Plantilla itinerarios Galapagos 4 itinerarios

Day 1 Friday

Bartolome Island

Trek to the summit of the island for a clearer perspective of the islands’ not-too-distant volcanic origins, and enjoy a view that is one of the best among the Galápagos. Spectacular vistas await, so bring your camera and snap away at the amazing panoramas.

North Seymour Island

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). See blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks. Top off the excursion with a snorkel among sea lions and rays.

Day 2 Saturday

Genovesa Island -Darwin Bay Visit

Walk along the white coral sands of Darwin Bay surrounded by bustling sea birds. Follow the trail and see nesting frigatebirds, gulls, and boobies. Be sure to bring your camera to take some snaps of your new feathered friends.

Snorkelling (Darwin Bay)

Visit this sunken caldera for a great snorkelling opportunity. See large schools of tropical fish swarming near the vertical walls, and, if lucky, see a manta ray or hammerhead.

Genovesa- El Barranco Visit

Visit “El Barranco” aka Prince Phillip’s Steps located on the southern tip of the island for an amazing wildlife watching opportunity. Hike up the steps to see a sea bird colony that is full of life including the breeding grounds for red-footed boobies and masked boobies.

Day 3 Sunday

South Plaza Island Visit

Visit South Plaza, one of the smallest islands in the Galápagos, which has one of the largest populations of land iguanas. Walk along a path through a cactus forest and view a combination of dry and coastal vegetation on this lively island, home to a wide range of fauna, including incredible birdlife. Spot red-billed tropicbirds and indigenous swallow-tailed gulls resting on the cliffs, and sea lions playing in the waters.

Santa Fe Island

Visit Santa Fe for amazing wildlife watching opportunities. Hike towards the cliffs along the island’s northern shore to view the forest of giant prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), which is home to endemic land iguanas. It is also one of the best locations to see sea turtles, swim with sea lions, and get a glimpse of a whitetip reef shark.

Day 4 Monday

Santa Cruz Island-Highlands Giant Tortoises Visit

Head to Santa Cruz’s verdant highlands and the El Chato Reserve, a perfect place to see giant tortoises in their natural environment. Explore the reserve’s lagoon and lava tunnels, keeping an eye out for owls that often roost in the tunnels’ entrances.

Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Quito or Guayaquil.

Day 1 Monday

San Cristobal / Isla Lobos

Fly to San Cristobal Island. Meet the guide and transfer to the Estrella de Mar yacht. Visit Isla Lobos in the afternoon.

Continue to Lobos Island and be welcomed by frolicking sea lions. Watch for sea lions swimming underwater while snorkelling in the calm clear waters.

Isla Lobos Snorkelling

Snorkel right off the beach at peaceful Isla Lobos, amid the families of sea lions and their inquisitive pups looking to play. Spot nesting frigatebirds and the famous blue-footed boobies resting on the shore. Be sure to bring your camera to catch some snaps at this prime wildlife watching haven.

Day 2 Tuesday

San Cristobal- Punta Pitt

Punta Pitt

Enjoy amazing wildlife watching and interesting geological formations on this fascinating expedition. Arrive at a quiet cove on the eastern tip of San Cristobal to explore Punta Pitt. Made up of volcanic tuff substrate, it’s the only site in the Galápagos where it’s possible to see three species of boobies and two species of frigatebirds.

Cerro Brujo

Visit Cerro Brujo to explore its coastline, and look for wildlife on the beach, in the water, and in the air. Learn about the human and natural history of the area from the Galápagos CEO/Naturalist Guide. Take a refreshing dip in the turquoise water, and head out on a short walk to a freshwater lagoon – a great place to see flamingos.

Snorkelling (Kicker Rock)

Embark on a snorkelling adventure at Kicker Rock, one of the most stunning landmarks in the Galápagos Islands that’s home to an incredibly diverse range of marine life that inhabits the nutrient-rich water. Explore the rock which rises 150m (492 ft) above the ocean’s surface, and is divided into two parts by a narrow channel. See an array of sharks and fish that are drawn to the rock and provide for an exhilarating unique snorkelling experience.

Day 3 Wednesday

Española- Bahía Gardner

Visit Gardner Bay’s magnificent white sandy beach, home to sea lions and sea birds. Be sure to explore the beautiful turquoise water and its incredible sea life. Spot young sea lions and large schools of surprisingly big tropical fish, including yellow-tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, and bump-head parrot fish.

Snorkelling (Gardner Bay)

Head to Tortuga Rock and Gardner Bay for a spectacular snorkelling experience. Spot playful young sea lions and large schools of tropical fish, including yellow-tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, and bump-head parrot fish. Look for white-tipped reef sharks napping on the bottom.

