NEMO II Itinerary SOUTH - 8 days

DAY 2: MONDAY
AM: SAN CRISTOBAL: LOBOS ISLANDS - KICKER ROCK
Breakfast service. Dry landing. Nature walk and more wildlife watching. Deep water snorkeling.
Lobos Island, as its name suggests is famous for its population of sea lions and fur sea lions. You will also encounter nesting grounds for the great Frigatebird and a small number of blue footed boobies. Breeding center, where will be explained, in a simple manner, the natural phenomena that created the Galapagos Islands. That is the geology and the series of natural processes, such as volcanic eruption and marine current locations that have led to the amazing islands that you are now visiting.

PM: SAN CRISTOBAL: WITCH HILL
Lunch service and navigation to Witch Hill. Panga boat exploration rides. Wet landing. Nature walk. Deep water snorkeling.
One of the first sites visited by Charles Darwin, Cerro Brujo is a beautiful white sand beach where
Brown Pelicans, Blue‐Footed Boobies, sea lions, and marine iguanas are all found. An onshore version of nearby Kicker Rock, Witch Hil is a very striking, eroded tuff cone.
There is no landing at Kicker Rock. Also known as Kicker Rock these rocks are located off the coast of San Cristobal. It is the remains of a lava cone eroded by the sea, the two vertical rocks rising 500 feet from the ocean form a small channel that is navigable by small boats. This natural monument has become a favorite sight for cruises due to the many Tropicbirds, Frigates and Boobies that fill the surrounding air. Beneath the sea the nearly crystal waters offer a brilliant show of colorful tropical fish and invertebrates.
Evening: Guide briefing. Dinner service and navigation to Floreana Island.

DAY 3: TUESDAY
AM: FLOREANA: CHAMPION ISLET - CORMORANT POINT
Breakfast service. Visit to Floreana Island: Champion Islet, Cormorant Point, wet landing. Nature walk. Possible activities: deep water snorkeling, kayaking, panga boat exploration rides.
The visit to Cormorant Point offers two contrasting beaches. Arriving on shore you will encounter a green sand beach (the green sand is caused by the olivine crystals derived silicates or magnesium and iron). From here you will follow the trail leading to a lagoon where Pink Flamingoes and other shore birds can be seen in the distance making their home. If you look closely at the mud of this lagoon, there appears to be 'cracks' in the mud. These cracks are not caused from dryness but are actual flamingo footpaths.
This is also a good spot for seeing Large‐Billed Flycatchers, Small‐Ground Finches, Medium‐Ground Finches or Cactus Finches. The walk continues to another beach on the other side made of fine white sand particles known as "Flour Beach". In the waters Ghost Crabs and Rays can be seen swimming. Time and weather permitting you may even go for a swim or a snorkel. Other activities include a panga ride to Champion Point and kayaking at Baroness Viewpoint.

PM: FLOREANA: POST OFFICE BAY
Arriving at Post Office Bay you will land on a brown sand beach, passing the sea lions lying in the sun. At the post barrel the guide will pull a handful of letters for the group. Continuing the tradition, the letters are brought home with the traveler and then mailed to the addressee. Visitors also have the opportunity to send letters of their own. There are also the remains of a Norwegian Fishing Village a commercial fishing operation established in 1926 and abandoned a couple of years later. The group of Norwegians arrived with dreams of riches started a fishing and canning operation on $900 each. The tough Galapagos life and a few misfortunes had them abandon their dreams.
Time and weather permitting you may have the opportunity to snorkel again from the beach.
The Baroness Viewpoint the tough Galapagos life and a few misfortunes had them abandon their dreams. This site is especially attractive because aside from its impressive scenic beauty, it has a history. It is known by letters that Baroness Eloisa von Wagner (referring to “The Galapagos Affair” by John Treherne) loved this place, where she spent several hours where she could acquire knowledge of vessels approaching the island. Within walking distance (30 m) are the ruins of what is known as the House of the Baroness.
Time and weather permitting you may have the opportunity to snorkel again from the beach.
Evening: Guide briefing. Dinner service and navigation to Espanola Island.

DAY 4: WEDNESDAY
AM: ESPANOLA: OSBORN ISLET - GARDNER BAY
Breakfast service. Deep water snorkeling. Panga boat exploration rides to Gardner Bay. Dry landing. Gardner Islet, Osborn Islet. Nature walk. Swimming.
Osborn Islet is located to the southeast of Gardner Bay, near Española Island. Since landing is not allowed on this site, the visit consists of a tranquil panga ride that will allow us to enjoy the panoramic views and the many species that inhabit the place.
The islet was named after Henry Fairfield Osborn, a true lover of nature and animal species. William Beebe worked for him and named the islet after traveling to discover Galapagos.
There are many different schools of fish and other animal species, such as parrotfish, sea lions, butterfly fish, corals, green pencil urchins and many other colorful fish. This site is also great for snorkeling and swimming around the abundant marine life, as its waters are very calm.
Gardner Island is located a few hundred meters north of Española Island and faces Gardner Bay. Just like Española, Gardner Island is uninhabited and accessible only by cruise. Is a natural islet close to Española, the southernmost island of Galápagos. It is one of the best spots in the archipelago to snorkel with sea lions. Playful and inquisitive, they often join the snorkelers in the water.

