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AM: Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrival at Baltra airport, where our naturalist guide of the National Park will be waiting for you.

PM: Either if you do this visit starting from Baltra or Puerto Ayora, a bus will take you to the highlands stopping along the way at one of the reserves to visit the lush highland forests where you will look for Galapagos Giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the best place in the Galapagos to see these gentle giants (reaching over 300 kg / 600 pounds!) casually grazing and resting in freshwater ponds. This is also home for a great diversity of birds rarely found at the lowlands, including finches (tree, woodpecker and vegetarian finches), flycatchers and several species of water birds. You will visit a lava tunnel (depend on the itinerary) and learn how these extraordinary formations where created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

AM: Punta Cormorant is located in the north of Floreana and it is known for its large coastal lagoon with American flamingoes, white-cheeked pintails, black-necked stilts and other shorebirds. There is a beautiful white sand beach which is an important nesting ground for green sea turtles where we can also see rays and reef sharks. In the last years, a small groups of blue footed boobies have started to breed right by the trail. This is also a great trail to look at endemic plants.

Snorkel at Devil’s Crown, a heavily eroded little volcano right by Floreana island. This is considered by many as one of the best snorkeling sites in the entire archipelago as the current funnels plankton through the Crown, attracting huge schools of snapper, Creole fish parrot fish, angelfish, reef sharks, sea turtles, rays and a phenomenal amount of marine life.

PM: Floreana is famous for the tales of German settlers and the baroness during the late 1920’s and 30 ‘s. Assassinations, disappearances and other mysteries are the ingredients of this fascinating story.

Post office bay was often used by whalers to anchor their ships and go up to the highlands to get freshwater and tortoises. Most boats visiting the Galapagos had to came to this place sooner or later, so a system of mail was established more than 200 years ago: a barrel near the beach became the way to leave messages to other ships and also to the outside world. This mail system is still in use and will allow you to send postcards from the Galapagos to the outside world. Aside from a small beautiful beach and a lava tunnel, the area is great for dinghy tours to look for sea lions, green sea turtles, shorebirds, small sharks and, with some luck, Galapagos penguins.

AM: This rocky trail is one the most amazing nature walks you can do in the Galapagos islands.From the moment you set foot on the island and along the trail the amount and diversity of fauna is truly amazing. Sea lions and marine iguanas will be the first ones welcoming us, followed by large colonies of sea birds, including Nazca and Blue-footed boobies, gulls and tropicbirds. At the end of the trail we will visit a colony of waved albatross (April to January), the largest bird in the islands and one of the most interesting because of its powerful flight and elaborate courtship. Waved albatross only nest at Española, so this is the only place where you will see them at close range.

PM: Gardner beach is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and interesting beaches to visit in the Galapagos. Its fine coral sand and turquoise water give it a tropical appearance, which contrasts with the presence of sea lions basking in the beach. You will have the opportunity to walk along the beach and learn about the biology of sea lions and other endemic species, such as the Española mockingbird, marine iguanas and Galapagos hawks.

There are several great snorkeling places at Gardner bay. It is a fantastic site to swim with sea lions, reef sharks, rays and many species of fish, including; Angelfish, Parrotfish, Damselfish, Surgeonfish and many others.

AM: Located in the outskirts of Puerto Baquerizo, this center is dedicated to the history of human presence in the Galapagos. Since the times of the early Spanish explorers to the present times, including illustrious visitors such as Charles Darwin, this permanent exhibition will take you through the dangers and struggles of the first settlers trying to survive the harsh Galapagos environment.

Depending on the itinerary, snorkel is allowed around Kicker Rick. Very good place to see sharks, sea turtles, rays and a lot of different species of fish. Great diversity of invertebrates growing in the vertical walls.

PM: Lobos island is a small islet separated from San Cristobal by a narrow channel, forming a sheltered bay where sea lion pups play in tidal pools. Despite its small size, the island is surprisingly packed with wildlife, especially with “lobos marinos”, the Spanish name for sea lions. Groups of sea lions will welcome you at the landing spot, but as you walk a few steps inland, male frigatebirds displaying their inflated red balloons will be perched on the bushes and trees. A small colony of blue footed boobies, which often nest right on the trail, will allow you to observe their famous courtship dance.

