Galapagos Adventure II
ITINERARY DAY BY DAY
8 days / 7 nights
Sunday to Sunday
Day 1
Baltra Island arrival / Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)
Arrival at Baltra Island airport and transfer in ship to the Santa Cruz Island. You head into the lush highlands and walk the dramatic landscape, looking for tortoises that often forage in the wild. After lunch in the highlands, a short half-hour ride brings us to Puerto Ayora. Visit the National Park Headquarters and the Darwin Station.
Day 2
Punta Cormorant / Post Office Bay (Floreana Island)
In Punta Cormorant visit of a lagoon, where you find flamingoes and other birds, beautiful white sand beach where sea turtles nest, snorkeling at Devil's crown. 3 hours. Short visit to the historic Post Office Barrel. Early departure to the island Isabela looking for whales and dolphins while you travel.
Day 3
Gardner Bay / Punta Suarez (Espaņola Island)
Punta Suarez: Large colonies of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, marine iguanas, albatrosses, swallow- tailed gulls, 3-4 hours. Gardner Bay: Snorkeling at beach and panga ride 2 1/2 hours.
Day 4
North Seymour / Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island)
North Seymour also known for being a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird.. Travelers will also spot both endemic species of iguanas, the marine iguanas and land iguanas. Bachas Beach in Santa Cruz Island is a large stretch white sand beach caressed by the light blue waters of the Pacific. In land there are several lagoons where you can find a colony of Flamingos. The flamingos have a particular pink color due to the kind of seaweed they eat all day long in the lakes.
Day 5
Puerto Egas (Santiago Island) / Bartolome Island
Bartolome is an enchanting landscape where lava, mangroves and golden sand converge. Great walks, views and a chance to snorkel with penguins. Sailing along the northern coastline of Santiago Island and past scenic Buccaneer Cover, a one-time pirates' haunt. You'll anchor at Puerto Egas on the southwestern end of James Bay. Snorkeling and swimming from the stark black beach.
Day 6
Darwin Beach / Prince Phillips Step (Genovesa Island)
El Barranco, dry landing on Barranco, then walk and observe the interesting lives of the birds here. Darwin Bay, in the afternoon you take a dingy ride and make a dry landing on Bahía Darwin to walk and observe colonies of birds.
Day 7
Plazas Island / Santa Fe Island
South Plaza, large sea lion colonies, land iguanas, opuntia cacti, swallow-tailed gulls, and red-billed tropic birds, etc. Duration of land visit 2-3 hours. Possibly snorkeling Santa Fe, you make a wet landing on the Island to visit the cactus forest and a colony of land iguanas native to Santa Fe.
Day 8
Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island) / Baltra Island departure
Arrive at Black Turtle Cove in the north of Santa Cruz Island. It is a great location to observe mating turtles around this time of year. You saw large groups of resting white-tip reef sharks, schools of golden rays and spotted eagle rays, and a few juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks and black-tip sharks. Check out and board a bus, drive to the Baltra Island airport for a return flight to the Ecuador mainland, stopping in Guayaquil or Quito.