Day 1: Baltra and Los Gemelos
Arrival in Baltra airport and transfer to the boat. Briefing on board about the boat and the island.
This area is home to giant tortoises, forest, mockingbirds, Bahama ducklings, White-cheeked Pintail ducklings, Darwin finches, and many other species. You will come upon the underground lava tubes, which are more than one kilometre (half a mile) long. Local guides are will provide information and flashlights. Walking through the lava tubes is a unique and surreal experience.
Day 2: South Plaza Island and Santa Fe Island
This small island with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. The most characteristic plant is the Sesuvium. During the rainy season its colour is a greenish to yellowish tone and in the dry season (end of June through January) a bright red.
Santa Fe (Barrington) is home to the small picturesque bay and anchorage on the island’s northeast coast. The bay has two visitor trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other spanning from a small beach to a tall prickly pear cactus forest.
Day 3: Isla Lobos - Interpretation Center - La Galapaguera
Isla Lobos or Lobos Island is named after the sea lions that rest and play on its rocky shores. It is also home to blue-footed boobies, great frigate-birds, brown pelicans, lava gulls, common noddies, yellow warblers and small and medium ground finches. There is good snorkelling in the clear waters of the channel and this is one of the best sites at which to swim with sea lions underwater.
The Interpretation Centre was opened in 1998 as a phase of the project “Interpretation and Environment Education Project.” Visitors enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control. The Interpretation Centre has an outdoor stadium, audio-visual equipment, and meeting rooms.
A visitor site in the southeast part of San Cristobal Island that can be reached in roughly one hour by road from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. On the trees and shrubs surrounding the site, you may see land birds like warbler, finches and mockingbirds, and on the trails, Giant Tortoises.
Day 4: Gardner Bay - Osborn Islet - Suarez Point
Gardner Bay, on the eastern side of the island, is the breeding site of nearly all of the world´s 12,000 pairs of Waved Albatrosses. It has an ample white sandy beach with a myriad of sea lions, perfect for relaxing. Its rocky shores make this site a great place for diving and snorkelling. After landing, you can walk across a lovely white sand beach amongst a busy sea lion colony or dive into the water to swim with sea lion pups. This small island is a marine visit where you can enjoy fantastic snorkelling and swimming.
This area is great for spotting Blue-footed Boobies, albatrosses and Nazca Boobies. A beautiful site on the ocean front, the large Waved Albatrosses use the cliff as a launching pad. The famous attraction is the magnificent blowhole, spurting water high into the air. This site presents wonderful photograph opportunities.
Day 5: Cormorant Point - Devil's Crown - Post Office Bay
This site hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts, White-cheeked Pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The “Green Beach” named so due to its green colour, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” composed of white coral. Devil's Crown is one of the best snorkelling sites in the Galapagos, this volcanic crater has been eroded by the waves leaving the northern and southern sides poking out of the water. The coral reef in the middle is perfect for attracting marine life. Snorkelers enjoy the variety of marine life and exciting currents that rush through the crown, creating an exhilarating experience.
In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.
Day 6: Santa Cruz - Depart Baltra
Morning visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station which is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches to 4-feet long. Sub-species of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.
You will be transferred to the airport to board your departure flight back to the mainland of Ecuador. Please keep in mind that your morning visit will be early and short since you need to be prepared before heading to the airport.
