Short answer: El Chato is a reserve in the Santa Cruz highlands where wild giant tortoises graze in pasture and forest around a pond. It is a private reserve with a small entry fee (about $10 per person, including a guide); lava tunnels on neighbouring farms charge their own small fee. Half-day tours from Puerto Ayora take 3 to 4.5 hours and start from about $41 per person.
- IslandSanta Cruz highlands, near Santa Rosa
- EntryPrivate reserve, about $10 including a guide
- Tours3 to 4.5 hours from Puerto Ayora
- Lava tunnelsOn private farms, small fee
What you will see
Tortoises roam the farm pastures and the forest of the reserve; walk quietly and you hear them before you see them. The pond is ringed by forest where short-eared owls, Darwin's finches, vermilion flycatchers, yellow warblers and Galápagos rails live. Nearby, lava tubes run under the farms; one in the highlands is over 2,000 m long, and the bigger ones need a ladder to get in.
Giant tortoise
Wild Western Santa Cruz tortoises, in the pastures and the reserve.
Darwin's finches
Around the pond, with vermilion flycatchers and yellow warblers.
How to get there and what it costs
El Chato is reached from Santa Rosa in the highlands, along the road towards Salasaca. Half-day tours from Puerto Ayora combine it with a lava tunnel and sometimes the Los Gemelos craters; you can also arrange your own transport from town.
Wear closed shoes and bring a rain jacket: the highlands are often misty and wet. Keep 2 m from the tortoises.
Tours that go to El Chato start from about $41 per person (4 listings compared below). The national park entrance fee is paid once, on arrival in the islands: entrance fee and entry rules.
Best time to visit El Chato
Tortoises are in the highlands all year, but how many you see at a given farm varies, because they move between the highlands and the lowlands every year.
Weather, sea temperature and wildlife for every month: month-by-month guide.
Tours that go to El Chato
Giant Tortoises, Lava Tunnels & Craters Tour
Giant Tortoises in the Wild & Lava Tunnels
Shared Tour of Wild Galapagos Giant Tortoises
E-Bike Route: Giant Tortoises and Lava Tunnels
Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure
Compare every day trip on all islands: day-tour finder.
Nearby: more visitor sites from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz island guide · All visitor sites · Itinerary planner · Ferry board
Questions about El Chato
Is there an entry fee at El Chato?
Yes. El Chato is a private reserve with a small fee, about $10 per person including a guide. Lava tunnels on the farms charge their own fee.
Do you need a tour to visit El Chato?
No, but it helps: half-day tours from Puerto Ayora (3 to 4.5 hours, from about $41 per person) include transport and usually a lava tunnel. You can also arrange your own transport.
When is the best time to see tortoises at El Chato?
Any month. Numbers at each farm vary through the year as tortoises move between the highlands and the lowlands.
Sources:Galápagos National Park and Governing Council, Galápagos Conservancy, Galápagos Conservation Trust, Charles Darwin Foundation. More numbers:facts and figures.
Updated 2026-11-07. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.