Visit Santiago Island, in the Galapagos Islands, where Charles Darwin spent weeks experimenting, observing, and collecting specimens of the unique Galapagos wildlife
Tour San Salvador (Santiago) Island, in the Galapagos Islands, where Charles Darwin studied wildlife in 1835.
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News •
Dr. Denise Joseph and Dr. Louis Joseph Elected Fellows of the Linnean Society of London
• Oct. 18, 2026, 8:57 AM ET (USA Today)
Transcript
On the 8th of October 1835, the survey ship, HMS Beagle, anchored in this bay. Onboard was Charles Darwin, and he and four companions were put ashore on this island for a week, an island that he described as both "picturesque and curious."
In Darwin's day, it was called James Island. Today, it's known as Santiago. At almost 600 square kilometers, it's one of the larger islands in the Galapagos. Its highest point is 900 meters above sea level.
On Santiago, Darwin met two Spaniards who were hard at work butchering tortoises for their meat. Together, they had an uncomfortable walk across this lava field. Eventually, they arrived at this volcanic lake, where the Spaniards collected salt to use as a preservative.
Darwin was fascinated by local flora and fauna. He described the Galapagos "as a world within itself, full of creatures that were both curious and remarkable."
The islands with teeming with wildlife. There were so many land iguanas, for instance, that Darwin found it difficult to pitch his tent without covering their burrows. Today, there are none left on Santiago.
In total, Darwin spent five weeks on the Galapagos, experimenting, observing, and collecting specimens. As for tortoise meat, he noted that it tasted "particularly good when roasted in its shell."
In Darwin's day, it was called James Island. Today, it's known as Santiago. At almost 600 square kilometers, it's one of the larger islands in the Galapagos. Its highest point is 900 meters above sea level.
On Santiago, Darwin met two Spaniards who were hard at work butchering tortoises for their meat. Together, they had an uncomfortable walk across this lava field. Eventually, they arrived at this volcanic lake, where the Spaniards collected salt to use as a preservative.
Darwin was fascinated by local flora and fauna. He described the Galapagos "as a world within itself, full of creatures that were both curious and remarkable."
The islands with teeming with wildlife. There were so many land iguanas, for instance, that Darwin found it difficult to pitch his tent without covering their burrows. Today, there are none left on Santiago.
In total, Darwin spent five weeks on the Galapagos, experimenting, observing, and collecting specimens. As for tortoise meat, he noted that it tasted "particularly good when roasted in its shell."
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