Letty Itinerary B - 9 Days
ITINERARY B - 9 DAYS
MONDAY
AM: San Cristobal: Arrival and Transfer to the boat
PM: San Cristobal: Interpretation Center / Cerro Colorado (HK)
TUESDAY
AM: San Cristobal: Pitt Point (PR/SN/HK)
PM: San Cristobal: Wicht Hill/ Kicker Rock (SN/KY/PR)
WEDNESDAY
AM: Espanola: Gardner Bay (PR/SN/KY)
PM: Espanola: Suarez Point (HK)
THURSDAY
AM: Floreana: Baroness Overlook / Post Office Bay (HK)
PM: Floreana: Cormorant Point (HK/KY/PR/SN)
FRIDAY
AM: North Seymour Island (HK)
PM: Bartolome Island (HK/PR/SN)
SATURDAY
AM: Genovesa: Darwin Bay (HK)
PM: Genovesa: EL Barranco (PR/KY/HK)
SUNDAY
AM: South Plazas Island (HK)
PM: Santa Fe Island (TK/KY/PR)
MONDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: El Chato Tortoise Farm / Twin Craters (HK)
AM: Santa Cruz: Charles Darwin Research Station (HK)
TUESDAY
AM: Baltra: Transfer to the Airport
HK: HIKE / SN: SNORKEL / PR: PANGA RIDE / KY: KAYAK /
PB: PADDLE BOARD
DAY 1: MONDAY
AM: SAN CRISTÓBAL: ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO THE BOAT.
Arrival to Airport in San Cristobal, your guide will be expecting you at the Airport to take you to Yacht Letty (passengers with own flights or already in Galapagos will be properly informed meeting point and time to join the Cruise from the main Pier), Lunch on board,
PM: INTERPRETATION CENTER - CERRO COLORADO.
After Lunch, transportation to the Highlands of San Cristobal to Cerro Colorado (Red Hill), which is one of the few places where you can see Calandrinia galapagosa, a plant endemic to San Cristobal in danger of extinction, Arrive to "La Galapaguera”, a natural environment to house dozens of Giant Tortoises with similar conditions to their natural habitat and you will visit its Breeding Center and see these marvelous specimens developing, Continue to the Interpretation Center that will take you through the history of the Islands, in their natural, human, and conservation contexts with two permanent interesting and interactive exhibits¦ the Natural History Room and the Human History Room, Return to Yacht Letty, Briefing, Dinner and overnight on board,
DAY 2: TUESDAY
AM: SAN CRISTÓBAL: PITT POINT
After Breakfast, board the Zodiak to Pitt Point (wet-landing at beach) to take an active trail-hike up to the top o a volcanic tuff with fantastic views, You will be able to spot all three species of boobies in one place¦ Blue, Red Nazca boobies plus frigate birds, other sea-bird species and, of course, playful sea-lions, It is also an excellent spot for snorkeling and swimming,
PM: SAN CRISTOBAL: WITCH HILL- KICKER ROCK
After Lunch, disembark (wet-landing) at Witch Hill, an eroding tuff-cone composed mostly of lava formations and volcanic rocks; it houses a lovely white-sand beach which is a great spot for snorkeling and swimming, Also a wonderful site to spot migratory birdlife¦ whimbrels, white-cheeked pintails, stilts and more,
Continue to Kicker Rock for circumnavigation around this giant rock formation which is remains on once an active volcano cone with the shape of a sleeping lion, hence its name, the top of the rock is home for hundreds of blue-footed boobies, tropical bird, frigate birds and more, Return to the Yacht,
Briefing, dinner and overnight,
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY
AM: ESPANOLA: GARDNER BAY
After Breakfast, take the Zodiak to the oldest island in the Archipelago, Española with wet-landing at Gardner Bay, a breathtaking large coralline sandy beach filled with curious Sea-lions to welcome you on this experience, Snorkeling is a must here as you will be able to spot rays, white-tipped sharks and colorful reef school of fish; also a great site for kayaking, Spot colonies of marine iguanas, endemic mocking birds, sally light-foot crabs and blue-footed boobies, Lunch on board the Letty,
PM: ESPANOLA: SUAREZ POINT
Dry disembarkation at Suarez Point, considered as a bird sanctuary of the Archipelago due to the amazing variety of species, especially the fantastic waved-albatrosses that visit this Island for nesting between April and December and also endemic mockingbirds, swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca blue-footed boobies, tropical-bird and more, After a wonderful afternoon hike, return to the boat, Dinner and overnight,
DAY 4: THURSDAY
AM: FLOREANA: POST OFFICE BAY
Today you will visit Floreana Island with a wet-landing at the north side of the Island on a sandy beach at Post Office Bay named by Captain James Colnett in 1973, who installed a wooden barrel that will serve sailors as an improvised post office where seamen will drop letters that will eventually be taken by other sailors on their way to other Countries especially in Europe; there has been cases where the letter arrives back home long after the sender does! Hike up to the Baroness viewpoint to enjoy fantastic panoramic views of the Island, Darwin finches, lava lizards, sea lions, yellow warblers and more can be spotted on site; also good opportunity to snorkel and swim,
Lunch on board the Yacht,
PM: FLOREANA: CORMORANT POINT
