Meet a 150-Year-Old Giant Tortoise in the Galapagos Highlands
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
The Giant Tortoise Experience is the most iconic tour in Santa Cruz. This must-do experience offers a unique blend of natural wonders, educational insights and personal encounters with iconic species.
Guided by the experience of our certified Galapagos Naturalist Guide, you will:
Visit the stunning Los Gemelos sink holes and hike the magical Scalesia Cloud forest.
Meet the most iconic Galapagos species at the Giant Tortoise Reserve.
Travel through thousands of years of intense volcanic activity in an impressive Lava Tube
The Giant Tortoise Experience is available in English or Spanish, and has two departures available every day:
In the morning 8 AM
In the afternoon 2 PM
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Not infant seats available
Not recommended for participants with heart complaints or other serious medical conditions
Not service animal allowed
Not stroller accesible
Not wheelchair accessible
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Travelers can arrive on foot or taxi to our meeting point.
Valid from the time of first use, for the duration selected.
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
Los Gemelos
The Giant Tortoise Experience begins at the pick up point with a warm welcome from your certified Galapagos Naturalist Guide. During the private air conditioned transfer, immerse yourself in the enchanted Galapagos ecosystem and learn about the captivating history and geology of the archipelago. Discover Los Gemelos twin sink holes, the most impressive sink holes in The Galapagos Islands. Hike along this scenic 1-mile loop trail and observe these amazing volcanic formations that make Santa Cruz so special. Walk through the magical Scalesia Cloud Forest, an endemic humid environment where local plants, giant tortoises and birds thrive. Take opportunities to spot and photograph the iconic Darwin’s finches.
Reserva El Chato
Continue to the Giant Tortoise Reserve and meet the largest living tortoises in the world and the most iconic species of Galapagos! Gain exclusive insights into their habits and ecology, and take incredible pictures with hundreds of giant tortoises wandering around in their pristine natural habitat.
What‘s Included
Entrance fee
Air-conditioned vehicle
Coffee and/or Tea
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Options
GTE | Shared
Pick Up / Mini Van
Standard Pricing: Adult + Children
Reviews
43 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Very good tour
David C,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00In depth tour, lots of tortoise/botany/Galapagos history all mixed together. First tour of our trip and it was a great way to start off. Went early, beat most of the crowds. Astrid was an exceptional tour guide, highly recommend her to others.
Great tour to see Giant Tortoises
kavithat2019,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful tour!!! We met outside the Cressi dive shop. Van was very clean and air conditioned. Driver was great! Our tour guide, Astrid, was very knowledgeable and so interesting! We learned so much about the history of the Galapagos Islands on the tour. First stop was El Chato where we saw so many giant tortoises! We learned a lot about the giant tortoises and gor some great pictures. We also went into lava tunnels which was interesting. Final stop was Los Gemelos, 2 giant sink holes. We saw woodpeckers and finches. Highly recommend!
Tortoises Galore 🐢!
triciahJ4894BM,Jan 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We went on the Giant Tortoise Experience on January 20th, 2026 with Luis, and it was a fantastic tour! Luis was very well informed, friendly and knowledgeable! He kept our kids (12.5 and 10) entertained and engaged! And he was able to answer all our questions! This is definitely a must do tour; we had a great time!
Great tour
T7269CGlaurene,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour! Luis did a wonderful job at explaining the sights and answering all of our questions; he was very knowledgeable about the area and all the animals, and also took great photos! The tortoises were amazing to see. Adrianna was a fantastic driver, felt safe the entire time. Would highly reccomend!
The Turtle Experience was...
SUSAN D,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The Turtle Experience was amazing. We were picked up at our VRBO. Astrid was an amazing guide. She was super knowledgable. The turtles were awesome.
Great guide and driver. Great experience.
helencox1118,Dec 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Turned out to be a private tour for just the two of us. A naturalist guide and driver were provided. Both were excellent. The guide was very knowledgeable about all the plants and birds. Highly recommend.
We ended up having...
Maria K,Oct 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We ended up having private experience. It was fantastic! I highly recommend Andres, it seems that he knows every plant and bird on the island. And of course, all about giant tortoises. We saw probably 50 of them. The tour also included visiting sinkholes and lava tubes and walking through a cloud forest. Great memories!
An amazing experience!
iuanniec,Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an amazing experience! Our tour guide, Rafaella, was very knowledgeable, personable, and easy to be with! We would highly recommend this tour and our guide!!
An unforgettable tour
maA7039DN,Sep 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Such a wonderful tour! Our guide was incredibly kind and knew so much — everything was explained clearly and with heart. I learned a lot and had a great time. Thank you!
Huge and impressive
almagF1773IW,Aug 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really amazing. Most extraordinary thing I've ever seen. Thank you Andres for such a beautiful experience with nature.
From US$175.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
Related Experiences
Operated by Galapagos Outdoors CL