Cross to Santiago Island's Sullivan Bay for a guided walk across one of the world's best-preserved pahoehoe lava flows — a vast, rippled volcanic canvas formed just over a century ago, hauntingly beautiful and utterly unlike anywhere else on Earth.
What to expect
After the Bartolomé summit and snorkel, your speedboat crosses the narrow channel to Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island — a landscape so alien that NASA scientists have visited it to study volcanic processes. Your geologist-naturalist leads you across 1.5 km of perfectly rippled pahoehoe lava, pointing out lava tubes, lava trees (casts of trees incinerated by the 1897 flow), and the pioneer plants slowly reclaiming the rock. Marine iguanas bask in improbable numbers at the shoreline, utterly unbothered by your presence. The silence and scale of the lava field create a profound, meditative experience found nowhere else in the archipelago.
Good to know
Wear closed-toe shoes with grip — the lava surface is uneven and can be sharp. The full day (Bartolomé + Sullivan Bay) runs approximately 9–10 hours; verify your ship's all-aboard time before booking. The site has no shade; a wide-brim hat and SPF 50+ are essential. Book direct with Galápagos Journeys at least 2 weeks in advance.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Bartolome (san Salvador) — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.