CarryOner contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The Sierra Negra Volcano Hiking Tour in Isabela, Galapagos

Girl standing on rock with her arms open while looking at the yellow and smoking sulfur mines in the Sierra Negra Volcano Hiking Tour. She is standing only 10 meters away from the active sulfur vents.

Looking a break from the fantastic snorkeling of Isabela Island in the Galapagos? Going on the Sierra Negra Volcano Hiking Tour in Isabela Island might just be the perfect land activity!

I spent a morning exploring the Sierra Negra Volcano, and absolutely loved it! In this detailed tour review, you’ll learn everything you need to know to spend the morning hiking a massive active volcano!

Sierra Negra Volcano Tour Overview:
Duration: Half a day, typically 7 AM to 1 PM
🥾 Tour options: Lava Fields (16km), Sulfur mines (3.2km), and Horseback riding in the Lava Fields
 💵 Tour Cost: $45-$100 for hiking and $200+ for horseback riding

How to Visit The Sierra Negra Volcano?

As of very recently, there are two main trails to the Sierra Negra Volcano.

Before, the classic tour was on the 16km (10 miles) trail to Volcanos Sierra Negra & Chico (AKA Lava Fields). There was an additional, but much less popular, 2-day 24km (15 miles) trekking tour to get to the Sierra Negra’s Sulfur (or ‘sulphur’) Mines.

Girl wearing hiking clothes stands on the road leading to the trail at Sierra Negra Volcano. The day is cloudy and the sulfur mines of Sierra Negraa volcanos can still be seen from a distance.

In 2022, the Galapagos National Park built a road providing access to the Sulfur Mines of Sierra Negra, reducing the two-day trek to a brief 3.2 km (2-mile) hike.

Now, there are two awesome half-day hiking trails in Sierra Negra to pick from!

4X4 truck parked at the begginning of the trail to the Sierra Negra sulfur mines

You don’t need to book either tour to Sierra Negra much in advance, as you can typically get it cheaper when booking in person upon arrival in the Galapagos.

However, if you like having everything set up beforehand, you can book your Sierra Negra tour in advance online on platforms like GetYourGuide and Viator.

Which Sierra Negra Tour To Pick? Volcano Chico (AKA Lava Fields) vs. Sulfur Mines

Girl standing and enjoying a view of the Volcano Sierra Negra. She is surrounded by short green vegetation.

The two tours are extremely different, and here is what sets them apart:

Volcano Chico & Lava Fields

  • Trail Length: 16 kilometers (10 miles) roundtrip
  • Tour Price: 45 USD
  • Highlights: The other-worldly dark colors of the landscape at Volcano Chico and incredible lava fields. This route can also be done on a more expensive horseback riding tour!
  • Best for: Avid hikers who enjoy a challenge; Travelers on a shoestring budget

Sulfur Mines

  • Trail Length: 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) roundtrip
  • Tour Price: 65 USD
  • Highlights: Seeing the sulfur fumaroles up close; Visiting a local fruit farm (included in some tours)
  • Best for: Those looking to see the incredible sulfur mines;
    Those who are not incredibly fit; Those visiting on a cloudy day, as the sulfur mines can be seen up close regardless of weather conditions

What is included in the Sierra Negra volcano tour?

View of the crater of the Sierra Negra volcano in Isabela. There is a contrast of vegetation, completely dry volcanic rock, sulfur mines, and a colorful mountain.

In both the Lava Fields and the Sulfur Mines tour, you can expect to receive:

  • Boxed lunch
  • A Galapagos Naturalist Guide during the volcano hike
  • Transportation in 4×4 from and to downtown Puerto Villamil
  • Stop at a flamingo lagoon and scenic viewpoints (not included in all tours, check with your operator directly to be sure!)

If you’re going on the Sulfur Mines tour, a visit to a local fruit farm may also be included!

What to bring to the hiking tour?

Girl standing with a hiking stick on top of gravel and sulfur during the Sierra Negra Volcano Hike.

I found the Sierra Negra volcano hike to be a lot more challenging than I expected. Here are some essentials I recommend bringing to make this hike a breeze!

