 THURSDAY
San Cristobal – Loberia
Also Known as Chatam, this island of 558 sq km is the fifth largest in the archipelago and has the second largest population. The provincial capital of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is found on the south west point of the island.
PM: Arrival in San Cristobal Airport and greeting by our naturalist guide. Transfer to the Millennium (approx 10 mins).
Check in and Lunch on board
On the afternoon, we visit Lobería where you can see a big sea lion colony and marine iguanas. This will be a great introduction to our voyage through the Galapagos Islands.
FRIDAY
Española Island
This Island, often called by its English name of Hood, is the most southerly in the archipelago. It is a medium sized island of 61sq km and there are two visitors sites.
Punta Suarez, lies at the western end of the island. A wet landing is necessary. There is a trail of about two km in length which takes the visitor trough a beach full of marine iguanas, by masked and blue–footed booby colonies before reaching the main attraction, the waved Albatros colony.
Gardner Bay is a beautiful white sand beach at the east end of Española. It is reached with a wet landing and there is good swimming, and a sea lion colony. An islet rock, a short distance away, provides with good snorkeling. You can often see white – tipped reef sharks around it.
SATURDAY
Santa Fe – Plazas
Santa Fe is a 24sq km island lies about 20km southeast of Santa Cruz and is very popular for day trips. Its English name is Barrington. There is a good anchorage in an attractive bay on the north. A short 300 meter trail takes you to on of the tallest stands of opuntia cactus in the island to look out for land iguanas. Other attractions include a sea lion colony, excellent snorkeling, marine iguanas and of course birds.
Plazas: These two small islands are just off the east coast of Santa Cruz. A dry landing on a jetty brings you to an opuntia cactus forest where there are many land iguanas. A one km trail circuit leads visitors through sea lion colonies and along a cliff top walk where swallow – tailed gulls and other species nest. |
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SUNDAY
Santa Cruz Island
In the morning we visit Charles Darwin Research Station, where if we are lucky we can see famous Lonesome George, the last specie of its kind from Pinta Island. At the center, we will visit a Galapagos Tortoise breeding center, giant tortoises, as well as land iguanas. Here you can appreciate how tortoises from different islands evolved to adapt to their specific environments.
Transfer out to Baltra Airport for passengers returning to mainland Ecuador and transfer in for passengers arriving from mainland Ecuador.
Return to the Millennium for Lunch
On the afternoon we will board a coach to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz (35 mins) where we can see the famous Giant Galapagos Tortoises on the wild. Here we will be walking around their natural habitat while they roam through the plains. If there is the chance, we will also visit the Gemelos, two collapsed craters that remind us of the volcanic origins of the archipelago.
MONDAY
Isabela Island
The largest island in the archipelago, is the 4588 sq-km Isabela island ( occasionally called Albemarle) which occupies over 58% of the entire land mass of the Galapagos.
In the morning we will visit Isabela’s Wetlands by Puerto Villamil. The wetlands are places with water; this can be pools or lagoons, streams, mangrove swamps, islets and during low tide includes marine waters less than 6 meters in depth.
After our visit to the wetlands, we visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. In this center you will be able to observe tortoises of all ages and sizes. You will also learn about the reproduction and rearing of giant tortoises and see all the work that is being carried out to help recover the wild populations of these species mainly from Isabela.
On the afternoon we visit Las Tintoreras, Here a colony of white tip sharks can often be seen resting in a lava canal. You can snorkel or swim in the unique habitat of these animals and see blue footed boobies and small colonies of penguins. Following the trail, many marine iguanas can be observed, as 'Las Tintoreras' is one of their main breeding sites. On the nearby sandy beaches, sea lions play and relax in the sun. This is one of Isabela's most beautiful visitor sites.
TUESDAY
Rabida and Santiago Islands
Located south of Santiago Island, Rabida is one of the most volcanically varied islands. Geologically consisting of eroded hills and lava emitted from spatter cones that have resulted in island's striking colors. This is one of the best places to see pelicans nesting while sea lions haul out. Near the beach, there is a salt-water lagoon where flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks can sometimes be found.
On the afternoon we visit the dark, red sand beach at Egas Port in Santiago Island. The surrounding area is good for spotting hunting herons, great blue herons, lava herons, oystercatchers, and the yellow crowned night heron.
 WEDNESDAY:
Bartolome and North Seymour
In the morning we visit Bartolome Island with an area of 1.2 sq km. From here we can see the most frequently photographed and hence most famous vista of the islands. There are two visitor sites and footpaths. One begins from a jetty (dry landing) from where we walk 600 meters to the 114 mt. summit of the island. The other visitor site is a small sandy beach in a cove (wet landing). Here there is good snorkeling and swimming and the opportunity to swim with the endemic Galápagos penguins which frequent this cove.
On the afternoon we will visit North Seymour Island. Here we will visit a circular trail leading through some of the largest and most active seabirds breeding colonies in the islands. Magnificent frigate birds and blue footed boobies are the main attractions.
THURSDAY
San Cristobal, Sleeping Lion or Interpretation center
Early this morning we visit Sleeping Lion, a little rocky island which because of a fanciful resemblance to a sleeping lion, is named Leon Dormido. The English name, however, is Kicker rock. The island is a sheer walled tuff cone which has been eroded into two smaller rocks.
If time allows, after our arrival to San Cristobal, we visit its Interpretation Center where we can walk through the Galapagos Islands’ volcanic origins, its first human settlements and the great challenges we face ahead.
Transfer to the airport to fly back to the mainland for departing passengers.
Passengers continuing the tour, while come back to the Millennium for Lunch.
*Itineraries are subject to change without prior notice.
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