A year on the road: Today Galapagos giant tortoises

• On the road for 365 days or exactly a year
• Walk to the wonderful Tortuga Bay
• Observe marine iguanas, nazca boobies and red cliff crabs up close
• Explore the volcanic highlands of Santa Cruz
• Free sightseeing of the famous giant tortoises in El Chato Tortoise Reserve

We have breakfast from our yesterday's purchases before we start our first tour of discovery. The road to Tortuga Bay turns out to be further than expected. There is no reason to be bored, after all, it guides you through the Thorn and cactus forest to a magnificent sandy beach. The current and massive waves make swimming too dangerous here. Along the long sandy beach you go to the small bay called Tortuga Bay. As the name suggests, the bay is used by sea turtles to lay their eggs. During the day, however, numerous tourists cavort here. The Bay surrounded by mangroves is also suitable for snorkeling. But we'll try that another time. Despite heavy clouds it is oppressively hot.

Suddenly we discover several Marine iguanas. You can easily overlook the iguanas, their skin looks like black lava rock. The iguanas bask in the sun from their dives in the sea in search of algae. The endemic species is one of the archipelago's figureheads. Behind are some glowing red cliff crabs to make out. The lizards have at most a wink in store for the human observer. Some of the lizards are walking leisurely between us. On land the lizards look rather clumsy, in water, however, they are in their element!

We are slowly making our way back when suddenly we are completely amazed Nazca boobies discover. He waddles clumsily along the beach with us and is completely unimpressed from our presence. The lack of shyness of animals in front of us humans makes the magic of the Galapagos perfect!

After we have had our lunch snack at the port, we take a taxi and let us down to one Three-stop tour through the highlands of Santa Cruz Island persuade. The first thing we do is visit them Los Gemelos sinkholes. The collapsed magma chambers testify to the volcanic past the island. We hike through the idyllic green Scalesia forest full of mosses until we can look down into the abyss of the first sinkhole. The second, somewhat smaller crater follows on the other side of the road.

Then it goes on to the private one El Chato Tortoise Reserve, where we get to see the most famous inhabitants of the islands up close. While the first two giants withdraw into their tanks whispering at our sight, other specimens are in a better mood. The largest specimen present is said to be 170 years old and weigh around 200 kilograms, a real colossus! We watch the slow Galapagos giant tortoises a while while eating. The lizards especially like fruits, but the grass within reach of the long neck is also distorted. During the dry season, when it is too hot for most of the turtles at sea level, it is said to be teeming with the seemingly primeval giants.

After this further highlight, we continue to a nearby one Lava tunnel. Where once liquid lava flowed, there are now underground tunnels. The tunnel - not the only one in the area - is illuminated with lamps and can be entered over a length of 400 m. Sometimes the ceiling has collapsed a bit and boulders make the way difficult. Almost at the end, it suddenly becomes really tight. Lying on our stomachs, we crawl through the gap and get really dirty. Fortunately, you can clean up a bit outside.

Back in Puerto Ayora we shower and then go out to eat. So I've been on the road for exactly a year now and no, I haven't gotten too tired of traveling!