The highlands of Santa Cruz are one of the best places to see giant tortoises in the wild; a tortoise reserve is usually one of the highlights of a Galapagos trip. Often a visit to a reserve will be included within a cruise itinerary, but if you are staying in a hotel during your time on Santa Cruz you may want to arrange this yourselves. El Chato Reserve is part of the National Park and requires you to be accompanied by a guide, whereas at the privately owned Rancho Primicias next to El Chato you can explore by yourselves. It will take about thirty minutes by taxi to reach from Puerto Ayora, so ask in your hotel if you’d like to arrange a visit.
