WESTERN ISLANDS
(Friday - Friday) 8 days / 7 nigths
This program takes you on a journey to the most remote corners of the archipelago. We visit the islands of the far west, these are the youngest, lava fields are common, sparse vegetation has led wildlife to adapt more. Fernandina Island is the youngest island and perhaps the most unique.
DAY BY DAY
DAY 1: FRIDAY
AM: Flight from mainland Ecuador (Quito or Guayaquil) to Baltra.
Arriving approximately.Your guide will meet you at the arrivals gate, our crew will take care of your luggage. Your guide will conduct you to a bus and after a short 5-kilometer ride to the pier; you board the Yacht immediately. As the crew weighs anchor, we greet you with our first orientation and we offer a light snack.
PM: Mosquera Islet
After lunch, you make an early wet landing on Mosquera Islet, a reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) and a great white sand beach and tide pools. You observe colonies of sea lions, brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies and sally light-foot crabs, the contrast between these bright red crabs on top and blue on the bottom and the black lava is stunning. In the evening, we have an orientation about the Galapagos Islands in general: their origin and evolution. Welcome cocktail with the entire crew, and dinner.
DAY 2: SATURDAY
AM: Sullivan Bay
After breakfast, we make a wet landing on Sullivan Bay, a perfect place to get a feel of the volcanic origin of the islands. Optional: time for those who would like to swim and/or snorkel.
PM: Rabida Island.
We return to the boat for a delicious lunch. After this, you make a wet landing on Rabida, to walk and observe marine iguanas and sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, and brown pelicans. You make a little walk and you arrive at a small saltwater lagoon where you can see pink flamingos. Optional: time for those who would like to swim or snorkel. Return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation.
DAY 3: SUNDAY
AM: Punta Espinoza.
After breakfast, we make a dry landing on Punta Espinoza to observe and see a large colony of sea lions, marine iguanas and the flightless cormorants and clumps of lava cactus.
PM: Elizabeth Bay
You come aboard for lunch. In the afternoon, you make a panga ride around the islets of Elizabeth Bay to see marine iguanas, penguins, marine turtles, seabirds and shorebirds, herons and blue-footed boobies. Return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation.
DAY 4: MONDAY
AM: Urbina Bay
After breakfast, you make a wet landing on Urbina Bay to take a walk and observe a coral area, land iguanas, flightless cormorants, and giant tortoises. Optional: time for those who would like to swim or snorkel.
PM: Tagus Cove
Return to the Yacht for lunch. In the afternoon, we make a panga ride on Tagus Cove, a cove between the shoulders of two volcanic craters, which protect it from the open sea; we observe penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions and a variety of birds including flightless cormorant and blue-footed boobies. Optional: time for those who would like to swim, snorkel and/ or kayak. Return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation
DAY 5: TUESDAY
AM: James Bay
After breakfast, you make a wet landing on James Bay (Puerto Egas), to walk and observe sponges, snails, hermit crabs, a variety of shorebirds, barnacles and the endemic four-eyed blenny, marine iguanas and sea lions. Optional: time for those who would like to swim or snorkel.
PM: Bartolomew Island
You return to the boat for a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, you make a dry landing on Bartholomew Island, to hike to the summit; during the hike, you observe colonies of marine iguanas and lava lizards. On the summit, you see an impressive view of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock. You return to the yacht for a delicious dinner and our nightly orientation.
DAY 6: WEDNESDAY
AM: Chinese Hat
After breakfast, you make a wet landing on Chinese Hat (Sombrero Chino), a small island off the coast of Santiago Island, you can observe on the rocky shoreline: Galapagos penguins, eagle rays, sea lions and marine iguanas. This is an excellent snorkeling site. Optional: time for those who would like to swim, snorkel and/ or kayak.
PM: Dragon Hill
You return to the boat for lunch. Later in the afternoon, you make a dry landing on Dragon Hill, where you can see land iguanas; you walk to a hypersaline lagoon (saltier than the ocean), where you can observe flamingos, common stilts, pintail ducks and other species of birds. Optional: time for those who would like to swim and/or snorkel. You return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation.
DAY 7: THURSDAY
AM: Highlans
After breakfast, you will disembark to take the bus to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a visit to the native forests, Twin Craters, then, you will go to one of the ranches to see the giant tortoises in the wildlife. You will be delighted with the lunch on the ranch.
PM: Interpretation Center
After lunch, you will return to Puerto Ayora to start the visit to the Interpretation Center Fausto Llerena. You return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation
DAY 8: FRIDAY
AM: North Seymour
After breakfast, you make an early dry landing for a walk along the coast and the interior of North Seymour Island, a low, flat island that was uplifted from the sea by underground seismic activity. You observe blue-footed boobies (they nest from May to November), marine iguanas, pelicans, frigate birds, shorebirds, sea lions and endemic Palo Santo. You return to the Yacht for disembarking on the pier at 09:00. Your guide accompanies you on the bus ride directly to the airport.
