GOLONDRINA ITINERARY D - 8 DAYS
ITINERARY D - 8 DAYS
FRIDAY
AM: Baltra Airport: Arrival and Transfer to the boat
PM: Mosquera Islet (HK/SN)
SATURDAY
AM: Isabela: Punta Vicente Roca (SN/PR)
PM: Fernandina: Espinosa Point (HK)
SUNDAY
AM: Isabela: Urbina Bay (HK/SN)
PM:Isabela: Tagus Cove (HK)
MONDAY
AM: Santiago: Egas Port (HK/SN)
PM: Chinese Hat (HK/SN)
TUESDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: Charles Darwin Station (HK)
PM: Santa Cruz: Highlands (HK)
WEDNESDAY
AM: Isabela: Tintoreras / wall of tears / Wetlands (HK)
PM: Isabela: tortoise breeding center Arnaldo Tupiza (HK)
THURSDAY
AM: Rabida (HK/SN)
PM: Santa cruz: Dragon Hill (HK)
FRIDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove (HK)
Baltra: Transfer to the Airport
HK: HIKE / SN: SNORKEL / PR: PANGA RIDE / KY: KAYAK /
PB: PADDLE BOARD
DAY 1: FRIDAY
AM: BALTRA
Depart from Guayaquil to Galápagos (Baltra Island) (1½ hours of flight time). Arrival to Baltra Airport, where the naturalist English speaking guide assists you. Transfer by bus to the dock (5 mins.) to board the yacht. Welcome and briefing.
BALTRA ISLAND
This island was a strategic point during the Second World War. It is the main airport for the Galapagos Islands where tourists and colonists arrive and depart. Baltra is also called South Seymour and its dock. The Itabaca Channel is only 5 minutes from the air terminal.
PM: MOSQUERA
After lunch, disembarkation at Mosquera Island (wet landing) located between North Seymour and Baltra. The island consists is a long narrow stretch of white sand, rocks, and tide pools. Created by Geological uplift the island has a flat look to it rather than the conical shape of the volcanically formed islands. It is a great place for snorkeling, strolling on the beach, and enjoying the animal life without the tourist crowds common at many of the more popular islands.. This islet is actually home to a huge population of sea lions and is also home to many shorebirds. Briefing and dinner on board.
DAY 2: SATURDAY
AM: ISABELA ISLAND - VICENTE ROCA POINT
After breakfast, panga ride visit to Vicente Roca Point. Comprised of two separate coves, this site is a large bay with spectacular sea life, observing seahorses, sea turtles, rays, puffer fish, the strange yet fascinating Mola-mola (or sunfish), we see also penguins, blue-footed boobies and nazca boobies. Lunch on board.
PM: FERNANDINA ISLAND - ESPINOZA POINT
In the afternoon disembarkation (dry landing). Walk (600m. round trip, 1½h, flat, sandy and rocky path) to see lava flows, a colony of marine iguanas (nesting time: January to June), penguins, pelicans and colonies of cormorants, lava cactus. Time for snorkeling. Briefing and dinner on board.
DAY 3: SUNDAY
AM : ISABELA ISLAND - MORENO POINT
It is located on the north coast of Isabela Island between the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes. Disembark (dry landing). Hike along a lava flow Pahohoe (lava solidified with corrugated shapes as an accordion) into a complex of coastal lagoons. (2kms. Round trip, 1½h, rocky, starts at 0m and ascend 10m). The vegetation found in the area is small and concentrated mainly in the mangrove area and around the lakes. (Note.- Wear comfortable and appropriate shoes for this hike). Time for snorkeling.
PM: ISABELA ISLAND - TAGUS COVE (Caleta Tagus).-
This was a port where whaling ships arrived and left their ships’ names in a cave in 1800. In the high part is the Darwin Lake, a round salt water crater. Disembark (dry landing). Walk begins from the shore by a wooden stairway that rises to the dusty trail passing through Palo Santo Forest to reach the Darwin Lake. Continue on the trail around the lake through the dry vegetation zone. Panoramic views to the Darwin and Wolf volcanoes. (2kms round trip, 2h / starts at 0m, ascending to 50mts). Later, panga ride through the cliffs to observe the historical graffiti, penguins, flightless cormorants, boobies, pelicans and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Snorkeling time in the cove.
