Plantilla itinerarios Galapagos

DAY 1 Monday

Baltra Airport (Santa Cruz Island): We arrive at Baltra Airport and then we take you to the Itabaca Channel to take a ferry across to Santa Cruz Island. A 30-minute bus ride takes us to a restaurant in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island to enjoy lunch, and then continue to Puerto Ayora.

Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island): After driving down from the highlands, we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise. The campus houses the islands’ headquarters of scientific investigation and conservation. Late afternoon we stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora before embarking. Captain’s welcome cocktail and dinner.

DAY 2 Tuesday

Santa Fe Island: A stunning anchorage provides our jumping-off point for our visit to this sandy white beach with many sea lion harems. Galapagos hawks are often easily observed. The endemic land iguana, unique to this island, may be spotted during the walk. Snorkelling and swimming from the beach, kayaking or a ride in our glass-bottom boat.

South Plaza Island: The turquoise waters of the channel here contrast brilliantly with the white sand and black lava of the shoreline, while a carpet of scarlet sesuvium succulents serves as groundcover for a grove of luminescent green prickly-pear cactus beyond, populated by yellow-gray land iguanas.

DAY 3 Wednesday

North Seymour Island: The morning starts with an enjoyable walk along the coast and the interior of this island, observing numerous bird colonies as well as sea lions and marine iguanas. There are opportunities for snorkelling, coastal exploration or glass-bottom boat for great views of the underwater world.

Las Bachas (Santa Cruz Island): After WWII, US military barges were beached and abandoned here. Today it is an important nesting area for the east Pacific green sea turtle. Located on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, it is a glorious white beach, with several brackish lagoons only a few steps away from the sea. These lagoons are the feeding grounds of various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos. We can swim and/or snorkel from the beach.

DAY 4 Thursday

Bartolome Island: This morning, a Galapagos icon awaits for us: Bartolome Island. A great way to start the day, with a steep climb up a wooden staircase: the view from the top is worth the effort! Following the walk, we take the dinghies for a ride around colossal Pinnacle Rock.

Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island): After lunch, we get on board the inflatable dinghies to land at Sullivan Bay on the east coast of Santiago, a white coral sand beach great for swimming, and with a trail over a lava field that flowed here less than 100 years ago. This is the perfect place to see and feel the volcanic origin of Galapagos.

DAY 5 Friday

Baltra Island: After breakfast, we leave for the airport to take the flight back to the mainland.

Day 1 Friday

Baltra Airport – Santa Cruz Island): We arrive at Baltra Airport and transfer to the Itabaca Channel to take a ferry across to Santa Cruz Island. A 30-minute bus ride takes us to a restaurant in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island to enjoy lunch.

Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island): we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens within an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest home to many land birds. The campus houses the islands’ headquarters of scientific investigation, conservation and the National Park administration. Late afternoon stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora. Captain’s welcome cocktail and dinner.

DAY 2 Saturday

Post Office Bay & Baroness Cove (Floreana Island): After breakfast, we land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has been serving as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries. Snorkelling off the beach.

Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island): Our visit to Punta Cormorant takes in an olivine-crystal beach for an easy walk by a brackish water lagoon where bird species like American flamingos may be observed. On the other side of the island, we come to a white-sand beach where sea turtles come out at night to nest. We can usually snorkel at the “Champion Islet” site, ride along the coast in the inflatable dinghies (pangas) or observe the underwater world from the comfort of our glass-bottom boat.

DAY 3 Sunday

Punta Suarez (Española Island): Our morning outing at Punta Suarez provides an exciting walk on lava/boulder terrain to visit its unique sea bird colonies, including the Galapagos albatross, boobies, swallow-tail gulls, and the famous “blowhole”. Also, look for multi-coloured (red, green and black) marine iguanas.

Gardner Bay (Española Island): In the afternoon, we set down at this beautiful, white coral beach for a short walk to observe the sea lions, mockingbirds, finches or enjoy the beach. There is great snorkelling in this area, or else there’s time to kayak, inflatable dinghy-ride or ride the glass-bottom boat.

