Hello from leaders Sarah Marie & Charlie!
Our past few days in the Galápagos were like a dream! We made lots of new friends, including sea lions, marine iguanas, and blue-footed boobies. The beach definitely belongs to the animals — on our way to go snorkeling at Isabela, we actually had to step over a group of five sea lions who were basking in the sun!
Our first day, we took a quick look at Santa Cruz with our new guide Zambo, then hopped onto a small boat and journeyed about two hours to Isabela, the largest of the Galápagos Islands. The next morning, we walked over ten miles and explored the Sierra Negra Volcano. Zambo shared his knowledge about the geology of the area as we walked over various types of lava and observed multiples types of Darwin’s finches. After a relaxed picnic lunch, we headed back for an afternoon of swimming, beach volleyball, and slack-lining with the locals. That night, we feasted on fresh seafood at a nearby restaurant.
When our alarms sounded early the next morning, we raced to the beach lookout and sat together, waiting for the sun to rise. Gradually, the sun rose through the clouds and several of us greeted the day with a brisk morning swim. We ate a quick breakfast before jumping back in the water, this time to snorkel and explore the wildlife. We spotted various fish, as well as an eagle ray! Shortly after our snorkeling adventure, we hopped into kayaks and paddled out to sea. Once we traversed the waves, the water was calm and beautiful, and we gradually floated around several large rock formations, where we encountered more blue-footed boobies, herons, sea lions, iguanas, and even a Galápagos penguin! After a delicious lunch and a siesta on the beach, we headed to the famous tortoise breeding center, where Zambo told us about the Galápagos Tortoise. We saw tortoises of all ages, from two months to over 115 years!
We strolled along the beach to return to our hostel, passing by flamingos and multiple iguanas. Several members of our group played more volleyball, while others walked along the beach and relaxed on the sand. We loved our time on Isabela and can’t wait to explore Santa Cruz tomorrow!
– Sarah Marie & Charlie