Learn Spanish on Santa Cruz
In the middle of the archipelago, Santa Cruz Island lies at the heart of everything Galapagos! With its conservation centers, tortoise reserves, majestic beaches and endless adventure options, we're certain that an opportunity to learn Spanish on Santa Cruz Island is just what you've been looking for. Learn more below!
First class facilities
Like Darwin before us, Ailola Galapagos is a Galapagos Islands pioneer! We've been around since 1998, which has given us the time to find the ideal facilities you need to learn Spanish on Santa Cruz Island. These include:
- Unparalleled, premium Spanish classes on Santa Cruz Island, delivered to you directly at your accommodation
- Spacious, equipped study areas, suited for groups and individuals
- Immediate access to the hotel's glorious swimming pool
- Amazing island locations, just 2 blocks from the sea, and in the heart of Puerto Ayora
- No need to take materials with you, just bring a pocketsize dictionary, and our teacher will take everything else you need to study Spanish on Santa Cruz Island
Location
The Galapagos Islands might seem far, far away. But modern forms of transport are much faster than Darwin's Beagle was. Our plan to get you there is this:
- Fly. You'll travel from Guayaquil or Quito (usually connecting in Guayaquil) to the airport in Baltra, where you'll be met by your teacher (if he or she hasn't already traveled all the way from the mainland with you)
- Bus. From the airport, you and your teacher will travel on the airline bus to the Itabaca channel, before jumping aboard the ferry to Santa Cruz Island.
- Arrive. After a short colectivo ride or taxi with your teacher, you've made it to Puerto Ayora, the capital of Santa Cruz and the largest population center on the Galapagos Islands
- Move on. For those students wishing to move on to our premium spanish courses on San Cristóbal Island, we'll take a ferry!
School fact sheet
- Founded in: 1998, one of the first Spanish programs of its type
- Distance to town center: You'll study Spanish on Santa Cruz Island in the Puerto Ayora town center, just 2 blocks from the sea
- Distance from Quito: 2-3 hours
- Free Internet access/WiFi: Yes!
- Maximum class size: 6 students
- High season: July to September, December to January
- Volunteering opportunities: Yes!
- Conversation sessions: Yes, and they're free!
Top-5 things to see and do
- Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. The operational branch of the NGO Charles Darwin Foundation, this research center plays an important role in the world-renowned preservation efforts of the Galapagos Islands. It's here you can learn more about the evolution of flora and fauna, as well as visit the adjacent Fausto Llerana Tortoise Center, once home to Lonesome George, the last of the Pinta species of Tortoise, which is now extinct.
- Enjoy bountiful beaches. A pleasant 1-hour walk from the center of Puerto Ayora takes you to Tortuga Bay, where you'll discover marine turtles (hence the name), seabirds, flamingos, pelicans and breathtaking sunsets. Northeast of Puerto Ayala is Garrapatero, a long white sandy beach with flamingos and white-cheeked pintail tucks, and you should also check out Playa de los Perros for shark watching!
- Dive into the (not so) deep blue sea. Santa Cruz Island is perfect for diving, with six premier dive sites in all the shades of blue you could imagine: Guy Fawkes Rocks, Gordon Rocks, South Plaza, Punta Carrión, Caamaño Islet and Punta Estrada. Wherever you chose to dive, you're bound to come face-to-face with an abundance of sea creatures like few places on earth. These include hammerhead sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, sea lions, and thousands of fish!
- Walk through lava tunnels. On certain farms near the highland village of Santa Rosa visitors can experience one of the Galapagos Islands' most incredible sites: it's lava tunnels. Dark, mysterious and strange, these tunnels were formed when the lava flowing through them dried up. The smaller tunnels can be accessed from farms, with owners charging a small fee.
- Lend a helping hand! With a proud history in conservationism, there really isn't anywhere on earth to volunteer like on the Galapagos Islands! So, aside from just learning Spanish on Santa Cruz Island, you'll also have the opportunity to volunteer with a local organization. Find your Galapagos Islands volunteer project today!