Disembark at Cormorant Point at the south of Floreana, the site features a golden- greenish beach rich in olivine, It`s a collection of volcanic crystals originating in the Earth's mantle and composed of aluminum, silica, magnesium and iron, as well as eroded tuff remains, all of which are responsible for the sand's unique color, Not far inland, a brackish lake home to a variety of migratory and coastal birds, is also ideal for flamingo-watching, Here, there's quite a large percentage of flamingos living in one single pond considering that the entire population of Galapagos Flamingos amounts to only about 1,200 to 1,500 individuals scattered across the archipelago, Flamingos tend to migrate from island to island searching for food but never attempting to fly toward mainland Ecuador, Their ancestors come from the Caribbean, The trail continues to a beautiful white-sand beach, one of the most important nesting sites of Green Pacific Sea Turtles, Return to the Yacht, Briefing, Dinner and overnight,
DAY 5: FRIDAY
AM: NORTH SEYMOUR
Early in the morning, visit to lovely North Seymour (dry-landing) Island for a short hike around blue-footed boobies nesting area, magnificent frigate birds, sea- lions, lizards, swallowed-tailed gulls and vast endemic vegetation,
PM: BARTOLOMÉ
In the afternoon, visit to one of the most iconic Islands in the Archipelago, Bartolome truly a magnificent place to enjoy great snorkeling and breathtaking natural sceneries during the hike,
There are have two disembarking possibilities (to be defined with your guide the previous night)¦ the dock, made out of lava and concrete, soon turns into a wooden staircase built to avoid erosion and consists of 372 steps, It takes us to the island's summit, where we find what probably constitutes the most photographed site in the Galapagos¦ Pinnacle Rock, Due to its altitude, the lack of vegetation is immediately noticeable, Pioneer plants are observed, they are called this way because they are the first to establish roots on new ground, Behind the beach, we have the dunes covered by mangroves,
The coralline beach next to Pinnacle Rock is a wet landing site from which we are able to snorkel amongst tropical fish and perhaps sea lions and penguins; they rest on the lava of the intertidal zone and sometimes decide to take a dip, Evening briefing, dinner and overnight on board,
DAY 6: SATURDAY
AM: GENOVESA: DARWIN BAY
Today you will visit one of the most beautiful Islands in the Archipelago, Genovesa Island; wet-landing at Darwin Bay, a sandy coral-beach with a lovely viewpoint of the entire shoe-horse shaped Bay, Fantastic opportunity to spot birdlife like¦ Galapagos hawk, frigate birds, red-footed boobies, mockingbirds, lava gulls, swallow-tailed gulls, Lunch on board your Yacht,
PM: GENOVESA: PRINCE PHILIP'S STEPS
Dry-landing and hike at Prince Philip's Steps to a narrow stretch of land that opens out onto the plateau surrounding Darwin Bay, that extends forming the north side of the island, Riding our dinghy to the far side of the caldera, red-billed tropicbirds display vociferously overhead while Galapagos fur seals can be seen on the shoreline, Once at the top of the rocky stairway we are immediately met by Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, mockingbirds, and finches that line our way through a palo santo forest until we arrive at an expansive open lava field, Wedge-rumped storm petrels swarm above the lava where we keep our eyes peeled for short-eared owls, Return to the Yacht, Evening briefing, dinner and overnight on board,
DAY 7: SUNDAY
AM: SANTA CRUZ: SOUTH PLAZAS
After Breakfast, dry-landing at beautiful South Plaza Island to start hiking through a colorful cactus forest (Opuntia cacti) surrounded by curious sea-lions and marine and yellow-hybrid land iguanas and a generous variety of birdlife¦ tropical bird, Nazca and
blue-footed boobies and more, Board the Letty for Lunch,
PM: SANTA FÉ
In the afternoon, wet-landing at the northeast of Santa Fe, hike around endemic cactus forest; be on the lookout for land iguanas, the largest iguana species of Galapagos are found here but also for Galapagos snake, Galapagos hawks, Darwin's finches and mockingbirds, Also possibility to snorkel and swimming,
Evening briefing, dinner and overnight on board,
DAY 8: MONDAY
AM: SANTA CRUZ: EL CHATO TWIN CRATERS
Today we will visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz and visit a natural reserve for giant Galapagos tortoises in semi-natural state, they can live up to 200 years and weight over 450 pounds; a wonderful opportunity to share a little bit their habitat, Possibility to visit the Lava Tunnels, which are result of volcanic eruptions millions of years ago,
PM: CHARLES DARWIN
After Lunch, continue to the Town of Puerto Ayora and to the World's famous Charles Darwin Research Station where you will interact closely with Galapagos giant Tortoises and learn about their different breeding stages from hatching to full-grown adults
(over 100 years old specimens); stroll around Puerto Ayora to buy some nice souvenirs and help the local businesses and economy, Return to the Yacht for dinner and overnight,
DAY 9: TUESDAY
AM: BALTRA TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
Early in the morning, after Breakfast, disembark Baltra Island (around 09h30-10h00) for your flight back to Mainland or end at Itabaca Channel's pier area if you plan to remain for a few more days in the Galapagos, End of services,
