Cerro Mesa Reserve and Garrapatero Beach
Located on the Eastern part of Santa Cruz, Cero Mesa is a short drive from the camp. We leave in the morning for an active day exploring the area, which is a local hangout for six subspecies of finches, mockingbirds, and short-ear owls. The reserve is also home to species of Galapagos tortoises endemic to Santa Cruz Island.
The island has two distinct species of tortoises; Chelonoidis porteri, found all around the island, and Chelonoidis donfaustoi, found in small numbers on the eastern slopes. Announced to the world in 2015, the latter shares the same domed shell and short neck as the former, but developed independently after arriving from the nearby San Cristobal.
Tucked away at the end of one of …show more content…
Guests who choose this method of transportation leave from El Cascajo, which is a five-mile ride; or from Cerro Mesa, which is eight miles. Traveling on two-wheels puts you side by side with giant tortoises and lava lizards, in the midst of Galapagos bird singing down from the canopy.
Garrapatero Beach is an oasis that offers stunning contrasts of black lava, white sand, and turquoise water. Nearby, dense mangroves play host to all of the Galapagos ground finches.
These include the cactus finch, which feeds off the Opuntia cacti that dot the trail on the 15-minute hike to the area. Other creatures above and below the waterline that call Garrapatero Beach home are marine iguanas, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, rays, and sea turtles.
Elsewhere, through the mangroves skirting the sand, is a peaceful, freshwater lagoon where you can often spot flamingoes, white-cheeked ducks, and black-nested stilts.
Just past the tide pools on the beach, clear waters offer a secluded spot for snorkeling or swimming, protected from choppy waves by the bay’s crescent shape. An additional activity that we can arrange is kayaking off the beaches’ shores in search of sea turtles; a great way to get a different perspective from the …show more content…
During our time here, we learn about the different methods used to refine sugar cane, including the use of a mule-driven press. There is also a demonstration of how artesian coffee is produced, from picking the berries to roasting the beans.
As the day winds down, we head back for the camp for relaxation and refreshments before an elegant four-course dinner in the main lodge with fellow guests.
How to Get There
Cerro Mesa Reserve is a 35-minute drive from the camp. From there, the journey to the beach takes about 15-minutes by car. Traveling by bike depends on your own pace. This is a full-day activity, and we return to camp in time for sunset drinks and a four-course dinner.
Highlights-Exploring the Natural Diversity of Santa Cruz
• Enjoy a fun morning at Cero Mesa Reserve learning about the project’s conservation work in the highlands, while discovering the wildlife of the Galapagos in its natural habitat
• Make the afternoon count while snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing on the beach while exploring the lagoons and mangroves close to Garrapatero Beach
• Visit El Trapiche Ecológico for a demonstration of how sugar cane is refined and Galapagos coffee is grown and
Located on the Eastern part of Santa Cruz, Cero Mesa is a short drive from the camp. We leave in the morning for an active day exploring the area, which is a local hangout for six subspecies of finches, mockingbirds, and short-ear owls. The reserve is also home to species of Galapagos tortoises endemic to Santa Cruz Island.
The island has two distinct species of tortoises; Chelonoidis porteri, found all around the island, and Chelonoidis donfaustoi, found in small numbers on the eastern slopes. Announced to the world in 2015, the latter shares the same domed shell and short neck as the former, but developed independently after arriving from the nearby San Cristobal.
Tucked away at the end of one of …show more content…
Guests who choose this method of transportation leave from El Cascajo, which is a five-mile ride; or from Cerro Mesa, which is eight miles. Traveling on two-wheels puts you side by side with giant tortoises and lava lizards, in the midst of Galapagos bird singing down from the canopy.
Garrapatero Beach is an oasis that offers stunning contrasts of black lava, white sand, and turquoise water. Nearby, dense mangroves play host to all of the Galapagos ground finches.
These include the cactus finch, which feeds off the Opuntia cacti that dot the trail on the 15-minute hike to the area. Other creatures above and below the waterline that call Garrapatero Beach home are marine iguanas, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, rays, and sea turtles.
Elsewhere, through the mangroves skirting the sand, is a peaceful, freshwater lagoon where you can often spot flamingoes, white-cheeked ducks, and black-nested stilts.
Just past the tide pools on the beach, clear waters offer a secluded spot for snorkeling or swimming, protected from choppy waves by the bay’s crescent shape. An additional activity that we can arrange is kayaking off the beaches’ shores in search of sea turtles; a great way to get a different perspective from the …show more content…
During our time here, we learn about the different methods used to refine sugar cane, including the use of a mule-driven press. There is also a demonstration of how artesian coffee is produced, from picking the berries to roasting the beans.
As the day winds down, we head back for the camp for relaxation and refreshments before an elegant four-course dinner in the main lodge with fellow guests.
How to Get There
Cerro Mesa Reserve is a 35-minute drive from the camp. From there, the journey to the beach takes about 15-minutes by car. Traveling by bike depends on your own pace. This is a full-day activity, and we return to camp in time for sunset drinks and a four-course dinner.
Highlights-Exploring the Natural Diversity of Santa Cruz
• Enjoy a fun morning at Cero Mesa Reserve learning about the project’s conservation work in the highlands, while discovering the wildlife of the Galapagos in its natural habitat
• Make the afternoon count while snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing on the beach while exploring the lagoons and mangroves close to Garrapatero Beach
• Visit El Trapiche Ecológico for a demonstration of how sugar cane is refined and Galapagos coffee is grown and