isla bartolome

We booked a day trip to Bartolome Island with Viages de Darwin Travel Agency which is one street back off the front street in Puerto Ayora beside the harbour. It cost us $150 for this day trip and this was the best price we got after asking in a few of the travel agencies. I really enjoyed visiting Bartolome and would definitely recommend going there. It took about over an hour to get there. The first thing we did was go to the lookout point/ panoramic view of Pinnacle rock. Amazing!! It's all wooden boardwalks and there weren't that many steps but the views of the island were just brilliant! Picture perfect! The landscape is so harsh and volcanic and then the water is so blue&the beach on either side just completes it. I loved it, a really great view of Pinnacle Rock. We had plenty of time there for taking photos etc. Next you go back to the boat and get ready to snorkel. Surprisingly they made us pay $5 extra for using the snorkelling equipment (we booked with the same travel agency to go to Isabella and snorkelling was included). A bit unnecessary when we had already paid for the day trip but anyways we just paid it and moved on. The snorkelling was amazing!! It was the best snorkelling we did in the Galapagos (we weren't in Los Tunnels in Isabella which is meant to be fantastic too). The water is really calm which is great as it's easier to see things. We saw shoals of bright colourful fish, loads and loads of them. We also saw penguins on the rocks and also in the water- 2 swam right past me! We saw a turtle too and I swam beside him for a good while. The water was so clear and shallow too which is nice if you're not a great swimmer. It was perfectly calm. You have the option to snorkel from the boat (deeper water but not too deep) or else they bring you closer to the beach and you can snorkel from there. It was nice that they give people this option. We had plenty of time in the water, it was great. After the snorkelling, you get back on board and have lunch which was mashed potatoes, vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower), rice & tuna steaks. I don't eat fish but even without the tuna there was plenty of food. You get watermelon afterwards then. Then it's time to make the journey back to Santa Cruz, to the port near the airport and they drive you back to Puerto Ayora. We saw a big Galapagos shark swimming around our boar back at the port/docking area and dolphins jumping out of the water on the way back to Santa Cruz too. Overall, I highly recommend this day trip for the amazing views and the brilliant snorkelling. I found it difficult to get information about day tours/ prices of day tours from Puerto Ayora so I would recommend asking around in a few travel agencies and comparing prices... Don't go with the first one. We had been told $200 for this tour and with the agency we booked with it was $150 so that's a big difference.

Isla Bartolome is a day trip worth doing. Wonderful view, great oportunity for snorkeling. The experience was almost ruined by our travel agency Los Viajes the Darwin, in Puerto Ayora. It made us feel insecure, having to argue for every detail and to pay extra cash, as you don`t have much option when you are in a boat in the middle of the ocean.I would advise not to negatiate with this travel agency, or be extra careful not to be ripped off.

Isla Bartolome is a great snorkelling location for beginners. It has calm water but there is a lot to see. We saw the most creatures in the water on Isla Bartolome than we did on any other of the many islands we visited, including a reef shark. There is also a lovely beach to relax on if your not the snorkelling type and a rocky area to explore as well. There is also a wooden pathway which takes you up on a hike to the top of the one of the rocks where you get a lovely view of the island. As the first island we visited, it is a must.

We planned to spend 1 month in the Galapagos - all on land - to help manage our costs as we plan to travel for another 8-10months. I now know why so many people travel the archipelago by boat. It's islands like Bartolome that you cannot access any other way. We lucked out and spent a couple of nights on board a boat for scuba trip that stopped at Bartolome and we're so glad they did. You hike (climb stairs, fairly steep) to the top and gaze over Pinnacle Rock, just awesome, beautiful scenery. We dingy'd around the coast afterwards and saw a few penguins on the rocky coast and in the water which was icing on the cake.

Consider visiting it at sun rise for for the best light. Sunset is also nice. Midday is very hot and doesn't give good pictures

We hiked to the top of the island. It's not tough, just an uphill walk on a good wooden walkway. The view from the top of this barren island. From the top you get a panoramic view of the double sided beach of Bartolome island as well as all the surrounding islands. A truly spectacular view.

After landing, you will walk about 1.2 miles up a long wooden staircase. It was built not to help the tourists (although it does that), but to keep them from contributing to the erosion from walking on the slopes. The views from several levels are fantastic - Pinnacle Rock, the lunar landscape and the view over Sullivan's Bay. Definitely a must!

I couldn't get what people found amazing about Bartolome and almost passed it up, but for others saying "go"! So glad I did. This tour turned into our most favorite day trip from Puerto Ayora. We had an excellent guide, and our boat was the Santa Cruz - well respected for its tours. With a good guide you learn so much. The island is bare, but with spectacular scenery. The walk is all uphill but with steps and frequent stops to discuss the island and evolution. The snorkeling near the island was beautiful (despite the fact that another guide from another boat made off with all our stuff on the beach thinking it belonged to people in his group. We got everything back but for my prescription sun glasses which fell out of a pants pocket. Lesson: don't take anything on a beach if you don't want to lose it. Theft is not an issue on the Galapagos, but the unexpected event is). The lava formations are stunning and, with a good guide, becomes very informative. Take lots of suntan lotion, hat, and good shoes.