This is a great snorkeling location as the water are usually calm and the sea lions often play with divers to show off their swimming skills. Sea turtles and rays are often seen resting in the sandy bottoms.

AM: Bachas gets its name from the remains of two large barges (mispronounced by locals as “bachas”) left by the Americans during WWII. At low tide, you can still see the iron skeletons of the barges buried in the white sand. From November till May, this place is also one of the most important sea turtle nesting grounds in the entire Galapagos islands. There are also several small saltwater lagoons where we often see flamingoes, herons, and other aquatic birds.

After the walk, you will have the option to swim or snorkel from the beach. The area is rich in some of the most common fish species of the Galapagos, but you can also find white-tipped reef sharks and rays.

Afterward, we will disembark and transfer you to the airport to take your flight back to continental Ecuador.

AM: Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrival at Baltra airport, where our naturalist guide of the National Park will be waiting for you.

PM: Of the two twin islands, only South Plazas are allowed to be visited, while North plazas are kept exclusively for scientific research. This is a small islet, but it packs an impressive amount of wildlife. Right after you land, you will see Galapagos land iguanas waiting under prickly-pear cactus feed on their fruits. A large colony of sea lions will allow you to see playful pups enjoying the tide pools, but also large grumpy males defending their territories. The trail will take you to a cliff where you can observe many sea birds, such as frigatebirds, red-billed tropicbirds, boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and pelicans. Reddish succulent vegetation with scattered cactus covers most of the islands like a carpet, giving this island a unique personality.

AM: Black Turtle Cove gets its name from the abundance of green sea turtles, locally known as “Tortugas Negras”. There is no landing here so you will be doing a boat tour on the dinghies, exploring shallow channels and small coves surrounded by beautiful mangrove forests. Reef sharks, sea turtles, and several species of rays inhabit this beautiful area which is considered an important mating area for turtles and a nursery for several species of sharks. Herons, pelicans, and boobies are also common here as they prey in schools of anchovies.

PM: Either if you do this visit starting from Baltra or from Puerto Ayora, a bus will take you to the highlands stopping along the way at one of the reserves to visit the lush highland forests where you will look for Galapagos Giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the best place in the Galapagos to see these gentle giants (reaching over 300 kg / 600 pounds!) casually grazing and resting in freshwater ponds. This is also home to a great diversity of birds rarely found at the lowlands, including finches (tree, woodpecker, and vegetarian finches), flycatchers, and several species of water birds. You will visit a lava tunnel (depending on the itinerary) and learn how these extraordinary formations were created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

AM: Genovesa is a favorite island for birdwatchers as it is home to very large colonies of seabirds. From the minute you set foot at the beach you will be amazed by the noise of hundreds of boobies, gulls, and frigatebirds flying over your heads, perched in the bushes, or nesting on the sandy terrain. The trail is an ultimate wildlife experience as there are animals everywhere; sea lions and marine iguanas near the sea; night herons, lava & swallow-tailed gulls, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, and many more species inland. The bay offers several places to snorkel; from deep waters along the cliffs across the bay, to shallow waters by the beach. In either case, there are many fish to see and great chances of seeing sharks, rays, and sea lions.

PM: El Barranco is located in the southern part of Darwin Bay at Genovesa Island. The cliffs that face the sea are made of very fragile fractured lava, making it the ideal place for storm petrel to build their colonies, which attracts an important population of short-eared owls preying on the nesting birds. Red-footed and Nazca boobies are abundant along the trail. At the base of the cliffs, you can see Galapagos fur seals resting in shaded areas, as well as several species of seabirds. You can snorkel along the cliffs where there are many fish and great chances of seeing sharks, rays and sea lions.

AM: This hike is a journey into understanding the birth of these volcanic islands. You will walk in a very well-preserved flow of Pahoehoe lava, which will give you endless opportunities to see the delicate textures of these types of lavas which only appear in a few places throughout the world. At first sight, the barren landscape looks completely deprived of life, but look carefully for pioneer plants, lava lizards, and small birds. By the shore, you can find penguins, pelicans, and oystercatchers.

You will have the option to swim or snorkel from a coral sand beach or from the dinghies. Getting underwater is like traveling to another world: if the land is almost lifeless, the sea is teeming with life, including large schools of fish, Galapagos penguins, reef sharks, turtles, and rays.

