Day 1
San Cristobal Island
Today, you will arrive to San Cristobal Island, where a guide will meet you for airport reception and transfer to your hotel to store our luggage and enjoy lunch. During lunch the guide will review the exciting agenda we have in store!
In the afternoon, we will visit San Cristobal Interpretation Center to learn more about the origin of the archipelago, its fauna and flora, as well as its history and first inhabitants. Leaving the Interpretation Center, we will hike for about 2 hours to Tijeretas hill and enjoy the endemic vegetation and an amazing view of the island and its surroundings as the frigate birds soar above. To conclude our day, we will visit Punta Carola beach to snorkel. This evening we will return to the hotel for dinner and leisure.
Day 2
Kicker Rock and Lobos Island
We will leave early in the morning after breakfast to take the boat to Kicker Rock, known as one of the best places to snorkel and dive in the Galapagos. Here you can see various different marine life including sharks, rays, and different species of fish. We will end this trip, visiting Lobos Island, where we can swim with the sea lions.
This afternoon we will have a box lunch onboard and then visit the highlands of Lobos Island. The weather here is usually cloudy and it can rain lightly, so we suggest bringing appropriate gear. We will visit the Galapaguera, a Tortoise breeding place of the “Geochelone chatamensis”, an indigenous species to the island. Afterward, we will continue to the Junco Lagoon, located in the middle of a volcanic caldera. Here the rainwater accumulates to build a fresh water lake where the frigate birds dive in order to get rid of the salt of their body. We will enjoy a brief walk around the lagoon viewing the local flora before returning to the hotel for dinner and an evening at leisure.
Day 3
Santa Cruz Island
This morning we will transfer to the port to board a speed boat to Santa Cruz Island. This boat trip will take approximately 2 ½ hours. Upon arrival, we will be greeted for airport reception and transferred to the hotel where we can leave our luggage.
This morning we will visi the Primicias Ranch in the island’s highlands where we will be able to see Giant Turtles in their natural habitat. We will also walk through the dark lava tunnels as our guide explains the origin of this island.
This afternoon we will return to Puerto Ayora for lunch before traveling to Tortuga Bay, only 15 minutes away. Here we will walk for about 40 minutes to the beach that is actually divided into two beaches. One of the beaches is rough and not appropriate for swimming. Here we will be able to watch marine iguanas entering and leaving the sea. The other beach is much calmer, here we will be able to relax and swim. This evening we will return to Puerto Ayora to have dinner and an evening at leisure.
Day 4
Bartolomé Island
This morning after breakfast we will transfer to Baltra for our navigable tour of Bartolomé Island. This small island, located opposite of Santiago Island, covers a total area of 1.2 km² and a maximum altitude of 14 meters. Here we will visit Pinnacle rock, the must recognized site on the Galapagos surrounded by two beautiful half moon beaches. We will have time to snorkel at one of these coral beaches where we can see Galapagos penguins, turtles, sea lions, and several fish. Lunch today will be served onboard and in the afternoon we’ll return to the hotel. This evening enjoy dinner and relax at your accommodations on the island.
Day 5
North Seymour Island
After breakfast this morning we will navigate to North Seymour Island. This is a small island located at the north of Baltra only covering a total area of 1.9 km² and has a maximum altitude of 30 meters. Here we will be able to view land iguanas, frigate bird, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions as they plan in their natural habitat. Lunch will be served onboard our boat today. In the afternoon we’ll return to the hotel for dinner and to enjoy our last evening in the Galapagos.
Day 6
Charles Darwin Station
After breakfast, we will visit the Charles Darwin Station, where we can see the breeding center for turtles from around the archipelago. Here we will also meet the famous Lomesome George, the only survivor of his kind from Pinta Island. After our tour we will transfer to the airport for the return flight to Ecuador’s mainland.
Ecuador
Snorkeling with Sea Lions will be a highlight
Horseback riding on Isabela Island
Isabela Island
