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About this trip
Iguanas Path
Just off the east coast of Santa Cruz is located South Plaza Islands, two small islands, though adventurers only visit the south island. North Plaza is visited only with scientific and conservation purposes. South Plaza is one of Galápagos´ most impressive ecosystems, it is just 0.13 sq. km (0.08 sq mi) and its higher point is 25 m (82 ft). Any excursionist will be amazed at the opuntia cacti forest and vegetation that changes colors according to the season. Sometimes it is difficult to walk due to the amount of land iguanas sprawled all over the ground. Rarely a hybrid of marine and land iguana can be found on the trials. Trails also take adventurers through sea lion colonies and along a cliff top walk where swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca and blue footed boobies, and red-billed tropicbirds nest. The island also gives the opportunity to enjoy pleasant views of the magnificent frigates, pelicans, and Audubon´s shearwaters sit among the ledges and lava rocks.
What’s included
- - Lunch aboard
- - Naturalist Tour Guide
- - Shared bus
- - Purified water
- - Towel
- - Snorkeling equipment (
- - Comfortable yacht
What’s not included
- - Wetsuit (available at
- Propina
Available Packages
Los precios son por persona, los niños a partir de 2 años pagan igual que 1 adulto
Itinerary
Itinerary
Departure: 7 – 8 am bus pick up
Returning time: approximately at 4:30 pm
Travel Time: 40 minutes ride by bus to Itabaca Channel, then a comfortable yacht journey of around 1 hour to South Plaza islands.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Highlight activity: walking and snorkeling
Transportation: shared bus and yacht
Description
South Plaza Islands is for our guests who prefer to enjoy a pleasant journey watching unique changing landscape and colonies of land red and yellow iguanas. This magic place consists of two islets (north and south) located east coast of Santa Cruz Island. In order to explore the wonders of this island, our guests will be taken on a 40-minute bus ride from the comfortable hotel, followed by a 1-hour boat ride. On the northern part of the islet, excursionists begin the journey in fantastic cactus forest where sometimes trekking is difficult due to the amount of yellow and red land iguanas stretched along the rocky ground. During the dry season they survive on fruits and flowers of the opuntia cacti. Our guests will be amazed at the wild hybrid iguanas (mix between sea and land ones) and colony of sea lions while the trail forwards to a cliff top walk where swallow tailed gulls and tropicbirds nest. It is a heaven for the red billed tropic birds, magnificent frigates, pelicans, and Audubon´s shearwaters. Incredible photography opportunities are given here. Adventurers will enjoy the lunch aboard before returning to Punta Carrión near the Itabaca Channel, where it is a beautiful place to snorkel next to the sea lions and white tip reef sharks.
It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature because it falls under 20ºC from September to December and it is up of 27ºC from January to August.