DAY 2
AM: Dragon Hill
Land iguanas and the flamingo lagoons are two of the highlights of this site. Feral dogs once nearly eliminated the iguanas, but the Galapagos National Park removed them in 1990, and the reptiles seem to be making a comeback. The trail (3km/2 miles round trip) leads through dry-zone vegetation to a small hill where the iguanas live. The area is home to Galapagos mockingbirds, Darwin´s finches, varieties of the endemic Opuntia and candelabra cacti, and Galapagos cotton.
The small offshore island of Venecia is not open for landing, but land iguanas are easy to spot during the panga ride along its shore. These were protected as a breeding nucleus when the feral dogs threatened the main population at Dragon Hill.
Green turtles, sharks, and rays may be spotted on the panga ride, while black-necked stilts, white-cheeked pintails, and migratory shorebirds are usually present on the shoreline.
PM: Bartolome
Bartolome Island and its nearby Pinnacle rock, a pointy rock of lava that emerges from the water, are probably the most photographed landscape of Galapagos. The island is an extinct volcano with different formations and red and orange colors, making a unique landscape.
A trail and a wooden staircase lead to an impressive natural viewpoint, from where is possible to see the nearby Santiago Island and Sullivan Bay. This site also has a small beach used for swimming and snorkel and is a very good place to see the Galapagos penguins.