Honest San Cristobal 360 Tour Review – Is It Worth It?
TL;DR
Swim with turtles, spot rare seabirds, and (maybe) meet a hammerhead shark – our 360 Tour San Cristobal review reveals if this all-in-one Galapagos adventure is worth your money.
If you’re looking for the ultimate way to see the island in one day, the 360 Tour San Cristobal might just be it. This full-day loop takes you to remote beaches, bird-filled cliffs, and snorkelling spots like the famous Kicker Rock – all in a single trip.
We joined this popular adventure ourselves, hoping for hammerhead sharks and ending up with turtles, dolphins, and a few surprises along the way. Here’s our honest review to help you decide if this is the best San Cristobal tour for your Galapagos itinerary.
360 Tour San Cristobal Galapagos Review
We recently went on this 360° tour:
360 Tour Map
360 Tour Itinerary
This is the itinerary of the exact Tour 360 San Cristobal we went on:
1. Bahia Rosa Blanca
After meeting at the tour agency and fitting the snorkelling equipment, we went to the pier together to embark on our 360° adventure around San Cristobal.
Our tour went clockwise, so our first stop was Bahia Rosa Blanca, a small bay located on the northeast side of San Cristóbal. Here, we did some guided snorkelling both in the bay and in the mangroves nearby. We spotted a crazy amount of turtles, as well as some black-tip reef sharks and a school of golden rays.
Back on the boat, we were handed towels and snacks.
2. Punta Pitt
Punta Pitt is the easternmost tip of San Cristobal. Its location provides abundant minerals, attracting many fish, which in turn draw seabirds.
At this stop, we spotted birds from the boat. We managed to see all the highlights, including blue-footed boobies, red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, and pelicans.
3. Lunch
Next up was lunch. Omnivores and pescetarians were served tuna, salad, and rice. Vegetarians got egg instead.
4. Bahía Sardina
Bahía Sardina consists of two beaches, known for their small white sand dunes and crystal-clear waters.
Here, we grabbed our snorkels and swam to the beautiful beach, where we mostly sat and enjoyed not being on a moving boat, to be honest.
5. Cueva del Brujo
You can spot Kicker Rock through a sea cave at Cueva del Brujo. This was only a short picture spot, but cool enough to deserve a mention.
On the way from here to Kicker Rock, we spotted loads of dolphins!
6. Kicker Rock
Kicker Rock or León Dormido is a 148-meter (485 ft) formation of volcanic rock rising from the ocean. Split into two cliffs that form a channel, it’s a prime location for snorkelling.
Our guide tried her best, but unfortunately, the visibility was quite low during our snorkel. We didn’t see the famous hammerhead sharks, although we tried our luck on both sides of the rock, but we managed to spot some Galapagos sharks.
360° San Cristobal Tour – Our Honest Opinion
Let’s start with a word of warning. The sea around the Galapagos Islands can get rough, and the boats used for this tour are rather small fishing boats. If you’re prone to seasickness, take medication!
While the boat was small, it was well equipped. There was ample seating space and a toilet. The equipment was in good condition. In hindsight, we must say that the water is quite chilly, and we would insist on a wetsuit next time.
We thoroughly enjoyed our three snorkelling spots. Unfortunately, our expectations for Kicker Rock were too high. We heard so many stories of travellers snorkelling with dozens of hammerhead sharks that we were sure to get lucky. Unfortunately, on the day of our visit, visibility was low and the sea a bit choppy. Our guide tried her best to give us a chance to spot hammerheads – even jumping in the water on both sides of the channel. Sadly, we didn’t get to swim through the channel itself as the guide deemed the conditions too rough. Still, we managed to spot some Galapagos sharks – and loads of dolphins on the way.
Overall, it was a great tour. We spotted so many turtles, as well as types of sharks and fish. We also observed the most important birds of the Galapagos islands (including all three types of boobies).
What Other Travellers Say About the 360 Tour
⭐ Rating: 4.5 / 5 (14 reviews)
It’s hard to put into words how spectacular this trip was. It exceeded every expectation I had. We saw an abundance of wildlife such as black and white tipped reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, eagle rays, golden cow rays, blue and red footed boobies, about a thousand dolphins which surrounded our boat and to top it off, a hammerhead shark. I’ve never experience any excursion like this. I would highly recommend. Not to mention, our guide Alejandro and his crew were absolutely fantastic! Highlight of our trip to the Galápagos Islands.
– Chloe (see more reviews)
What Does the 360 Tour Include?
The 360° tour we did includes:
- Nature guide
- Lunch (vegetarian option available)
- Snacks & beverages
- Snorkel equipment
- Towel
Conclusion: Is the 360 Tour Worth it?
Kicker Rock is one of the best snorkelling spots in all of the Galapagos, but it also seems to be hit or miss. On a good day, you might swim alongside schools of hammerhead sharks in crystal-clear water; on a rough day, visibility can be low and currents strong. That said, the 360 tour offers so much more than just Kicker Rock – from swimming with sea turtles at Bahía Rosa Blanca to spotting all three types of boobies at Punta Pitt and watching dolphins race the boat.
If you want to see a wide variety of wildlife in a single day, this tour is hard to beat. For us, despite the unpredictable conditions, it was still a memorable highlight of our time in San Cristóbal.
We walked around San Cristobal for hours being told that all 360 tours are booked out for the next days until we managed to find a spot. Yes, booking the tour in person is cheaper than booking it online, but in hindsight, we’re not sure if it’s worth the time and hassle. We were on the same boat as people who secured their spot and their peace of mind by booking the exact same tour online.
Where We Stayed in San Cristobal
We stayed at Casa de Alexis and can highly recommend it. The location is within walking distance to the airport and the Malecon. The owners are amazing. The value for money is crazy for 16$ per person/night. This includes free drinking water, snorkel equipment, and kitchen use.
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