Santa Cruz Highlands Tour – Giant Tortoises, Lava Tubes & Cloud Forest
The Santa Cruz Highlands tour takes you from the coast into the interior of the largest human-inhabited island in the Galápagos archipelago — and into a completely different ecosystem from the arid coastal zone. At 800 meters above sea level, the highlands of Santa Cruz are covered in dense Scalesia cloud forest (a plant in the daisy family that grows to the size of a large tree, found only in the Galápagos) and are one of the most important habitats for wild Galápagos giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the tour that gives you the quintessential Galápagos wildlife encounter.
Wild Giant Tortoises — El Chato Reserve
The cornerstone of the Santa Cruz Highlands tour is a visit to El Chato Tortoise Reserve, where Galápagos giant tortoises of the Santa Cruz subspecies (Chelonoidis porteri) roam freely across hundreds of hectares of highland pasture and forest. In the wet season (December–June), the tortoises gather in the lowland mudflats to wallow and graze on grass. In the dry season (July–November), they migrate to the higher, cooler forest areas. Whichever season you visit, your guide knows where to find them.
These are the largest land reptiles on Earth — adults can weigh over 200 kg and live well beyond 150 years. Standing next to an animal that was already old when Darwin visited in 1835 is one of the most profound wildlife experiences in the world.
Lava Tubes — Galápagos Underground
Santa Cruz’s highlands are riddled with volcanic lava tubes — natural tunnels formed when flowing lava hardened on the surface while molten rock continued to flow underneath, eventually draining away to leave a hollow tube. The lava tubes near El Chato are among the largest and most accessible in the Galápagos, with some passages wide enough to walk through comfortably. Your guide will explain how these remarkable geological features were created and how they continue to shape the island’s freshwater system today.
Twin Craters (Los Gemelos)
En route to the highlands, the tour typically stops at Los Gemelos (The Twins) — two enormous pit craters that formed not from volcanic eruptions but from the collapse of underground magma chambers. Surrounded by scalesia cloud forest, the craters provide a dramatic landscape view and are an excellent spot for birdwatching: short-eared owls hunt in the open crater floors, while several species of Darwin’s finches and the vermilion flycatcher (with its stunning red breast) inhabit the surrounding trees.
Wildlife You’ll Encounter
- Wild Galápagos giant tortoises — free-ranging in their natural highland habitat
- Short-eared owl — hunting in open areas near the craters
- Vermilion flycatcher — brilliant red, found in highland Scalesia forest
- Darwin’s finches — multiple species in the transition and humid zones
- Galápagos Petrel — nesting in highland burrows, visible in flight
- Yellow Warbler — endemic subspecies throughout the highland zone
What’s Included
- Round-trip transport from Puerto Ayora to the highlands
- Certified bilingual naturalist guide
- Entry to El Chato Tortoise Reserve
- Lava tube visit
- Los Gemelos stop
- Galápagos National Park fees for visited sites
- Drinking water and light snacks
Practical Information
Duration: Approximately 4–5 hours.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Walking on grass, farm tracks, and some uneven lava terrain inside tubes. Suitable for most ages and fitness levels.
What to bring: Comfortable walking shoes with grip, insect repellent (the humid highlands have mosquitoes), light jacket for the lava tubes (temperature drops inside), camera.
Best season: Year-round, but tortoise concentrations are highest in the lowland areas during the wet season (December–June).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the tortoises wild or in an enclosure?
The tortoises at El Chato roam completely freely across private farmland and the open reserve area — there are no fences or enclosures. This is a genuinely wild encounter.
Can I touch the giant tortoises?
Galápagos National Park regulations prohibit touching any wildlife. The tortoises are completely habituated to humans and will often approach to within arm’s reach of their own accord — the experience of closeness is real, even without touching.
