Bartolomé Summit and Pinnacle Rock

About the site

Bartolomé Summit and Pinnacle Rock

The walk on Bartolomé is one of the classic moments of a Galápagos cruise: the climb to the summit for the most photographed view in the islands, and a swim beside Pinnacle Rock.

A dry landing at a small dock leads to a trail of about 600 meters to the top, 114 meters (375 feet) above the sea. Most of it is a wooden boardwalk with steps, built to protect the fragile volcanic ash. On the way up the island is almost bare, a lesson in volcanic geology: spatter cones, lava tubes and the twisted shapes of lava flows, with the lava cactus and a few hardy plants among them. From the summit you look down on the two curving beaches of the isthmus, Pinnacle Rock and, across the channel, the black lava fields of Sullivan Bay on Santiago.

The second part of the visit is a wet landing on the northern beach, next to Pinnacle Rock, for swimming and snorkeling. Galápagos penguins nest in the caves at the base of the rock and often swim among the snorkelers, with sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, rays and colorful reef fish. Sea turtles nest on the beaches from January to March.

There are many steps, but the boardwalk is even and there are places to rest. The summit has no shade, so the climb is best early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Highlights

• Pinnacle Rock
• Panoramic View
• Excellent Photographic Opportunity