Places to visit in Galapagos | Contours Travel | Experts in tailor-made tours

HIGHLIGHTS

Bartolome

Famous for Pinnacle Rock, the best-known landmark in the Galapagos Islands. Great snorkelling opportunities with Galapagos penguins, White-tipped reef sharks and playful Sea lions off a golden-sand beach at the foot of Pinnacle Rock.

Isabela

The largest of all the Galapagos Islands, the visiting areas include Tagus Cove & Darwin Lake, Urbina Bay, Punta Vicente Roca and six volcanos. Wildlife found in this island includes Galapagos Hawk, Cormorants, Frigatebirds: Great and Magnificent, Marine and Land Iguanas, Galapagos Giant tortoise, Brown Noddies, Blue-footed Booby, Nazca Booby, and American Flamingo. There are also great snorkelling sites to see green turtles, manta rays, sharks, seals, penguins and tropical fish.

Santa Cruz

Best Island for an Island-hopping program with plenty of sites to visit such as Dragon Hill, Breeding Center and Highlands. Also home to Pit Craters, Black Turtle Cove, Eden Islet and Bachas Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago. Several of the most iconic Galapagos wildlife such as American flamingo, Giant tortoises, Great Frigatebird and Magnificent Frigatebird, Marine Iguana and the Blue-Footed Booby can live here.

South Plaza

Sea lions, Swallow-tailed Gulls and Land iguanas are all present at the landing site. A carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti covers the small island. At the cliff edge, you can see birds fly past at eye level in the updraught. These include frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and Red-billed Tropicbirds.

Espanola

The southernmost island has a breath taking variety of flora and fauna. Giant tortoise, Red marine iguana, Darwin's finches and Hood mockingbirds, endemic to this particular island, are highlights. Here the only place where the iconic waved albatross can be seen, visit between April and December for a chance to see their courtship display.

North Seymour

One of the wealthiest central islands in terms of birdlife. It is a great spot to see both Magnificent and Great frigatebird males courting the females, Blue-footed boobies, Sea lions and Swallow-tailed Gulls.

Genovesa

An excellent island for birdwatchers; see the rare Red-footed booby, Nazca booby, Petrels, Swallow-tailed gulls, Great frigatebirds, Short-eared owls and the most unusual gull in the world, the Lava gull.

Fernandina

Astounding volcanic landscapes dotted with lava cacti. The Bolivar Channel is the best place in the Galapagos to see dolphins, whales and famous marine iguanas.

Ecuador Galapagos Metropolitan Isabela Northern American Flamingo

Floreana

Fascinating human history and famous Post Office Barrel established by whalers in 1793. Snorkel at Devil’s Crown and Champion Islet for a chance to see Green turtles, harmless White-tipped reef sharks, Stingrays, Spotted eagle rays, Galapagos penguins, Parrotfish, playful Sea lions and even Hammerhead sharks!

Rabida

It's an unpopulated island with red sand beach. It is home to Palo Santo forests and endemic cacti. It is also the only Galapagos site where the 9 Darwin's finches are found. Hundreds of sea lions formed a settlement together with a nesting colony of pelicans. Snorkelling here can be excellent, often with large schools of black-striped salemas, sea lions and the ubiquitous turtles.

Ecuador Galapagos Metropolitan Isabela Southern Central fur seal

Santiago

Sullivan Bay is a landscape and macro photographer’s dream due to the lava from the recent flow. Egas Port is home to Galapagos fur seals, American oystercatchers, sea lions, waders, herons, lava lizards and even Galapagos hawks.

Santa Fe

The oldest island of all Due to is geological nature and age; most of the animals on this island are endemic. Some iconic species are the Marine Iguana of Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Mockingbird, the Santa Fe rice Rat, the Santa Fe lizard, Frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, Sea lions, Marine iguanas, Swallow-tailed gulls, Snakes, Herons, Hawks, Sharks, and Rays.

San Cristobal

Tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat in La Galapaguera, which lends itself to excellent photographic opportunities. Punta Pitt is the only place in the islands with a chance to see all three of the booby species (Nazca, Blue-footed and Red-footed) in the same place. Views are breathtaking.