ENDEMIC Itinerary F - 6 days
ITINERARY F - 6 DAYS
TUESDAY
AM: Baltra: Arrival and Transfer to the boat
PM: Santiago: Sullivan Bay (HK/SN)
WEDNESDAY
AM: Isabela: Sierra Negra Volcano / Wetlands (HK) (HK/SN)
PM: Isabela: Breeding Center/ wall of tears (HK)
THURSDAY
AM: Isabela: Elizabeth Bay (HK)
PM: Isabela: Urbina Bay (HK/SN)
FRIDAY
AM: Isabela: Tagus Cove (HK/SN)
PM: Fernandina: Espinosa Point (HK)
SATURDAY
AM: Santiago: Bucaneer's cove - Espumilla Beach (HK/SN)
PM: Rabida (HK/SN)
SUNDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: Mosquera Islet (SN)
Baltra: Transfer to the Airport
HK: HIKE / SN: SNORKEL / PR: PANGA RIDE / KY: KAYAK /
PB: PADDLE BOARD
DAY 1: TUESDAY
AM: BALTRA ARRIVAL AND TRASFER TO THE BOAT
Upon arrival, reception and assistance at the airport, transfer from Baltra Airport to the M/C Endemic.
PM: SANTIAGO: SULLIVAN BAY
In the afternoon, you will visit Sullivan Bay, located on the east coast of Santiago Island. We land on a white coral sand beach and begin our walk over lava that flowed less than 100 years ago. This is the perfect place to see and feel the volcanic origin of Galapagos. Also in this area you will admire flora that grows in lava fields.
Activities: Walk 1/1.5 hours
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Easy
(-, L, D)
DAY 2: WEDNESDAY
AM: ISABELA: WETLANDS / SIERRA NEGRA VOLCANO
Isabela Island is the largest of the archipelago with a surface of 4,588 square kilometers. It encompasses more than the half of the total land area of Galapagos.
In the morning, you will be transported to the Wetlands (Humedales), that are a complex of trails of 6 kilometers long, located south of Isabela Island. They have a wide variety of flora and abundant bird life, including gallinules, finches, stilts and ducks among others.
Activities: Short walk
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Easy
Or you may visit Sierra Negra Volcano, one of largest craters in the archipelago with a diameter of five kilometers. It offers mesmerizing views with great contrast in colors between lava fields, vegetation and fumaroles.
On the way up to Orchilla hill, giant tortoises and marine iguanas will appear. From the viewpoint the spectacular scenery of the bay, the town of Puerto Villamil, volcanoes, islets and rocks can be appreciated. Isabela wetlands has endemic and introduced species.
Activities: Walking
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Difficult
PM: ISABELA: BREEDING CENTER / WALL OF TEARS
After lunch visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center of Isabela, infant and juvenile giant tortoises can be seen until they are ready to be released and survive in the wild.
Or you may visit the Wall of Tears. This is a man-made monument which has been built in the 40’s by prisoners, since Isabela island was once an Ecuadorian penal colony and building up the wall was part of the punishment.
Activities: Walking
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Esay
On the way back to the yacht, be ready to spot flamingos and other water birds.
(B, L, D)
DAY 3: THURSDAY
AM: ISABELA: ELIZABETH BAY
In the morning, you will discover Elizabeth Bay, which is a marine visitor site. The excursion is carried out in a zodiac and so there is no landing point. Your zodiac ride starts with a visit to the Marielas islets where there is the largest and most important penguin colony in the Galapagos Islands. The excursion continues into the cove that is surrounded by red mangroves where you can spot sea turtles, flightless cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays, brown pelicans and sea lions.
Activities: Dinghy Ride
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Easy
PM: ISABELA: URBINA BAY
In the afternoon, Urbina Bay will be visited. Here you can see coral formations, large colored land iguanas. The possibility of seeing giant turtles, flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, penguins and marine iguanas is excellent.
Activities: Short walk
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Easy
(B, L, D)
DAY 4: FRIDAY
AM: ISABELA: TAGUS COVE
After breakfast, Tagus Cove will be the first attraction to see. A ride along the cliffs in a zodiac will give visitors a good chance to see the Galapagos penguin, the flightless cormorant and other sea birds. From the landing dock it is about a 30-minute walk along the trail up to the top of the cliff from where you can view Darwin Lake, a saline lake saltier than the sea. You can also see several volcanoes from this location.
Activities: Short walk, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking.
Type of landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: FERNANDINA: ESPINOZA POINT
After lunch, Espinoza point will be visited, which is one of Fernandina’s visit points. Located within a fascinating lava scenery with Lava-Cactuses. On the surface of the lava, mangroves thrive. The highlights are sea lions, penguins, the flightless cormorant (especially in spring and summer), and one of the biggest iguana colonies of Galápagos.
Activities: Short walk, snorkeling.
Type of landing: Dry landing and Slippery
Difficulty: Moderate
(B, L, D)
DAY 5: SATURDAY
AM: SANTIAGO: BUCCANER COVE / ESPUMILLA BEACH
In the morning, you will have the opportunity to discover the Buccaneer Cove that is located just north of James Bay. It was known as a safe haven in the 17th and 18th century for pirates to stash their loot, take on fresh water and capture tortoises for food. It is a nice place for a zodiac ride, snorkeling and kayaking. Blue-footed, Nazca boobys, fur seals, and Galapagos hawks can be seen flying overhead.
Or visit to Espumilla Beach will take place. It is a pristine sandy beach and a popular place for marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot Crabs. The crabs attract the hunting herons, performing the dance of predator and prey. With an abundance of marine life including octopi, moray eel, and shark, snorkeling is recommended and available.
Activities: Dinghy ride, kayaking, snorkeling, short walk
Type of landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
PM: RABIDA ISLAND
In the afternoon, you will be taken to Rabida Island. Its main attraction is the red sand beach, famous for its cactus groves and rock formation scenery, aside from the vegetation of the arid zone and the presence of native and endemic species. During the walk on the red sand beach you will see brown pelicans’ nests, and a lagoon where flamingos are seen from time to time.
Activities: Short walk, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking.
Type of landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
(B, L, D)
DAY 6: SUNDAY
AM: MOSQUERA ISLET
In the morning, visit to Mosquera, a small islet found between Baltra & North Seymour Islands. Lava gulls, sea lions, Sally light foot crabs inhabit this sand bank with an extension of over 600 meters. It also hosts the largest populations of sea lions and orca whales that can be seen occasionally depending on the season you visit the islet.
Activities: Short walk
Type of landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Moderate
PM: BALTRA TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT
After this last visit, transfer to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador.
Assistance and farewell at the airport.
***End of cruise***
* Itineraries are subject to change without prior notice due to weather conditions, National Park regulations, emergencies on board or any unforeseen situation.