We took a day trip to Bartolome from Santa Cruz and had a fantastic time. The dried lava everywhere looks incredible. Also you get a nice view over to Santiago Island, so you can tick off two of the list ;)The snorkelling spot that was included in our tour was in a bay just off Santiago and offered beautiful views of colourful fish and we saw a sea turtle. We also managed to see some penguins swim around Bartolome.All in all this was an amazing, if pricey, day trip!

This island is a little different to other islands in the Galapagos, with less wildlife on land and more of a focus on spectacular scenery from the area's volcanic past. They have built a boardwalk up to the peak (to prevent further land erosion) so it is a relatively easy walk (of course it is uphill). The water around the island is great for snorkelling, plenty of fish, the occasional reef shark, and if you are lucky maybe you will snorkel with a Galapagos penguin or a playful sea lion!

Can you believe it, this place was target practice for the US air-force many years ago! There used to be two plugs but it is still very beautiful. If you walk across the top from the bay to the beach on the other side of the island you may be able to swim quietly with the basking sharks. Watch out though, depending when you go the temperatures reach staggering numbers with no air at the top of the hill!PS. The rope lava on the other side of the channel is stunning.

Cost $180. Book two months in advance or you won't find a spot!What to bring: camera, sun glasses, sandals (not flip flops), sun screen (a must), extra tshirt, chapstick, hat. You might get sea sick.What will be provided: towel, snorkel gear (no fins though), breakfast, lunch, water, snacks.6am hotel pick up. Then you will travel for 45min to the port. You will embark the boat which will be ready for breakfast. Most of the boats have capacity for 16 people plus 4 crew members.Expect two hours in the ocean until you reach Bartolome. So plan a sun bath or a nice chat with the captain or just make new friends. A book or a short movie can also be a good idea.While on the boat, you might see dolphins, birds, and a great view of North and south Seymour.Once you reach Bartolome you will climb to the light house were you get an amazing view of the beach and the Pinacle (famous geological formation). You will also stop at a lava beach near by. The schedule depends on the tourist guide, he might change it depending on the weather.Finally, you will be able to snorkel for about an hour which will be absolutely unforgettable!! What an experience. After snorkeling you will be taken back to the boat where you will have lunch. The you have 2 hours in the ocean and almost one hour in the bus. Here is when you use your book or movie!At 5pm you will reach Puerto Ayora and your brain will be full of memories that will be very hard to forget.

Para visitar esta isla es necesario contratar un tour que cobra unos US$160 por persona, que incluye el transporte terrestre, maritimo, desayuno y almuerzo. En nuestro caso, un bus nos recogió muy temprano (entre 6:00 y 6:30 hrs) en el hotel, luego a otros pasajeros en sus respectivos hoteles e inició el trayecto hacia el canal Iltabaca donde llegamos luego de unos 40 a 45 minutos de viaje en bus. En este lugar, nos embarcamos en un bote zodiak hacia la embarcación que se dirige hacia la isla Bartolomé. Esta embarcación es grande, para que viajen unas 15 personas cómodamente, pero es lenta. El viaje maritimo se inicio cerca de las 08:00 hrs en cuyo trayecto pasamos por el islote Daphne Mayor y donde pudimos apreciar una hermosa vista de esta zona. Al iniciar el viaje, en la embarcación sirven el desayuno.Luego de unas 2 horas y media de viaje llegamos a la isla Bartolomé, donde el bote zodiak nos llevó a un muelle para iniciar el ascenso hacia el mirador de la isla, esto a través de un sendero de madera. Al llegar al mirador se puede apreciar el Pináculo de la isla Bartolomé y tambien se puede observar diferentes islas del archipiélago, como por ejemplo, el islote Sombrero Chino.Luego de esto, descendimos por el sendero para llegar al muelle donde nos esperaba el bote zodiak para llevarnos de regreso a la embarcación mayor, la cual nos llevó a una playa para hacer snorkeling. En nuestro visita, apreciamos algunos ejemplares de peces de colores, pero tambien pudimos ver algunas aves en los roquerios y al Pinguino de Darwin.Despues de 1 h aproximadamente, el bote zodiak fue a buscarnos a la playa para llevarnos a un sector de la isla Santiago para recorrer un sendero y apreciar la formación volcánica de esta isla. Posterior a este recorrido, el zodiak nos llevó de regreso a la embarcación mayor para almorzar y luego iniciar el viaje de regreso (alrededor de las 14:00 hrs).Alrededor de las 16:30 hrs llegamos al canal Iltabaca donde el zodiak nos llevó de regreso al muelle para abordar el bus que nos llevó de regreso a Puerto Ayora.Si bien el viaje fue agotador, tanto en la ida como en el regreso pudimos apreciar fauna marina como delfines y mantarrayas. Vale la pena hacer el esfuerzo y realizar este viaje por todo lo que se puede conocer.Recomiendo llevar pastillas para el mareo...pueden ser de gran ayuda.

Hay una escalera de madera donde subís y ves todo el paisaje. Luego hacés snorkel en la isla. Hay muchos peces y aves. Me hubiera gustado estar más tiempo. De las islas que fui, es la que más me gustó por la variedad de peces.

Isla Bartolome é una delle piú particolari isole delle Galapagos. Totalmente ricoperta da lava vulcanica scura, quasi nera, si crea un paesaggio incredibile, le formazioni laviche sono di ogni tipo e di grande effetto. Il paesaggio dall'alto é davvero suggestivo. Inoltre é ottimo anche lo snorkeling!!