Explore the Santa Cruz Highlands – Your Authentic Galapagos Vacation Starts
La finca del Columpio Mágico.
Tours inolvidables en las Islas Galápagos. ¡Reserva ahora!
About us
Situated in the Santa Cruz highlands, close to Bellavista and Garrapatero Beach, we offer our visitors access to a variety of attractions. These include trails through rainforest vegetation, a restaurant overlooking the ocean, petting zoo, endemic wildlife, giant swings, volcanic crater, lava tunnel, lagoon and more.
Ecological & Historic Attractions
Crater trail
Santa Cruz Highlands Experience – The Heart of Your Galapagos Vacation.
The crater trail winds along the base of a volcanic crater through lush rainforest vegetation. It is home to abundant native flora, such as Guayabillo, Palo Santo, Scalecia, Bromelia of Galápagos, Chala, and Matazarno to name a few. You will also see pineapple plants, papaya, guava, orange, and passionfruit trees.
Ask for our bird guide to identify the many birds on the trail, including endemic species like Darwin's finches.
We offer guided tours in English and Spanish.
Farm-to-table restaurant
Galapagos Vacation Adventures in the Santa Cruz Highlands – Tours, Nature & Local Flavor. Our restaurant with an ocean view offers a variety of refreshments and snacks for all of our visitors, including traditional Ecuadorian treats. Our favorites are the quimbolito and passionfruit cheesecake!
If you make a reservation, we can also serve your group a homecooked breakfast or lunch. We grow many of the ingredients here on the farm and make the dishes in our kitchen.
Magic swings
We have the three tallest swings in all of the Galapagos! As you sail above the vegetation, towards the ocean, you might just feel like you're flying.
Unique Galapagos Trips & Unforgettable Vacations
Petting zoo
Our farm is also home to friendly horses, donkeys, dogs, goats, chickens, and Pumba, our wild boar. We provide bananas, so you can feed and interact with them.
Explore the Santa Cruz Highlands
Lava tunnels
Explore the lava tunnel and see for yourself how volcanic activitiy formed the Galapagos Islands.
Highland View Galápagos: Top Galapagos Trips & Santa Cruz Highlands Adventure
Sugarcane press
We grow our own sugarcane and juice it using a traditional Ecuadorian sugarcane press. With a squeeze of lemon, it's a deliciously refreshing drink. Come watch the process, see if you're strong enough to turn the press yourself, and raise a glass to island life!
Camping
If you're looking to extend your stay and immerse yourself in nature, we have campsites available. We will provide you with a tent, sleeping bags, and mats. Campfire sites and bathrooms with showers are nearby. The campsites are also close to the lava tunnels and are a great spot for birdwatching. Please contact us about available dates & rates.
House of bones
The fossil house is the farm’s museum of artifacts that have been found around the island and on the farm. These include the skeleton of a whale collected on Garrapatero Beach and the shell of a 125-year-old giant tortoise.
The artillery relics are from World War II when the US occupied Baltra Island to monitor the Pacific Ocean and the Panama Canal.
Bird pond
We have a naturally ocurring pond, home to native duck and gallinule species.
Panoramic viewpoint
From our panoramic viewpoint, you can see across the southeastern part of Santa Cruz to the coastline, Pacific Ocean, and the islands of Sante Fe and Floreana.
Español
Descubre el corazón verde de Galápagos en la finca del Columpio Mágico
En la finca del Columpio Mágico, te ofrecemos experiencias únicas a través de nuestros recorridos turísticos. Desde los monumentos históricos hasta los rincones ocultos de la ciudad, nuestros guías expertos te llevarán a un viaje inolvidable. Disfruta de la cultura local, prueba la gastronomía típica y conoce la historia que hace a nuestra ciudad tan especial.
¡Explora las tierras altas de Santa Cruz!
Tu verdadera aventura en Galápagos comienza aquí.
Senderos, columpios gigantes, túneles de lava, fauna local, vista al mar, y mucho más.
Ubicados cerca de Bellavista y la playa El Garrapatero, te ofrecemos:
🌿 Caminatas por cráteres y bosque húmedo
🦎 Recorridos guiados en español e inglés
🐐 Granja con animales y contacto directo con la naturaleza
🍰 Restaurante con delicias locales y vista al océano
🏕️ Zona de camping bajo las estrellas
🦴 Museo de huesos y restos históricos únicos
Precios accesibles:
• $5 Tour autoguiado con mapa
• $10 Tour guiado completo (1 a 1.5 h)
¡No te pierdas los columpios más altos de Galápagos y el tradicional trapiche de caña!
Reserva ya y vive una experiencia auténtica en el corazón de Galápagos.
Contáctanos para más información.
¿Cómo llegar?
🚕 En taxi:
Desde Puerto Ayora toma 25–30 minutos y cuesta entre $10 y $15. Desde El Garrapatero (7 km) toma 15 minutos, pero no hay taxis disponibles allí, así que recomendamos coordinar tu regreso. Contamos con parqueadero.
🚌 En bus público:
Buses grandes azules “Cascajo” salen varias veces al día desde Puerto Ayora (no operan domingos por la mañana). Costo: $1 por trayecto.
📍 Parada más cercana: entrada a Highland View.
📍 Google Plus Code: 8PJG+3HC, El Cascajo
📍 Parada en Puerto Ayora: 7M4M+V98, Av. Baltra e Islas Duncan
🚲 En bicicleta:
A 13 km de Puerto Ayora. Puedes alquilar una bici desde $40/día. La subida es exigente, recomendamos bici eléctrica.
Map of Highland View
Photo gallery
