Highlands + Twin Craters

Moreno Point

Moreno Point is a place of stark, otherworldly beauty, where ancient lava flows meet the sea. A panga ride along the rocky shore may reveal marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and Galapagos penguins, while inland lagoons attract flamingos and other water birds. Snorkeling here is excellent.

Mangle Point

On the eastern shore of Fernandina, the youngest island in the archipelago, a quiet mangrove-lined inlet provides shelter for sea lions, flightless cormorants and penguins. A panga ride through these calm waters is a peaceful way to spot rays and sea turtles gliding below.

Urbina Bay

This bay sits on land that was lifted from the ocean floor in the 1950s, leaving coral skeletons stranded above the shoreline. A trail through the coastal vegetation leads to sightings of giant tortoises, land iguanas and, at the beach, flightless cormorants drying their wings.

Tagus Cove

Tagus Cove has been a historic anchorage for ships since the 1800s, and the names of early visitors are still carved into the cliffs. A steep trail climbs to an overlook of Darwin Lake and the lava fields of Darwin Volcano, with panoramic views back over the cove.

Espinoza Point

Espinoza Point sits on the edge of one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. This is the realm of the marine iguana, with hundreds basking on the black lava rocks, alongside flightless cormorants, sea lions and lava cacti – a raw, pristine landscape.

Vicente Roca Point

Towering tuff cliffs plunge into a deep bay at Vicente Roca Point, creating one of the most dramatic settings in Galapagos. A panga ride along the cliffs reveals sea turtles, blue-footed and Nazca boobies, and with luck the elusive Galapagos penguin. The snorkeling here is superb.

Espumilla Beach

Espumilla is a beautiful golden beach fringed by mangroves and palo santo forest. Ghost crabs scuttle across the sand while marine iguanas and sea lions rest at the water’s edge, and a brackish lagoon behind the beach is a good place to spot flamingos and pintail ducks.

Egas Port

At Egas Port, dark sand beaches and rocky trails lead past grottos where Galapagos fur sea lions rest in the shade. Marine iguanas graze in the intertidal zone, and the tidal pools are full of life. The snorkeling off this coast is among the best in the islands.

Rabida Island

Rabida’s famous red-sand beach gets its color from the island’s high iron content. Behind the beach, a lagoon is one of the best places to spot flamingos, while the trail leads past a sea lion colony and nesting brown pelicans. The snorkeling off the beach is superb.

Chinese Hat Islet

This tiny volcanic cone off the coast of Santiago, named for its unmistakable shape, is surrounded by striking lava formations. A short walk reveals sea lions, marine iguanas and lava lizards, while the channel between the islet and Santiago is a great snorkeling spot where penguins and reef sharks are often seen.