Galapagos Monserrat
ITINERARY DAY BY DAY
8 days / 7 nights
Thursday to Thursday
Day 1
San Cristobal Island / Loberia, Highlands (San Cristobal Island)
Arrival at San Cristobal airport. 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 Monserrat. La Loberia is home to a large sea lion colony and nursery. There are frequently dozens of sea lions visible at any time.
Low tide is one of the best times to visit however, since it is when the mother's bring the pups into the tide pools for swimming lessons. San Cristóbal’s highlands are a nice place to have a meal and to relax. The area around El Progreso is very popular with local people, particularly on weekends.
Day 2
Punta Suarez / Gardner Bay (Española Island)
This morning you visit Española, southernmost island of the archipelago. Because it is so isolated, the island has a large population of indigenous wildlife. You will explore Punta Suarez, one of the most spectacular spots in the Galapagos, where you’ll look for sea lions surfing the breaking waves and groups of iguanas basking in the sun. Further inland, Masked and Blue-footed Boobies nest beside the trails.
The second largest of the Archipelago and colonized since the 1920’s, Puerto Ayora, the populated part of the island, is the most important harbor of the Archipelago. The headquarters of the Galapagos national Park and the Charles Darwin Station are located on Santa Cruz. Visit Darwin Station to learn about the research conducted on the island. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a Galapagos tortoise breeding and rearing center, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. Afterwards, you can stroll through Puerto Ayora, largest town on the islands.
Day 3
Santa Fe Island / South Plaza Island
Santa Fe has one of the most beautiful coves of all the visitor sites in the archipelago. A turquoise lagoon with two small white sandy beaches are protected by a peninsula where sea lions rest. A trail runs along the side of the coast and then crosses through an Opuntia Forest. These prickly pear cacti are the largest found anywhere in the Galapagos. The Santa Fe species of land iguanas are also larger and of a paler yellow than on the other islands. After the hike you can swim or snorkel in the bay in the company of sea lions.
South Plaza Island, 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.
Day 4
Lobos Island / La Galapaguera (San Cristobal Island)
Isla Lobos means Sea-Lion Island, and the name is certainly appropriate because the frolic, leap and make a racket here.
Isla Lobos is located North of San Cristobal, 1 hour across a small channel. It is also a nesting place for blue-footed boobies and a good place for snorkeling; an early paga ride will be offer.
La Galapaguera in San Cristobal Island is a part of the Galapagos National Park where we'll be able to find a great number of giant tortoises in its natural habitat, in other words a privilege of our journey.