Punta Suarez - Española Island
At the southeastern tip of Galapagos lies, Española, the Archipelago’s oldest island, which is without a doubt a prime sanctuary of birds where you can observe blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, red-billed tropic birds, swallow- tailed gulls, the Española mockingbird, and from April to December around 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses come to nest.
Passengers will observe sea lion colonies, the most colored marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the beautiful scenery of the blowhole where water shoots 75 ft (23 m) up into the air.
The dramatic setting among the black cliffs, the never-ending rolling and crashing of the waves below; the elaborate courtship rituals of the albatross (birds that mate for life) make Española a highlight of your trip.
The hike is also very interesting for its geographical features, consisting of a completely arid to transitional zone of vegetation with predominantly thorny plants.
- Disembarking: Dry.
- Type of Terrain: Rocky.
- Difficulty: Medium / High.
- Activities: 2 hour 30 min hike.
- Highlights: Waved albatross, blue-footed and Nazca boobies, doves, herons, gulls, hawks, sea lions, the endemic Hood (Española) mockingbird, with its bold behavior, several types of reptiles, including the brightly colored marine iguanas and an oversized lava lizard unique to this island. A birdwatchers’ paradise!
