We have to be on a bus at 5:50am? I haven’t had to get up and be ready for the day in, well I guess since we flew down here. BUT STILL! The trip to Bartolome was going to be a long day. We were so excited! That didn’t matter. This was one of the few excursions we booked before arriving in the Galapagos. We knew it was going to be a good one!
Bartolome is one of the most photographed locations in the Galapagos with a golden sandy beach and a spire that rises into the air surrounded by turquoise sea. Just gorgeous! Also the site where the Galapagos portions of the Russell Crowe movie “Master and Commander” was filmed.
Getting anywhere in the Galapagos, we have found out, takes awhile. At 6:00 am (I guess our host thought we’d be late.😉) we were picked up in an old bus. We drove for 45 minutes, all of the way across the island to the channel we crossed when we first arrived to the archipelago. From there we got on a dinghy that passed cute sea lions napping on a buoy and brought us to our sailboat for the day.
After we ate a nice breakfast below deck, we received a short security rundown and then took off. We were excited to be on the water and scanned the horizon for any type of wildlife. Besides the group of frigate birds following our boat, we didn’t see too much. However, we still enjoyed the sprays of water on our face and the smell of the sea. After two hours on the sailboat, we had arrived.
Hiking to the Viewpoint
The first part of the tour on Bartolome started with a hike up a series of wooden walkways and staircases. We stopped at various platforms to hear about the ecology and geology of the area, for folks to catch their breath, and take a few pictures. This island is young, so vegetation is in short supply, while evidence of lava flows is abundant. While inhospitable, it creates a stunning foreground for taking in the bright blue and green waters of the surrounding Pacific. Finally, we got to the top of the island. I think it speaks for itself. Look at that view! 😍
Looking for Penguins on Bartolome
Next we were taken on the dinghy to look for the penguins. Who the heck even knew penguins existed in the Galapagos?!? We had no idea! Our guide explained that there are only 12 penguins that live in the colony at Bartolome, but they are more abundant on other more remote islands in the Galapagos. After gliding around the area in our little boat, we see them! Well 2 of them. They are soooo adorable. Check them out!
Snorkeling With Sea Turtles
After a quick snack of some sort of baked banana treat back on the sailboat, (scrumptious) we prepared to go snorkeling. We never realized that the water around the Galápagos would be so chilly. This is one of the reasons the penguins can live here. This also means jumping into the water without a wetsuit would be unenjoyable. The kids decided to pass on the snorkeling as their swimming ability didn’t quite give them the confidence required, but Mike and I both wanted to go.
We jumped into the bright aqua water and started snorkeling along the rocky coastline towards a picture perfect white sand beach where the kids hung out. And yes they were perfectly safe on the beach by themselves. Only tour groups come to this part of the islands and we were the only ones there.
This snorkeling experience was the best either of us have ever experienced. We only saw one small shark which, I guess, was the only “disappointing” part. (We would have liked to see a large shark…but oh well I guess a small one is fine. I can’t even listen to myself here. Ridiculous!)
We did swim through multiple schools of fish… like thousands of fish swimming right at and around your body. The best part of it all was seeing 3 sea turtles!!!! We swam right up to them!!! Above is a video of the highlights.
Return Trip from Bartolome
After snorkeling we jumped back on the sailboat and enjoyed a nice lunch. Then we began the 2-hour journey back to Isla Santa Cruz. The waves were a little choppier on the way back so we hunkered down on the deck (to avoid getting sea sick) and tried to enjoy the scenery while the sea regularly splashed us. The kids got too cold above, so they went down below. This is how we found them. 😂
Reflection on the Day Trip to Bartolome
While the day trip was an experience we will remember forever, it was a long day and we were exhausted. After consideration, we think that this was definitely worth it! The views, the penguins, and the snorkeling were all spectacular. The negatives for us are that it felt rushed and we would have liked more time to enjoy the location.
Alternative Options to Day Trips
We can see why most people that visit the Galápagos do it as a multi-day cruise. You visit an island one day, and you are taken to the next island while you sleep on board the boat. This way you are getting a full-day experience at each island. The multi-day cruises are expensive ($1,200-$6,000/person), but this day trip to just one island was too ($210/person).
All in all, we’ve realized that you need to be prepared to spend a big chunk of change to visit here no matter how frugally you’re trying to live. Hopefully one day in the future we can come back and feel confident enough financially (or do it without the boys) so the cost of a multi-day cruise is something less overwhelming. In the meantime, our day trip to Bartolome was an experience that will keep us thinking about the Galapagos for a long time.
Enjoy this story? Read about other adventures we had in the Galapagos:
- North Seymour Island – Day trip in the Galápagos Islands
- The Best Things To Do in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos
- What to do on Isabela Island in the Galapagos?
- Discover the Magic of the Famous Galapagos Tortoises
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