After several days of exploring the fascinating western part of the Galapagos archipelago, we sailed back to Santa Cruz Island. Due to the strategic geographical position of this island in the center of the archipelago, its main human settlement, known as Puerto Ayora, has become the main tourist hub of the islands. Our first stop was at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here we visited a new interactive center created by the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS). This educational site contains a variety of interpretative tools such as a real blue whale skeleton, finch’s nests, and coral replicas. We then moved onto the native garden area. This was an excellent opportunity to highlight the importance of designing garden based on native and endemic plants. This strategy is constantly promoted by the CDRS and gradually being implemented by local governments and communities. The best part of this visit was still to be discovered. After a short walk we came to the giant tortoises corral. Males seemed really active, some of them trying to mate although their female partners did not show the same interest. After visiting this iconic research station our guests had some spare time to explore the town on their own and to immerse themselves in the local bazaars and colorful shops.
We then hit the road on a bus which took us to the highlands of Santa Cruz. We stopped at El Trapiche farm, a well-known farm where Don Adriano acted as a fabulous host. With his charismatic smile, he shared with us a demonstration of how local farmers process their coffee and sugar cane. We learned about the long process of roasting the coffee and how they prepare their organic moonshine. Every one of our guests felt the generosity and happiness of this family of farmers and left the place with a wonderful sensation of thankfulness. Our next destination in the highlands of Santa Cruz was a charming restaurant surrounded by wonderful vegetation, with various plant species which we could only find in the humid area of this island.
In the afternoon we experienced wonderful encounters with the giant Galapagos tortoises. We visited a farm which stands as a great example of how local community can benefit from conservation by working in coordination with the Galapagos National Park. Here we spotted more than 10 different tortoises that were feeding and resting on the natural pounds around the farm. After a guided walk around the perimeter of the farm each one of our guests had the opportunity to explore the area on their own and to enjoy a personal moment with a giant tortoise. We had enough time to contemplate the serene pace that these captivating animals have. Later we went to town. Some people decided to keep exploring the town while others decided to go back onboard. We ended the day with a remarkable show presented by local dancers and musicians from Eco Arte, a local group of artists who are well known for their talents. Our day in Santa Cruz was over, but our journey continues with the last full day in this magical archipelago.
