galapaguera de cerro colorado

Dajoma

It is an interesting breeding centre to visit. You learn all about the turtles from the various islands. The small baby turtles are very cute too watch. It is worth visiting, but not better than the turtles at the Charles Darwin research station.

ClaytonAndSheree

Here you get up close to the turtles as they are not barricaded behind walls. Best to go at feeding time when they are all together and active. I worked here for a day and had the pleasure of feeding them on another day. This is the better reserve than the other islands, though they are not as large here you will really feel like you can learn a lot and get really close! Oh and take walking shoes, the ground is gravel

Mags

Tortoises in quite a wild situation - compared with those on Isabela. We visited the centre as part of a tour we had negotiated with an English speaking taxi driver (quite rare!) There was an explanation of what it was all about and a marked walk around the area. Our taxi driving was doing a natural history/guiding degree at Guayaquil uni so was very knowledegable.

g1obetrotter

It was nice seeing a different type of tortoise to that found in the Santa Cruz highlands, but it really is just like an open plan zoo ( with the adults moving freely within the compound and enclosures for the young) In terms of the breeding centre, you can get the same experience at the Charles Darwin research station (on a different island) without the long drive across the island

FIR54

This is one of the few places where you can admire these big turtles. The best way to go is to negotiate with a taxi in San Cristobal, usually $60 per car with up to 4 people. The trip/tour includes Cerro Brujo and Playa Puerto Chino.

vagabondginger

San Cristobal was my first island and I learned everything about the giant tortoises at this breeding center. There are covered cages for the newbies, open penned areas for the next stage and walking trails among the older tortoises that are roaming free around the reserve so I could get up close to them. I went to the breeding center on Isabela Island and to the Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora later and in my opinion, this one was the best of the breeding centers. Although I loved the experience of walking among the tortoises in the highland pastures of Santa Cruz Island better, I learned so much about them from my guide here that it improved the experiences on the other islands more because I was already so informed.

TyneilN

This tortoise reserve had the smallest babies we saw on all the islands but not so many large ones to see, prefer santa cruz reserve for viewing the adults.

travelapple

very nice environment for the tortoises! interesting , nice set up for the babies and teenagers before they are released. nice plants and area for them and us to see and learn about too!

tridcod

After a very interesting 40 minute bus ride through rural San Cristobal we arrived at the tortoise breeding center. The path to the breeding center was under reconstruction and was very rough but otherwise manageable. It was certainly worth the walk to see the work being done to save the species from extinction. We saw many tortoises from nearly newborn in breeding pens to centarians in the wild. Great photo opportunities! I know where they got the idea for ET - he looks just like a tortoise. Good sturdy shoes for the trails and insect repellant are necessary! Vampire-like flies are very evident on the hike. Ouch!The drivers on the roads to and from the facility are Nascar wannabes I am sure.

kazcass

We visited this place when they put the food out for the tortoises so we got to see many tortoises on our visit. This place was very clean and we could see all the effort they are putting into trying to restore the tortoises population. A must see visit!!!!

879robertp879

It is worth seeing. While nothing can compare to the wild experience on Santa Cruz (my fiancé and I got engaged there) La Galapaguera was fun. The semi-natural state offers an easy view of how tortoises act in the wild. The trails are quaint and non-taxing. It was our favorite breeding center!Combine this trip with el Junco and Puerto Chino for just $50. Rent a taxi driver for 5 hours and if split with other people, you can cut $50 to as little as $10/person!

CateCork

As a conservation volunteer I had the opportunity to visit here several times. We were able to feed the tortoises, both large and small. You can be walking along the path and see a huge tortoise blocking your way. It is a great place to see these giant creatures up close in an almost natural environment

4evaLuv-Holidays

Easy to stroll around the park and see many tortoises. It is well planned and there are many photo opportunities. Very informative. Clean amenities ......but take insect repellent!!

jackonferry

The reserve is a healthy 45 minute drive outside San Cristobal. They have tortoises of all ages, from the very old (100+ years) to newcomers that are only a few months old.

smkozlow

We went to this tortoise breeding center as well as the one on Santa Cruz. They were both good for different reasons. With this one, we loved how it was a semi-wild experience where you could get very close to the large tortoises as they weren't in pens per se. We got some amazing photos here. It was also great to see the babies in the pens. Watch them for a while--they're mean little guys, biting each other in the legs and head! They definitely act differently than the species we saw at the Santa Cruz breeding center.