Galapagos Valkiria
ITINERARY DAY BY DAY
8 days / 7 nights
Sunday to Sunday
Day 5
Kicker Rock / Puerto Grande (San Cristobal Island)
Breakfast and navigation to Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido), an old tuff cone eroded by the ocean and now serves as nesting place for frigate birds, blue footed boobies and nazca (ex masked) boobies, tropic birds and of course this magnificent volcanic formation. Kayaking around Kicker Rock will complete your visit. Lunch on board and visit to Puerto Grande for snorkelling and relaxing, back on board for dinner and navigation to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Day 6
El Junco Lagoon, Cerro Verde / La Galapaguera, Puerto Chino (San Cristobal Island)
After breakfast you will drive to “El Junco” Lagoon (the only natural source of fresh water in the islands, frigate birds feed on the fish in the lagoon, lots of land birds such as Darwin’s finches and mocking birds can be found).
Along with a spectacular view coming down from “El Junco”, you will have an easy hike through Cerro Verde (a small traditional village where you will have lunch) to “La Galapaguera” which is a part of the Galapagos National Park where you will be able to find a great number of giant tortoises in its natural habitat, in other words a privilege of our journey. After exploring the surroundings you will walk to “Puerto Chino”. A beautiful and pristine beach will be the perfect spot for a laid back afternoon where you can snorkel, swim or simply relax. Back in the bus you will start our drive back to Puerto Baquerizo to join the yacht. Dinner and sailing to Puerto Ayora.
Day 7
Los Gemelos / Los Tuneles, El Garrapatero (Santa Cruz Island)
Breakfast and bus ride to “Los Gemelos” a pair of craters (sink holes) in the middle of the Scalesia zone, scalesias are endemic trees only found in Galapagos and they create a great nesting area for Darwin’s finches as well as many other land birds such as flycatchers, doves etc.
Bike downhill to “Los Tuneles” where you will walk and explore in the darkness, these magnificent, thrilling and enormous empty lava flows, these tunnels run underneath the ground for kilometres (this walk will take approximately 1 hour). Lunch and then you continue biking to “El Garrapatero” a beautiful beach where small lagoons are home of flamingos.
A refreshing activity will complete our day, swimming. Our last stop will be Puerto Ayora where you will give back the bikes and join the yacht. Back on board: dinner and if you wish you can go back to Puerto Ayora to enjoy the nightlife of this charming town.
Day 8
Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island) / Baltra Island
Santa Cruz Island is the centre of tourism in Galapagos, with a population of about 15000 has a large variety of sites to visit, of course our first stop after breakfast will be the world famous Darwin Research Station where all the efforts to protect and preserve the native and endemic animals are developed; you will also find Giant tortoises rearing programs and of course Lonesome George. Take a bus ride to the airport to return to Ecuador mainland.