Day 1: Baltra airport - Bachas beach
Flying from Quito or Guayaquil, our flight will arrive to Baltra Island at around noon (local time), where we will be greeted by our guide in the lobby, who will be waiting for our arrival to drive us to Yacht Anahí. Your baggage will be handled by one of our crew members who, aboard the small Zodiacs will transport you directly to the yacht. The captain and the crew will welcome you on board, and then you will have your cabins assigned. After lunch, our guide will give you a brief explanation of the afternoon activities.
Bachas Beach: The sand of the beach is made of decomposed coral, making it white and soft, while it is also one of the favorite nesting places of sea turtles. Nearby, we can also find a small lagoon where we will be able to observe flamingos, black-necked stilts, thrushes, as well as two old ships that were abandoned during the Second World War. Furthermore, we will also find sea lions, marine iguanas, and seabirds resting on the beach. We will enjoy the tranquility of the beach as well as spend some time with the playful sea lions that like to swim with the visitors.
At 7 pm. we will have an official welcome, followed by a delicious dinner. After dinner, your guide will give you information on the following day’s activities.
Day 2: Bahía Darwin - El Barranco
Darwin Bay: A beautiful bay area due to the great diversity of seabirds that nest in the mangroves that dominate the area. These include red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, Galápagos petrels, seabirds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and Galápagos doves.
Prince Philip's Steps: We will climb 25 meters of stairs at one of the best bird nesting sites on the islands. We will have the opportunity to snorkel, kayak, hike, and take a ride in a panga.
Day 3: South Plazas Island - Santa Fe Island
Plaza Islands: These islands have an unusual vegetation, which creates an interesting landscape that helps to enhance the fauna and the flora of the Galápagos. It is also possible to observe land iguanas in the shade of cacti. The main attractions of the Plaza Islands include land iguanas, sea lions, and swallow-tailed gulls, as well as lizards, island insects, red-beaked sparrows, frigate birds, and pelicans that glide down the cliffs. Then we will return to the yacht for lunch and a deserved rest.
Santa Fe Island: An extremely scenic island, where we can visit two different trails, with one of them leading to a beautiful viewpoint on the top of a cliff, where you can find endemic land iguanas of the island. The other trail is a small circular path close to the beach, where we will be able to observe another colony of land iguana. Here we will also have the possibility to kayak, snorkel, panga ride, or walk, in order to observe and enjoy nature. Then we will return to the yacht for dinner and a time of relaxation.
Day 4: Punta Pitt - Kicker Rock and Isla Lobos
Punta Pitt: Considered as one of the most beautiful and impressive sites in the Galápagos, it has become one of the favorite nesting sites for seabirds. Here we will be able to see three species of frigate birds and their nesting sites in the same area. Then we will return to the yacht for lunch.
Kicker Rock: A gigantic and impressive rock formation known locally as “León Dormido”. On the cliffs we can see a number of blue-footed boobies, pelicans, and other seabirds. During our snorkeling activity we will be able to observe sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, and several species of colorful fish along with the impressive rock formation. Later on, we will take a walk on Lobos Island, a small islet separated from the main island by a narrow stretch of calm water. The atmosphere of the isle helps to enhance its tranquility and primitive beauty: an example which is typical of the Galápagos Islands.
Day 5: Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Center in Cerro Colorado - San Cristóbal: Centro de Interpretación y Cerro Tijeretas
In the morning, our guide will take us to the top of San Cristóbal Island. Following, our tour has 2 options. The first option starts from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, and involves a visit to the El Junco Lagoon. For hundreds of years, rain water and condensation have caused an accumulation of water in the caldera of an extinct volcano, creating a paradise for frigate birds and turtles. Alternatively, we will visit the “Cerro Colorado” turtle breeding center. There we will have a pleasant walk along a path that allows us to be in close contact with the turtles, that can vary from the smallest to the oldest of giants.
Interpretation Center of San Cristobal, located on the outskirts of the small town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital city of the Galápagos province. The interpretation center will give us an introduction to the islands, and their natural, as well as human history. After, we will walk to the place known as ‘La Colina de las Fragatas’, or ‘Cerro Tijeretas. This short 30-minute walk starts from the interpretation center and takes you to the top of the hill. Once there, the visitors can enjoy a spectacular sight of the surrounding white beaches and the incredible geographical formations of the Pacific Ocean. The hill is often visited by Frigate birds that nest there in certain seasons of the year. From the hill we will descend into a small cove known as Punta Carola, where we will observe a colony of sea lions.
At night (if you want) you can go into the city for a walk and maybe have a drink at one of the local bars.
Day 6: Punta Suarez - Gardner Bay
Punta Suárez: A destination of great interest due to the abundance of birds. This island also has its own species of animals, like the Española Mockingbird, which has a distinctively longer and more curved beak than variations found on other islands; The Galápagos lava lizard; The marine iguana of the venustissimus subspecies, that has red marks on its back; among others. We can also observe
seagulls and other tropical birds that live on the rocky slopes. Among the more interesting attractions is the waved albatross, as almost the entire world population comes to breed here between March and December, and the mating dance of the blue-footed booby. There are hundreds of nazca boobies, colonies of sea lions, large colonies of marine iguanas and different species of birds.
Bahía Gardner: A beautiful beach that is excellent for swimming and snorkeling. Here we can find a large colony of playful sea lions and hopefully observe the Galápagos Peregrine Falcons and local species of snakes, while we will undoubtably see Darwin’s finches, mockingbirds and sea turtles.
Day 7: Punta Cormorán and Devil’s Crown - Post Office Bay and Asilo de la Paz
Punta Cormorant: A site that has the best and the biggest flamingo lagoon of the Galápagos. It is located between two volcanic hills that gives the area a special atmosphere. There are varieties of sea birds that can be seen in addition to flamingos, the most frequent ones being stilts, white-tailed ducks and other migratory birds. This is a unique area due to the high percentage of endemic plants (unique to the island). Here we can see the “Green Beach” (due to the high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the “Flour Sand Beach” mainly composed of coral reefs, making these the two most interesting beaches of the islands. Then we return to the yacht to begin our snorkeling activity at the location known as the Devil’s Crown. This is a sunken volcanic crater where the interior of the formation is ideal for the sustainability of a marvelous coral reef habitat, making it one of the most fascinating marine sites in
the Galápagos.
Bahía “Post Office”: Historically, it served as a letter exchange station in the 18th century when the crew of a whaling ship utilized a wooden barrel. Both sailors and tourists have used this system to communicate with people from all around the world. The idea is to bring letters or postcards to their destination by hand, creating a very special “postal service” This site was also the landing place for some of the first settlers on the islands. Then we will visit the Asilo de la Paz, known for its strange history as one of the first occupied areas of the islands by the German Witmer family. We return to the yacht and head to Puerto Ayora, the largest city in the Galápagos.
If we are lucky, we may see a pod of dolphins during our trip, as well as manta rays and sea turtles.
Day 8: Charles Darwin Station and transfer to Baltra airport
After breakfast, we will visit 2 interesting locations, before departing for the airport. We begin with a visit to the visitor center of the Galápagos National Park “Fausto Llerena” where the breeding of the turtles is carried out, and where we can learn about the work that is being done in order to protect this unique species. The famous Charles Darwin Research Station is also located here, where we can
contribute to the scientific investigations that are promoted by the station.
Then we will be transported to the Itabaca channel, which we will cross with a local ferry, and then will take a bus to the Baltra Island Airport. Our trip ends here. We will say goodbye to our guide and to the Galápagos Islands, who will be waiting for your next visit.
