Today all our guests finally got to see the symbol of the archipelago, the giant tortoises. Santa Cruz is the second largest island in Galápagos and the most populated. At this site one can see how human beings can coexist with the flora and fauna in this unique ecosystem.
The disembarkation happened at eight in the morning so we could visit the national park’s breeding center for giant tortoises. It was exciting to see how this program really works and the different stages of it. Walking through the center, we saw newborn tortoises half the size of a dollar bill as well as adults that reached weights of nearly 500 pounds.
After visiting the breeding center, we offered some time to all guests so they could see Puerto Ayora (the island’s main town) and do some shopping. Shortly afterwards we boarded buses to head up to the highlands. Here we stopped at a sugarcane mill where a local family has made a business out of producing sugarcane juice, spirits, and coffee.
In the afternoon, after having lunch surrounded by a lush green forest proper for the higher part of Santa Cruz, we organized groups to go on a giant tortoise hunt and to visit a lava tunnel. Because of recent rains, there were several large freshwater lagoons fully covered by water fern. In the surrounding areas as well as in the lagoons, we found lots of giant tortoises. Many were huge and actively feeding very close to us!