PM: Bartolome is one of the most iconic places in the Galapagos and one of the few where you can see penguins without going to the remote areas of western Isabela and Fernandina. You will get great views of Pinnacle Rock, located on the northern side of the island, right next to a beautiful peach-color sand beach.

The hike to the top of the island is fantastic and will offer you incredible views of lunar landscapes with scattered volcanic cones. Many islands are visible from this outlook, as well as the bay of Sullivan and the Pinnacle rock.

You will have the option to swim or snorkel from the beach. This area holds a well-deserved reputation of being one of the best snorkeling places in the Galapagos, not only because it’s clear and calm water, but also because of the presence of penguins, which are relatively easy to find while snorkeling, along with an incredible diversity of fish, colorful invertebrates, sea lions, turtles, rays and reef sharks.

AM: This island is home to large colonies of both magnificent and great frigatebirds and you can see them displaying their red balloons to attract a female. Blue-footed boobies nest in the ground and perform their famous dance in the open areas, while swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Land iguanas are common inland while their marine cousins bask in the rocks by the sea, close to sea lions, which often like to body surf in the waves.

This place is a great location for a walk, as it has tremendous diversity and amount of Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, magnificent & great frigatebirds, land & marine iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters, Darwin finches.

Afterward we will disembark and transfer you to the airport to take your flight back to continental Ecuador.

AM: Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrival at Baltra airport, where our naturalist guide of the National Park will be waiting for you.

PM: Located on the northern coast of Santa Cruz, Dragon hill gets its name from the land iguanas that inhabit this area, the only location in the whole island of Santa Cruz where you can see this large species of reptiles. Thanks to a very successful breeding program, this population of land iguanas, which was on the brink of extinction during the 70s and 80s, has rapidly recovered. There is also a small saltwater lagoon where we can often see flamingoes, ducks, stilts, sandpipers, and other shorebirds.

After the hike, you will have the option to snorkel in shallow sheltered water where you will see large schools of surgeonfish and parrotfish, as well as reef sharks, rays, and a large diversity of tropical fish.

AM: This site gets its name because it was used by pirates and buccaneers during the XVII and XVIII centuries as a place to hide and get fresh water and tortoises. The place is very scenic with beautiful cliffs and interesting rock formations. There is no trail, but here you will take a dinghy to look at wildlife from the small boats. You can snorkel in a sheltered bay that is teeming with underwater wildlife including large schools of fish (angelfish, puffers, parrotfish, snappers, grunts…) but also reef sharks, sea lions, and sea turtles.

Espumilla is a beautiful 1km long beach with rusty-brown sand, located on the northern coast of Santiago. It is surrounded by large mangrove trees and a very interesting native dry forest, which is home to Galapagos hawks but also a great diversity of finches, mockingbirds, and doves. Don’t forget to check the salt pan, as during the rainy season there could be flamingoes and ducks.

PM: Despite its name, there is no “port” at Puerto Egas, but you might see a few remains of the last attempts to colonize the island during the ’60s. The trail goes along the coastline which is rich in wildlife, with marine iguanas basking in the sun everywhere, Galapagos sea lions, herons, oystercatchers, and many shorebirds. At the end of the trail, an area called “the grottos” is home to a small colony of the endemic Galapagos fur seal, much more difficult to see at close range than its cousin. As recently as 2019, land iguanas were re-introduced to the area, so look around for these impressive reptiles which were extinct from Santiago for over a century.

You can snorkel from the beach and explore an area of rocky bottoms which is excellent for fish, turtles, and reef sharks. Often, sea lions are also present and are happy to interact with divers.

AM: Surrounded by some of the tallest cliffs in the Galapagos, Vicente Roca Point is a great location to observe spectacular landscapes and interesting volcanic features. There is no trail here but you will take a dinghy tour along the shore to get a closer view of pelicans, flightless cormorants, sea turtles, boobies, Galapagos fur seal, and marine iguanas. The area is also known to be a good location for whales and dolphins.

Snorkel in the cove to look for sea turtles, penguins, sea lions, cormorants, rays, and many different species of fish. Look for fan corals, sponges, and other invertebrates growing on the walls.

