TOWER ISLAND - GENOVESA

(Local Name: Genovesa) Located in the northeast of the archipelago, Isla Genovesa covers 14sq.km/8.4sq.mi. The island is less visited than many of the others due to location and distance from the other islands.

Genovesa is actually a single volcano which emerges 62m/200 ft above sea level. The moon shaped crescent of Darwin Bay on the south side of the island is actually a caldera. There is also a crater lake in the middle of this small island.

Nesting birds on this island include masked boobies, red-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, Galapagos owls, Galapagos doves frigates, swallow-tail gulls, lava herons, and the rare lava gulls. Also commonly seen on the island are sea lions and fur seals

DARWIN BAY

Landing on the white coral sands of Darwin Bay and walking up the beach, you will be surrounded by the bustling activity of great frigate birds. Puffball-chicks with their proud papas-who sport their bulging scarlet throat-sacks-crowd the surrounding branches, while both yellow-crowned and lava herons feed by the shore. Farther along you will discover a stunning series of sheltered pools set into a rocky outcrop, forming another natural film set. A trail beside the pools leads up to a cliff overlooking the caldera, where pairs of swallow-tailed gulls, the only nocturnal gulls in the world, can be seen nesting at the cliffs edge. Lava gulls and pintail ducks ride the sea breezes nearby.

A brief panga ride brings us to the base of those same cliffs to reveal the full variety of species sheltering in the ledges and crevices created by the weathered basalt. Among them, red–billed tropic birds enter and leave their nests trailing exotic kite-like tails. This is also an intriguing place to go deep-water snorkeling, where the truly fortunate swimmer can spot one of the giant manta rays that frequent the inner bay along the cliff' walls.

Landing: wet landing
Highlights: incredible birding opportunities
Conditions: during high tide the trail may be covered by water
Notes: you may want to bring tevas or aqua socks with you

PRINCE PHILIPS STEPS

Across the bay are Prince Philip's Steps, named for a visit by the British Monarch in 1964. The 25-meter (81-foot) stairway leads to a narrow stretch of land that opens out onto the plateau surrounding Darwin Bay, and extends to form the north side of the island

Tower is home to a variety of smaller birds living within the palo santo trees, lava cactus and lava morning glory. Galapagos Doves and the Tower species of the Galapagos Mockingbird are frequently seen. Four types of Darwin's finches visible from this site including the sharp-beaked ground finch, large cactus finch and the warbler finch and the Tower version of the large ground finch with its heavy bill.

Landing: dry landing
Highlights: incredible birding opportunities
Conditions: trail may be difficult for the elderly
Notes: bring water and good hiking shoes landing make be dangerous