SAN CRISTOBAL (Chatam)

San Cristobal’s English name is Chatam. It is the fifth largest island of the Galapagos and one of the oldest islands. San Cristobal has different tourist attractions and visitor sites protected by the Galapagos National Park.

It is home to the capital of the Galapagos.

This island also one of the best spots for surfing and diving in the Galapagos.

Highlights and Wildlife: One of the oldest islands of the Archipelago. It has different visitor sites. Sea lions, Red footed, Nazca and Blue footed boobies, frigate birds.

Activities: Hiking, kayak, stand-up paddle board, snorkel, surfing, diving.

Landing: Depending on visitors’ site

Total Area:  557km2/ 215mi2

Population: 7.000 people

 

Is the capital of the Galapagos. It is home to the second largest population in the archipelago with approximately 6.600 inhabitants. This town has shops, supermarkets, hotels, and restaurants.

The airport in this island is located only 5 minutes from the center of the city. Making it a very accessible spot in the Galapagos islands.  Many Galapagos cruises sail from the San Cristobal harbor.  The white sand beaches of this small town are covered by sea lions, which cohabit in harmony with the local habitants.

This is the ideal base to daily navigations, nearby beaches, and visitor sites around the island.

 

Highlights and Wildlife: Harbor, Interpretation Center. Sea lions.

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty:  Hiking: Easy

Total Area:  109.60 km2 /42.32 sq mi

Population:  6.600 people

 

This site has one of the most beautiful coral sand beaches in the Galapagos. Witch Hill was one of the shores visited by Charles Darwin, it is located in the northern side of San Cristobal Island. Its beautiful landscape includes a hill that has been eroded after millions of years.

This beautiful visit place is ideal for hiking and spotting different types of birds including blue footed boobies and snorkeling with sea turtles and rays.

Highlights and Wildlife: Coral sand beach, migratory birds, rock formations. Sea lions, finches, blue footed boobies, marine iguanas, rays, sea turtles.

Landing: Wet landing

Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, zodiac ride.

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Walking: Easy
  • Swimming/ Snorkeling: Moderate
 

At only a 5 minutes’ drive or 20 minute walk from the center of the town, the Interpretation Center documents both the natural and the human history of the Galapagos.  It is an excellent learning experience featuring a Natural History and Human History section. The Natural History section explains the volcanic origin of the islands. The Human History area presents the colonization by humankind starting from their first visits and discovery of the islands.

This Interpretation Center features an auditorium, meeting rooms and audiovisual equipment.

Highlights: Natural and Human history of the Galapagos

Activities: Walking

Landing: Dry landing

Activity Difficulty:  Walking: Easy

 

Composed of volcanic tuff substrate and an olivine sand beach, Punta Pitt offers wonderful viewpoints along a 90 meters/295 feet trail to the top of a volcanic hill.

It is located in the Eastern side of San Cristobal; this site is characterized by its large sea lion colony. This spot uniqueness lays on a cliff with breeding area to all three variety of boobies: Blue, Red and Nazca boobies. Making it the only visitor site in the Galapagos where the three together can be seen.  In addition, two kinds of frigatebirds can be seen, which makes it an ideal place for birdwatchers.

Highlights and Wildlife: Only nesting place to three varieties of boobies, Nazca, Blue footed and Red footed. Amazing landscape. Sea lions.

Landing: Wet landing

Activities: Zodiac ride, Hiking, kayak and snorkel

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Walking: Moderate
  • Swimming/ Snorkeling:Moderate
 

This is relatively new visitor site located in the northeast of San Cristobal Island, one hour away by car from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This is a protected area where the Galápagos Giant Tortoises breed in captivity. Once the tortoises are big enough to survive, they will be released in their natural habitat.  This place is perfect to learn about the life cycle of the amazing giant tortoises and their efforts from the Galapagos National Park to preserve this endemic specie.