Española- Punta Suárez

Visit Punta Suárez, one of most rich wildlife landing sites in the Galápagos. Be greeted by surfing young sea lions on arrival. Head to the trail to find many species of nesting sea birds, and, if lucky, see the waved albatross. Follow the path up to a cliff for great views over the ocean, and watch sea birds gliding in the wind.

Day 4 Thursday

Floreana Island- Post Office Bay Visit

Visit Post Office Bay and learn about its unique history. In the late 18th century, English whaling vessels placed a barrel here to be used as a post office. Today, the box is used mainly by tourists, who may drop off and pick up unstamped letters to be carried to far destinations. Continue the tradition – leave a letter and take one to deliver (be sure it makes it to the correct location)

Devil´s Crown Snorkelling 

Enjoy an amazing snorkelling experience at the ‘Devil’s Crown’, an old underwater volcanic cone just north of the Punta Cormorant. Spot large schools of tropical fish, rays, reef sharks, and sea turtles that make their home among the coral reef. Be sure you’re a strong swimmer; the currents can be intense.

Floreana – Punta Cormorant

Visit Punta Cormorant, the only landing site on Floreana Island, and discover two amazingly different beaches: one with green sand, coloured by olivine crystals, and another with white sand particles known as ‘Flour Beach’. Spend the afternoon observing flamingos and other shore birds feeding in the lagoon. Spot penguins and marine iguanas at the water’s edge.

Day 5 Friday

North Seymour Island

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). See blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks. Top off the excursion with a snorkel among sea lions and rays.

Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Quito or Guayaquil.

DAY 1 Sunday

Baltra Airport

Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island. Arriving in the Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our natural guides and taken to a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/Y Coral I or M/Y Coral II.

Charles Darwin Research Station & Fausto Llerena Breeding Center (Santa Cruz Island)

Dry landing.  Once home to the famous Lonesome George, the last tortoise of the Pinta race, the breeding and relocation center is named in honour of his long-time guardian. The center is set in the Galapagos National Park Service where various interpretative buildings are available to visit. The grounds, with large stands of native vegetation, are one of the better places to spot some of the seldom seen Darwin’s finches such as the woodpecker, cactus and vegetarian finches.

DAY 2 Monday

Mosquera Islet

Wet Landing.  This tiny, low lying islet, covered in coral sand, is set between North and South Seymour Islands. It is home to a group of sea lions that come to laze on the soft white sand. It is a good spot to observe shorebirds as well as herons, lava gulls, and boobies. Snorkeling or diving here one can often see sharks, rays, and barracudas.

North Seymour Island

Dry landing.  This flat, uplifted, island is an important spot to see both magnificent and great frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their grossly inflated, bright red, gular pouch. We will also likely see courting blue-footed boobies displaying their unique feet while ‘dancing’  to a prospective mate. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands top off a great visit.

DAY 3 Tuesday

Santa Fe Island

Wet landing.  After a fabulous snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay, we may have enjoyed time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. Landing onto a sandy beach we are immediately distracted by the abundant sea lions there with us. We begin a walk past a forest of island-endemic giant Opuntia cacti. Here we search for another island-endemic the Santa Fe land iguana, paler than its cousins on other islands. Galapagos hawks and even endemic rice rats are also things to look out for.

South Plaza Islet

Dry landing.  Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, and land iguanas are all present at the landing site.  The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, we spend time watching birds fly past at eye level in the updraught. These include frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds. Back at sea level, we once again encounter land iguanas, some of which have hybridized with their resident marine cousins.

DAY 4 Wednesday

Kicker Rock Circumnavigation & Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristobal Island)

Kicker Rock can be seen directly from the vessel. In the sea northeast of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is this ancient and eroded volcanic tuff lava named Leon Dormido or Kicker Rock it is formed by two rocks approximately 148 m, named for its resemblance of a sleeping lion.

It serves as home to many of the typical Galapagos sea animals, such as birds, sea lions, blue and Nazca boobies and frigate. With rare sightings of swallow turtle gulls, tropic birds, and pelicans.

Dry landing.  In the moist highlands of San Cristobal, we will visit the giant tortoise breeding center “La Galapaguera” to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in its various life stages. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photographic opportunities. The aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise back into the wild. In town, there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.

San Cristobal Airport

After the visit, you will go to San Cristobal Airport for the return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

Day 1 Monday

Arrival in Baltra Island and transfer to Puerto Ayora and board the Estrella de Mar Motor Yacht. Spend the afternoon in the highlands seeing giant tortoises in the wild and exploring lava tunnels.

