Embark on a very active, captivating day tour to Isabela Island, a gem of the Galapagos.
This early day starts with a speedboat ride (public speedboat, the only way to get to Isabela by water, navigation time approx. 2 hours) to the seahorse shaped island of Isabela, in the western part of the archipelago. As soon as you arrive, you will notice immediately that the boat ride was definitely worth it: The endemic Galapagos Penguins usually already await you on the rocks when entering the bay of Puerto Villamil.
After some free time on the little beach right next to the pier where you can observe sea lions and marine iguanas, you’ll take a little boat (very short navigation time, the National Park doesn't allow bigger boats within the bay) to Tintorera Islet, an ecological heaven where you'll encounter tons of marine iguanas, sharks resting in the islet's little Channel, blue-footed boobies and the iconic Galapagos penguins. Accompanied by a naturalist guide, you'll learn about the diverse ecosystems and the different types of lava that formed this islet.
After that you will get a short but great snorkel activity offering lots of variety as here we can usually find some sea turtles, sea lions, sharks, rays, and possibly penguins.
When getting back to the pier, you will get a ride to one of the best oceanfront restaurants for a nice lunch menu, before our land tour will start: A naturalist guide will try to spot the flamingos for you (not easy as they like to move around a lot and there are many different lagoons on Isabela), before taking you on a visit of the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre, where you can not only see the baby and juvenile giant tortoises, but also very old ones up to 200 years.
As last part of this tour, you will walk the short trail towards the beach, along another lagoon with mangroves where you might get lucky and see some more flamingos as well as big marine iguanas and different species of birds.
Right after this visit you will be accompanied back to the pier again, from where (after the check-in process & luggage control, which is obligatory for any speedboat ride between inhabited islands), a speedboat will take you back to Puerto Ayora.
The wetlands trail promises sightings of flamingos amidst mangroves, leading to a serene coconut palm beach. Further enriching the experience, the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre introduces you to these gentle giants, providing insight into conservation efforts.
