- Address: Galapagos Islands, southeast of Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador;
- Height above sea level: 259 m;
- Area: 24 km & sup2.
Santa Fe Island is small, with an area of only 24 km & sup2, almost flat (the highest point above the sea level is 259 m). It is one of the oldest Galapagos islands of volcanic origin.
Flora and fauna
The first thing that catches the eye on the island - giant prickly pears. These are not ordinary cacti - these are real trees, with a smooth, lignified trunk completely barbed. On the shore, tourists are greeted by sea lions, so it is recommended to visit only as part of the group. Leader can be aggressive, so the guide always distracts his attention to himself, so that tourists can safely walk along the path and go deep into the island.
The fauna is represented by rather rare species of birds - phaetons, petrels, Galapagos gulls, lava lizards, Barrington land iguanas and rice rats. The last three representatives of the fauna are endemic and are found only in the Galapagos and in Santa Fe in particular. Barrington iguanas are very large and resemble dinosaurs in miniature.
A large colony of sea lions has settled on the island. If the landing on the island is wet, you have to wade through their rookery along the path. It leads to a salt bush, where the Galapagos hawks have been living for a long time.
Santa Fe is allowed to swim and dive with a mask (snorkeling). During the dives you can see the manta rays, interesting luminous fish, sea turtles and bright crabs.
How to get there?
Excursions from the islands of San Cristobal and Santa Cruz are sent here. Swim an average of 3 hours (from Santa Cruz about 2.5). Classical excursion - one-day tour. Often it includes visiting not only Santa Fe, but also one of the nearby islands. After the excursion, the pleasure yacht returns to the point where it left in the morning.
Rest on this island is recommended for young people and adults. Be sure to take an underwater camera and a swimsuit / swimming trunks.
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