Española Island
Española is the furthest south of all the Galapagos Islands, and its remote location enabled several endemic species to develop in isolation. Española mockingbirds have uniquely curved beaks, Española iguanas change colour during breeding season, and the endemic Saddleback turtles have shells shaped like... well, a saddle!
The star of the show, however, is the Waved Albatross, for whom Española is the only nesting place in the world. The steep cliffs are used as runways for these enormous seabirds as they literally throw themselves into the air in search of a good thermal.
Waved albatrosses mate for life and from April until December Española is packed with courting, breeding and nesting albatrosses and then finally with thousands of albatross chicks - all squawking as if their lives depended on it!
- Albatrosses
- Saddleback Turtles
- Boobies
Punta Suarez
There are two main visitor sites on Española, Punta Suarez and Gardner Bay. Punta Suarez forms the western tip of the island and is home to an almost overwhelming variety of wildlife. The promontary is home to a large colony of sea-lions, and this is also a good place to see masked boobies and the endemic carnivorous Española Mockingbirds.
Gardner Bay
On the eastern side of Española, Gardner Bay is one of the best places in the Galapagos Islands for snorkelling and the long, white beach is perfect for relaxing - as the large numbers of sea-lions and marine iguanas will testify!
Check out our Galapagos Calendar to find out the optimal time for visiting all of the islands.
Real World Holidays Ltd | Tel/Fax: 0113 216 1440 | Registered in England No. 5881408
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