Isabela Island
Morning rose with a clear sky and still, turquoise waters at Puerto Villamil, a town which is truly isolated and forgotten by time.
Early in the morning, to take advantage of this day, our more adventurous guests left the Islander for a long hike to Sierra Negra Volcano that included a 45 minute walk to the rim of the caldera. This was just a little investment for a striking reward, the second largest crater in the world stretching out right in front of them. But this was just the beginning.
Meanwhile, our “do it all” guests disembarked first to get a taste for the less than savoury human history of the area, which included a cruel imprisonment reality back in the 50’s symbolized by “the wall of tears” - heavy lava rocks stacked one upon the other by convicts sentenced to forced labour, to form a prison under the equatorial sun that was never intended to be finished, rather to finish them off. We returned to our local means of transportation, open pick-up trucks, to enjoy the wetlands of Puerto Villamil, where waders find a pleasing niche. During our wetlands walk, we heard an unusual bird calling and suddenly a surprise: a black-necked stilt, a shore bird known by many of us not just here in the Galápagos, but also around the world. This resident bird allowed us to share an important part of its life: it’s soft down feather chick, a newborn, walking under the watchful eye of its bearer. They searched for food oblivious to the fact that the ground they were walking on is protected by the great efforts in the conservation of a place unique in the world – this chick is free and safe, this is Galápagos.
After a variety of afternoon adventures, we all met in a local restaurant for the ultimate local specialty: ceviche (delicious marinated seafood) and cerveza. Here we shared our day’s emotions, finally feeling a cool evening breeze, and took our Zodiacs back home as the sun set over Villamil’s spectacular long, white beach - a full day of new experiences, this is a true expedition, a highlight in a lifetime.
Morning rose with a clear sky and still, turquoise waters at Puerto Villamil, a town which is truly isolated and forgotten by time.
Early in the morning, to take advantage of this day, our more adventurous guests left the Islander for a long hike to Sierra Negra Volcano that included a 45 minute walk to the rim of the caldera. This was just a little investment for a striking reward, the second largest crater in the world stretching out right in front of them. But this was just the beginning.
Meanwhile, our “do it all” guests disembarked first to get a taste for the less than savoury human history of the area, which included a cruel imprisonment reality back in the 50’s symbolized by “the wall of tears” - heavy lava rocks stacked one upon the other by convicts sentenced to forced labour, to form a prison under the equatorial sun that was never intended to be finished, rather to finish them off. We returned to our local means of transportation, open pick-up trucks, to enjoy the wetlands of Puerto Villamil, where waders find a pleasing niche. During our wetlands walk, we heard an unusual bird calling and suddenly a surprise: a black-necked stilt, a shore bird known by many of us not just here in the Galápagos, but also around the world. This resident bird allowed us to share an important part of its life: it’s soft down feather chick, a newborn, walking under the watchful eye of its bearer. They searched for food oblivious to the fact that the ground they were walking on is protected by the great efforts in the conservation of a place unique in the world – this chick is free and safe, this is Galápagos.
After a variety of afternoon adventures, we all met in a local restaurant for the ultimate local specialty: ceviche (delicious marinated seafood) and cerveza. Here we shared our day’s emotions, finally feeling a cool evening breeze, and took our Zodiacs back home as the sun set over Villamil’s spectacular long, white beach - a full day of new experiences, this is a true expedition, a highlight in a lifetime.
