We spent the whole day on my home island, Santa Cruz; the second largest island of the Galapagos Archipelago and the most populated. This island is an example of fantastic coexistence between humans and wildlife. We started the day with a visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, where our guests learned about the incredibly successful program run by the National Park together with the Charles Darwin Research Station. Afterwards, we visited the cozy town of Puerto Ayora, with a stop at the fishermen’ market and a wonderful opportunity to support the local economy by visiting local craft stores.
Then we went to the highlands, to visit a private farm and learn about how the first settlers colonized the untamed islands. We had a delicious lunch at Restaurant Aquelarre; before visiting the Giant Tortoise Natural Reserve to observe the gentle giants wandering around the green lush vegetation of the area. We also had the opportunity to go for a hike and visit the lava tunnels that exist here. The day ended with the performance of a local group of musicians, Eco-Arte Group, who came onboard to entertain us; our guests enjoyed the music and dancing! A great end to a great day!
