ISABELA ISLAND (Albermarle)

Isabela is the Westernmost, youngest, and largest landmass in the Galapagos Islands, and it has a fascinating combination of wildlife and volcanic landscapes. Its visitor’s points have several of the most beautiful and unique species on the archipelago. Isabela is an island that visitors can explore in many ways. Along with Genovesa, Isabela Island is considered an important site for birdwatchers as its sites host some of the most unique and representative species of the Galapagos Islands. There are also several fabulous snorkeling sites.

Due to its size, Isabela Island has many visitors sites, and they are described below:

Highlights and Wildlife: landscapes, sulfur mines, whitetip reef sharks, reef fish, large sea horses, sea turtles, starfish, blue-footed boobies, flamingoes, herons, oystercatchers, pintail ducks

Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, horseback riding, kayaking, and zodiac ride

Total Area: 1.771 mi2/ 2.850 km2

Population: 2.200 people

 

The Sierra Negra Volcano hosts the second largest crater in the world, spanning nine by seven kilometers across. Exploring it offers travelers a unique facet of the Galapagos Islands that few people imagine while thinking about the archipelago.

Located and comprising the highlands of Isabela Island, the Sierra Negra Volcano is 25 kilometers away from Puerto Villamil and 1124 meters above sea level. You will be surprised at change of wildlife and vegetation in only a 30-minute drive.

The Sierra Negra Volcano is one of the best hiking destinations in Galapagos, and it is also a beautiful site for horseback riders. The first leg of this excursion will take you to the crater’s rim for a stunning view of solidified lava inside of it. If you enjoy hiking, you can continue walking to another lookout offering a different perspective of this fascinating landscape.

Highlights and Wildlife: Stunning landscapes, wildlife, and vegetation change

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking or horseback riding

Activity Difficulty:

  • Hiking: Medium
  • Horseback riding: Easy
 

Volcan Chico is located North East of the Sierra Negra Volcano. It is not an actual separate volcano but the most active part of Sierra Negra. Hiking to Volcan Chico takes you to otherworldly landscapes and volcanic formations, lava tunnels and solidified lava flows. You will also witness a wick change in vegetation to a barren volcanic wasteland. This site also offers travelers a fascinating view of the Northern part of Isabela Island.

Highlights and Wildlife:   stunning landscapes, solidified lava flows, lava tunnels

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: Hiking: Medium / Hard

 

The Sierra Negra Volcano is also home to another impressive site, the Sulfur Mines. They are located in the Southwestern side of the crater and show this volcano’s current activity. You will observe different yellow, orange, red, and black stones, depending on the temperature and volcanic activity close to them. It is an ideal place to learn about geology and about the formation of the Galapagos Islands. In addition, you will have a different perspective of Sierra Negra as the hike takes place on its rim, with a different direction. The Sulfur Mines also offer a very nice view of Cerro Azul, another volcano in Isabela Island and the second highest in the Galapagos.

Highlights and Wildlife: astonishing landscapes, sulfur mines

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: Hiking: Medium

 

One of the few off-the-beaten-path sites in the Galapagos Islands, Cabo Rosa is also one of the best snorkeling sites in the archipelago. Also known as Los Tuneles (the Tunnels) due to the lava tunnels formed by the interaction of lava flows with water, this site offers visitors both, an interesting land excursion and an amazing water experience. Travelers will learn how wildlife has managed to survive on these lava rocks away from an island Hiking on the tunnels. In the water, you will be amazed by the animals inhabiting this site. You will understand the importance of these formations as a natural protection, acting as a barrier for open water and creating small pools where these species can survive.

Highlights and Wildlife: whitetip reef sharks, reef fish, large sea horses, sea turtles, and starfish, blue footed boobies

  Activities: Hiking & Snorkeling

Landing: Dry landing

Activity Difficulty:

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Easy
 

A network of seven boardwalks enables visitors to explore the wetlands of Isabela Island, as these pass-through lagoons, mangrove swamps, and lakes. Travelers walk around and take advantage of the viewpoints to observe flamingoes, herons, oyscatchers, pintail ducks, among other waders.

Highlights and Wildlife: flamingos, herons, oystercatchers, pintail ducks, and other waders.

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: Hiking: Easy

 

The Playa de Amor is a small beach with white sand formed by crushed shells, and it is a great place to relax, sunbathe, and swim. Its shallow tidal pool allows children to enjoy the sea as well. You can observe marine iguanas that use the rocky coast of the beach as a nesting and resting spot and sea turtles.

Highlights and Wildlife: marine iguanas, sea turtles, and pristine beach

Landing: Dry Landing

Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling, Swimming

Activity Difficulty:

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Easy
  • Swimming: Easy
 

The Wall of Tears is full of history and legends and has consequently become an emblematic site of Isabela Island. Prisoners built this 6-meter tall and 100-meter-long wall using black lava rocks when Isabela was a penal colony. Folklore says that this wall is haunted. Locals say that travelers can hear the crying and wailing of those who died while building the wall if they get close to it. Lava lizards are not afraid of these stories and call the Wall of Tears home.

Highlights and Wildlife: human history and local legends

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: Hiking: Easy

 

Isabela´s Flamingo Lagoon was made by men, and its brackish waters attracted the largest Galapagos flamingo colony that calls it home now. Travelers only need to walk a short way west out town to the west to observe this beautiful species feeding on crustaceans or watch the Galapagos ducks.

Highlights and Wildlife: flamingos, Galapagos ducks, and wader birds

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: Hiking: Easy

 

Tagus Cove is one of tourists’ favorite sites in the Galapagos Islands due to the variety of wildlife inhabiting it, the human history of the site, and the variety of activities available for everyone at this point. The Galapagos National Park established the activities that each cruise can do at Tagus Cove.

