Day 1: Morning Flight to Baltra - Santa Cruz Highlands
PM: After arriving at Baltra airport, we will be greeted by our guide to then cross the Itabaca Channel by ferry to reach Santa Cruz Island for our first visit in the archipelago, the highlands of Santa Cruz.
We will visit one of the ranches of the area where it is possible to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. As these animals migrate from the coastal area to the highlands and back, the chosen ranch will depend on the presence of the tortoises since they roam free and change locations throughout the year. We will then transfer to the Analí.
• Possible Activities: Hiking
• Difficulty :Easy
• Landing Type: N/A
• Wildlife: Giant tortoises
Day 2: Tintoreras Islet - Sierra Negra Volcano - Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center & Wetlands (Isabela Island)
AM: This area offers an abundance of marine life that is easy to view from a dingy or kayak. These tranquil waters are home to sea turtles, sea lions, rays, blue-footed boobies, and other marine species. This site is also famous for the channels formed by lava that are used as resting sites by the white-tipped reef sharks, known locally as Tintoreras.
Afterwards, we will transfer to the entrance to the Sierra Negra Volcano. Its caldera is considered the second largest in the world, measuring nine kilometers from east to west and 10 kilometers from north to south. After leaving the vehicle, visitors hike up a trail to reach the rim for spectacular views of the crater and Chico Volcano as well as the extensive lava fields created by the shield volcanos that form this island.
• Possible Activities: Hiking – snorkeling – panga ride
• Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
• Landing Type: N/A
• Wildlife: Sharks, seahorses, and sea turtles
PM: The Arnaldo Tupiza giant tortoise breeding center helps to repopulate the island with young adults of the five species threatened in their natural habitat by introduced animals such as goats, cats, and rats. It can be reached by an elevated wooden walkway that passes through Isabela´s wetlands that are surrounded by giant mangroves. This site is considered one of the best for spotting migratory birds, where is easy to observe flamingos, whimbrels, common stilts, and gallinules.
• Possible Activities: Hiking
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Landing Type: N/A
• Wildlife: Galapagos tortoises, shorebirds, and seabirds
Day 3: Punta Moreno & Elizabeth Bay (Isabela Island)
AM: Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos. After breakfast, we step ashore at Punta Moreno (dry landing) onto a superb pahoehoe lava field surrounded by giant shield volcanoes, some of which are still active. From here we will do a short hike to a lagoon where flamingos are usually present.
• Possible Activities: Hiking – snorkeling – panga ride
• Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
• Landing Type: Dry
• Wildlife: Flamingos, sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, pintail ducks, sea lions, tropical fish,
paint-billed crakes, and white-cheeked pintails
PM: In the afternoon, a panga ride takes us around the islets of Elizabeth Bay to observe marine iguanas, penguins, sea turtles, seabirds, shorebirds, herons, and blue-footed boobies.
• Possible Activities: Panga ride
• Difficulty: Easy
• Landing Type: N/A
• Wildlife: Marine iguanas, penguins, marine turtles, seabirds, shorebirds, herons, and blue-footed boobies
Day 4: Tagus Cove (Isabela Island) & Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island)
AM: After a dry landing near Tagus Cove, we will visit this historic pirate hideaway where names of countless ships are recorded for posterity on the cliff face. A hike through beautiful Galapagos landscapes to Darwin Lake will provide great views of a salt-water crater lagoon surrounded by tuff stone.
• Possible Activities: Hiking – snorkeling – panga ride - kayaking
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Landing Type: Wet
• Wildlife: Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, finches, land iguanas, large-billed flycatchers, hawks, land
birds, sea turtles, Galapagos sharks, and hammerhead sharks
PM: We cross Bolivar Channel to Fernandina Island, one of the world’s most pristine sites, and disembark (dry landing) at Punta Espinosa. Strolling along the shoreline, we will be on the lookout for flightless cormorants, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos penguins and hawks, sooty-colored marine iguanas, and bright red-orange Sally Lightfoot crabs.
• Possible Activities: Hiking - snorkeling
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Landing Type: Dry (slippery)
• Wildlife: Fur seals, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos hawks, oyster catchers, marine iguanas, finches, reef sharks,
turtles, rays, and different species of tropical fish
Day 5: Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island) - Departure
AM: This visitor site has a delightful, long beach perfect for swimming or taking a stroll to observe the wildlife. The beach is a nesting area for green sea turtles that leave tracks in the sand after burying their eggs. There is more activity here from November to February.
After this visit we will transfer to the Baltra airport for the flight back to the mainland.
• Possible Activities: Hiking -snorkeling
• Difficulty: Easy
• Landing Type: Wet
• Wildlife: Green sea turtle