PM: Fernandina is the most active volcano on the islands, with regular eruptions every 3-5 years. This island is also one of the jewels of the Galapagos due to the large number of animals that live on its shores. As soon as you disembark you can see hundreds of marine iguanas lounging carelessly in the sun, while the tide pools are the favorite place for the sea lions to play. Further on, Galapagos cormorants build their nests near the shore, not far from other species such as herons, oystercatchers, and other shorebirds, while sparrow hawks often perch in mangroves in search of prey.

The nutrient-rich waters are the reason for the great diversity of species in this area, including penguins, cormorants, sea lions, and many sea turtles. The abundance of algae makes this place the best place to see marine iguanas feeding underwater.

AM: Urbina Bay is known for the dramatic uplifting that happened here during the 1950s. A large portion of the coast was pushed up, exposing many hectares of previously submerged land. Look carefully along the trail and you will find small shells and corals, proof that the area was underwater more than sixty years ago. The trail will allow seeing land iguanas and, during certain seasons, giant tortoises. Galapagos hawks nest in the area and are often seen flying or perched on the trees. You can snorkel from the beach to see sea turtles, cormorants, and penguins. Fish are also abundant in the area.

PM: Tagus Cove is one of the places Charles Darwin visited during his exploration of the Galapagos islands. A trail will take you through dry Palo Santo forests where you can see Darwin finches and mockingbirds. You will get great views of Darwin’s lake and the large volcanos of northern Isabela.

A boat tour along the shore will give you chances to see penguins, cormorants, marine iguanas, and a very unique species: the Galapagos martin, a small endemic bird that is one of the most endangered species on the island.

The nutrient-rich waters around Tagus Cove attract a lot of sea turtles and a great diversity of fish, but also penguins, who feast on large schools of anchovies. It is common to see cormorants underwater as they chase fish through the reef.

AM: Elizabeth Bay is a beautiful sheltered bay surrounded by large mangroves and barren lava fields. There is no trail here so you will take a dinghy tour to explore many channels, pools, and coves teeming with life. This is one of the best locations in the islands to see Galapagos penguins, but don’t expect to see thousands of them, as the entire population of the islands is only about 3.000 of them. Flightless cormorants also nest in the area and blue-footed boobies and pelicans often fish in these shallow and rich waters. Rays and sea turtles are also very abundant.

PM: Moreno Point is a magical place with extensive lava fields which look lifeless at first sight. Once inland, scattered brackish lagoons form an oasis of life where you can find flamingoes, gallinules, ducks, and herons. Along the shore, we will look for penguins, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, oystercatchers, and other shorebirds. We will snorkel to see sea turtles, cormorants, and many species of fish. Look carefully in the long seaweeds and you might find a sea horse.

AM: The Charles Darwin Station is a nonprofit organization that has been working for decades together with the Galapagos National Park to preserve the biodiversity of these unique islands. During this visit, you will learn about the projects that both institutions carry together to protect the native species and eradicate the invasive ones which are threatening the Galapagos environment. One of the most important and emblematic projects has been reproducing giant tortoises in captivity. The visit is mostly outdoors in a beautiful dry native forest with giant cactus and many other interesting native plants. It is also a fantastic place to find several endemic Darwin finches, as well as flycatchers and mockingbirds.

PM: Either if you do this visit starting from Baltra or Puerto Ayora, a bus will take you to the highlands stopping along the way at one of the reserves to visit the lush highland forests where you will look for Galapagos Giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the best place in the Galapagos to see these gentle giants (reaching over 300 kg / 600 pounds!) casually grazing and resting in freshwater ponds. This is also home to a great diversity of birds rarely found at the lowlands, including finches (tree, woodpecker, and vegetarian finches), flycatchers, and several species of water birds. You will visit a lava tunnel (depending on the itinerary) and learn how these extraordinary formations were created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

AM: The Twin Craters or also known as “Los Gemelos”, are located on the way to the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island. You will find them on both sides of the road leading from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. They are not real craters, they were created by the collapse of surface material in underground fissures and chambers. You will have a wonderful view of the local flora, like Scalesia plants. On this site, it is also possible to observe the endemic short-ear owl.

Afterward, we will disembark and transfer you to the airport to take your flight back to continental Ecuador.