  • Lightweight jacket or sweater (temperatures in the early morning can get quite low in the volcano, so bring a light sweater to stay warm in the first hour of the tour!)
  • Water bottle (a very large one, I ran out of water halfway through the hike and there are absolutely no freshwater sources on the trail)
  • Hiking sticks (the guide had a few extras, but many of us had to walk through slippery bits without the extra grip provided by hiking sticks)
  • Sunglasses (some of the Sulfur Mines trail was on bright white land, which made me really crave a good pair of sunglasses during the hike!)
  • SPF-rated jacket and hat (the sun in the Galapagos is absolutely brutal, and I left the islands with sunburns in my hairlines! Let’s avoid that by wearing proper gear)
  • Backpack (a comfortable lightweight backpack to carry all the essentials is necessary!)
  • Snacks (though a packed lunch is given at the beginning of the tour, you’ll only be able to really sit and eat at a scheduled time. Bringing easy and quick snacks will keep you fueled throughout the hike!)
  • Binoculars (awesome in case you spot a Galapagos hawk overhead, or to see the sulfur mines even closer. I always carry around this very affordable pair of binoculars!)

Do I need a guide to hike Volcano Sierra Negra?

Yes, you need a certified naturalist guide no matter which Sierra Negra Volcano trail you choose to go on.

What do you actually see on the Sierra Negra hike?

During the Sierra Negra hike, you’ll see otherworldly volcanic landscapes and quite interesting vegetation.

Both trails lead you to the immense craters of active volcanoes, offering a surreal glimpse into the Earth’s raw power. The views are different from what you’d normally see in regular volcanic island tours (such as the famous day tour to Bartolome Island).

View of surrounding landscape from inside the crater of Volcano Sierra Negra. There is white areas, dark volcanic rock areas, and a colorful mountain.

There is also a chance to spot wildlife, like the Galapagos Hawk and small volcanic lizards. Though the Sierra Negra giant tortoise is also found in the volcano, none of the tour trails include the areas with tortoises.

If you go on the trail that leads to the sulfur mines, you’ll also get to see them actively smoking up close!

Actively smoking sulfur mines in the Sierra Negra Volcano. The sulfur is yellow and the clouds coming out of it are white.

My experience on the Sierra Negra Sulfur Mines Tour

Despite being on a tight budget, I chose the Sulfur Mines Tour because I’m not down for a 16km hike, unless it has very fun and relaxing stops for waterfall bathing, like the amazing trails at Chapada dos Veadeiros in Brazil.

Booking

I booked my Sierra Negra tour at the Isabela Dive Center in downtown Puerto Villamil. To have the best price, I booked a bundle of tours including Sierra Negra, Los Tuneles (my favorite tour in all of the Galapagos), and Las Tintoreras.

Early-morning pick-up

I was picked up in a 4×4 truck at my hotel in Puerto Villamil. This was my only tour in Isabella that included hotel pickup, probably because of the early start!

4X4 Ford truck driving through the terrain of Sierra Negra.

Stop at a flamingo lagoon

On the way to Volcano Sierra Negra, we had a little surprise stop at a lagoon filled with Galapagos Flamingos.

Six flamingos standing and eating in a large green lagon in Isabela Island.

There, I got to see and photograph the flamingos up close in a lagoon much larger than the easily accessible flamingo lagoon in downtown Puerto Villamil.

Close up of two Galapagos flamings walking through the dark-green lake on the way to Sierra Negra Volcano in Isabela

Quick scenic stop

We had a second unexpected sightseeing stop in a high-up viewpoint. From there, we could already start to see the clouds of sulfur dioxide coming out of the volcano’s Sulfur Mines!

View of the sulfur mines in the crater of Volcano Sierra Negra. The mines are seen as white and smoking from a distance, which contrasts to the rest of the volcano's dark grey landscape.

During this stop, I started feeling very cold! Turns out that the temperatures up in the volcano are much lower than in Puerto Villamil, so make sure to bring at least a light sweater.

Going on the Sierra Negra volcano hike

Once we got to the starting point of the trail, we waited there for the rest of the group to arrive.

