Galapagos Reina Silvia
ITINERARY DAY BY DAY
8 days / 7 nights
Saturday to Saturday
Day 5
Charles Darwin Center / Highlands (Santa Cruz Island)
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, with the largest population of the 4 inhabited islands (approx 10.000). Santa Cruz is also the only island where six different zones of vegetation can be seen: Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia, Miconia, and Pampa Zones.
The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based here. You will have an opportunity to visit some of the best scientists of their kind. Scientists, park rangers and park managers among others, who make huge efforts to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site, conduct the conservation of the islands. The station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing centre, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats.
The lush greenery of the Santa Cruz highlands is a welcome contrast with the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. Points of interest are the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative visit. The trip to the highlands ends with a visit to the Twin Craters. The vegetation around these is very special and is renown for its about 300 fern species and the many sunflowers.
Day 6
Punta Cormorant / Post office Bay & Devil's Crown (Floreana Island)
Floreana Island is perceived as one of the most exotic Islands of the archipelago.
At Punta Cormorant you land on a green olivine sand beach. Following a 100 m long path you will soon reach a lagoon with flamingoes, white-checked pintail ducks and other shorebirds. The trail goes on to a white beach made of grinned coral, so it looks like flour. This is the green sea turtle's nesting place. North of Punta Cormorant and eroded volcano, Devil´s Crown , is a snorkel's delight.
To the west, Post Office Bay keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers used to send their mail.
Day 7
Punta Suarez / Gardner Bay (Española Island)
Española is the southernmost island of the archipelago, and being so isolated, a high percentage of its fauna is endemic. Punta Suarez, on the western coast of the island, is one of the most popular and attractive places in Galapagos. Sea lions, the picturesque marine iguana, blue footed and masked boobies nesting next to the trail are found there. This is also the only place in the world where the waved albatross nests.
Along the cliffs there is spectacular view of a fantastic blowhole. Gardner Bay has a beautiful white sand beach to be shared with sea lions and curious mocking birds.
Day 8
Baltra Island return flight
This day you will reach the harbour of Baltra Island, here take your flight to the Ecuador mainland to Quito or Guayaquil.