Tortuga Bay
This nature walk takes you to a part of Santa Cruz where you can see some of the wildlife that’s unique to the Galápagos. You’ll cover beaches, lagoons, and the blustery coast of Santa Cruz Island.
- Duration:
- 3 hrs
- Available Days:
- Every day
- Schedule:
- 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM
- Hotel Transport Included
- Mobile Ticket Included
- Offered in English, Spanish
Your tour begins with a 35-minute walk near the outskirts of Puerto Ayora, through an arid Palo Santo forest. Palo Santo has fragrant wood that is prized for its warm, subtle fragrance when burned. This forest also has prickly pear and candelabra cacti — the scenery makes a fascinating backdrop for bird watching.
Next, you’ll continue to the beach. As you walk along the beach, you’ll eventually come to a shielded lagoon where you can swim and snorkel. Nearby, you can walk the rocky stretch between Tortuga Bay Beach and Playa Mansa, an area where you can look for wildlife like marine iguanas, brown pelicans, and blue-footed boobies. If you want, you can rent a kayak to explore farther from the shore, for the chance to see white tip sharks, eagle rays, and golden rays.
Note: The main beach here is not suitable for swimming because of strong currents. The water near Tortuga Bay Beach is rough and has a strong undertow. Visitors are not allowed to climb on the sand dunes that surround the beach.
What to Bring
Sun screen, bug spray, sturdy shoes with thick soles, hat, sunglasses, swimsuit, towel, snorkel equipment and a wet suit.
What's included
Transportation, guide, snacks, and water.
Transportation
Many of our tours and activities offer transportation pick up & drop off options from several locations and destinations. Options vary by tour, see “BOOKING REQUEST” for full details.
Traveler Comments
Although the beach is beautiful, it is a 2 km walk to the beach. You sometimes see baby sharks in the water and tons of marine iguanas.
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