Itinerary B 6 Days


Day 1: Santa Cruz Island: Highlands

Arrival at Baltra Airport, our National Park naturalist guide will meet you there.

Highlands

This visit can be done either from Baltra, or Puerto Ayora. A bus will bring you up to the mountains stopping at one of several reserves along the route to see the Galapagos giant tortoises. The Galapagos is the perfect place to view these gentle giants. They can reach over 300kg / 600lbs! They are seen grazing in the freshwater ponds and taking a rest. The area is home to a wide variety of bird species, which are not found in the lowlands. These include finches, flycatchers, and waterbirds. Visit a lava tube (depending on your itinerary) to learn about the volcanic eruptions that created these amazing formations.

Day 2: Isabela Island: Moreno Point & Elizabeth Bay

Moreno Point

Moreno Point has a magical atmosphere with its vast lava fields that appear lifeless on first glance. Once you reach the inland area, you will find scattered lagoons with flamingos, ducks, herons and gallinules. We will search for sea birds, penguins (including blue-footed and flightless boobies), marine iguanas as well as cormorants.

Elizabeth Bay

Elizabeth Bay has a beautiful bay that is protected by mangroves. It also features a barren landscape of lava. You will need to take a boat tour in order to see the many coves, channels and pools teeming full of life. Galapagos Penguins can be seen here in abundance, though don't count on seeing thousands, since the population is just 3,000. In the same area, flightless cormorants nest and blue-footed boobies and pelicans fish. There are many rays and turtles.

Day 3: Isabela Island: Urbina Bay & Tagus Cove

Urbina Bay

The dramatic uplift that occurred in the 1950s is what makes this place famous. The coast has been pushed upwards, which exposed many hectares that were previously under water. You will see small corals and shells along the trail, which prove that this area used to be underwater over sixty years ago. You can see giant tortoises and land iguanas on the trail during specific seasons. Galapagos Hawks are nesting in this area. They can be seen perched or flying on trees.

Tagus Cove

Charles Darwin explored the Galapagos Islands and visited Tagus Cove. You can find Darwin finches, mockingbirds and other species of birds in the Palo Santo forest. The view of Darwin’s Lake and the huge volcanoes in northern Isabela will be spectacular.

You can see marine iguanas, penguins, and cormorants on a boat trip along the coast. There is also a unique bird species, the Galapagos Martin, which is a tiny endemic species that's one of the endangered species in the islands.

Day 4: Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point & Isabela Island: Albermarle Point

Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point

This site, located at the foot of an active volcano in the Galapagos Islands is one of Galapagos National Park's jewels. You will immediately be surrounded with hundreds of marine Iguanas as it is the biggest colony. While their pups are playing in tide pools, sea lions sunbathe on the beach. You will find flightless cormorants along the coast, but they are only found in the western parts of the archipelago. Punta Espinosa, surrounded by plankton rich waters and herons as well as pelicans oystercatchers sea turtles shorebirds is home to a variety of species. Galapagos Hawks are often seen perching in mangroves to hunt for prey.

Isabela Island:  Albemarle Point

The place has a lot of wildlife and is also a historical landmark. The Americans constructed a radar station during WWII to monitor the approach of Japanese ships. The radar is still visible. This area, which is barren, has endless lava field. However, along the coastline, you can find the Galapagos Penguins, shorebirds and some of the biggest marine iguanas on the island.

Day 5: Santiago Island: Egas Port, Espumilla Beach & Caleta Bucanero

Egas Port

Puerto Egas is not a port, despite its name. However, you may see some remains from the 1960's colonization attempts. There are many species of wildlife along this trail, including Galapagos Sea Lions, Galapagos Iguanas, Herons, Oystercatchers, and shorebirds. The endemic Galapagos Fur Seal lives in a small area at the end of this trail, called the "grottos". It is much harder to spot up close than its cousin. Land iguanas were reintroduced into the area as recently as 2019. Look around to see these reptiles that had been extinct in Santiago for more than a century.

Espumilla Beach & Buccaneer Cove

Espumilla, a 1km beach of rusty brown sand on the north coast of Santiago, is located at a distance between 0.6 and 0.9 miles. The beach is located in a dry native forest with large mangroves, and is home to Galapagos Hawks, as well as a variety of doves, finches and mockingbirds. Check the saltpan during rainy seasons, there may be ducks or flamingos.

The site was named after the fact that pirates, buccaneers and other pirates used it to get tortoises and freshwater during the 18th and 19th centuries. This place has beautiful cliffs with interesting rock formations. The trail is not there, so you can take the dinghy and look out at wildlife.

Day 6: Santa Cruz Island: Dragon Hill

Dragon Hill is located on the north coast of Santa Cruz. This area has the largest population of land iguanas in all of Santa Cruz. This population of land Iguanas has recovered rapidly thanks to an extremely successful breeding program. It was on the verge of extinction in the 1970's and 1980's. A small lagoon of saltwater is where you can see shorebirds like sandpipers, ducks and stilts.

Included

  • Airport assistance
  • Transfers in Galapagos
  • Accommodation in double cabin
  • All meals during the cruise
  • Naturalist Bilingual Guide
  • All visits & excursions according to the itinerary
  • Snorkel Gear (mask, tube and fins)
  • Kayaks, paddle boards
  • Unlimited purified water, coffee and tea
  • Wetsuits, soft drinks, beach towels

Not Included

  • Local flight to/from Galapagos
  • Galapagos National Park Entrance fee
  • Entrada al Parque Nacional Galápagos
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Tips
  • Local Taxes
  • Travel Insurance
  • Service do not specified

Highlights

  • Giant tortoises, Darwin finches, barn owls, white-cheeked pintails, Galapagos flycatchers, lava tunnels.
  • American flamingos, ducks, gallinules, cormorants, marine iguanas, Galapagos mockingbirds, sea turtles, rays, Galapagos penguins, herons.
  • Galapagos hawks, land iguanas, flycatchers, sally light-foot crabs.
  • Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos fur seals, oystercatchers, shorebirds, Galapagos doves.