One of the best spots for snorkeling, Kicker Rock or Leon Dormido is an amazing rock formation near San Cristobal Island.
This amazing landmark located about an hour and a half to the north east of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Kicker Rock / Leon Dormido is a remnant of a vertical tuff cone formation, rising almost 153 meters (500 feet) from the ocean.
The erosion has given the rock its characteristic shape, which some see as a shoe, hence the name Kicker Rock. Others see it as a sleeping sea lion or Leon Dormido in Spanish.
While we snorkel around Kicker Rock we can spot sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, Galapagos sharks, tropical fish and if luck is on our side we can even see hammerhead sharks. Besides enjoying the underwater view, we can usually see blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and frigatebirds on the cliffs as well as sea lions along the shore.
This famous snorkel tour also goes to one beach that may be Puerto Grande, Cerro Brujo or Manglecito. These alternatives vary depending on the departure day of this Galapagos tour.
Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday – Friday – Saturday - Sunday
Around 7:30 a.m.
6 - 7 hours
Shared
Every day
Around 7:30 a.m.
6 - 7 hours
Shared
We will sail from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on a 90-minute journey to Kicker Rock, also known as León Dormido. This ancient volcanic rock, which was shaped by the erosion throughout thousands of years, sticks out of the open ocean, northwest of San Cristobal. It is formed by two rocks, which are approximately 148 m (486 feet) in height. Its name comes from its resemblance to a sleeping lion.
Between the rocks of Kicker Rock there is a beautiful channel with calm waters, perfect to swim, snorkel and observe fauna, such as blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigates, pelicans and sea lions. In the sea, you can observe hammerhead sharks, Galapagos Sharks, sea turtles, eagle rays and schools of tropical fish. We will get close to the rocks to observe the wildlife and afterward we will snorkel in the channel to observe the marine life.
We will have lunch on board for us to later go to one of these three visitor sites that make up this tour: Puerto Grande, Manglecito, or Cerro Brujo. The choice between these three sites depends on the Galapagos National Park visiting hours.
Manglecito: Manglecito has two different areas: the mangroves and the beach. The mangroves area is an ideal place to observe and identify a great variety of aquatic birds, and the beach area is perfect for recreation and relaxation. Kicker rock and Manglecito beach are available on Sunday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Puerto Grande: This bay is famous among the locals as an ideal place for recreational activities, an impressive dune system and coastal plant species, as well as marine birds. Kicker rock and Puerto Grande beach can be visited on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.
Cerro Brujo: Located on the north shore of San Cristobal Island, this site is formed by an eroded tuff cone, and the main attraction is the beach, which has a coral-colored sound with diverse species of flora and fauna. Kicker Rock and Cerro Brujo can be visited on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Activities: A short walk on the beach, swimming, snorkeling (superficial diving), and wildlife observation.
Landing Type: Wet.
Wildlife: Blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, pelicans, sea lions, seagulls, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, rays, tropical fish, reef fish, among others.
Departure Location: Hotel pick up or Meeting Point (depends on provider at the moment of booking).
Return Location: Hotel pick up or Meeting Point (depends on provider at the moment of booking).
To participate in this tour, you must be at san Cristobal Island (Puerto Vaquerizo Moreno) one day prior to departure. The itinerary might change due to regulations of the Galapagos National park or weather conditions. Please consider that in order to protect the environment of the Galapagos Islands, the Government of Ecuador has banned the use of shopping plastic bags, plastic straws and polyethylene containers in the Archipelago.
Visitors to the islands are not allowed to bring these objects with them. This measure is effective as of May 2018. We thank you for collaboration in protecting the Galapagos pristine ecosystem.
“You should definitely do snorkeling at Kicker Rock, we saw eagle rays, sea lions, a few sharks and a great variety of fish. It was mesmerizing. We did also the dinghy ride around Cerro Brujo and we visited the cavern, the beach there is nice! “– Jennifer, US