Highlands Giant Tortoises Visit

Head to Santa Cruz’s verdant highlands and the El Chato Reserve, a perfect place to see giant tortoises in their natural environment. Explore the reserve’s lagoon and lava tunnels, keeping an eye out for owls that often roost in the tunnels’ entrances.

Lava Tunnels Visit

Check out Santa Cruz’s lava tunnels, massive underground lava tubes found throughout the island that, in some places, extend several kilometres.

Day 2 Tuesday

Chinese Hat and Rabida Islands

Spend the morning exploring lava flows and lava tunnels on the small island of Chinese Hat. After, enjoy a refreshing dip in turquoise waters. Search for fish and sea turtles in the protected bay. In the afternoon, explore the red sand beaches and salt water lagoons of this tiny island. Look for wading flamingos and nesting pelicans before heading out to do some snorkelling.

Day 3 Wednesday

Playa Espumilla/Puerto Egas

In the morning, see the towering cliffs of Buccaneer Cove and keep an eye out for the hundreds of birds nesting on the edge. Later, land at Puerto Egas home to the elusive Galápagos hawk. Visit the salt crater as well as a dark-sand beach and tidal pools.

Playa Espumilla Excursion

Head to Playa Espumilla, one of the most idyllic beaches in the Galápagos Islands, which has thick mangroves and sea turtle nesting sites.

Puerto Egas Visit

Explore the spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay. Spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife.

Day 4 Tuesday

Punta Espinoza

Tour a number of different trails at this not-to-be-missed landing site that’s home to some of the largest colonies of marine iguanas and sea birds. Follow the path along the beach and across lava flows for a unique opportunity to explore one of the least-visited areas of the Galápagos.

Urbina Bay Visit

Visit Urbina Bay for a unique walk among a massive marine reef that was raised out of the water in 1950 during an uplift. See “sculptures” of dried coral and other ocean formations while touring the area on foot. Urbina Bay also offers great opportunities to see land iguanas that have astonishingly yellow skin, flightless cormorants, brown pelicans as well as marine turtles and rays.

Day 5 Wednesday

Elizabeth Bay

Head out by panga to explore, keeping an eye out for wildlife hiding among the mangroves. Search for marine turtles, rays, and flightless cormorants in the sheltered waters. Also spot blue-footed boobies, penguins, and pelicans feeding on the abundant marine life.

Punta Moreno Visit

Visit Punta Moreno and explore its interesting landscape, which is home to black lava flows and a unique system of brackish lagoons that draw in a wide range of wildlife. Spot Darwin’s finches, Galápagos doves, penguins, and more! Be sure to bring your camera for shots of the island’s amazing scenery. Punta Moreno boasts a panoramic viewpoint of three of Isabela’s imposing volcanoes: Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul.

Day 6 Thursday

Isabela Island – Sierra Negra Volcano Hike

Hike to the rim of the 10km (6 mi) wide crater of the Sierra Negra volcano, which has the largest basaltic caldera in the Galápagos. Trek across the moon-like landscape of the lava fields and fumaroles, and enjoy spectacular views looking north toward Fernandina and the rest of Isabela Island. The volcano last erupted in October 2005, making it the most recent eruption of the Galápagos.

Las Tintoreras Excursion

Tour the “Tintoreras” to watch manta rays and whitetip reef sharks swim in the channels between the rocks. Get up close to pelicans, frigatebirds, and diving blue-footed boobies, and keep an eye out for rare Galápagos penguins, the only species found in Galápagos and north of the Equator.

Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Visit

Walk through the town’s wetlands to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. With the giant tortoise on its way to extinction in the late 1950s, this program was established to protect these noble creatures.

Day 7 Friday

Santa Cruz Island- Charles Darwin Research Station Visit

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, a scientific organization initiated in 1964, which works to preserve the Galápagos’ ecosystem through the conservation efforts of scientists, researchers, and volunteers. The research station provides a study location for international scientists and environmental education for the local community.

The station is also a great place to observe many species of tortoises and land iguanas in captivity in the Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre. Brought back from the brink of extinction, see the famous Galápagos tortoise up close – a corral houses adult tortoises, and a nursery cares for the young until around age three when their shells have hardened.

Tortuga Bay Hike

Enjoy a short walk to the beautiful white beach of Tortuga Bay. Relax on the beach, walk along the mangroves looking for marine iguanas and birdlife, or rent a kayak and explore this marine wonderland. Look for Tintoreras sharks, sea turtles, and manta rays in the water’s shallow areas.

Day 8 Saturday

San Cristobal

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Disembark early and visit the San Cristobal Interpretation Centre to learn everything you wanted to know about the Galápagos from the islands’ natural history to their ecosystems and flora and fauna.

Transfer to the Airport for your flight to Quito or Guayaquil.