserved breakfast, we went to a golden beach located on the same island – this time to practice snorkeling and swimming. Some of our guests enjoyed a leisurely morning lying on the beach sunbathing. Snorkeling off the beach allowed us to find big schools of colorful tropical fish as well as marine invertebrates, some of us even saw a white-tipped reef shark.
In the afternoon after a traditional buffet-style Ecuadorian lunch, we landed on Puerto Egas, located in Santiago Island. At this site we had the joy to observe a marvelous black volcanic sandy beach, tuff stone arches, lava platforms and layers of many colors and tonalities. Shortly afterwards we went for a hike along the shoreline of Puerto Egas, the tide was low and the water calm.
We came across lots of Galápagos sea lions as well as the second species of pinniped found on the islands, the Galápagos fur sea lion. While exploring the tidal pools we had the opportunity to find big groups of marine iguanas and several species of seabirds. A gorgeous sunset told us that our expedition this day was coming to an end. The beautiful sunset’s warm light is the best for photography. Our guests had a great time getting the best shots of the island!