DAY 4: MONDAY
AM: SANTIAGO ISLAND - EGAS PORT
The visit to Puerto Egas begins with a wet landing on the dark sand beach of James Bay. Walk along a rocky trail to the salt crater (1.7km. round trip, 1½ h, start at 0m, ascend 30m), observing Darwin Finches, the endemic Galapagos hawks, marine iguanas, sally light root crabs and fur seals and sea lions. Time for swimming and snorkeling.
PM: CHINESSE HAT
After lunch, disembark (wet landing) for a short walk of 200m. (30mins. round trip, flat and rocky), observing lava tunnels, lava cactus, Galápagos Sesuvium. Time to swim and snorkel. Return to the yacht. Dinner and briefing for next day.
DAY 5: TUESDAY
AM: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION)
After breakfast, walk for about 20 mins. to the Charles Darwin Station, to observe the Galapagos turtles breading and have a look at famous Lonesome George. The Darwin Station is part of the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galápagos Islands, an international non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research in the Galápagos Islands since 1959.
PM: HACIENDA PRIMICIAS
After lunch, visit to Hacienda Primicias to see the giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The tortoises are easy to spot, lumbering around eating grass and leaves and wallowing. Some highland birds, like cattle egrets, mockingbirds, finches or flycatchers can be seen here. After the hike return to the yacht. Dinner and briefing for next day.
DAY 6: WEDNESDAY
AM: ISABELA ISLAND- TINTORERAS
After breakfast, Las Tintoreras is located south of Puerto Villamil. It has a small bay of completely calm turquoise waters, where you can appreciate sea lions, sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, etc. The bay is connected to a crevice of crystal clear water, that's shallow and when the tide is low, the entrance closes. In this crevice, you can see how reef sharks swim along with other small fish and sea lions. Lunch on board.
PM: BREEDING CENTER ARNALDO TUPIZA
This center has a captive breeding program for tortoises from the populations of southern Isabela.
HUMEDALES: Disembark (dry landing), walk for about 30 mins. This area is characterized by sandy beaches, rocky shores, and mangroves. The area has a number of trails where you can see all four species of mangroves found in Galapagos and also migratory birds: whimbrel, short-billed dowitcher, wilson’s phalarope, common tern, blue-winged teal, osprey, black-bellied and semipalmated plovers, greater and lesser yellowlegs to name a few.
PLAYA DEL AMOR
: On this beautiful beach you can see marine iguanas resting or diving in the crystal-clear waters, and iconic Galapagos’ birds such as the blue-footed boobies, the masked boobies and frigatebirds.
LA PLAYITA:
It is a beach of fine sand, you can see pelicans, marine iguanas, boobies fishing, as well as a mangrove and a cactus forest.
EL TÚNEL DEL ESTERO: It is directly connected to the ocean; it is surrounded by cacti that make it an unparalleled landscape. While passing through it, you can see small crabs and a variety of small fish.
DAY 7: THURSDAY
AM: RABIDA
After breakfast disembark (wet landing) in one of the most colorful and volcanically varied islands in the archipelago as well as a great snorkeling site. We will start on Rabida's famous maroon sandy beach and after an easy hike (1 km aprox) will arrive to a stunning lookout to enjoy the amazing landscapes. The island is a birdwatcher's delight. Some of the rarest species are in abundance, such as nine varieties of finches, Large-billed Flycatchers, Galapagos Hawks and Brown Pelicans.
PM : SANTA CRUZ ISLAND - DRAGON HILL
After lunch, dry landing at a dock, the walk takes you to a hypersalinic (saltier than the ocean) lagoon behind the beach, often frequented by flamingos, common stilts, pintail ducks and other species of birds. There is a short walk to the hill, which rewards with a great view of the bay and a nesting site of land iguanas. Many of the Iguanas that nest here have been repatriated by the Charles Darwin Research Station.
DAY 8: FRIDAY
AM: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND - BLACK TURTLE COVE
After breakfast a dinghy (panga) visit to Black Turtle Bay (Caleta Tortuga Negra). This is very close to Baltra. It is very special due to its lovely beach with sea lions and its clear, calm water. Black (Pacific Green) Turtles and many different types of birds can be seen feeding here as you are paddled around the beautiful lagoons hidden in the mangroves. After this visit transfer to Baltra Airport by bus for your return flight to Guayaquil/Quito
This is the end of the trip.
Note.- The captain reserves the right to change the itinerary if circumstances are beyond of this control as weather conditions or Galapagos National Park regulations.
