Bartolome Island Day Trip with Snorkeling from Puerto Ayora
Description
With its unique volcanic formations, Bartolome Island is the Galapagos reef that will make you feel like you are on another planet. The Day trip to Bartolome island from Puerto Ayora will take you to one of the most spectacular viewpoints of the islands, you will only have to climb 400 steps to get there! You will also visit Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island, where you will walk among penguins, hawks, or lava cactus and snorkel among sea turtles, multicolored fish, or white-tip sharks. This one-day guided tour includes a round trip transfer from Santa Cruz Island, lunch on board the yacht, and snorkeling equipment, so get your ducks in the water!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The guide will pick you up at 6:00 a.m. at your hotel on Santa Cruz Island and you will board a minibus that will take you to the Itabaca Channel. In the minibus you will receive the specifications and first indications from the guide.
45 minutes later, you will have arrived at the Itabaca Channel. You will get off the minibus and board the boat that will take you to Bartolome Island. On board the boat you will try on the snorkeling equipment that you will use on Santiago Island. - The boat ride lasts 2 hours, and on the way you will skirt the islands of Lesser Daphne and Greater Daphne. Both are recognized as diving areas in the Galapagos Islands. [Highlight: bird watching in the Daphne Islands.]
When you arrive at Bartolomé, you will disembark and begin a short guided walk of just 800 meters following a trail that will take you to one of the best views of all the Galapagos Islands. To get to this viewpoint, you will climb 115 meters above sea level, and about 400 steps, but believe me, it will be worth it. - From there, you will see the famous Galapagos pinnacle, all of Bartolome Island and part of Santiago Island. If the day is clear, you will even be able to see other more distant islands such as Marchena and La Pinta. In just one day, you will have seen the panoramic view of the surrounding islands. [Highlight: hiking in Barolome Island.]
After the visit, you will board the boat again, where you will enjoy a delicious lunch overlooking the island's varied colors of volcanic soil. - And with your batteries recharged, you will head to Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island, where you can snorkel in its crystal clear waters! Upon arrival, following the guide's instructions, you can snorkel among sea turtles, multicolored fish, or white tip sharks as well as take a walk along its trails between lava cactus. [Highlight: snorkeling at Santiago Island] If it is not possible to do the snorkeling activity in Sullivan Bay, the visit to Sombrero Chino will be changed.
After enjoying the best moment of the day, you will pick up your snorkeling equipment and get back on the boat to head back to the Itabaca Channel. - Upon arrival at the Itabaca Channel, the minibus will take you back to Puerto Ayora. There, you will take the shuttle back to your accommodation on Santa Cruz Island, ending this day tour to Bartolomé Island.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
From your lodging in Santa Cruz Island from 6:00 AM onwards
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- No previous experience is required to do the snorkeling activity, but it is essential to know how to swim to be able to do the tour. // The water temperature in the area where the snorkeling will take place allows the activity to be done without a wetsuit all year round.
Reviews(2)
The actual tour saved what could have been a terrible experience. Booking through this tour “provider” was the most stressful part of the trip. They are not the real Galápagos operator, just an overseas middleman, so they had little understanding of and control over pickup and tour arrangements. Thankfully, the local Galápagos guide was professional, and the tour itself, operated by a local company, was excellent. The local team delivered a great experience despite the poor coordination from this middleman. My honest takeaway: great tour, wrong company to book with. I recommend booking the tour directly with a local provider instead.
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the booking process caused stress and appreciate your honesty. We’re glad the tour itself was enjoyable and that the local team provided a great experience. Your comments will help us improve our service. Best regards, Howlanders Team
The boat ride from the Ithaca channel to bartolome is 2.5 hours and the sea is fairly choppy after the first one hour of departure. The crew is excellent. The guide was also excellent. The tour company was also responsive. Overall, an excellent tour.
Thank you very much for your review! 😊 We’re happy to hear you had an excellent experience on the Bartolomé Island day tour. It’s great to know you appreciated the crew, the guide’s work, and our team’s responsiveness. We’re glad everything came together to make it a memorable adventure, even with some choppy seas along the way. Thank you for choosing Howlanders — we hope to travel with you again soon!
