OVERVIEW :
Greatest Iguanas and Giant Cacti Excursion
The oldest island of all (4.5 million years) is located in the middle of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal islands. The extension of a 24 sq km (14.9 sq mi) edge the Santa Fe Island -or “Barrington Island” in English- where is found at 259 m (850 ft) its highest point. The island situated on the south east of the archipelago holds a beautiful turquoise lagoon on its bay, an often visited historic anchoring point. Santa Fe´s amazing, sheltered bay is a prime site for snorkeling with sea lions, surgeonfish, damsels, parrotfish, stingrays, and white tip reef sharks. The tallest stands of opuntia cactus beautify the most endemic landscape where colony of marine iguanas sprawling can be
found as well as rice rats and the Santa Fe lizards. It is also home to a number of endemic species including land iguanas and of course birds (Galápagos hawk, Darwin´s finches, frigate birds, blue footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls), and other species
Santa Fe Island -or “Barrington Island” in English- is an ideal place in order to enjoy the last paradise wildlife, its location is southeast of Santa Cruz island, approximately 1-hour ride by speed boat. The island shows white sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies thought the island path. A short trekking takes to our guests to one of the teeming forest of opuntia cactus in la island to look out for land iguanas. This island is the habitat for number of species, including the Galápagos hawk, Galápagos snakes, rice rats (one of the few endemic Galápagos rodents), a variety of finches and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago, and of course it is also home of the blue footed boobies, frigate birds, Galápagos gulls and home of the Santa Fe land or marine iguanas (the largest in the islands). Ending the pleasant trail adventurers will plunge into the salty sea and snorkel in the company of sealions, lion fish and green turtles. Travelers will enjoy their hot lunch aboard and they will return to Puerto Ayora pier approximately 4:30pm.
It is recommended to wear a wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea temperature because it falls under 20ºC from September to December and it is up of 27ºC from January to August.