Galápagos Day 4: Pikaia Lodge, El Chato, Lava Tunnel, Puerto Ayora
From fog-breathed dawn at Pikaia Lodge to El Chato’s giant tortoises, lava tunnels, Puerto Ayora, and a starlit terrace—Galápagos Day 4 where time seems to breathe.
🐢 Galápagos Day 4 – An Island Where Time Breathes
🕔 05:00–07:00 | A Glass Room on the Hill, a Living Dawn
- Location: Pikaia Lodge, 2nd Floor, Deluxe Terrace Room
- Temperature/Humidity: 23°C / 82%
When I opened the balcony door and the scent of the forest surged in, it felt as if the thick fog were rolling right into the room.
Under a deep navy, gray-tinged sky, before the sun rose, the Pacific still heaved with the sinister color of darkness.
I poured the steeped herbal tea into a big mug, cupped it in both hands, and walked toward the balcony.
Different from the breath of a night where stars and moon hang, the breath of this instant—when the morning sun is about to rise—quivered with a strange thrill, a quickening.
To wind that thick fog around my whole body.
🕖 07:00–09:00 | Lodge Breakfast – Waking a Day at the Center of Evolution
- Venue: Evolution Restaurant
- Notables: Organic yogurt, papaya, homemade ciabatta, soft-boiled eggs, fig jam, organic cheese, honey-ginger-mint infusion
- Temperature: 24°C
Beyond the window, over the vast ripples of the Pacific, black volcanic ridges hung like a picture, trailing the fog.
I began breakfast at the Evolution Restaurant.
Organic yogurt with slices of papaya and homemade ciabatta; on the bread still warm from the oven, butter had soaked in deeply, and soft-boiled eggs, fig jam, and organic cheese were set on top, their nutty fragrance spreading in a gentle haze.
The deep flavor of ginger-and-mint herbs steeped in honey matched the breakfast’s toasty, aromatic notes.
Luis, our private guide for the journey, greeted us and spoke.
“Today we’ll go near the lava, and we’ll see tortoises up close.”
After breakfast I looked out; the fog had lifted, and the Pacific and the black volcanic ridges were crisp.
Temperature 24°C. Local organic yogurt, homemade ciabatta, papaya slices.
The aroma of a cup of Ecuadorian single-origin coffee unfurled deeply.
Guide Luis spoke again. “Today, we’re going to meet the tortoises and the lava.”
At that one line, my heart quietly thrilled—like the sea’s small waves.
🕘 09:00–11:00 | El Chato Reserve – Where the Earth Breathes
- Destination: El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Highlands)
- Transfer: ~25 min by car
- Temperature/Humidity: 26°C / 88%
From the entrance, the thick scent of grass lingered, dissolved into the stillness of the air.
Giant tortoises, their shells like living boulders, grazed slowly, and with each measured step the crackle of dry leaves and twigs broke the forest’s hush.
Like the inaudible breathing of the tortoises, the stillness in the air flowed through time, melting and seeping in with the dense smell of grass.
🕚 11:00–13:00 | Lava Tunnel – Walking Inside the Earth
- Setting: Natural lava tube beside the reserve
- Temperature/Humidity: 25°C / 90%
A natural cave where the path once taken by lava continues beneath the earth.
I turned the flashlight up as bright as it would go and walked inside; hardened black rock ran across the ceiling in unending wave patterns.
The floor—small puddles and damp soil—kept its shape as if to show that this was where magma, drawn up long ago from the earth’s interior, burst forth and quietly cooled.
🕐 13:00–15:00 | Puerto Ayora – The Town Where Sea and People Meet
- Arrival: Puerto Ayora (south coast), ~35 min by car
- Temperature/Humidity: 29°C / 76%
Along the shore, where pelicans and fishermen sit side by side, you can often spot cats.
The cool, moisture-rich breath of the sea, and under the shade of palms the little galleries and market alleys lined up in easy ranks, come into view.
At La Garrapata, lunch was fresh-pressed pineapple juice with lime, fizzy herbal soda with ice, grilled tuna, and ceviche.
It felt as though the flavors of the local cuisine had been drawn out exactly as they should be.
🕒 15:00–17:00 | Darwin Research Station – A Place of Memory and Preservation
- Visit: Charles Darwin Research Station
- Temperature/Humidity: 30°C / 74%
At the entrance, a statue of Darwin stood in austere grandeur, and inside were records of the endangered tortoises, the Galápagos iguana, and the blue-footed booby.
The explanations seemed plain, but the traces of preservation were delicate.
(Need to verify the spelling of Aldobrandi rescued on “Seomseom.”) I set my hand on the nameplate of the enormous tortoise.
In this quiet place that holds the island’s memory, I walked through the quiet time of its history and stepped back out.
🕔 17:00–19:00 | Return to the Lodge – A Ridge That Catches Its Breath
- Weather: Low-lying mist on the uphill road
- Temperature: 25°C
- Transfer: ~50 min back to lodge
Mist lay low along the uphill road, and the temperature had dropped to 25°C.
After about fifty minutes by car, I returned to the lodge.
Entering the lobby, a composed hush flowed, and beyond the great panes the vast Pacific caught the red of sunset and burned like lava.
At the sea’s color, redder than lava, my heart trembled, and in that instant my steps faltered.
With my breathing, my pace slowed.
🕖 19:00–21:00 | Lodge Dinner – A Galaxy on the Table
- Venue: Evolution Restaurant
- Menu: Coconut-perfumed rice, garlic-and-herb lobster; mango tart, coconut soda
Dinner at the Evolution Restaurant was rice richly perfumed with coconut, and lobster seasoned with garlic and local herbs.
Inside, the freshly caught sea—its firm, springing flesh—melted in juices.
For dessert came mango tart and coconut soda.
Outside the window, stars seemed to pour down, densely staining the night sky; starlight fell onto the black sea so that the waves shimmered with unusual brilliance.
A sip of white wine with notes of apple and cherry carried the day’s afterglow, melting in my mouth and slipping down through my chest.
🕘 21:00–23:00 | Night on the Terrace – Meeting the Quiet Stars Again
- Location: Deluxe Terrace Room balcony
From the balcony of the Deluxe Terrace Room, above the still sea, the full moon rose round and distinct, as if it might touch the water.
As if wrapping the black sea in yellow light, the clean scent of ocean oxygen mingled with the moonlight’s fragrance and grew more subdued.
I lit a candle with the sweet scent of plums on the bathroom sink.
The gently incoming smell of ocean oxygen, the plum-scented candle, the atmosphere of a lamp left deliberately dim. At the wide-open window, sheer, chiffon-like curtains fluttered in the airy breeze, dancing with the wind.
Slowly I closed my eyes and hugged the blanket tight.
Holding close even the inner side of the hours I had walked today, I went into the country of sleep.
FAQ
How long is the transfer to El Chato from Pikaia Lodge?
About 25 minutes by car to the Santa Cruz highlands, depending on weather and road conditions.
What should I expect inside the Lava Tunnel?
It is dark, humid, and uneven underfoot. Bring a reliable flashlight and wear closed shoes with good grip.
Where is a good place for lunch in Puerto Ayora?
Popular local options include La Garrapata for grilled tuna and ceviche; many cafés line the palm-shaded streets near the waterfront.
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