Bartolome is considered one of the most famous visitor sites in Galapagos. Our early walk took us to the summit of a parasitic volcano that forms the island, and the view was breathtaking. We admired the moonscape full of spatter and cinder cones and a vast field of black lava.
Penguins were a great attraction, but the highlight was a big pod of bottle nose dolphins that we encountered on our way back to National Geographic Islander II after our snorkeling session with sharks, rays, and turtles.
In the afternoon, we visited giant tortoise territory in the highlands and then the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about their collecting of scientific data to manage conservation programs, such as protecting this pristine UNESCO World Heritage Site.
