Galapagos catamaran cruise

Friday: Baltra Airport & North Seymour Island

You can begin your incredible Galapagos adventure by boarding a flight to Ecuador. Please note, a $20 USD migration control card is required before landing. After a brief stop in Guayaquil you will embark on an scenic 1-and-1/2 hour flight to Santa Cruz.

We will guide you to the required inspection at the airport. This is done in order to protect the islands from foreign animals or plants. Do not forget your Galapagos National Park entry, which costs $100 per adult and $50 per child under 12.

Then, our knowledgeable guide will accompany you to a port where you will be transported by a motorized panga to the Catamaran Seaman Journey.

PM: North Seymour Island

North Seymour Island will captivate you with its natural beauty. It is an uplifted, flat island with scattered boulders. Keep an eye on the nesting areas of majestic frigate birds as we explore. Watch the courtship dances of blue-footed boobies, and watch swallow-tailed geese gracefully perch along cliffs.

Don't be shocked to see sea lions relaxing on the beaches and enjoying bodysurfing. Come and join us for a night filled with wonder.

AM: El Barranco

El Barranco, the next stop on our adventure, awaits us at Genovesa Island. The 1.5km volcanic rock trail takes about 2 hours to complete. The lava cliffs in this region are fragile and offer ideal nesting sites for Storm Petrels. You may see two different petrels nesting here in the holes and cavities formed by the lava.

Watch out for the short-eared, agile owl. It is one of the most common predators in the region. Red-footed boobies nest exclusively on outer islands, including Punta Pitt, Gardner Bay, Darwin and Genovesa. You can also see the elegant masked booby in its natural habitat. While you cruise along the cliffs, fur sea lions, and other seabirds species will be visible. This is a truly spectacular site.

PM: Darwin Bay

Darwin Bay was formed by the crater of the island submerging below the sea level. The stunning coral white sandy beach is where you'll land. Birdwatchers will be able to see red-footed and masked boobies as well as whimbrels and lava gulls.

You'll see majestic Red-Footed Boobies in nests of Mangroves below after a gentle climb. Binoculars are handy to spot Galapagos Doves, Sharp-beaked Finches, Large Cactus and Ground Finches, as well as swallow-tailed Gulls. As you near the edge of the cliff, take in the panoramic views and the birdlife that is thriving on the island.

AM: Plazas Island

Plazas Island is located just east of Santa Cruz. This island, despite its small size is home to some of the rarest and most unique Galapagos wildlife. You'll find smaller land iguanas here than on any other island. Hybrid iguanas are a result of mating between marine and land iguanas.

Female land iguanas displaying the distinctive land iguana color and crest. Also, marine iguanas face and tail are visible.

Iguanas are a plentiful species, and their food of choice is tuna (cacti fruits). You can see swallow-tailed seagulls nesting along the rugged cliffs. Other birds such as Audubon Shearwaters and red-billed tropicalbirds are also present.

PM: Santa Fe Island

Santa Fe Island is located in the southeast part of Galapagos. It was formed primarily by uplift, rather than volcano activity. It is thought that this unique island may be the oldest in the Galapagos. Discover its coral white beach where a lively sea lion colony welcomes you into their world. You'll see salt bushes, prickly pears cacti and other giants as you stroll along the path.

Enjoy snorkeling with playful sea lions, tropical fish and other aquatic creatures. This will add a new dimension to your experience.

AM: Jacinto Gordillo Breeding Center

The Jacinto Gordillo Breeding Center was established in 2004, in Cerro California, San Cristobal Island. The center has a vital mission: to care for tortoises in their early stages. In 2008 it began an assisted reproductive program, which resulted in the birth of a turtle baby in captivity. Learn about the breeding process and get involved with this important conservation project.

PM: Interpretation Center

The Interpretation Center is a stunning contrast to the buildings of the Charles Darwin Center from the 1960s. You'll learn about the human and geological history of these islands. Also, discover conservation facts and the many natural wonders the Galapagos Archipelago has to offer. It is the oldest Natural History Museum in the Galapagos Islands and is dedicated to maintaining the natural beauty of the islands.

AM: Galapaguera

Start the day by visiting La Galapaguera. This is a beautiful natural environment where you will be able to see Galapagos Tortoises. The island is home to a number of endemic species, including the Mockingbird (Nesomimus melanotis), the lava lizards (Microlophus bvittatus), the Chatham Leaf Toed Geckos (Phyllodactylus liei), as well as tortoises. Between January and May, female tortoises will leave footprints on the dunes.

PM: Cerro Brujo

Cerro Brujo is a stunning beach with white corals, allowing you to swim, watch birds and sea lions in their playful play. Snorkeling in the clear waters will make you unforgettable memories. Cerro Brujo is historically significant as it was the first coast Charles Darwin stepped on in his voyage of 1835. There are many seabirds to be seen, including blue-footed and Nazca boobies, as well as herons.

The pools of salted water that used to be behind the dunes were once a source of food preservation for locals. Included in the island's fauna are the Chatham Mockingbirds, San Cristobal Lava Lizards, Galapagos Turtles and the elusive Pajaro Brujo. You can also spot carob and candelabrum trees as you stroll through the lush vegetation.

AM Gardner Bay

Gardner Bay is nestled along Hood Island’s North-Eastern Coast. It offers a beautiful beach for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking.

PM: Suarez Point

The area offers a unique opportunity to see blue-footed, Nazca, and albatross boobies. While exploring this beautiful oceanfront location, you can see majestic albatrosses wave as they launch from the cliffs. The awe inspiring blowhole is a great place to take pictures.

AM: Cormorant Point

Cormorant Point is home to one of the best flamingo lagunas on the Galapagos. The picturesque location, situated between two tuff lava cones, has a special atmosphere. Enjoy the spectacle of flamingos and pintails with white checks frolicking in the lagoon. The area also provides a refuge for migrating birds that add to the diversity of the island.

The two beaches are "The Green Beach", with its high content of olivine, and "Flour-Sand Beach", which is adorned with coral.

PM: Baroness Lookout & Post Office Bay

Visit the Post Office Barrel, an historic site that dates back to 18th-century whaling ships crews using it as a postal office. Visitors still carry postcards or letters by hand today.

Hike to Baroness Lookout to capture the breathtaking view stretching from Enderby Islet, to Post Office Bay. The vista includes Cerro Pajas and the pool of pink flamingos.

AM: Charles Darwin Station

Charles Darwin Station is the perfect place to immerse yourself into the conservation efforts of the Galapagos Islands as your Galapagos experience draws to an end. This National Park Information Center, Van Straelen Exhibition Hall and Breeding and Rearing Center are all worth a visit. The center is also home to Lonesome Geo, the famous turtle of Pinta Island as well as Galapagos Tortoises.

We will accompany you back to the mainland airport after this morning's excursion. You will leave these islands with cherished memories, and an appreciation of the Galapagos Archipelago.