Day 1: Baltra Airport - Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)
As soon as our visitors arrive at Baltra airport, personnel of National Galapagos Park check your luggage to avoid the introduction of foreign plants or animals to the Islands. An entrance fee of $ 100 must be paid to them.
Passengers are picked by our naturalist guide and taken on an hour bus drive to the pier to board the Galapagos Sea Star Travel.
When we visit the station, we will have the chance to learn about the role of the Charles Darwin Station in the protection and conservation of the islands. Tortoises from different islands (Santiago, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Pinzon) are present at this breading center. The National Park service with the help of the Charles Darwin Station helps to restore populations of different species of tortoises, according to the total land surface of each island.
After the visit, we will also have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.
Day 2: White Tipped Reef Shark Canal & Sierra Negra Volcano (Isabela Island) - Wetlands (Isabela Island)
We will have a boat ride to look for blue footed boobies, pelicans, herons and Galapagos Penguins, followed by a dry landing for a loop trail. This small islet is the result of a volcanic uplift and home of one of the eleven sub-species of marine iguanas (baby marine iguanas), lava lizards, Galapagos sea lions and yellow warblers. There is a channel, locally call Tintoreras, after the presence of white-tipped reef sharks resting on the bottom of this canal.
Sierra Negra Volcano is 60 to 40 km wide and with 7 to 10 km length, is the largest and simultaneously the shallowest (elliptical) caldera of all Galapagos volcanoes. Is often said that Sierra Negra is the second largest caldera in the world, but it is not, still, it ranges in the first fifty or so largest calderas of our planet. The caldera itself has undergone several episodes of collapse, upheaval and deformation.
To visit this amazing formation, we will land on Puerto Villamil where will head up by bus ride to the slope of Sierra Negra volcano. Good hiking shoes and light rain jacket are highly recommended for this hike.
After a dry landing on a jetty, we have a five-minutes bus ride to get to the Jacinto Gordillo breeding center to observe the Galapagos giant tortoises from various sites of Isabela, on different ages which are unique for this island, follow by an interior trail through mangrove forest and wet lands at both sides. Flamingos, herons, marine iguanas, migratory birds are often seen.
This trail will end on front of a beach, where you will have free time to enjoy the view and the little village can be visited too.
Day 3: Moreno Point (Isabela Island) - Elizabeth Bay (Isabela Island)
Wet landing on the lava field for a long walk where we find a great volcanic formation giving the chance to the photographers to take nice photos. Two types of lava flows are found Pahoehoe and “aa”. Pahoehoe lava has a billowy surface, ropy in places, looking almost smooth enough to be soft, fresh pahoehoe lava has a paper-thin, shiny black glass trust that reflects light in iridescent colors. Cooler lava, pastier and stiffer, tears itself apart through its own forward motion creating rubbly aa.
We have a trail on the bare lava with lagoons to observe occasionally flamingos and wading birds. Boat ride activity to look for the biggest marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, pelicans and blue footed boobies, deep water snorkeling off the zodiac.
Elizabeth Bay is located at the west side of Isabela Island, the use of outboard motors is forbidden, we have a boat ride inside of the bay surrounded by red mangrove trees to observe in the water spotted eagle rays, golden rays, sea turtles, flightless cormorants. This a natural mating area for sea turtles, we will move with paddles only to avoid disturbing the marine wildlife.
Marielas islets are found on front of the visitor side, where the largest Galapagos penguin colony, big marine iguanas, blue footed boobies and brown pelicans are present.
Day 4: Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island) - Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)
Fernandina is the youngest of the Galapagos Islands, and it is considered the best-preserved island in the world. Free of introduced species. Espinoza point is located in the northeastern part of Fernandina Island. Over the last 50 years there have been more than ten eruptions. As a result of this volcanic activities, Punta Espinoza has been uplifted 90 cm in 1975. Coral reefs and mangrove roots are exposed to the strong ties which are unable to survive. Fernandina has a high diversity of species such as Galapagos hawk, two species rodent, one species of snake, lava lizard, flightless cormorant, Galapagos sea lion (baby sea lions enjoying the intertidal swimming pools), sally light foot crab and marine iguana.
Snorkeling off the zodiac, it is a great and only chance in your trip to observe marine iguanas and sea turtles feeding on seaweed underwater. Flightless cormorants will show us their extraordinary adaptation to get food underwater having stronger muscles on their feet and legs, giving them the possibility of high-speed diving.
Tagus Cove is located at the northwestern side of Isabela Island, after a dry landing we have a wooden stairway, its name is originated when the British vessel “Tagus” visited this cove. Sailors began to make graffiti on the cliff around the cove until the National Park Service decided to stop. The trail leads to Darwin’s salt-water crater lake, excellent views of lava fields and volcanic formations. We will return by the same path for a boat ride along the shoreline full of marine wildlife, during this activity we will observe blue footed boobies, brown noddies, flightless cormorants and the famous Galapagos penguins which are only 35 cm tall; the only penguin species in the world to live within the tropics having a small colony on the northern hemisphere; 95% of the population is found at the west side of Isabela and Fernandina islands.
A great location for snorkeling to look for sea turtles and flightless cormorants in the waters.
Day 5: Espumilla Beach (Santiago Island) - Puerto Egas (Santiago Island)
Espumilla beach is located at the northern end of James Bay. It is an important nesting side for marine turtles, a lot of ghost crabs hide in the sand. There is an inland hiking trail when occasionally there are flamingos and Galapagos pin-tail ducks. The trail loops through the arid zone, where you can observe some bird species including Galapagos hawks, Galapagos mockingbirds, Darwin finches, yellow warblers and the Galapagos doves.
Optional snorkeling activity.
Wet landing on a black volcanic sandy beach, where is the resting side of the Galapagos sea lions. There is a loop trail, the first section is formed of volcanic ash and the second half is an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock, the coast is home of a variety of animals including sea lions, marine iguanas, sally light-foot crabs, herons, Darwin finches, yellow warblers, migrant birds (whimbrels, ruddy turnstones, wandering tattlers, semipalmated plovers), at the end of this site we have natural volcanic formation called the grottos of Galapagos fur seals.
The interior trail leads to the beach where usually Galapagos hawks are present.
A great location for snorkeling from the beach, playful and curious sea lions swimming around the visitors, colorful tropical fish and occasionally marine turtles and white-tipped reef sharks are founded in the waters.
Day 6: Isla Lobos (San Cristobal Island) - San Cristobal airport
We have an early visit in this little island which is located close to Port Baquerizo Moreno. We have a big colony of Galapagos sea lions by the landing site and the barks of the males is very noticeable. The trail leads through a semi desertic area, blue footed boobies nest on the ground and frigates on the trees. The vegetation is represented by black mangrove trees, salt bush and holly stick mostly.
After the visit, passengers will be transferred to the airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.