If your cruise is authorized to do a land visit to Tagus Cove, you will hike up to Darwin’s Lake. A Palo Santo Forest inhabited by land birds including Galapagos warblers, finches, haws, and flycatchers leads to Darwin’s Lake, a saltwater lake visited by Charles Darwin in 1835. The hike ends at a lookout point with a stunning view of the Bay and of the islands near Tagus Cove.

If the Galapagos National Park’s permit allows your cruise to snorkel, kayak, or SUP, you must be alert as Eagle rays, sea turtles, and reef sharks inhabit this area, and you can enjoy time with them in the water.

Highlights and wildlife: Galapagos finches, hawks, warblers, Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants, flycatchers, eagle rays, sea turtles, and reef sharks, landscapes

Landing: Dry

Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, SUP, zodiac ride

Activity Difficulty:

  • Hiking: Moderate
  • Snorkeling: Easy
  • Kayaking: Easy
  • SUP: Easy
  • Zodiac Ride: Easy
 

Isabela Island’s Urbina Bay has an interesting coastal area, as flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and pelicans inhabit it. The bay is at Alcedo Volcano’s foot, and the trails leading you inland will take you through giant tortoise habitat. The Alcedo tortoise species live in this area with the largest Galapagos land iguanas and Galapagos hawks. Snorkeling is also an exciting experience as you swim with sea turtles, reef fish, and rays.

Highlights and wildlife: flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, pelicans, Galapagos land iguanas, Galapagos hawks, sea turtles, reef fish, and rays.

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking and Snorkeling

Activity Difficulty:

  • Hiking: easy / moderate
  • Snorkeling: easy
 

Albermarle Point, the Northernmost point on Isabela Island, is an important nesting site for the Flightless Cormorant. The largest Marine Iguanas of the archipelago inhabit this amazing site as well. 

Highlights and wildlife: flightless cormorants and marine iguanas,.

Landing: No landing

Activities:  Panga ride

Activity Difficulty: Panga Ride: easy

  • Snorkeling: easy
 

A panga ride or kayak session are the best way to explore Elizabeth Bay on Isabela Island and offer the opportunity to observe beautiful species including blue footed boobies, Galapagos penguins, brown pelicans, flightless Cormorants, sea lions, marine iguanas, and herons. Of course, Elizabeth Bay also offers a thrilling snorkeling session in a mangrove forest. This pristine habitat protects sea turtles, whitetip reef sharks, golden and eagle rays, and reef fish. Dolphins or humpback whales have also been spotted at Elizabeth Bay.

Highlights and wildlife: blue footed boobies, Galapagos penguins, brown pelicans, flightless Cormorants, sea lions, marine iguanas, herons, sea turtles, whitetip reef sharks, golden and eagle rays, and reef fish

Landing: No landing

Activities: Panga ride and snorkeling

Activity Difficulty:

  • Panga Ride: easy
  • Snorkeling: easy
 

Moreno Point on Isabela Island is explored from the water and on shore. Galapagos penguins and other Galapagos shore birds during the panga ride navigating around the rocky shores of the island. On land, the hike on a land trail passes by mangroves and tidal pools. Both habitats attract a large variety of birds including pelicans, various species of heron, flamingos, and more. Sea turtles, reef sharks, and sally lightfoot crabs are some of the unique animals that can be spotted in the tidal pools as well when they are stranded until the next high tide. 

Highlights and wildlife: Galapagos penguins, pelicans, various species of heron, flamingos, Sea turtles, reef sharks, and sally lightfoot crabs

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Panga ride and hiking

Activity Difficulty:

  • Panga Ride: easy
  • Hiking: easy / moderate
 

The Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center, also known as Isabela´s tortoise breeding center, is one of the three centers where travelers can observe Galapagos tortoises at their different growth stages, from hatchlings to young adults, and elderly. It is also an ideal place to learn more about this emblematic species, as guides use different individuals to explain the unique features of these animals. In addition, you will learn about the conservation efforts conducted by the Galapagos National Park to protect them. Indeed, the center represents the park’s success in this endeavor, as its affiliates release individuals back in the wild when they are strong enough to survive alone.

Highlights and Wildlife: Galapagos tortoises and learning about conservation efforts

Landing: Dry Landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: Hiking: Easy

 

Isabela’s Vicente Roca Point is home to a marine iguana colony, flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, blue-footed, Nazca boobies, and storm petrels that can be observed during an exciting panga ride. Vicente Roca Point is also one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos Islands, due to its abundant marine wildlife including rays, seahorses, sea turtles, and puffer fish, massive sunfish (also known as Mola Mola) create whirlpool-like effects in the clear waters during its feeding frenzies. Dolphins and whales also visit Vicente Roca Point, attracted by its cool waters all year long.

 Highlights and wildlife: marine iguana colony, flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, blue-footed, Nazca boobies, and storm petrels, rays, seahorses, sea turtles, and puffer fish,

Landing: No landing

Activities: Panga ride and snorkeling

Activity Difficulty:

  • Panga ride: easy
  • Snorkeling: moderate
 

Las Tintoreras islet is located across Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island and offers a wonderful combination of land and water experiences. First, you will navigate around the bay on the search for Galapagos penguins. Then, you will get on land and hike a circular trail leading to a lava rift inhabited by Whitetip reef sharks. You will jump in the water for an exciting snorkeling session.

Highlights and Wildlife: marine Iguanas, whitetip reef sharks, sea lions, reef fish, and the sharks previously seen from above.

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Activity Difficulty:

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Easy
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