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Santa Cruz Highland Tour: Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnel & Gemelos

5.0
Manual confirmation
No cancellation

Santa Cruz Highland Tour: Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnel & Gemelos

5.0
Next available dates
Thu
18 Dec
Fri
19 Dec
Sat
20 Dec
Bestseller

Santa Cruz Tour w/out Pickup

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No cancellation

From

AUD 250.13

Airport Transfer in/out

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No cancellation
Airport Pick-up / Drop-off: Pick-up from the airport Exit on Baltra Island with a private driver. Excluding the airport bus tickets ($5) and ferry ($1)
Pickup included

From

AUD 315.05

Highlights

This tour will allow you to get to see the highlights of Santa Cruz' Highlands, including the giant tortoises in their natural habitat, an impressive underground lava tunnel and the famous Twin Craters "Los Gemelos". This definitely is a rewarding visit for nature loving people and a must-do when in Galapgos. The lush green scenery of the highlands is in stark contrast to the more arid lowland coasts, providing a very different Galapagos experience.

Itinerary

  • Rancho Primicias

    1 hours 30 minsAdmission Ticket Included
    One of our knowledgeable guides will lead you around the beautiful tortoise ranch Las Primicias, which lies in the Highlands of Santa Cruz, offering a lush contrast to the beaches and arid areas found elsewhere on the island. Here you will be able to observe the famous Giant Galapagos Tortoise roaming in its natural habitat, taking a bath in one of the many water holes, having a good bite of green grass or, if you get very lucky, even mating. You will be able to be as close to them as possible (don't forget 2 meters distance!) and your guide will be happy to help you to take great photos of you posing with these fascinating giants. You will learn a lot about their behaviour, their predators, and basically everything there is know learn - and of course there will be sufficient time to ask questions and to taste a cup of the delicious organic coffee produced by the family who owns this place. You will get rubber boots if it is raining or if the ground is muddy.
  • Lava Tunnel

    30 minsAdmission Ticket Included
    The second stop will be a cavernous underground Lava Tunnel where you can climb down (easy access with steps) one of the geological wonders of the volcanic islands of Galapagos. Seeing this impressive place and the explanations of your naturalist guide, help to understand the immense force that these lava flows had. You can either turn back and exit the tunnel the same way you came down, or you can walk through the tunnel (not recommend for someone with back/mobility problems or claustrophobia as there is one very tight spot where you basically need to crawl through) and meet the rest of the group on the other side.
  • Los Gemelos

    45 minsAdmission Ticket Free
    The last stop on this tour will be "Los Gemelos", meaning the Twins; which are two massive twin craters (actually huge lava collapses - your naturalist guide will explain you a lot more about it). To better appreciate their scale, Los Gemelos measure approximately 1 mile in diameter, with a depth of 280 meters. The dark grey volcanic walls contrast wonderfully with the green vegetation, but you’ll need a wide angle lens to fit it all into one shot. The two viewpoints over these massive lava collapses showcase the breathtaking landscape, and there is plenty of interesting birdlife to look out for too as this dense forest is home to a good variety of Galapagos bird species. An impressive 8 of the 13 Darwin Finch species can be spotted here. Your guide will show you how to identify them correctly. Bird watchers can also spot eye-catching vermillion flycatchers, Short-eared owls (if lucky!), the pretty Galapagos dove and more.

What's included

INCLUDED

Private transportation
All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle
Naturalist guide certified by the National Park
Use of rubber boots if the ground is muddy
Entry fee to the tortoise ranch

NOT INCLUDED

Gratuities (optional)

Customer reviews

5.0

4 verified reviews
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Additional information

Must Know
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Good To Know
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Travel time is included on the total tour duration.

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Location

Provider

Guiding Galapagos Expeditions

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