Today we woke up for an early walk uphill to the top of Bartolome, a satellite islet of Santiago Island. This relatively new islet is a good place to appreciate different geological formations, such as tuff and spatter cones and basaltic flows. The presence of pioneer plants, such as Tiquilia nesiotica and lava cacti, make Bartolome a good place to understand how life started in Galapagos after the first plants were established on the newly formed islands. We also had the chance to explore the underwater world of this place, and we had the opportunity to observe many species of fish and the elusive Galapagos penguin.
During lunch, we navigated towards Dragon’s Hill on Santa Cruz Island, a few miles away from Bartolome. This place offered the opportunity to observe the iconic Galapagos land iguanas. In addition, it was a great surprise to find a few flamingos in a brackish pond, which offered a great moment for guests to practice photography skills during the golden hour at sunset.
