Española Island
It’s always great to visit the oldest island of the Galápagos Archipelago. Here you can find not only masses of wildlife but also stunning landscapes; the high cliffs that surround the island are made up of particular formations like layers of black basaltic lava that are a testimony to the enormous volcanic activity millions of years ago.
These cliffs are dotted with sea birds of several kinds such as blue footed boobies, Nazca boobies, gulls and flocks of tropicbirds to mention just a few. The island is rocky all over, however it is home to a large part of the fauna and flora of the Galápagos as it is mostly flat and dry, becoming green during the rainy season only. These conditions are particularly favorable for the sea birds that nest in large numbers every year and you can find most of them here at all times of the year.
Our expedition started at the northern side of the island, an area named Gardner Bay where we found an incredible white sandy beach, with sea lions everywhere, bathed in beautiful warm turquoise water and great snorkeling sites nearby.
The second part of our activities took place at the western side of the island, characterized by a beautiful cliff section through the colonies of boobies and marine iguanas. These reptiles stand out in the Galápagos, and there are at least seven different races, the Española type being the most colorful one, showing red, green and black with a few males that are entirely red. These colors on the iguanas are seen at this time of the year as a result of the breeding season.
Española is a must during a trip to the Galápagos, due to the sheer number and incredible diversity of species.
It’s always great to visit the oldest island of the Galápagos Archipelago. Here you can find not only masses of wildlife but also stunning landscapes; the high cliffs that surround the island are made up of particular formations like layers of black basaltic lava that are a testimony to the enormous volcanic activity millions of years ago.
These cliffs are dotted with sea birds of several kinds such as blue footed boobies, Nazca boobies, gulls and flocks of tropicbirds to mention just a few. The island is rocky all over, however it is home to a large part of the fauna and flora of the Galápagos as it is mostly flat and dry, becoming green during the rainy season only. These conditions are particularly favorable for the sea birds that nest in large numbers every year and you can find most of them here at all times of the year.
Our expedition started at the northern side of the island, an area named Gardner Bay where we found an incredible white sandy beach, with sea lions everywhere, bathed in beautiful warm turquoise water and great snorkeling sites nearby.
The second part of our activities took place at the western side of the island, characterized by a beautiful cliff section through the colonies of boobies and marine iguanas. These reptiles stand out in the Galápagos, and there are at least seven different races, the Española type being the most colorful one, showing red, green and black with a few males that are entirely red. These colors on the iguanas are seen at this time of the year as a result of the breeding season.
Española is a must during a trip to the Galápagos, due to the sheer number and incredible diversity of species.
