The Galapagos
Islands, also known as Enchanted Islands are located at a volcanic access
point, and therefore, there is high volcanic activity. That means there are
several volcanoes in the Galapagos, and yes, incredibly many of these are
active.
Most of the
volcanoes that can be seen are located on the western islands of the Galapagos,
specifically on Isabela Island. Here are the main volcanoes of the Galapagos
Islands:
Sierra Negra Volcano
The Sierra Negra
volcano, located on Isabela Island, caught everyone’s attention in June 2018
when its eruption began, an event that continued during the summer. It is
possible to make a walking tour to the four-hour volcano, as long as it is safe
to do so (for example, when it is not erupting). Depending on the volcanic
activity at the time of your visit, some areas may be outside the limits, and
in which case the trip is adapted accordingly. The trail is relatively easy,
but there are also muddy and rocky sections, so it is advisable to wear good
walking boots or very good shoes. The ride is relatively flat. It rains
sometimes, so it is also advisable to wear equipment to protect from the rain.
There is a high
chance of seeing Galapagos hawks, nightingales and Darwin’s finches on this
Galapagos visitor site. The landscape is impressive and colorful, it is
believed that the Sierra Negra volcano has the second largest crater in the
world.
Lobo Volcano
The Wolf Volcano
is the highest point within the Galapagos Islands and is also located on
Isabela Island. The mountain reaches a peak of 5,600 feet (1,707 meters). The
volcano is active, and erupted for the last time in May 2015. Previously, it
had not erupted for 33 years. A special feature of the Lobo Volcano is that you
can see the pink land iguana that inhabits there.
Alcedo Volcano
The Alcedo
volcano is also located on Isabela Island, specifically in the central area.
His last eruption was in 1993, and is considered active. The Galapagos
volcanoes are part of the Galapagos hot spots. The Alcedo volcano is sometimes
visited by tourists, but this is unusual and very remote. In fact, it is so
remote that sometimes eruptions do not register until long after the event.
Cráteres
gemelos (Twin craters)
The twin craters
are located on Santa Cruz Island. While they are called craters, they are not,
although they are still impressive. They were created as a result of magma
domes. These domes became hard outside, but they flowed inside, leading to an
empty core that collapsed over time. This created an impressive landscape that
is often visited on a trip to the Santa Cruz highlands to see giant turtles.
The landscape in this area is covered with forests. The fauna includes the
vermilion flycatcher.
In the last 200 years, there have been more than 50 eruptions of volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands, this indicates that the volcanoes are still active and that new islands are still forming. The last significant eruption was in 2009, on Fernandina Island. Often you can see columns of steam and gas from volcanoes of the Fernandina and Isabela Islands. Our main recommendation for visits to the Galapagos volcanoes is to pay attention to what the guide indicates at all times. After all, if the volcano is active, the instructions they give you will be for your own safety.