PM: ESPANOLA: SUAREZ POINT
Lunch service. Visit to Suarez Point. Dry landing. Nature walk.
Suarez Point is located on the western tip of Española and it offers great wildlife viewing of such species as Sea Lions, Sea Birds and the largest Marine Iguanas of Galapagos. This is one of the best sites in the Galapagos. The amount of wildlife is overwhelming. Along the beach there are many Sea Lions and large, colorful Lava Lizards and Marine Iguanas. As you follow the trail to the cliff's edge Masked Boobies can be found nesting among the rock formations. After a short walk down to a beach and back up the other side Blue‐Footed Boobies are seen nesting just off the trail.
Evening: Guide briefing. Dinner service and navigation to Santa Cruz Island. 

DAY 6: FRIDAY
AM: SOUTH PLAZA
Breakfast service. Dry landing. Visit to South Plaza. Nature walk. Deep water snorkeling.
Your visit to South Plaza begins with a dry landing. The rocky trail circumnavigates the island displaying the combination of dry and coastal vegetation zone. South Plaza has one of the largest populations of Land Iguanas in the Galapagos. The iguanas seem to be everywhere once you land. These larger than average yellow‐brown land iguanas feed on the fruit and pads of the prickly pear cactus.
South Plaza is also home to Marine Iguanas living along the coast and a Hybrid Iguanas whose fathers are Marine Iguanas and mothers are Land Iguanas. As the walk continues along the sea cliffs Swallow‐tailed Gulls, Frigatebirds, Audubon Shearwaters, Red‐billed Tropicbirds, Brown Pelicans, Blue‐Footed and Masked Boobies are frequently seen. Beneath along the shore a colony of Bachelor Sea Lions can be seen.

PM: SANTA FE
Lunch service. Navigation to Santa Fe. Wet landing. Nature walk. Deep water snorkeling.
Santa Fe Island is home to one of the most beautiful coves in all the Galapagos. It is located in the southeastern part of Galapagos, 2 1/2 hours from Santa Cruz and 3 hours from San Cristobal. Santa Fe was formed from an uplift (rather than a volcano) giving the island a relatively flat surface rather than the typical conical shape of the other islands. Visits to Santa Fe begin with a panga boat ride across the lovely turquoise lagoon. Once ashore you are brought into contact with one of the many sea lion colonies in the Galapagos. Bulls compete for the right of beach master while cows lounge in the sun. It is quite a fascinating sight! The loop trail around the island leads past the salt bushes where Galapagos Hawks can be approached easily.
Santa Fe is home to endemic Land Iguanas. These iguanas are the largest in the islands and they are beige to chocolate brown in color and resemble small dinosaurs. Reaching the summit there is a stunning view of the cove beneath.
Evening: Guide briefing. Dinner service and navigation to Santiago Island.

DAY 7: SATURDAY
AM: BARTOLOME
Breakfast service. Deep water snorkeling. Visit to Bartolome. Dry landing. Nature walk.
This desolate island with few plants is the most visited and most photographed island in the Galapagos. The island consists of an extinct volcano and a variety of red, orange, green, and glistening black volcanic formations.
The northern beach is a popular snorkeling site where visitors have the opportunity to swim with fish, Sea Lions and Galapagos Penguins. Much larger animals can be found near the southern beach including stingrays, spotted eagle rays, white‐tipped sharks, and black‐tipped sharks. Little vegetation grows in this barren place. Mangroves border the beach and the small shrub Tiguilia grows in the volcanic sands. The seeds and tiny white flowers of the Chamaesycae provide food for
the island's finch. These plants are common to arid regions and are able to survive in these harsh volcanic conditions.

PM: SANTIAGO: CHINESE HAT
Lunch service. Santiago Island. Wet landing at Chinese Hat. Nature walk. Deep water snorkeling.
Visit to Chinese Hat, a tiny island just off the southeast tip of Santiago. Its name describes the island's shape. Those visitors who travel to the island will find its special landscape worth the visit. Though centrally located it is one of the least visited sites in the area. National Park Service restrictions have limited the number of visitors to Chinese Hat. Multi‐day cruises with 14 passengers or less are the only ones permitted at this site. The landing is on a beautiful crescent‐shaped white sand beach, home to Sea Lions and Sally Lightfoot Crabs. The trail on Sombrero Chino's explores its volcanic origin, one of the most evident in the islands. white‐tipped sharks frequent the area, as do the playful Galapagos Penguins and Sea Lions.
Evening: Guide briefing. Farewell cocktail. Dinner service and navigation to Mosquera Islet.