sierra negra

I figured the last thing I wanted to do in the hot sticky Galapagos was climb a volcano... (especially after having done a lot of hiking... I was over it...)But it's super easy and you see things you've never seen before!You only go up 200 vertical meters... and yes its 16ks but it's an easy walk and the first half is all in the morning so it's nice and cool.You get to the edge of the crater and you are blown away by it's size (its the 2nd largest crater in the world) and it's mind blowing.Then you go to the other side, to Volcan Chico, and it's like you've landed on the moon. There are steam holes and lava tunnels. It's just cool because it's so different.If the visibility is good you can see the other islands.The guides are great at teaching you all sorts of stuff about the area. Surprisingly worth the 30$ for a trek.

it was a short hike to the edge of the crater from sierra negra so we desided to hike to the volcano chico as well. it was absolutly worth it! don't miss chico!the duration of our trip was about 4h and it was not too heavyhighly recommended!

Our first morning on Isabela Island, after about 2 days of travel from the USA, my friend and I signed up (through our hotel - Iguana Crossing) to take a joint guided hike of Sierra Negra and Volcan Chico. What amazing sights and views we saw along the way.The hike is rather long, 16km total round trip, but only 2 portions are challenging from a height/incline perspective. As you ascend the side of the Sierra Negra caldera, there is one incline you need to climb (but the path is grass/mud and decently wide). Aside from that, after you traverse part of the rim around Sierra Negra, you descend to the more desolate, dry climate surrounding Vulcan Chico, and that is a decline but is a bit trickier due to the footing being loose lava rock. I suggest wearing sneakers or shoes with tread, but you don't need high-ankle hiking boots - just avoid flip flops or sandals as they will let the little lava pebbles in.The view from the top section of Sierra Negra is vast and wondrous. The caldera is 21km in diameter and you can see (on a clear day) the most recent eruption of lava flow from 2005. We saw some interesting birds and native plants/bushes during our walk - some being the Darwin Finch, Vermillion Flycatcher, cats claw, ferns and cacti. The different micro-climates along the hike were distinct with Sierra Negra getting most of the passing rainfall and humidity and Vulcan Chico being scorched and very dry. Definitely worth doing (for us it took 4-5 hours total including transportation to and from our hotel) if you have the time.

This was part of an itinerary with Last Minute Galapagos Deals tour on the Anahi. We hiked up the mountain and the hike was a bit hard. Took a lot of breaks. Drank plenty of water. Obviously had our sunblock, hat etc. because it was hot. Need good hiking boots with traction. So, we kept hiking and hiking and I wondered what we were going to see. Galo, our naturalist guide said it would be worth it but I wasn't sure. Finally we got to the top and it all clicked! I realized why we did the hike. The view was spectacular. It's the 3rd largest caldera in the world. First being in Yellow stone, second in Africa (can't recall) and this would be third. Just looking at it was almost a spiritual experience. 10km diameter. That's impressive. Don't be fooled by the pictures of this caldera because you can't get a full picture of it. It's MASSIVE. Pictures will only give you parts of the view. I did a video and slowly panned to get the full view. Absolutely do the hike. It's worth it. Only caveat is this. Our guide said that he had been up on a cloudy day and you can't appreciate the view and it was a wasted trip. So, whether you love it or think it's a total waste really depends on the conditions of the day. Go up on a CLEAR day! It'll be worth it.

Our hostal organised this tour for us and it cost us $35 each. It included a picnic lunch and transport. You are picked up from your hostal by a lorry and driven up into the highlands for about 30 minutes to the start of the hike.The Sierra Negra is a volcanic area which is still active. It is a round trip of 16km. It's in 2 parts, the first part is up to the vast crater which is after Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania, is the largest in the world - and it is still active. This first part is a steady uphill walk which is not at all difficult.The second part takes you on into a very active area where you can feel the heat which comes from openings in the ground I think they were called ovens. This part is more difficult, the terrain is very uneven and if you fell you may get cut by the sharp lava rocks. The path is marked.We took a tour as part of a group. The main problem was that we and several others felt a bit rushed. This was because on the hike also were people who had to catch the ferry at 3pm. So we felt that we were hurried along too much.Lunch was at the very top of the area with a magnificent view over Isabela, but really we didn't have sufficient time to enjoy the view. We and others felt that as so many tours do the walk each day, they should be organised so that people who have to catch the ferry all go together, leaving the others to enjoy the hike instead of being with a guide whose primary aim was to get everyone back to town by 2pm!On the return, he rushed ahead, rarely stopping to count us -at the beginning he had said we must stay together and be counted regularly - this didn't happen and if someone at the back had had an accident he wouldn't have known. Also be aware that the guides DO NOT have first aid kits and are NOT required to have any first aid training. If there is an accident the guide has to run to a point where he has cell phone reception and can call for help.Apart from the safety niggle we really enjoyed the hike and were very glad we had done it - even if rushed.

