We arrived at Puerto Villimil in the Galapagos late Friday afternoon after an easy sail from Santa Cruz. Our friends on Innforapenny & Aurora B were in the anchorage. 
There are also lots of sea lions and penguins. 
Innforapenny had arranged a trip to the volcano Sierra Negra for the following morning. The trip included a 12m (20km) hike along the cauldon´s ridge and a horse ride.
Next morning we left the boat at 0715 and made our way to the town. The streets are made out of sand. The population is about 2000. We met the tour operator who took us to a hotel where we were directed to make our own sandwiches for lunch. Then it was to the small bus with some other people joining us for the tour. The bus trip took about 45mins and the changes in scenery as we made our way were amazing.
There were arid lava fields, then a transition zone of holly trees which were a mile or two later all covered with thick vines. Then we came to the humid zone with trees and tropical rain forest style. We arrived at the park base and set off upwards towards the ridge of the cauldron. It was quite steep and when we arrived on the ridge the cauldron was covered in cloud. Within 10 minutes of our arrival the cloud drifted away. We continued our hike along the ridge.
About 1030 we were due to meet horses and ride the next 3 miles. The horses hadn´t arrived so we hiked the next 3 miles and then down the northern ridge to see the lava flows and boccas from the last eruptions of 5 and 35 years ago. Then it was time for lunch. It would have been good to have a hellicopter arrive at this point to take us back!
After lunch there was a 20 minute climb to get back to the ridge. The horses had arrived so we mounted up and enjoyed the 3 mile ride. Then it was time to dismount and walk back around the ridge and then on down to the car park. By this time our legs were like lead weights as cloud rolled in. We enjoyed the bus trip back to Villimil and a few well earned beers. We´d had a great day.
There are also lots of sea lions and penguins. 
Innforapenny had arranged a trip to the volcano Sierra Negra for the following morning. The trip included a 12m (20km) hike along the cauldon´s ridge and a horse ride.Next morning we left the boat at 0715 and made our way to the town. The streets are made out of sand. The population is about 2000. We met the tour operator who took us to a hotel where we were directed to make our own sandwiches for lunch. Then it was to the small bus with some other people joining us for the tour. The bus trip took about 45mins and the changes in scenery as we made our way were amazing.
There were arid lava fields, then a transition zone of holly trees which were a mile or two later all covered with thick vines. Then we came to the humid zone with trees and tropical rain forest style. We arrived at the park base and set off upwards towards the ridge of the cauldron. It was quite steep and when we arrived on the ridge the cauldron was covered in cloud. Within 10 minutes of our arrival the cloud drifted away. We continued our hike along the ridge.
About 1030 we were due to meet horses and ride the next 3 miles. The horses hadn´t arrived so we hiked the next 3 miles and then down the northern ridge to see the lava flows and boccas from the last eruptions of 5 and 35 years ago. Then it was time for lunch. It would have been good to have a hellicopter arrive at this point to take us back!
After lunch there was a 20 minute climb to get back to the ridge. The horses had arrived so we mounted up and enjoyed the 3 mile ride. Then it was time to dismount and walk back around the ridge and then on down to the car park. By this time our legs were like lead weights as cloud rolled in. We enjoyed the bus trip back to Villimil and a few well earned beers. We´d had a great day.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment