Prince Phillip's Steps
Prince Phillip's Steps
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
34 reviews
Excellent
24
Very good
9
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Jim R
Calgary, Canada298 contributions
Dec 2016 • Couples
We were taken to Prince Phillips Steps via panga (or zodiac) on Genovisa Island (aka. Tower Island) one of the Galapagos islands, from our yacht, the Letty, one of Ecoventura's vessels. This was our first outing on our tour and we were treated to many close up views of red footed boobies, Nazca boobies and blue footed boobies, a short eared owl and some Frigate birds. It is amazing how close they are to you and they just sit letting you take as many photos as you want. This is physically easy excursion.
We also went for a deep water snorkel from the panga near by. We saw many different fish but the highlight for me was the sea lion that swam right by me, maybe two feet away, staring at me. Unforetunately, the water was very murky and therefore did not make for great photos but you still get to see the fish and sea lions. .
We also went for a deep water snorkel from the panga near by. We saw many different fish but the highlight for me was the sea lion that swam right by me, maybe two feet away, staring at me. Unforetunately, the water was very murky and therefore did not make for great photos but you still get to see the fish and sea lions. .
Written 29 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rschagrin
Delray Beach, FL15,576 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
The steps aren't really that bad. You will see lots of Nazca boobies, red footed boobies, and great frigate birds,
Written 16 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Passionate_Kiwi
Auckland, New Zealand34 contributions
May 2015 • Family
Genovesa Island including the landing site at Prince Philip's Steps was incredible. Very rugged with Blue and Red-Footed Boobies as well as Frigate Birds everywhere. Try to include Genovesa Island in your Galapagos itinerary but (!) only if you're seaworthy because you cross a lot of open ocean to get there....
Written 22 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve N
New Hartford, CT136 contributions
Jan 2020
I loved the hike up Prince Phillip's Steps on Genovesa Island. Once you get to te top there are beautiful lava fields everywhere and Nazca Boobies nesting all over the surface. You truly feel that you are in a totally foreign envirinment as you walk across these fields. The views of the ocean are spectacular as you approach the northern shore and home to sea lions, iguanas and lava lizards. We even spotted a Galapagos hawk catching its prey! What a place.
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SFO45
Virginia729 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
We landed by panga and climbed the Prince Phillip Steps to the plateau above, taking an extensive nature hike on the paths and black lava. We looked hard and finally saw an owl, which was perfectly camouflaged as it looked for baby birds. The steps themselves are an interesting climb, and you have to be in good shape to negotiate them. There is no easy landing area in this area of the island. Access to Genovese Island is highly restricted, so it was a rare privilege to be here. Sea birds are everywhere, and it is fun to watch their antics. Also arine iguanas.
Written 3 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WendyHappiness1
McKinney, TX148 contributions
Mar 2018
This trip to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador was on our bucket list and Phillip's Steps is a popular attraction on Genovesa Island. The steps are very steep, and really carved rock out of the water. Our panga took us to the entry point. Being short, it was a hard climb up and just as hard coming down to return to the panga. You need to go sideways and walking sticks don't help.
Written 12 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
greattripsrw
277 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
This was a really interesting walk on top of the huge rock cliffs on one side of Genovesa Island. To get there our cruise ship, La Pinta, used a panga and upon disembarking the panga we climbed up steep stone steps through a narrow passageway in the rock cliff. There is a wooden rail to hold on to. Once at the top, the ground is flat with dirt and rocks and a path that leads through the colony of birds. But what a sight! So many birds! There are large colonies of birds on the ground and many flocks of birds flying around out over the water. It was great! As we walked about a mile, all along the way we saw Nazca boobies, red footed boobies, marine iguanas, frigate birds, storm petrels and we even spotted the elusive short eared owl a few times! We were lucky to have the opportunity to see the owls as our Naturalist guides knew just what to look for and where to look because these owls are masters of camouflage -they blend right in to the brown lava rocks!!
The vegetation is interesting with low scrubby, bushy trees (palo santo) and colorful, thick cactus growing out of the rocky lava plain. We joked about feeling like we were in the old Alfred Hitchcock movie 'The Birds" as there were so many birds flying around from land to the bay and back. Upon our descent we got in the panga to ride along the cliffs and saw Fur Seals resting on the lower rocks and swimming in the water.
This is a must see area-it is so unique.
The vegetation is interesting with low scrubby, bushy trees (palo santo) and colorful, thick cactus growing out of the rocky lava plain. We joked about feeling like we were in the old Alfred Hitchcock movie 'The Birds" as there were so many birds flying around from land to the bay and back. Upon our descent we got in the panga to ride along the cliffs and saw Fur Seals resting on the lower rocks and swimming in the water.
This is a must see area-it is so unique.
Written 10 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hopefulist
The Dalles, Oregon19,736 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
Our naturalist guide, Maja of the Yacht Angelito, was a star at spotting short eared owls. 2 of them were eating petrels and allowed us to watch them dine!
Written 21 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D C
Houston, TX474 contributions
Mar 2015 • Friends
This stop is either in the morning or afternoon, depending on whether your nature cruise first goes here or to Darwin's Trail.
It's a dry landing with easy walking after a moderate climb up Prince Phillip's Steps. As with the rest of Genovesa, the main attraction is bird watching and takes about an hour and a half. We saw Nazca (adult and juvenile), red-footed boobies, frigates, juvenile blue-footed boobies, and the very well-camoflaged short-eared owls (we saw about five). It is said that only on Genovesa / Tower Island have the short-eared owls learned to hunt storm petrels as they enter and exit their nests in the cracks and tunnels of volcanic rock - as they are too small and fast for the owls to catch mid-air - but we were not fortunate enough to observe this behavior.
It's a dry landing with easy walking after a moderate climb up Prince Phillip's Steps. As with the rest of Genovesa, the main attraction is bird watching and takes about an hour and a half. We saw Nazca (adult and juvenile), red-footed boobies, frigates, juvenile blue-footed boobies, and the very well-camoflaged short-eared owls (we saw about five). It is said that only on Genovesa / Tower Island have the short-eared owls learned to hunt storm petrels as they enter and exit their nests in the cracks and tunnels of volcanic rock - as they are too small and fast for the owls to catch mid-air - but we were not fortunate enough to observe this behavior.
Written 3 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BigFootMidlands
East Midlands, UK723 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
En route to the steps on the panga you are able to view so much wildlife including sea lions, boobies, penguins, crabs, frigate birds, tropical birds etc etc and then it's a dry landing onto Prince Phillips Steps. At the top you are immediately greeted by nests full of babies, hatched and unmatched eggs, and none of the birds even attempt to fly away from you. Baby Boobies lie scattered in their nests unperturbed by you. Then it's time to search for the daytime owls hunting amongst the swifts.
Written 16 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is the climb up Prince Phillips Steps dangerous and/or difficult? How many "steps" are there?
Written 16 February 2019
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