"El Barranco (Prince Philip’s Steps)" Isla Genovesa Things to Do Tip by MalenaN

In the morning after breakfast we took the panga from Cachalote to visit El Barranco, where there is a dry landing at the base of the steep cliff. A stairway with railing take you up on the cliff edge. Here a 1.5km long trail begins and first it passes through dry forest vegetation with Palo Santo trees. In this area there is an abundance of nesting Nazca-boobies, Red-footed Boobies and Frigatebirds. It is amazing how close they are to the path. After the dry forest the trail reaches a lava field with lovely views over the open landscape, thousand of Storm-petrels in the air and the sea beyond. Erosion in the lava rock have created crevices and holes that are perfect places for nesting Storm-petrels. With many Storm-petrels present the chance to see their main predator, the Short-eared Owl, is also large. We saw one owl, but only through the binoculars.

The birds we saw at El Barranco were: Nazca Boobies, Red-footed Boobies, Great Frigatebirds, Sharp-billed Ground Finch, Warbler Finch, Galapagos Dove, Wedge-rumped Storm-petrel, Madeiran Storm-petrel, Short-eared Owl and a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron.

El Barranco visitor site is also called Prince Philip’s Steps after Prince Philip who visited in the 1960s.
El Barranco is situated on the south side of Darwin Bay.