Sunday
Morning: Baltra airport, Galapagos
The flight from Quito (via Guayaquil) to the Galapagos is approximately 2 ½ hours on a Boeing 727. Upon arrival at Baltra travelers pass through an airport inspection point to insure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands and to pay the park entrance fee of $100 (unless prepaid). Guides will meet you, collect your luggage and escort you on the short bus ride to the harbor. Motorized rafts, called ‘Pangas’ will transport you to the M/C Anahi and our crew will welcome you onboard. After departure and lunch, the first island visit is made.
Afternoon: Santa Cruz Island - Charles Darwin Station
Although the great majority of Galapagos visitors come here to observe and appreciate natural wonders, it is also interesting to learn how the protection and conservation of the islands are carried out. One of the principal attractions are National Park information center, Van Staelen Exhibition Hall, Breeding and Rearing Center for young tortoises, Lonesome George (tortoise from Pinta), adult Galapagos tortoises in captivity.
Monday
Morning: Española island - Gardner Bay
Located on the northeastern coast of Hood, Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming and an opportunity to observe sea lions. Here we can also observe sharks on the cristaline waters of the ocean
Afternoon: Española Island -Punta Suarez
This rocky point of land sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in the Galápagos. Along its southern shore, high cliffs rise up from the sea affording the visitor spectacular views of soaring birds and of the blow whole, where water spouts up to 50-75 feet into the air according to the intensity of the surf.
Tuesday
Morning: Santa Fe
Santa Fe, also called Barrington Island , is located in the central part of the Galapagos archipelago. It is one of the oldest Galapagos Islands , ages of its lavas range from 750,000 to nearly 3 million years. The lavas are simiIar in some respsects to the Platform Series lavas of neighboring Santa Cruz . Santa Fe is also one of the few islands that is not volcanically active. Its maximum elevation is only about 200 m. There have, however, been unconfirmed reports of fumeroles on the island. The present island represents only a part of a larger volcanic edifice, the west coast is defined by a fault along which the western have of the volcano has been down-thrown. After volcanic activity ended (and probably only recently in a geologic sense), Santa Fe has been cut by a series of east-west faults that have produced a series of horst and grabens.
Afternoon: South Plazas
This island is full of life. There are colonies of sea lions and land iguanas. On the steep banks it is possible to see a great number of birds such as nesting tropic birds and fork-tailed seagulls, but most of all, enjoying the beautiful view from atop the steep banks or strolling along the base of the cliff is an extremely pleasurable experience. The Opuntia cacti grow here too and the vegetation changes color according to the season of the year.
Wednesday
Morning: North Seymour
Is an uplifted (as opposed to volcanic) island and so is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are good nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate birds. Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in the more open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea lions haul out onto the beach and can be found bodysurfing.
Afternoon: Bartolome Island
A small barren island, located across Sullivan Bay off James Island, Bartholomew has two visitors’ sites. At one of them it is possible to climb to the summit of the island, from where visitors can observe a variety of volcanic formations, spatter and tuff cones, lava flows and lava tubes. The moon like landscape provides the most scenic panorama in the archipelago. At the other site, the visitor may swim and snorkel from a beautiful beach or walk across the isthmus to another beach that faces south, where swimming is prohibited. Multi –coloured fish and occasionally penguins may be seen at the base of the tall pinnacle rock, which dominates Bartholomew’s landscape.
Thursday
Morning : Tagus Cove (Isabela).
Named after a British warship which anchored here in 1814, this cove is located to the west of the island and it is usual to take a panga trip below the high cliffs. Here there is an opportunity to see penguins as well as marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs and sea lions. As with many sites blue footed boobies are in abundance.
After a dry landing one, can climb up the trail to oversee Darwin ''s Lake . This is below the slopes of Darwin Volcano and is, surprisingly, a salt water lake above sea level. It is said that the salt water is drawn up from below by adsorption through the porous volcanic rock of which this part of the island is formed.
Darwin''s salt water lagoon. Penguins, Hawks & frigate birds.
Afernoon: Isabela island - Elizabeth Bay
Located on Isabela Island`s west shore, this is extremely interesting for observing marine life. You can motor or kayak past a few islands where you usually see
Galapagos penguins. One of the best areas to take their photos. A colony of these magnificent birds inhabit a rocky islet at the entrance to Elizabeth Bay.
Let your boat or kayak drift through a small passage lined with mangroves you emerge into an enclosed cove. Turn your motor off and look in the sheltered waters for marine turtles, rays, flightless cormorants, sea lions, and, circling overhead, Galapagos hawks.
Friday
Morning: Urbina Bay (Isabela).
South from Tagus Cove and still on the West coast is Urvina Bay . It is an easy wet landing on a gentle sloping beach. This area is very interesting in that it is a perfect example of the geological activity of the islands. The waters of the bay are a good place to see turtles and rays and ashore is a short trail leading to a coral reef, which is evidence of an uplift from the sea which occurred in 1954.
From here it is easy to reach the Alcedo and Darwin volcanoes. You can see large colored land iguanas here and the possibility of seeing giant Galapago turtles, flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, Galapagos penguins, pelicans and marine iguanas is excellent.
Afternoon: Fernandina island - Espinosa Point
The inmense shield of Fernandina volcano provides an impressive backdrop for Punta Espinosa, a narrow spit of sand and lava rock extending from the base of the volcano into the sea. Renowned for its large colonies of marine iguanas, it is also home for a number of unique Galapagos species: the flightless cormorant, penguin, sea lion and marine turtle, the harshness of the recently formed landscape of Fernandina''s slopes can be appreciated by taking the trail inland to the edge of a large AA lava flow.
Saturday
Morning: Floreana island - Post Office Bay
Historically, this site is the location of a wooden barrel that was placed in the 18th century by the crew of a whaling ship. It has been used since this time by mariners and tourists as a post office. The idea is to carry letters or postcards to their destination by hand. Apart from being the Post Office Barrel, this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists.
Afternoon: Floreana Island - Cormorant Point
This site probably, offers one of the largest and the best flamingo lagoon in the Galapagos. It is situated between two tuff cones that give the area a special athmosphere. There are various species of shorebirds to be seen besides flamingoes, the mnost frecuent are common stilts, white-chceked pintail ducks and other migratories. This is a unique zone due to the high percentage of endemism in the plant life. Is also very interesting the two distinct beaches: the “grean beach (due to high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the “Flour sand beach” made up of coral.
A shallow sunken crater makes for one of the best snorkeling sites in Galapagos, This almost completely submerged volcano offers snorkelers the chance to play in the water with sea lions. See a wide variety of colorful fish in the clear blue water.
Floreana island – Devil´s crown
One must be a good swimmer as currents can be very strong.
It is a marine site located a short distance from the island. It is an old eroded volcanic cone and a popular roosting site for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans, and frigates. Red-billed tropicbirds nest in rocky crevices. The centre of the cone is an outstanding snorkelling spot full of sea lions and colourful fish.
Sunday
Morning: Santa Cruz Island - Highlands
The trail to the highlands leaves from Bellavista and passes through the agricultural zone, near the National Park boundary, the Miconia Zone and then goes to the Fern and Sedge zone. With clear weather (unpredictable) this area affords beautiful scenes of rolling hills and extinct volcanic cones covered with grass and lush greenery all year round.
Afternoon:
After your visit to Highlands, transfer to the airport in Baltra. Flight back to Quito or Guayaquil.
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