Genovesa Island (Galapagos)

Genovesa Island (aka "Tower Island") is one of the minor (smaller-sized) Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. The isle is named after Genoa Italy - the birth city of Christopher Columbus (1450-1506, sea explorer, navigator and colonizer). The island has a total area of 14 km2 (5 ml2) and max elevation of 64 m (210 ft).

This small isle is horse-shoe shaped, featuring a volcanic caldera with a collapsed wall (hence the name Tower Island). This part forms Bahia Darwin (Darwin Bay / landing point), which is surrounded by cliffs. Lake Arcturus is the salt water lake in its center.

At Darwin Bay (landing point) can be seen frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls (the world's only nocturnal gull species). The fauna is also represented by boobies (red-footed), noddy terns, lava gulls, storm petrels, finches, some tropic birds and even doves.

The Genovesa Island also features a large forest (named Palo Santo).

Genovesa Island cruise terminal

Genovesa Island tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Popular Genovesa Island shore excursion destinations are:

• El Barranco (aka "Prince Philip's Steps") is a steep path leading through a seabird colony, up to cliffs 25 m (82 ft) high. At the top, the path continues inland, passing through more seabird colonies in a thin forest. The trail also provides overviews of a rocky plain. Prince Philip's Steps is a bird-watching site with boobies (red-footed and Nazca species).