San Cristóbal Island & Kicker Rock
León Dormido
A twin-peaked rock rising from the sea off San Cristóbal Island. Snorkelling or diving in the channel between its cliffs lets you swim alongside sea lions, sea turtles, and hammerhead sharks.
León Dormido (Spanish for 'sleeping lion', known in English as Kicker Rock) is a volcanic tuff pillar eroded into two halves, about 150 m high. From a distance it looks like a lion lying down. Between the two massive rocks runs a deep channel that visitors can cross by snorkelling or diving. Common sightings include green sea turtles, eagle rays, Galápagos sharks, and whitetip reef sharks, and if you're lucky, schools of hammerhead sharks. Day boat trips leave from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristóbal Island, cost about USD 150–200, and usually also stop at the white-sand beach at Cerro Brujo. San Cristóbal Island itself is worth 1–2 days. Sea lions lounge everywhere along the harbourfront promenade. You can walk to La Lobería beach to swim with sea lions. The island has an airport (SCY) with direct flights from Quito or Guayaquil, and speedboats run from Santa Cruz, taking about 2 hours. Note: the channel at León Dormido has deep water and strong surge, so anyone with average snorkelling ability should wear a life jacket.
Opening hours
Daytime cruises about 08:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Cerro Brujo
- Isla Lobos
- El Junco Lagoon
- Cerro Tijeretas & Darwin Bay
- Punta Carola
- Interpretation Center San Cristóbal
- Playa Mann
- Puerto Baquerizo Moreno Malecón