DAY 4

ISABELA

The biggest of the Galapagos Islands with a land area of 4588 square kilometers, 60% of the total land area of the archipelago.  The population of Isabela is between 2200 and 2500 people, with 97% of the land area included in the Galapagos National Park.Isabela has 6 volcanoes, and of those, 5 are active.  In and around the craters of two of these volcanoes live two distinct species of Galapagos tortoise. The landscape around these volcanoes makes Isabella a veritable paradise, and the vegetation here is something you will never forget. Kilometers of white sand beaches, turquoise waters, lakes with flamingoes, mangroves, and palm trees surround a tranquil and peaceful fishing town, Puerto Villamil.

VOLCAN SIERRA NEGRA (Trekking or horseback riding)

One of the largest active volcano craters in the world spanning about 10 km, it is a major attraction for all who visit Isabela. Sierra Negra has an altitude of almost 1500 meters. We start our hike or horseback ride from the station Tomas de Berlanga to a place called La Bocanilla; from here we can see the east and west shores of the island, including Elizabeth and Cartago Bays, as well as some of the islets offshore.  On particularly clear days, the islands of Santa Cruz, Fernandina, Santiago, and Rábida can also be seen.

VOLCAN CHICO (Trekking)

After hiking or horseback riding for about two and a half hours to reach Sierra Negra, we hike for about 45 minutes to arrive at an opening in the crater wall of Sierra Negra where another eruption took place.  This area is called Volcan Chico, but it is part of Sierra Negra. Here you can sense the consequences of the last eruption of Sierra Negra on the 22nd of October 2005; incredible landscapes provide a vivid illustration of the process of eruption and indicate the speed of the lava flows and the rapid rate of solidification of the material. We descend by horseback (or hiking) to Tomas de Berlanga.

CENTRO DE CRIANZA DE TORTUGAS GALAPAGOS (Breeding center for the Galapagos Tortoise, geochelone elephantopus vicina) We travel by bus to the breeding center, passing through different ecosystems including lakes, mangroves, dry forests and lava fields.  Arriving at the breeding center, we will see tortoises of all ages, and learn about the process of breeding in captivity to help recover the wild populations of these incredible reptiles.  There is a visitor center here and an artisan shop where you can purchase products made by local communities.

BEACH