Española Island is the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, as it sits on the southeastern end of the archipelago. The islands are of volcanic origin and are formed by the activity of what geologists call a “hot spot”. As the Nazca Plate slides to the southeast over the volcano, it produces an area for new islands to develop. This means that the islands toward the northwest are the youngest and the ones on the opposite end are the oldest.
5/5/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Punta Pitt and Cerro Brujo, San Cristobal Island
Located east of the Galapagos Archipelago, San Cristobal is a stunning island thanks to its geology. As it is one of the oldest, winds and waves have taken their toll, carving into sedimentary rocks, leaving beautiful formations and walls. We visited Punta Pitt in the morning, home to one of five colonies of red-footed boobies. They perch on trees and bushes, and their bright-red feet bring extra color to the vegetation. We had a chance to swim and snorkel off the olivine beach. There is nothing better than being accompanied on a swim by a couple of playful Galapagos sea lions. Captain Nathaly Alban repositioned our beautiful ship to Cerro Brujo by midday, and for a little while, we were followed by curious juvenile boobies. In the afternoon, weather conditions were perfect for us to explore the walls of the tuff cone that dominates this site. The beach here is one of the most beautiful in the islands, with its white, coralline sand and turquoise waters. Back on board, we admired a magnificent Galapagos sunset with some wine tasting as we navigated by the iconic Kicker Rock, celebrating the end of another day in this remote paradise.
