Explore Floreana Island, the first island in the Galapagos archipelago to be colonised by Ecuadorians in the 19th century!

Setting off from the port of Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island, you'll board a speedboat to Floreana Island, which is located 60 kilometres to the south and takes around 2 hours to reach. You'll disembark at the port of Puerto Velasco Ibarra, the oldest town in the archipelago and the first place to be colonised by Ecuadorians in the 19th century. 

You'll then head to "Playa Negra", a beach with black sand created by the island's volcanic eruptions. You'll take a walk along the beach where you'll be able to watch the Galapagos sea lions, marine iguanas and grapsus, a species of crab only found on this archipelago. After your walk, you can go snorkelling with the sea lions and Pacific turtles.

Once done, you'll go to the historic "Asylum of Peace" hilltop site. This is where the first settlers made camp when they landed on the archipelago. You'll take a walk through the Scalesia forest, home to large, exotic trees and the pirates' cave, which is next to the island's only freshwater spring. Back in the day, pirates used to hide their loot and take refuge in this cave. 

You'll then head to the Cerro Alierie viewpoint, which is located on top of the smallest hill on Floreana Island. Enjoy the opportunity to explore the incredible biodiversity with colourful landscapes and flower species unique to this island. You can admire the panoramic view of the town of Puerto Velasco Ibarra and the beach of Post Office Bay, a former stopover for whaling ships.

At the end of the day, you'll be taken back to Puerto Ayora Port.