Highlights and Wildife: Galapagos giant tortoises

Landing: Dry landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty:  Hiking: Easy

 

This beautiful white sand beach can be reached by boat only. It is located 30 minutes from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the northeast side of San Cristobal. Sea lions, migratory and coastal birds, sally light foot crabs can be observed here. The beach is 160 meters/524 feet long.

Highlights and Wildlife: White sand beach, ideal for snorkeling. Sea lions, migratory birds.

Landing: Wet landing

Activities: Snorkeling, swimming, zodiac ride, diving

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Moderate
 

Just at 1.5 hours by boat from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno this beautiful beach site is located opposite to Kicker Rock. The visit to this beach is usually combined with other visitor sites in San Cristobal Island during day trips.

This cove has a beautiful half-moon form beach perfect to relax, snorkel and to observe sea birds. It also offers great views of Kicker Rock and its surroundings.  For centuries this cove was used as anchor site for sailboats which brings stories about buried pirate treasures in this beach.

It is possible to camp in this bay, with a permit from the Galapagos National Park.

Highlights and Wildlife: White sand beach, snorkeling, camping. Migratory birds, hermit crabs.

Landing: Wet landing

Activities: Beach walk, Snorkeling, swimming.

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Easy
 

The Junco is an extinct volcano crater lake located in the highlights of San Cristobal Island at a 45-minute ride from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The lagoon area is 6 ha and holds 35 million liters of water. At an altitude of 700m, this visitor sides provides the best views and fantastic landscapes of the island in a clear day.  It is an ideal place for birdwatchers being home of frigate birds, mockingbirds, Galapagos finches, white- cheeked Pintail ducks.

Highlights and Wildlife: Beautiful landscape. Frigate birds, mockingbirds, Galapagos finches, white- cheeked Pintail ducks.

Landing: No landing

Activities: Hiking

Activity Difficulty: 

Hiking: moderate

 

A sleeping lion (Leon Dormido in Spanish) is the best way to describe this volcanic lava tuff eroded cone.  It is located 2 hours navigation from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.  This formation is home to blue footed and Nazca boobies but also frigate birds.  Although there is no disembarkation site, it is possible to have one of the best deep water snorkeling experiences in the Galapagos. Bellow water it is possible to spot different types of sharks including hammerheads, rays and sea turtles.

 

Highlights and Wildlife: great spot for snorkeling and diving. Blue Footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigates, pelicans and sealions. Under water: manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, hammerhead sharks and tropical fish.

Landing: No landing.

Activities: Zodiac ride, snorkel, diving.

Activity Difficulty:  Swimming/ Snorkeling: Moderate

 

This idyllic beach is 24.5 km away from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and at only one kilometer from the Centro de Crianza in Cerro Colorado.  The access is through a gravel 1.5 km path surrounded by giant cactus.  This white sand beach is an excellent site to relax and to observe diverse marine birds.

Highlights and Wildlife: White sand beach. Sea lions, Galapagos finches, blue footed boobies, frigates.

Landing: No landing

Activities: Beach walk, Snorkeling, swimming, surfing

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Moderate
 

It is a hill located at walking distance from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Tijeretas is a common name given to frigate birds, this visitor site is home to a large colony. The access to this site is from the Interpretation center. The walking time is 20 minutes from the center. There is a nice viewpoint in the top of the hill and a snorkeling site.

Highlights and Wildlife: Great frigates and magnificent frigates nesting in the same spot, nice viewpoint. Galapagos sneaks, sea lions, iguanas, finches.

Landing: No landing

Activities: Beach walk, Snorkeling, swimming, surfing

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Hiking: Moderate
  • Snorkeling: Moderate
 

Punta Carola is a beach located near Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It is at only 25 minutes’ walk or at a short taxi drive. This is a perfect place to enjoy the beach or to enjoy water activities like snorkeling, surfing, and diving. There is a numerous colony of sea lions and marine iguanas.

Highlights and Wildlife: Beach, sea lion colony, marine iguanas.

Landing: No landing

Activities: Beach walk, Snorkeling, swimming, surfing, diving

Activity Difficulty: 

  • Hiking: Easy
  • Snorkeling: Easy
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