Calipso Itinerary Naturalist - 8 days
ITINERARY NATURALIST - 8 DAYS
THURSDAY
AM: San Cristobal Airport: Arrival and Transfer to the boat
PM: San Cristobal: Witch Hill (HK/SN)
FRIDAY
AM: Bartolome Island
PM: Santiago: Egast Port (HK/SN)
SATURDAY
AM: Fernandina: Espinosa Point (HK)
PM: Isabela: Tagus Cove (HK)
SUNDAY
AM: Isabela: Urbina Bay (HK/SN)
PM: Isabela: Moreno Point (HK/SN)
MONDAY
AM: North Seymour (HK/SN)
PM: South Plazas
TUESDAY
AM: Floreana: Post office Bay / Baroness Viewing Point (HK/SN)
PM: Floreana: Cormorant Point (HK/SN)
WEDNESDAY
AM: Santa Fe (HK)
PM: Santa Cruz: Breeding Center Fausto Llerena (HK)
THURSDAY
AM: San Cristobal: Interpretation Center (HK)
San Cristobal: Transfer to the Airport
HK: HIKE / SN: SNORKEL / PR: PANGA RIDE / KY: KAYAK /
PB: PADDLE BOARD
DAY 1: THURSDAY
AM: SAN CRISTOBAL ARRIVAL IN SAN CRISTOBAL AIRPORT AND TRANSFER TO THE BOAT.
You will arrive at San Cristobal Island in the morning.
After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Calipso staff member and transferred to the yacht. You will be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing.
PM: WITCH HILL
Located on the northern coast, this eroded hill and its surroundings present one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos with its white powdery sand and the abundance of animals. Wildlife includes sea turtles, rays, and various types of booby birds. The clear water provides an excellent opportunity for enjoying swimming and snorkeling.
Highlights: Beautiful rock formations, sea lions, shore birds, finches and mockingbirds; snorkeling: nice tropical fish, anemones, sponge coral.
Possible Activities: Hike, dinghy ride, snorkeling & kayaking
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy walk along the beachsea leon santa cruz galapagos
DAY 2: FRIDAY
AM: SANTIAGO ISLANDS: BARTOLOME PINNACLE ROCK
You will head to Bartholomew Island where the famous Pinnacle Rock is found. Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. We will take a trail of stairs to the summit of the volcano (about 30 or 40 minutes) where you will enjoy one of the best views of the islands! You will also visit a small, beautiful beach surrounded by the only vegetation found on this barren island. The beach is perfect for snorkeling where you may even see and swim with Galapagos penguins.
PM: EGAS PORT
Egas Port, also known as James Bay, on Santiago Island is home to the curious Galapagos hawks and quick-footed Galapagos lava lizards. The trail leads to the coastline with gorgeous tide pools and grottos full of fauna. Here the Galapagos furseals bathe in the sun. This is also a great snorkeling site.
DAY 3: SATURDAY
AM: FERNANDINA: ESPINOZA POINT
Crossing the Bolivar Channel that divides Isabela and Fernandina Islands, you will land at Espinoza Point, and after walking past a colony of marine iguanas and a group of sea lions, you will reach the island’s highlight: the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area also provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.agos hawk.
PM: ISABELA ISLANDS: TAGUS COVE
You will visit Tagus Cove on Isabela Island which is located across from Fernandina Island, near the Bolivar Channel dividing the two islands. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s, using the area as an anchorage site. Trails winding by Lake Darwin up to a ridge display wonderful views.
DAY 4: SUNDAY
AM: ISABELA ISLAND: URBINA BAY
Urbina Bay is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954 causing the land to rise over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. This area is also a great place for snorkeling.
PM: MORENO POINT
Moreno Point is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. The plethora of birds seen during a dinghy ride along the striking rocky shores or a hike along path through lava rock leading to tide pools and mangroves create a birdwatcher’s delight. In the tide pools, green sea turtles or white-tip sharks can be spotted.
DAY 5: MONDAY
AM: NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds are abundant on North Seymour Island. The island was formed by a series of submarine lava containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.
PM: SOUTH PLAZA ISLAND
In the morning, you will head to South Plaza Island. This small island with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. The most characteristic plant is Sesuvium. During the rainy season its color is a greenish to yellowish tone and in the dry season (end of June through January) a bright red.
DAY 6: TUESDAY
AM: FLOREANA ISLAND: POST OFFICE BAY
In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.
Baroness Viewpoint is a fantastic place to absorb the environment of the Galapagos. Once inhabited by an indulgent baroness and her three lovers, the history of this island is intriguing. The legends about this baroness are associated with a fascinating murder mystery. There are easy trails in this area for exploring the flora and fauna of Floreana.
PM: FLOREANA ISLAND: CORMORANT POINT
This site hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts and white-cheeked pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The “Green Beach” named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” composed of white coral.
DAY 7: WEDNESDAY
AM: SANTA FE ISLAND
Santa Fe (Barrington) is home to the small picturesque bay and anchorage on the island’s northeast coast. The bay has two visitor trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other spanning from a small beach to a tall prickly pear cactus forest.
PM: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS: FAUSTO LLERENA BREEDING CENTER
The Charles Darwin Research Station is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet long. Subspecies of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.
DAY 8: THURSDAY
AM: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: GIANNI ARISMENDY INTERPRETATION CENTER - TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
The Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center was opened in 1998 as a phase of the project “Interpretation and Environment Education Project.” Visitors enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control. The Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center has an outdoor stadium, audio-visual equipment, and meeting rooms.
