(Thursday – Thursday ) 8 days / 7 nights.
Our Galapagos itineraries offer unforgettable experiences, with our weekly departures that allow you to experience tours of 4, 5 and 7 that include: full board, two daily guided excursions with optional activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, boat trips which guarantees that your experience in the Galapagos Islands is complete.
ROUTE
DAY BY DAY
DAY 1: THURSDAY
AM: Arrival in San Cristobal Airport and Transfer to the boat.
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 beach
DAY 2: FRIDAY
AM: Bartholomew Island
Home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one of the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos penguin.
Highlights: Pinnacle rock, panoramic view, moonlike landscape, penguins, pioneer plants, lava cactus; snorkeling: penguins, reef sharks, rays, and great colorful fish.
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride, snorkeling & hiking (1.2 miles/ 2 km)
Type of Landing: Dry and wet landings
Difficulty: Moderate/difficult. Walk up to the top of volcano 114 meters, 375 wooden steps.
PM: Chinese Hat Islet
This small islet is located near the southeast coast of Santiago Island. Its name comes from the distinct shape of the islet's summit. This small islet is a great location to view many geological formations such as lava tubes and lava flows.
Possible Activities: Hike & snorkeling (1,9 miles / 3 km)
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate
DAY 3: SATURDAY
AM: Espinoza Point
No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina Island, and therefore it is one of the world's most pristine island ecosystems. The volcano “La Cumbre” dominates the landspace with lava fields reaching the ocean. The island's highlight features the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.
Highlights: Flightless cormorant, marine iguanas, 'a'a lava, sea lions, penguins, active volcano “La Cumbre”
Possible Activities: Hike (1.2 miles/2 km)
Type of Landing: Dry and slippery at low tide
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Tagus Cove
Tagus Cove 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. Punta Tortuga, just north of Tagus Cove, is another lovely beach surrounded by mangroves.
Highlights: Penguins, flightless cormorants, Darwin Volcano & Lake Darwin
Possible Activities: Long hike, snorkeling, dinghy ride
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate / difficult
DAY 4: SUNDAY
AM: 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.
Highlights: Land iguanas (the biggest in the Galapagos), hawks, coral reef, giant tortoises; snorkeling: turtles, rays, tropical fish
Possible Activities: Snorkeling, dinghy ride & hike, 2 trails: short (0.6miles/1 km), long (1.9miles/3km)
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy / moderate
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.
Highlights: Flamingos, gallinules, pintail ducks, turtles, white-tip reef sharks.
Possible Activities: Snorkeling, dinghy ride & hike (1.2miles/2km)
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate / difficult
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.
Highlights: Land & marine iguanas, frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, sea lions; snorkeling: rays, reef shark, fish, garden eels.
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride & hiking (1.5 miles / 2.5 km)
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate / difficult
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.
Highlights: Land iguanas, sea lion colony, Audubon's shearwaters, swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies, amazing landscape with cliffs
Possible Activities: Hike (1.5 miles / 2 ½ km)
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 6: TUESDAY
AM: 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.
Highlights: Post office barrel, nice sandy beach
Possible Activities: Short hike (less than 0.6 miles/1 km) & snorkeling
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
AM: Baroness Viewing Point
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.
Highlights: Great view, sea turtles, mysterious story about the first inhabitants of the islands
Possible Activities: Short hike (0.6 miles/1 km), Snorkeling, Kayaking and Panga Ride
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
PM: 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.
Highlights: Flamingos, green-colored beach
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride & hike (1.2 miles /2 km)
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
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.
Highlights: Land iguanas, giant tunas
Possible Activities: Hiking
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: Charles Darwin Station / 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.
Highlights: Giant tortoises in captivity
Possible Activities: Walking
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Easy
DAY 8: THURSDAY
AM: Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center
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.
Possible Activities: Short walk
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Dry
Highlights: Information and history about the Galapagos Islands.
Transfer to the San Cristobal Airport
