Bartolome Island Full Day Tour

The Bartolome Island Full Day Tour is a popular excursion from Puerto Ayora, offering visitors a chance to enjoy the island’s stunning natural beauty. Led by knowledgeable guides, the tour promises an unforgettable experience, with opportunities to snorkel and explore the island’s diverse landscapes. While the tour generally receives positive feedback, guests have raised concerns about the quality of snorkeling equipment, highlighting the importance of thorough checks before embarking on the adventure. Discover what makes this tour a must-do for nature enthusiasts exploring the Galapagos Islands.

Key Points

• The full-day tour from Puerto Ayora to Bartolome Island offers rich biodiversity on land and underwater, with scenic viewpoints and snorkeling excursions.
• The tour is led by knowledgeable bilingual guides and includes snacks, a boxed lunch, and a 94% traveler recommendation.
• Moderate physical fitness is required, and the tour is not recommended for certain health conditions or wheelchair users.
• Snorkeling safety and equipment checks are emphasized, though some past guests have reported issues with snorkeling gear quality.
• The tour is priced at $378 per person, with booking challenges reported and the importance of confirming departure details emphasized.

Tour Overview and Highlights

The Bartolome Island Full Day Tour from Puerto Ayora offers visitors a chance to explore a volcanic island rich in biodiversity, both on land and underwater.

The tour includes scenic viewpoints and snorkeling excursions, allowing guests to experience the island’s natural wonders.

With a 94% traveler recommendation based on 17 reviews, the tour is led by knowledgeable bilingual guides who provide informative commentary throughout the day.

Boxed lunch is included, along with all taxes, fees, and handling charges, making it a convenient and comprehensive way to discover Bartolome Island.

Inclusions and Meeting Details

Bilingual professional guides, snacks, all taxes, fees, handling charges, and a boxed lunch are included in the Bartolome Island Full Day Tour from Puerto Ayora.

The meeting point is on Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador, with the exact location provided upon booking confirmation. The tour starts at 6:00 AM and ends at the original departure point.

Visitors should note the tour isn’t wheelchair accessible and isn’t recommended for those with back problems, pregnant individuals, or those with heart conditions.

Moderate physical fitness is required, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Health and Safety Guidelines

The tour isn’t wheelchair accessible and isn’t recommended for travelers with back problems, pregnant individuals, or those with heart conditions.

A moderate level of physical fitness is required to participate. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the maximum group size is 16 travelers, with a limit of 2 per booking.

The provider emphasizes the importance of safety during the snorkeling excursions, and recommends that guests thoroughly check the quality of the provided equipment before use.

Guest Experiences and Feedback

Mixed reviews have been reported by guests who’ve experienced the Bartolome Island tour. Some praised the tour, highlighting the stunning scenery and exhilarating snorkeling with sea lions.

However, others noted issues with the quality of snorkeling equipment and overall tour organization.

Positive comments focused on the professionalism of the crew, the quality of the provided meal, and the overall tour experience.

Suggestions for improvement included enhancing snorkeling safety and conducting more thorough equipment checks.

Despite the mixed feedback, the tour maintains a high traveler recommendation rate of 94%.

Booking and Pricing Information

The Bartolome Island tour is priced at $378.00 per person, which is a non-refundable rate upon cancellation.

Booking challenges have been reported, so the recommendation is to contact the providers directly for clarity on departure details.

That said, the tour does offer some flexibility, especially during non-peak seasons.

Travelers should keep in mind the booking limits, which cap the group size at a maximum of 16 people, with a limit of 2 people per booking.

Exploring Bartolome Island

As travelers embark on the Bartolome Island tour, they’ll discover a volcanic landscape teeming with unique biodiversity.

The island’s dramatic lunar-like terrain, formed by ancient volcanic activity, provides a stunning backdrop for exploring the island’s diverse flora and fauna.

Guided hikes lead visitors to scenic viewpoints, offering panoramic vistas of the surrounding Galápagos archipelago.

While on the island, travelers can expect to encounter a variety of species, including Galápagos penguins, sea lions, and marine iguanas.

The snorkeling excursions allow visitors to enjoy the island’s vibrant underwater world, home to a wealth of colorful marine life.

Snorkeling and Marine Life Encounters

While snorkeling around Bartolome Island, travelers can expect to encounter a diverse array of marine life.

Playful sea lions often approach snorkelers, curiously swimming alongside them. Vibrant schools of tropical fish, like parrotfish and angelfish, dart through the clear waters. Rays glide gracefully over the seafloor, and occasionally, marine iguanas surface for a breath of air.

The volcanic landscape underwater is just as striking, with lava formations and colorful coral gardens creating an otherworldly scene. Snorkelers may even spot Galapagos penguins, one of the island’s unique species.

The snorkeling excursions offer an immersive glimpse into the Galapagos’ incredible marine ecosystem.

The Sum Up

The Bartolome Island Full Day Tour offers an exceptional opportunity to explore the island’s diverse ecosystem and stunning natural beauty. Led by knowledgeable guides, the tour provides a well-rounded experience, including snorkeling and informative commentary. While the tour generally receives positive feedback, guests should ensure the snorkeling equipment is thoroughly checked before participating to guarantee a safe and enjoyable experience.