Find all of the Galapagos magical essence in this tour to the Cerro Mesa Ecological Reserve and the Garrapatero beach. Delight yourself with an amazing view and fill your lungs with fresh air as you walk through the native forest. Don’t forget to keep your eyes open for tiny birds and tiptoe as you come close to the Galapagos tortoise. Take the small path that leads into the bottom of the biggest sinkhole found on Santa Cruz island. Marvel at the steep rocky walls that surround you. Camp under the stars and enjoy a sunny beach the very next day!
Cerro Mesa is located in the Santa Cruz highlands. The tour will take you cycling along the rural area of Santa Cruz towards the reserve. Once there, follow the path to the bottom of the sinkhole. Hike up to the top of the table-shaped hill or take the path that goes around the reserve. A tent equipped with all the basic supplies will be waiting at the camp site at the end of the day. If the weather permits, marvel at the beauty of a starry night and enjoy the warmth of the bonfire. The next morning we mount our bikes and take the road towards El Garrapatero beach where you will find flamingos, a sandy beach and calm sea waters.
A van will pick you up at your hotel at 8am and take you to Bellavista. We will ride our bikes for about 1hr and 30min watching the most amazing scenery of the island. Once we arrive at the reserve we can choose to go up to the viewpoint “Cerro Mesa” or go check out the crater. We will be having dinner and a campfire at night. Next day we will have a light breakfast and get the bikes ready for some beach time. The ride to the beach will take about an hour. After a little walk we will find the amazing turquoise water to enjoy. In the afternoon, a car will pick us up to take us back to Puerto Ayora.
The weather in the islands is generally warm but there are some months were we have some rain. It would be a good idea to bring a rain jacket. Of course don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses, comfortable shoes, trail snacks and of course a camera. Besides the view there is a good chance for bird watching.
This tour goes from sea level to an altitude of 1100mts (3600 ft). It involves fairly steep biking and climbing. The bike ride will be around 2 – 3hrs total and the hike to the crater will be about an 1hr both ways.
Medium level of biking required and basic trekking knowledge.
My favorite tour so far! Cerro mesa has a lot to offer: amazing views, wildlife and spooky stories by the bonfire! I enjoyed every second of our bike ride through the country side and the way down to the beach, totally worth it!
3 Reviews
Es un lujo de tour muchas gracias al equipo de Ecuador Trails
Lo recomiendo. Nosotros lo realizamos en familia. Es hermoso. La cicleada no es muy fuerte,vale la pena pues se llega a un sitio espectacular Cerro Mesa, y despues la acampada, al otro dia un rico desayuno con fruta fresca. Y para terminar sumergirse en las cristalinas aguas de la playa.