4
DAYS / 3 NIGHTS |
| DAY
1 - SUNDAY: |
AM: Baltra Airport
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/Y Corals.
PM: Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz)
Dry landing. A 45-minute bus ride will take us to the Santa Cruz highlands, located to the northwest of Puerto Ayora, where we will find a natural reserve with giant tortoises. These enormous and slow-moving reptiles are responsible for the island’s name and therefore approaching them in their humid and forested abode is always an inspiring adventure. They can weigh between 250 and 300 kg and can live up to 150-200 years. They have few natural enemies; their principal threat has always been Man. We will have the opportunity to meet Lonesome George, the last surviving individual of its species and symbol of our efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment. It is an excellent place for visitors to be photographed with them.
We will also visit lava tubes or tunnels, which are the result of the many eruptions that have occurred in the island since its formation. Once the visit has concluded, we return to Puerto Ayora, and you will have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1h30 hours visit |
| DAY
2 - MONDAY: |
AM: Santa Fe
Wet landing on a white sand beach surrounded by a sea lion colony; we continue walking through an endemic cactus forest as we search for the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, the largest in the islands and distinctively paler. This island is home to a number of endemic species including Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, rice rats, a variety of finches and one of the four species of Galapagos mockingbirds. Deep-water snorkeling.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 1h30 hours walk.
PM: South Plaza (Plaza Island)
Dry landing on the northern part of the Islet. The walk begins with an impressive cactus forest surrounded by land and marine iguanas; as we reach its highest point, be on the look out for tropicbirds and a bachelor sea lion colony. In South Plaza there is a large colony of the smaller sized land iguanas. The population is approximately 300 individuals. They feed on all kinds of vegetation, but during the dry season survive on the fruits and flowers of Opuntia cacti. Due to their proximity with marine iguanas, where we will encounter the one and only Galapagos hybrid iguana.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2 hours walk. |
| DAY
3 - TUESDAY: |
AM: Rábida
Wet landing. Dark-red sand covers these unique beaches; Rábida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting Brown Pelicans are found from July through September and nine species of the famous Darwin’s finches can be seen. We will also take a dinghy ride along cliffs to observe nesting seabirds, and snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1h30 hours walk / 1 hour snorkeling / 1 hour dinghy ride.
PM: Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz)
Wet landing on the north side of Santa Cruz; behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes, and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but then spend 3 or 5 years without breeding.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming. |
| DAY
4 - WEDNESDAY: |
AM: Daphne
We circumnavigate the islet of Daphne, an eroded tuff cone formation that was created by successive volcanic activity, for an opportunity to see Darwin’s finches, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and Brown Noddies. Afterwards, we transfer directly to Baltra Airport for return flight to Guayaquil or Quito. |
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