Day 1
Wednesday
Today we will take flight from Ecuador's mainland to Baltra. Upon arrival we will be greeted for airport reception and transferred to the Millennium luxury catamaran to begin our Galapagos adventure.
Highlands, Santa Cruz Island
We disembark to board a bus taking us to the Highlands of Santa Cruz. Here we visit the native forest and the twin craters. The island is a good place to view the giant tortoise in their natural habitat and we have the opportunity to visit one of the island’s lava tunnels.
Day 2
Thursday
Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island
Located on the southeastern coast of Isabela Island is Puerto Villamil, the island’s main settlement. We take time to enjoy the peaceful island town and its laidback atmosphere. Puerto Villamil offers a different experience than the tourist shops on Santa Cruz and is often considered the most beautiful site in the Galapagos due to the long white sandy beaches lined with palm trees.
Wetlands & Muro de las Lagrimas (the Wall of Tears), Isabela Island
The wetlands adjacent to Puerto Villamil contain a series of nine trails that allow visitors to enjoy its natural beauty. Play del Amour (Lovers’ Beach) is a popular site where marine iguanas, pelicans, and blue-footed boobies can all be spotted.
Day 3
Friday
Punta Moreno, Isabela
Located on the southwestern side of Isabela, Punta Moreno has a pristine and isolated landscape covered with black lava flows and brackish lagoons. There are a number of birds including frigates, flamingos, and pelicans.
Punta Mangle
Fernandina Island is home to only endemic species, and therefore is one of the world’s most pristine island ecosystems. Here we can see the lava fields from volcano “La Cumbre” and the nesting sites of the islands flightless cormorants. This is also a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.
Day 4
Saturday
Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island
Today we visit the archipelago’s youngest island, Fernandina. This island has the most active volcano in the Galapagos with eruptions occurring every few years. Punta Espinoza has a fascinating combination of barrenness and abundance of wildlife that we will observe during a brief one-mile walk. The island has no introduced animals and therefore has a very unique environment with a high density of marine iguanas, sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, and Galapagos hawks. The lava terrain on the island calls for good walking shoes.
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
On the northwest of Isabela is the secluded Tagus Cove that was in past centuries a preferred anchor for pirates and whalers. Old graffiti is still found on its walls as evidence of its earlier visitors. Here the uphill trail leads to a high point with an impressive view of Darwin Crater Lake and the lava flows of Darwin Volcano. The vegetation in the area includes the Palo Santo trees which remain leafless until the short wet season occurring in March or April.
Day 5
Sunday
Puerto Egas (James Bay), Santiago Island
We make a wet landing on the black sand beach of Puerto Egas which was the site of a small salt mining industry in the 1960s. A walk down the shoreline takes us to grottos where we can see several colonies of fur seals. This location is ideal for watching shorebirds, while land birds are better observed inland. Before returning to our vessel we have the opportunity to swim and snorkel from the beach in search of octopuses, sea horses, star fish, and other marine life.
Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat)
This scenic little island gets its name from its appearance. Here we have a dry landing on a beach that is home to a small colony of sea lions. We will be on the lookout for a glimpse of then American oyster-catchers in action, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and sally light-foot crabs. This is an ideal location to enjoy snorkeling or swimming.
Day 6
Monday
Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz Island
Today we will visit Tortuga bay, a favorite place for sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, flamingos, and lava gulls which are endemic to the Islands. The beach here is divided into two by red mangroves; the main beach is a popular surfing destination due to its strong waves while the second beach is more serene and ideal for swimming and relaxing.
North Seymour Island
After a dry landing enjoy a walk along the coast and the interior of North Seymour Island. This island was not formed by volcanic activity but rather uplifted boulders that can be seen across the primarily flat terrain. The site is a well known nesting site for colonies of blue-footed boobies that perform a fascinating courtship dance in more open areas. North Seymour is also home to the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird, a member of the frigate family that is known for the male’s vibrant display of red pouches in hopes of attracting a mate. On the island we will also see both endemic species of iguanas, the marine and land iguanas.
Day 7
Tuesday
Bartolome Island
This island is perhaps the most photographed location in the entire archipelago. As we arrive on the island we see volcanic formations including lava bombs, spatter, and cinder cones. We make a dry landing and walk to the top of the island in order to see the most famous Galapagos vista: Pinnacle Rock & Santiago Island. This is a steep climb aided by a wooden staircase, but the view from the top is well worth the effort. After returning to the dingy we ride around Pinnacle Rock for our first chance to see the small Galapagos penguins. Before returning to our boat there is time for an optional swim or snorkel.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island
We make a dry landing on Sullivan Bay, an area that had the latest volcanic activity in 1897. This is a site that is popular for those interested in volcanoes and geology because of the numerous lava formations, lava bubbles, and pahoehoe lava.
Day 8
Wednesday
Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island
We make a wet landing on Play de las Bachas located on the northern coastline of Santa Cruz. Here we visit a flamingo lagoon, encounter marine iguanas, various sea birds, and sea turtles. After our exploration we have the opportunity to swim and snorkel from the white sandy beach.
Today we will transfer to Baltra airport for our flight back to Ecuador's mainland to connect with another Yampu add-on of your choice.