Day 1: Galapagos
San Cristobal
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Flight Quito – Galapagos Islands SCY (not included)
- Transfer airport in San Cristobal to hotel
- Visit to Loberia & Frigate Bird Hill
Today you will take your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Please note that the flight has to arrive at San Cristobal Airport (SCY). You arrive in San Cristobal Island where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer to your hotel.
San Cristóbal Island has the second largest settlement of the archipelago. At the south, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the Galápagos province capital where most people work in government, tourism, and artisanal fishing. Arriving at the dock, you are greeted by lazy sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, frigate birds, and the endemic chatham mocking bird. Start with a walk of 1.5km (0.95mi.) along the paved road to Frigate Bird Hill, just outside Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. From here, catch some of the nicest views of the town and the bay. Keep your eyes out for the great and magnificent frigate birds and learn to differentiate them. In the afternoon, take a 900m (0.5mi.) path to “La Loberia”, a small bay where many sea lions lazily lay on the beach. By the rocky shores, spot marine iguanas, sea turtles, and maybe even a ray. Dinner will be served at town or hotel. Overnight in a Hotel in San Cristobal Island.
Day 2: Galapagos
San Cristobal Island
- Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner
- Full day boat excursion to Kicker Rock – on shared basis
Kicker Rock or “León Dormido” is one of the Galapagos’ landmarks. The magnificent rock formation raises 140m (500ft.) from the ocean and resembles a sleeping lion. It is an important nesting area and great for bird watching: red-billed tropicbirds, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigate birds. As you cruise around the rock and its channels, appreciate the crystal clear waters and the underwater rock walls where you can spot manta rays and bottlenose dolphins. Afterwards visit to Manglecito, or Puerto Brujo or Cerro Brujo, depending on the itinerary of the Yatch. Box lunch will be served on board. Dinner at town or hotel. Overnight in a Hotel in San Cristobal Island.
Day 3: Galapagos
San Cristobal - Santa Cruz
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz by speedboat (Sharing basis)
- Visit to Highlands in Santa Cruz
- Visit to Academy Bay (Sharing basis)
Drive to the pier of Puerto Baquerizo to take the public speedboat to Santa Cruz Island. The ride takes approximately 2 hours. A guide will be waiting for you to transfer to the hotel, and later start the visit to Highlands of Santa Cruz. . Extinct volcanoes and astonishing endemic plants characterize the Santa Cruz Highlands. Admire unique flora like ferns and meter-high Miconia shrubs in the Scalesia forest or spot different bird species like the Galápagos rails, cattle egrets, and flycatchers. Later on, continue to the Giant Tortoise Reserve “El Chato” in the Santa Cruz highlands is one of the few places you can see these giants in their natural habitat. The large, pre-historic looking animals can be seen as you walk along the trails during their migration from the coast to the highlands. “El Chato” is also one of the best sites to observe the short-eared owl, another endemic specie from the Galápagos. Lunch time free to choose your favorite place in the town.
Academy Bay Tour visits 5 different spots: La Loberia, which is a small island about 10 minutes into the bay where there is a large colony of sea lions. Shark Channel and Lovers Channel are both nice snorkeling sites and also beautiful places to take in the blue footed boobies who are regularly seen resting on the cliffs close by. Dog’s beach gives you opportunity to get off the boat and walk through cactus forests to a remote beach where you will almost definitely encounter a marine iguana or many, and turtles are often seen feeding just off the shore. The last site is Las Grietas, a water filled crevice in the rocks. Overnight in a Hotel in Santa Cruz Island.
Day 4: Galapagos
Santa Cruz Island
- Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch
- Full day boat excursion to Seymour North or South Plazas or Bartholomew including lunch – on shared basis
During a full day boat excursion, you’ll visit one of the islands Seymour North, South Plazas, Bartholomew or Santa Fe or the Dragon Hill. Each of the islands has its own significant beauties to offer and regardless which you’ll visit, you’ll definitely enjoy your stay.
Remark: The excursion is shared with international travellers and accompanied by an English-speaking guide.
Lunch on board. Overnight in a Hotel in Santa Cruz Island.
Day 5:
Santa Cruz Island
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer hotel – Baltra airport
- Flight Galapagos Islands – Quito (not included)
Early in the morning, transfer to Baltra airport – only with Spanish speaking assistance - and flight back to Ecuador mainland.
