Galapagos Island Guide


The Galapagos archipelago consists of 13 volcanic Islands and further smaller islets besides. Each one harbours a diverse range of flora and fauna and displaying varying, yet equally fascinating geological features, all just waiting to be explored.  There are more Islands in the Galapagos than anybody could possibly visit in one trip.  However, our new and comprehensive Galapagos Island Guide has been designed to help you understand each island's key features and discover the best ways in which to explore them. Whether you are a wildlife enthusiast, keen scuba diver, wilderness adventurer or an avid bird watcher, our Galapagos Island Guide will help you to pinpoint the ideal locations for you to visit.

Each island guide comes with a table which enables you to navigate through an Island Summary, Wildlife, Marine Life, Conservation & Geology Guide.  The map below will also help you to correlate names of each islands with their location.

If you would like to discuss any of the Islands in further detail ,or find out how you can combine the Galapagos with a trip to Ecuador, Peru's Machu Picchu or the Andes and Cloud Forests, please contact one of our Galapagos experts who will be able to tailor an experience to suit you.
 

Baltra

Baltra (South Seymour) is fundamentally a start and finish point for many of our Galapagos voyages, as there are no real visitor sites or attractions, nor is there any visitor accommodation.

Bartolome

Bartolomé (Bartholomew) is a volcanic islet situated just off the east coast of Santiago Island and is one of the youngest islands in the Galapagos archipelago. It is characterised by its fascinating geology and volcanic formations.

Darwin

Darwin (Culpepper) named in honour of the archipelagos most illustrious visitor Charles Darwin is situated in the north west of the main Galapagos Island group and is the northernmost island in the Galapagos.

Española

Española (Hood) is the southernmost Galapagos Island, situated at the extreme southeast of the archipelago. Together with Santa Fé Island, Española is the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, at approximately 4 million years old.

Fernandina

Fernandina (Narborough) is the third largest Galapagos Island and was named in honour of King Fernando of, who historically sponsored the legendary voyage of Christopher Columbus. She has an exceptionally striking volcanic landscape.

Floreana

Floreana (Santa María or Charles) is one of the oldest Galapagos islands in the archipelago and consequently has a greater biodiversity than many of the younger islands. She was the first of the Galapagos islands to be inhabited by humans.

Genovesa

Genovesa (Tower) is home to an array of birdlife and is often referred to as "Bird Island", a name in which she most certainly lives up to.  Her general abundance of wildlife and striking landscapes provides excellent photographic opportunities. 

Isabela

Isabela is situated on the western edge of the archipelago close to the Galapagos tectonic hot spot and is the largest and consequently most diverse island in terms of the wildlife and marine life.        

Marchena

Marchena (Bindloe) is rather desolate, with just 25% of the island covered in vegetation, but no fresh water, hence no human settlements. It's home to the Galapagos hawk, colonies of sea lions and the Marchena Lava lizard. 

Mosquera

Mosquera is a small coral islet situated between North Seymour and Baltra. It is home to the largest colony of sea lions in the Galapagos. You may also see brown pelicans, blue footed boobies and yellow crowned herons here.

North Seymour

North Seymour (Seymour Norte) has a wealth of birdlife, many of which can be seen up close. It is a great island for swimming, snorkelling and diving, with a wealth of marine life to discover and explore.

Pinta

Pinta (Abingdon) is the birthplace of world renowned Lonesome George, the last remaining subspecies of Pinta giant tortoise, which has now become a representation of the vulnerability of the Galapagos Islands.          

Pinzón

Pinzón (Duncan) has a marine tortoise reserve and seal rookery, but is off limits to land based visitors.  The island has no visitor sites and a permit is required in order to step foot on land (usually reserved for scientists and researchers).        

San Cristobal

San Cristobal (Chatham) is home to the second largest human settlement in the Galapagos. The assets Aqua-Firma makes greatest use of on San Cristobal are its offshore islets and its coastline, perfect for sea kayaking,

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz  (Indefatigable) is the second largest of the Galapagos Islands, situated in the centre of the archipelago proving a wealth of wildlife, geology and vegetation. It is the starting point for many of Aqua-Firma's Wildlife Yacht Safaris.

Santa Fé

Santa Fé (Barrington) is located some 20 km southeast of Santa Cruz Island and at approximately 4 million years old, is one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos archipelago. With no freshwater supply it has remain relatively undisturbed.

Santiago

Santiago (San Salvador or James) is situated just west of the central part of the Galapagos Islands and is the fourth largest in the archipelago. It is an island rich in wildlife, history and geology, dominated by its phenomenal lunar landscape.

South Plaza

South Plaza (Plaza Sur) is surprisingly rich in flora and fauna, making it a popular choice for a visitor. It harbours a considerable population of larger than average land iguanas which can be spotted in almost any location on the island.

 

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Galapagos

Galapagos Motor Yachts

Galapagos Sailing Yachts

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Baltra

Bartolome

Darwin

Española

Fernandina

Floreana

Genovesa

Isabela

Marchena

Mosquera

North Seymour

Pinta

Pinzón

San Cristobal

Santa Cruz

Santa Fé

Santiago

South Plaza

 

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