Quito, the capital of Ecuador, lies on the slopes of the Andes’ mighty Pichincha volcano in the Guayllabamba river basin. The city’s Old Town is its main attraction - one of the most well preserved in Latin America and the first-ever UNESCO heritage site. Wander among ancient, colourful streets; pop into glorious historic churches; or spend an afternoon browsing the vibrant Mercado (markets) and learning about the unique, traditional Ecuadorian Sierra culture. Numerous gorgeous public parks and a thriving and exciting culinary scene complete the package.
Santa Cruz Island is home to Puerto Ayora, the largest and most developed city in the Galapagos. This island has a lot to offer. With numerous visitor sites, easily accessible beaches, and remote highlands in the interior, Santa Cruz is an excellent starting point for adventurous pursuits. The most popular attraction is undoubtedly the Charles Darwin Station, which offers an impressive tortoise breeding area and interesting information on the conservation of the unique biosphere of the Galapagos.
This small island is located just off the southeast of the island of Santiago and, as the name suggests, is shaped like a traditional Chinese hat. From here visitors can follow a trail where they are likely to spot Galapagos penguins, Galapagos sea lions and crabs. The trail leads to the western part of the island, which features volcanic debris, sharp cutouts, and lava formations.
Just off the eastern coast of Santiago Island, you’ll find one of the most beloved tiny islets in the archipelago. Arguably, the most photographed place in Galapagos, Bartolome Island, features one of the most stupendous panoramic views from one of its sloping hills. From here, one can see many of Santiago’s undulating hills and the beautiful bay beside the ever-impressive Pinnacle Rock, a stunning volcanic cone home to a small colony of Galapagos penguins.
In the center of the archipelago, we have Santiago Island. Historically, this island was one of the most exploited by buccaneers, whalers, and tortoise catchers; it even had a salt mine, which can be visited from Puerto Egas.
The devastation caused by humans would be felt for the better part of two centuries. The giant tortoise population was all but decimated by man, who also introduced rodents, goats, donkeys, and swine to the island, each of which had a disastrous effect on the ecosystems. It would take nearly 200 years for rodents, pigs, and other invasive species to be removed from Santiago Island finally.
Located in the northeastern quadrant of the Galapagos, Genovesa Island is fairly removed from the central hub of Santa Cruz. The island holds an attractive contour, given that a side of the lip of this massive shield volcano collapsed at one time and, in doing so, submerged part of the island and formed Darwin Bay in the process. These days, it is home to many seabirds, including swallow-tailed gulls, Galapagos storm petrels, red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, mockingbirds, finches, and more!
In keeping with the theme of Genovesa Island, the south-facing Darwin Bay, is a world of seabirds unto itself. If you consider the bay a ¾ crescent, most are rocky shores and cliffs, and only a tiny fraction is the beach; it is one of the places to visit in the Galapagos islands. However, it is here where a serene walk along the small white sands is an opportunity to observe frigatebirds, Nazca and red-footed boobies, herons, gulls, finches, mockingbirds, and more against the backdrop of prickly pear cacti and palo santo trees.
