The adventure and excitement of our expedition continues with a visit to one of the five largest islands, Santiago. It is the fourth largest island in the archipelago, located in the center of Galapagos, and it appears to be one of the older islands in this unique volcanic island system.
The oldest lava is often found in the northwestern part of the island, therefore the vegetation happens to be denser, and the highest part of the island is the greener, grassier section, where the 900 giant tortoises endemic to Santiago are found. Our program is taking us first to the Espumilla Bay, where we disembark early in the morning before breakfast. Our explorers board the Zodiacs and land on the beach of this nesting site for green sea turtles. We disembark on the red sand, near a dense mangrove forest where the nest of the turtles are often hidden. Galapagos Hawks are on the welcome committee today, as we pass the mangrove on our way into the island, and enjoying the characteristic vegetation of the area. Here we find the giant Palo Santo tree that we have not seen before, surrounded by ground finches flying close by, and the view is exceptional. We have great memories of a fantastic experience this early morning, but now we are heading back to the ship for breakfast.
At almost ten in the morning, the kayakers are ready to go on an exploration of the coast of Tagus Cove, where the scenery could not be more enchanting, and the stories of this place shows that Galapagos has been an important destination for privateers throughout its history. Deep water snorkelers and glass bottom boat riders are also ready for the adventure in the same coast; and after a morning full of exploration and activity, we are ready for lunch.
The afternoon is taking us to another location in the same coast of the same island. Puerto Egas in Santiago is the site of an exceptional walk along the tidal zone, where you have the opportunity to walk over natural lava interconnected tunnels. The fauna here is endless, the view is fascinating, and we will have the chance of a close encounter with the always beautiful Galapagos fur seals. If the explorers feel more like swimming than walking, Puerto Egas has nice snorkeling opportunities, as well as a relaxing black sandy beach. This site has many activity options to engage and delight our explorers, providing us with a great natural experience all day long.
