Rancho Terramar — Attraction in Parroquia Santa Rosa

We visited Rancho Terramar on February 24, 2024, by complete circumstance on the same day Miss Teen Ecuador visited.

We had a magical visit. I mean, really, this place exceeded every expectation we could possibly have had for a day tour out of Puerto Ayora, where we were staying. There's a gorgeous volcanic cave to explore, a natural preserve for tortoises, a view of many of the islands of the archipelago that was nowhere matched elsewhere we went on Santa Cruz island, and the hospitality of the staff is simply top-notch. Miss Teen Ecuador came to take sunset photos to represent her country here, for Pete's sake, so I'm not sure what else I could say to properly describe how exceptional the equatorial sunset over the view of the archipelago is.

My wife and I have been on a lot of day trips to a lot of places in a lot of countries. This was, simply, the best trip we've ever had. If we ever come back to the Galapagos, I'm going to find a way to convince the management to just let us stay for a week. The natural biodiversity of the Galapagos is always impressive, but at this ranch, it creates memories that can heal your soul.

Santa Cruz, and especially the small town of Puerto Ayora, is largely devoted to the tourist trade. The ranch takes you back to a time when the island was almost completely uninhabited and unspoiled. It's like the Garden of Eden, even in these years of conflict and strife, in this broken world. This is where Darwin solved the riddle of natural selection. This is what you should come to see in these extraordinary islands, and what you'll remember long...

This was a completely overpriced experience. We paid $35 in total ($10 per adult, $5 per child as well as clearly demanded tips), for a 30–45 minute walk to a small pond where 2–3 tortoises were lying around, followed by a short visit to a lava tunnel, where we had to wait 10m, because the owner was not available to turn the tunnel's lights on.

Yes, it’s understandable that tourism is a major source of income here in Galapagos, and everyone wants to take part in this “gold rush” – but this felt like too much for what was offered (which is not quite unusual here).

The only genuinely positive aspect was our guide: a 15-year-old local boy who clearly made an effort. We happily gave him a $5 tip afterwards. But what really bothered us was that the owner asked us beforehand to tip him, stating that she doesn’t pay him at all.

That is not acceptable. If you charge entrance fees, you must pay your guides fairly, especially when they are minors. Don’t artificially adopt a North American-style tipping culture just to offload your business responsibilities onto visitors.

Overall, this felt like a money grab rather than a meaningful experience. Would not recommend unless they improve both their pricing and ethical standards.

Edit in reponse to the owner: I stand by my review—the owner's long-winded, passive-aggressive response filled with veiled threats and made up stories only confirms the unprofessional impression we had on site. A clear red flag for...

Needless to say, I can only add to the experience of others - the tour and ranch was great! You get to see one of the biggest lava tunnels, which creation was thoroughly explained by our guide. Additionally we were guided through a bamboo forest and other green areas to spot the giant tortoises. It’s been a very personal experience and we can only recommend it over the more crowded El Chato ranch, which often is in comparison filled with too many tourists. Thank you for the wonderful time!

PS: Take a bus from the Mercado Municipal of Puerto Ayora for 1$ to Santa Rosa instead of an expensive taxi or other more expensive busses. Yes, it will require you to walk some 45min to the ranch, but you will already be able to spot free roaming giant tortoises on the way, which really makes up for it. High...