DAY 4 Monday

Punta Pitt (San Cristobal Island): In the morning, we land on the eastern tip of the island. The trail that ascends from the beach provides spectacular views of the shoreline and is the only site in the Galapagos where the three species of boobies can be found together, as well as the two frigate species, plus a colony of bachelor sea lions. After the walk, if conditions are favourable, there is a chance to swim, kayak or snorkel from the beach or an inflatable dinghy ride.

Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island): In the afternoon following lunch on board, a dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers takes us to Cerro Brujo’s expansive, white coraline beach, great for walking, with rewarding birdwatching including good views of seabirds and shore birds.

DAY 5 Tuesday

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal- Chatham Island): After breakfast, we depart to the pier and the airport for our flight back to the mainland.

Day 1 – Tuesday

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal Island): We land at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno’s airport and transfer to the dock. We check in, receive an introductory briefing and have lunch on board.

Galapaguera Cerro Colorado (San Cristobal Island): At Cerro Colorado, we visit the breeding centre of the highly-endangered giant tortoises in the midst of a fantastic deciduous forest, home to dozens of bird species and the endemic San Cristobal lava lizard.

Day 2 – Wednesday

Prince Philip’s Steps (Tower/Genovesa Island): Overnight, we navigate northbound to the incredible bird island, Genovesa. The morning starts with an inflatable dinghy ride along the cliffs of this dramatic island, followed by landing with a steep climb (90 feet) up some stairs to reach a flat plateau. We can observe large colonies of Nazca boobies, red footed boobies, great frigate birds and storm petrels. Those not wishing to disembark can enjoy a longer inflatable dinghy ride along the cliffs (depending on weather conditions). Snorkelling and kayaking.

Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island): We land at the beach for an easy stroll observing hundreds of birds, mainly frigate birds, red footed and Nazca boobies, gulls, herons, finches and mockingbirds.

Day 3 – Thursday

Buccaneer Cove (James/Santiago Island): After breakfast, we enjoy a coastal exploration along the impressive cliffs of Buccaneer’s Cove. The cove is home to a large number of marine birds, sea lions, and inter-tidal organisms. Enjoy fantastic natural formations such as the “Elephant Rock”, “The Bishop” and an impressive natural cave. This is a great site for snorkelling too or ride in our glass-bottom boat.

Puerto Egas (Santiago Island): This is a great opportunity to see land and marine birds amid a landscape of tuff-stone layers and lava flows. At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds and we can also observe a colony of fur seals.

Day 4 – Friday

Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island): We visit the youngest island of the archipelago, Fernandina. Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness and abundant wildlife. Highlights include hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorant.

Tagus Cove (Isabela Island): Across the narrow Bolívar Channel, we anchor at this cove on the northwest of Isabela. It provided a favourite anchorage for pirates and whalers over the centuries. An uphill hike takes guests to the rim of Darwin Crater, filled with salt water and to a dramatic viewpoint. After our walk, swimming, kayaking or snorkelling.

Day 5 – Saturday

Urbina Bay (Isabela Island): After breakfast we disembark at Urbina Bay. Here you can find corals, shells and many other calcareous organisms exposed above water. This area is also home to large and very colourful Galapagos land iguanas. Along the shoreline, after the hike, guests may encounter flightless cormorants and see penguins while snorkelling.

Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island): Since there is no landing site at this location, the coastal exploration is by dinghy. There is abundant wildlife and, depending on the conditions of the ocean, we’ll be able to snorkel along the cliffs, hopefully in the company of green sea turtles.

DAY 6 – Sunday

Rabida Island (Jervis Island): We disembark at Rabida Island’s red-coloured beach. A stroll allows us to observe a large colony of sea lions, marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and several species of Darwin’s finches. This is a great place to snorkel from the beach, take an inflatable dinghy ride, kayak or ride in our glass-bottom boat.

Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) (Santa Cruz Island): The north shore of Santa Cruz hosts Cerro Dragon. Our walk includes circling a brackish water lagoon frequented by lagoon birds, while further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western islands.

DAY 7 Monday

Baltra Island: Our journey ends at Baltra Island where we transfer to the airport to take the flight back to the mainland.