Floreana Island

The name of Floreana Island derives from the first president of Ecuador General Juan Jose Flores because he commanded the Ecuadorian navy to claim the archipelago on February 12th 1832. The island received its first name Charles Island from King Charles II of the United Kingdom before Columbus renamed it Santa Maria after his ship. The island occupies 173 square kilometers (67 mil2) and like the other islands it originated from volcanic activity. The highest elevation on the island reaches up to 640 meters (2,100 ft) at Cerro Pajas. 

The human history of Floreana Island stands as the most fascinating among all the Galapagos Islands. The first post office began operations in 1793 when whalers established it and Patrick Watkins became the first person to live in the Galapagos from 1807 until 1809. Ecuador established its first colony on Floreana in 1832 by creating a penal settlement which failed to survive because the island lacked sufficient drinking water. Norwegian immigrants established a fish canning factory in the area during 1924. Friedrich Ritter along with his female companion Dore Strauch arrived in the area a few years later. The family Margret Wittmer and her husband Heinz and their son Harry arrived in 1932 while Margret was pregnant. Floreana Island gained its reputation from multiple 1930s disappearances which continue to fascinate people today especially because of the Austrian baroness mystery who vanished with her three servants after the Wittmers arrived. The residents of Floreana base their income on agricultural work and they welcome tourists to their island. The population stands at roughly 120 people who all reside in Puerto Velasco Ibarra village. The main water source for Floreana is a natural pond that fills up with rain water during the rainy season.Transportation to and from Floreana is very limited.

Full day tour starting from Pto. Ayora (Sta. Cruz)

Our Floreana Island tour starts at 6:30 AM when we walk to the Puerto Ayora pier to board a local water taxi which transports us to the Galapagos Element Wind Speed Yacht for our journey to Puerto Velasco Ibarra on Floreana Island. The navigation journey would probably reveal marine turtles and manta rays and multiple bird species and maybe whales. The speedboat will bring us to Pto. Velasco Ibarra where we will board a local water taxi to reach the town pier. 

The morning light will reveal our surroundings where sea lions and marine iguanas will rest on the rocks. The group will board a local vehicle called the “Chiva” to begin their 30 minute journey toward Floreana Island's highlands. The chiva will ascend following a mud road surrounded by typical dry vegetation of the coastal area.The ascending path leads to a vibrant green forest. The region contains multiple farms which cultivate bananas and coffee and cocoa and various other tropical crops. Our short drive will end at the “pampada” from where we start a nice walk that permits us to observe the typical flora of the area.We will see giant Galapagos tortoises during our journey. The creatures exhibit extreme sensitivity and timidity so they disappear into their shells when humans get near. 

People should avoid touching and feeding these extraordinary creatures at all costs. Our walk will continue until we reach a rocky area at base of the hill and where we find the place known as “Asilo de la Paz” (Peace Asylum), a historical place where the German Wittmer family settled down when they arrived to Floreana in 1932.We will see the former dwelling caves of the indigenous people during our journey to Puerto Velasco Ibarra. The entire area of Asilo de la Paz exists in peaceful silence while its surroundings display rich green foliage and clear days reveal both mountain views and Pacific Ocean panoramas. After this visit, we descend to the point where we meet the chiva which will transport us back to town where we will enjoy a lunch prepared in a small, local restaurant.

We took a short break before heading to La Loberia which stands out as one of the most stunning bays in the region. The main attraction of this place is the presence of a small colony of sea lions (Zalophus Wollebacki).There is a high possibility to see marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus Cristatus) resting on the rocky shores. The bay water contains marine turtles which belong to the species Chelonia Midas Agazzisi. The group will have time for snorkeling activities and photography before returning to their hotel for some free time prior to boarding the Galapagos Element Wind Speed Yacht which will take them back to Puerto Ayora city.