Self-Guided Expedition on Isabela Island

PLAN YOUR TRIP WITH THIS SELF-GUIDED EXPEDITION ON ISABELA

One of the most popular islands on the Galapagos Islands is the stunning Isabela island. It is the biggest of all the islands, but it has a population of only 1748 people. The streets are still made of sand on Isabela Island, and you can find beautiful beaches everywhere. You will be surrounded by palm trees and coconuts, and you will really feel like you’re on an isolated island. A true paradise. 

What would be better than exploring the island and going on a self-guided expedition on Isabela Island? You can visit some amazing places by yourself. For example, you can go snorkeling, enjoy the beach, visit the tortoise breeding center, and the Flamingo Lagoon. For other attractions, you are obligated to go on a fixed paid tour, for example, when visiting places like Los Tuneles, Tintoreras, or the Sierra Negra volcano.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR SELF-GUIDED EXPEDITION ON ISABELA ISLAND

The first thing we recommend you to do is to rent a bike in one of the bike rentals in town and go explore the island, in the Wetlands. 

You can start the tour on the beach, where you will bike next to the beach for a while. The views on this bicycle tour are amazing and you will without a doubt enjoy your time here. After the beach, you will enter the green part of the tour where you will be surrounded by trees and have a very high chance of seeing land tortoises crossing the street. 

Enjoy the stunning viewpoints along the way for example small beaches with picturesque views. At the end of the road, you will discover the Wall of Tears, an immense wall built by prisoners many years ago. This is the perfect place to have a break, drink some water, and after that head back to town. If you seek a destination unlike any other, this is the place for you. 

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SWIM WITH SEA-LIONS AND SEA-TURTLES

The second thing we recommend you to do is to rent snorkel gear. You can go to Concha Perla (next to the dock) where you can swim and play with sea lions. Here you have a big chance of seeing a lot of nice colorful fish and if you are lucky, you might spot a sea turtle. 

You can go back to the dock if it’s too crowded at Concha Perla, and enter the ocean from the beach on the other side of the dock. This place is very relaxing and beautiful and is perfect for snorkeling.

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EXPERIENCE FLAMINGOS AND GIANT TORTOISES

Last but not least, you can visit the Tortoise Breeding Centre and the Flamingo Lagoon. In the Breeding Centre, you can see the land tortoises. You will learn about the breeding process by watching the different sizes of the tortoises from the beginning to the end (over 100 years).

 

The perfect way to end your self-guided expedition on Isabela Island is to go to Malecon and enjoy the stunning beachfront. You can find the Flamingo Lagoon in town (behind the Iguana Crossing Hotel). This is a very quiet, beautiful place where you can spot the colorful flamingos flying or chilling in the lake. 

 

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