8km one way, 16km round trip. Hiking/walking around the top of Sierra Negra. It is not the easiest thing we have ever done but there are plenty of stops along the way to rest up if you need be. The temperature at that elevation was perfect - not too hot. I really didn't break a sweat the entire time.Now..the views and the education=incredible. I'm sure that a guide can make or break this for you. We had a really intelligent guide who shared a healthy mixture of fun facts and science with us. Not too much where it went over our heads, but just enough to keep everyone engaged and on the same page. The tour lasted 7 hours (7am-2pm) and included a boxed lunch (which surprisingly was kind of good). You get picked up at your hotel and driven by bus about 30min to where you begin the hike. We paid $40/pp but others in our group paid $35/pp (i.e. - book directly with agency, don't go through your hotel if you don't have to) We went through our hotel and because of this I don't even know the name of the tour company unfortunately which is a shame. Either way you will not have any issues finding a tour for this. Enjoy!

We hiked up this mountain with a private guide - Luis Morano. He used to be a park ranger for 10 years, and had incredible knowledge about the topography of Isabela, the mountain and surrounding islands. He answered every question we had, even if it had nothing to do with Sierra Negra. This was the best 'tour' we've had in Galapagos because of several things - we were first on the volcano itself. We left at 6:30 am and were literally the first ones to summit, which made it super memorable. The day we ascended it was a very clear sky. We saw the entire caldera and the views were sunny, clear, bright and we also saw the neighboring islands clearly. If we had ascended a day before or after, it would have been cloudy and rainy. We loved the wildness and topography of the lava. we opted to continue to hike to Vulcan Chico and I must insist everyone (who is capable and willing) should continue on. My husband and I are avid hikers and this was one of the most memorable unique hikes we've experienced. We loved that there were minimal signs to mar the landscape. You used common sense not to get off the trail and fall off/over steep rocks and drops. This is an 18km hike, so my advice - leave as early as you can from your hotel. This site opens as early as 6 AM. bring enough water but not too much. We brought 3 liters each, ending up only drink a little over 1 liter each. Breathe in and out and appreciate nature - take time to look around and appreciate the wildness of the topography, the different colors, sights and sounds.

Was a nice little hike to the edge of the crater of Siera Negra. From there ut is a great view over the steep edge. It was misty and cloudy but the crater was clear. We then decided to walk half an hour more to reach volcano chico. What a spectacular view not to be missed. Crater, lava tunnels, and a view over the whole isla isabella. Well worth the effort to walk all the way to chico! Highly recommended!

It is difficult to find out of the way spots these days but this one. The village Puerto Villamil has only 2000 people at present. Great hiking, sea kayaking, snorkeling but not much else No ATM and only one bar that takes a credit card. Day begins by making your own tuna sandwiches then driving up to trail head. Couple of view sites on way to top,. Long walk up to caldera about 5 miles. Some good views. Friendly conversation. Volcano erupted about 10 years ago and at the top there are hot vents. The Galapagos is funny when it comes to fees. Like the question here for this attraction, well no, BUT you can't go to the park without a guide so you have to pay for a tour and it is miles from anywhere so you need to get there. So in other words everything has a fee.

It was a pretty good hike to the top of the ridge that overlooks Sierra Negra, but it was worth the effort. For us the day was quite misty, but once we reached the ridge, it got clear and we had fantastic views. The walk back can be slippery, but is definitely quicker!

Be prepared for a fun adventure when you hike Sierra Negra. The day I hiked, we started in a mist and mud trail, climbed to sunshine and dusty trail, watched a fog cloud roll upward from the depths of the Sierra Negra caldron, then crossed the vast lava fields with a hot, beautiful sun/sky overhead. The ever-changing climate, flora, and terrain were great. The views spectacular. What a great way to spend a day! Be sure to wear comfy, well worn hiking shoes, preferably closed-toe.

We visited this area on day 2 of our Galapagos tour and were amazed at the abundance of wildlife. We saw flamingos, finches, herons and iguanas. It was our first taste of what there was to see on the Galapagos and we were thrilled!

We loved our hike up to Sierra Negra (45 minute bus ride to trailhead from Puerto Villamil, then a 2 mile hike up), and beyond it to Chico Volcano (3-4 more miles in, for a total 11 mile hike both ways). The day we went, Sierra Negra was entirely shrouded in fog, and the way there was up a muddy road, so that part of the hike was less noteworthy (though we gather the view on a clear day is great). But the further hike up to Chico was simply spectacular. The weather cleared somewhat and the last mile or two of the hike is across a multi-colored lava field, with wonderful tunnels, chasms, interesting formations. It's unlike any place we have ever seen, and was a highlight of our entire Ecuador trip. Highly recommended!

Great like with an awesome view of the rim and fresh lava from 2005 eruption. Learned about endemic species of plants and history of introduced ones.

The views were amazing and surprisingly colorful. Be ready for a hike, though. It's about 16 km, with about 4 steep kms. It took over 5 hours to hike. It was worth it.