Explore Ecuador &
Galapagos

Travel Ecuador

Bartolome

Area: 296 acres /

Highest point: 373 ft (114 meter)

Bartholome Island is a small but beautiful island just off the east coast of Santiago Island (James). It is one of the younger islands and is served by most cruises. It is also probably the most recognizable island of Galapagos: everyone takes pictures of the famous Pinnacle Rock.

Bartholome has stunning landscapes. Here you will find the most beautiful rock formations of the archipelago with colors ranging from red, orange and green to shimmering black.

The Pinnacle Rock
There are 2 landing places: a dry landing you drop off at the foot of the path to the top of the volcano (114 mt): you climb in about 40 minutes to the top where you get a breathtaking view of the Pinnacle Rock, the twin bays (the small beautiful bays opposite the rock), the moon-like landscape, the island of James with the famous Sullivan Bay. To counter the erosion of the path to the top, a staircase called La Escalera has been built.
It is recommended to do the climb in the morning to avoid taking pictures against the setting sun. On Bartolome you can also admire many small volcano craters (splash ovens) up close.

The Twin Bays
You can also anchor at the Pinnacle Rock from where you go ashore in a small boat along the rocks. You will meet a small friendly colony of Galapagos penguins here. Just past the Pinnacle you have the Twin Bays: here the underwater world is stunning. You can snorkel with the penguins, with sea turtles, white tip reef sharks and other tropical fish. With a bit of luck you will find the Moorish Idol, one of the most beautiful fish in Galapagos.
In the southern bay you will find female turtles waiting for the night to lay their eggs in the dunes. Swimming is prohibited in the southern bay.

PHOTO GALLERY

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WHY TRAVEL WITH EXPLORE ECUADOR?

Tom, guide in EcuadorI’m Tom from Belgium and I’ll make sure your trip to Ecuador or cruise in Galapagos goes as smoothly and pleasantly as possible. I have been living in Ecuador for a decade and have been working in tourism for 8 years now. Before that, I obtained my guides diploma in Ecuador. Traveling and discovering new places is my passion.
Together with the local travel agency Descubre-Ecuador, we offer tailor-made tours in Galapagos and on the Ecuadorian mainland. Over the years, Descubre-Ecuador has built a reliable partnership with the best hotels and the best nature guides in Ecuador. Our small-scale way of working ensures easy accessibility and a lot of flexibility when traveling.
Customer satisfaction is the essence for us. And even in those rare moments of unforeseen difficult circumstances, we make sure that we are there to make sure your trip runs smoothly.
Explore Ecuador and Galapagos!

WHY TRAVEL TO ECUADOR?

Indian woman from SalasacasIn South America, Ecuador is one of the smaller countries, but the country is hugely diverse in terms of geography, climate and population. You can visit the Andes, the Amazon rainforest as well as the tropical coast without taking extremely long domestic flights or transfers. And then you have the Galapagos Islands, a once in a lifetime experience. The diversity of flora and fauna per square mile is enormous. Ecuador is South America in a nutshell. Moreover, the country is relatively safe and little visited. The national currency is the USD and you have a wide choice of direct flights to Quito and Guayaquil from Europe and the United States.

WAAROM REIZEN MET ONTDEK-ECUADOR?

Tom - guide in EcuadorIk ben Tom uit België en zorg ervoor dat jullie reis naar Ecuador of cruise in Galapagos zo vlot en aangenaam mogelijk kan verlopen. Ik woon al een tiental jaren in Ecuador en werk nu 8 jaren in toerisme. Daarvoor heb ik in Ecuador mijn gidsen-diploma behaald. Reizen en nieuwe plaatsen ontdekken is mijn passie. Samen met het lokale reiskantoor Descubre-Ecuador, bieden we reizen op maat in Galapagos en op het Ecuadoriaanse vasteland aan. Descubre-Ecuador heeft door de jaren heen een betrouwbare samenwerking opgebouwd met de beste hotels en de beste natuurgidsen van Ecuador. Onze kleinschalige manier van werken zorgt voor een vlotte bereikbaarheid en veel flexibiliteit bij het reizen. De tevredenheid van de klant is voor ons de essentie. En ook op die zeldzame momenten van onvoorziene moeilijke omstandigheden zorgen we dat we er zijn om jullie reis toch perfect te laten verlopen. Ontdek Ecuador en Galapagos!