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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.