Signs marking the entrance of the Sierra Negra Sulfur Mines Hiking Trail

In the end, there were about 12 of us and a naturalist guide to go on the hike!

The hike began with a steep downhill section, which was quite slippery due to the muddy trail. Fortunately, this challenging portion was short, and the terrain quickly leveled out to an almost completely flat path.

Galapagos naturalist guide guiding two dourists down a steep muddy trail in Sierra Negra with wooden handrails.

As we walked towards the sulfur mines, the landscape changed dramatically! It started with a relatively green area, which became increasingly dry.

The first bit of the hike was in dark grey fields, but soon the landscape changed from black to bright white! At that point, we had to start hiking up, but it was not very steep or exhausting for someone with good fitness.

Woman walking through completely white fields inside the crater of the Sierra Negra volcano!

As we got closer to the sulfur mines, the landscape started looking increasingly yellow, and we could pick up little pieces of highlighter-yellow sulfur throughout the trail.

Arriving at the active sulfur vents was quite impressive! The mines are active and reach temperatures as high as 300°C, which creates huge clouds of sulfur dioxide.

Due to the extreme heat and toxicity of the sulfur fumaroles, we maintained a safe distance but still got remarkably close.

Also, there are some interesting sulfur formations throughout the trail, and we can get very close to them for some cool pictures!

I was very surprised that the area surrounding the sulfur mines and the sulfur rocks themselves did not smell bad at all!

I’ve always heard of people blaming sulfur for stinky hot springs, so I was happy and excited to see that the no section of the Sierra Negra Sulfur Mines trail smells bad!

We got to sit and enjoy the up-close view of the mines for about 10 minutes before starting to head back. At that point I was quite hungry and tired, so I sat down on a rock to eat tasty snacks and allow my legs to rest.

We walked back the same trail we came in, so the last bit of the trail was incredibly steep & upward, which made me incredibly exhausted!

Getting to the top, we were given time to eat the boxed lunch in a little picnic area before boarding the car again to head to the next stop of the tour!

Touring a local fruit farm

On the way back to Puerto Villamil, we stopped at a fruit farm for a quick tour and fruit tasting.

As someone with ARFID, I felt most comfortable staying inside the car during this activity. I asked the other people in my group about the experience and they said it is fun!

Though the farm tour and fruit tasting are included in the Sierra Negra Sulfur Mines Tour, the guides do ask for tips at the end of the farm tour. So plan ahead and bring cash in case you want to tip the farm’s staff!

What I didn’t love about hiking Sierra Negra

My hiking tour to Sierra Negra was awesome, but it wasn’t without flaws. There are 2 things that could have gone better:

  • The Galapagos Naturalist guide could have been more patient with those of us who walk slowly. In my group, there was a family with an elderly lady (in her 60s), and though she was in amazing health, she walked a bit slower than the rest of us. As a result, the guide simply left the family very behind, and they missed many of the explanations and never got to take quick resting breaks like the rest of the group.
  • The tour agency should have provided hiking sticks to everyone. The trail was slippery and hiking sticks could have made many of us more comfortable during the hike!

Is the Sierra Negra Volcano Hiking Tour worth it?

So, is the Sierra Negra Volcano hiking tour worth it? Based on my firsthand experience, it’s a resounding yes!

Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a casual adventurer, the Sierra Negra Volcano tour is an accessible way to explore this otherworldy landscape of Isabela Island.

Other awesome day activities in Isabela Island

If you’re exploring Isabela Island and want to make the most of your visit, consider visiting these three other incredible places in the island for the ultimate dream trip.

Los Tuneles

Though not extremely budget-friendly at $120 per person, the Los Tuneles Tour was my favorite snorkeling & birdwatching tour in all of the Galapagos.

Tintoreras

For $40 and not far from Concha Perla, the Las Tintoreras Tour offers an amazing opportunity to snorkel and come across large wildlife!

Girl's legs resting in concha de perla's wooden deck and sea lion swimming towards it.

Concha de Perla

Stop by Concha de Perla to enjoy gree and easily accessible snorkeling site!

Similar Posts