Day 1: San Cristobal Island

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.

 

Arrival in San Cristobal Airport and greeting by your naturalist guide and transfer to the Yacht (approx 10 min). Check in and Lunch on board.

 

In the afternoon, your next stop is Laguna El Junco, the largest fresh water lake in theGalapagos. Visit to La Galapaguera, a reserve for giant tortoises.

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Day 2: Española Island

Española Island, often called by its English name of Hood, is the southernmost in the archipelago. It is a medium sized island of 61sq km.

 

In the morning you will visit Suarez Point, which 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 you through a beach full of marine iguanas, by masked and blue–footed booby colonies before reaching the main attraction, the waved Albatross colony which can only be seen on this island. After your visit return to the yacht for lunch.

 

In the afternoon you will visit Gardner Bay which 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 a good snorkeling opportunity.

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Day 3: Santa Fe Island & Plazas Islands

In the morning you visit Santa Fe Island which is a 24sq km island that lies about 20km southeast of Santa Cruz and is very popular for day trips. Its English name is Barrington. A short 300 meter trail takes you to one 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 birds.

 

In the afternoon you visit Plazas Island. 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 you through sea lion colonies and along a cliff top walk where swallow – tailed gulls and other species nest.

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Day 4: Santa Cruz Island

In the morning you will visit the “Fausto Llerena” giant tortoise breeding and center. The facilities are named after this individual, who with a lot of care and passion for his job, has been in charge of this breeding center for decades. He has helped to save many giant tortoise generations for more than 30 years.

 

On the afternoon you will board a coach to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz (35 mins) where you will visit the Gemelos, two collapsed craters from the volcanic origins of the archipelago.

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Day 5: Bartolome Island & Sullivan Bay

 

In the morning you will visit Bartolome Island with an area of 1.2 sq km. From here you can see the most frequently photographed and hence most famous vista of the islands. First walk 600 meters to the summit of the island from where you can take a picture with the famous Pinnacle Rock. Then visit a small sandy beach in a cove. There is good snorkeling and the opportunity to swim with the endemic Galápagos penguins which frequent this cove.

 

In the afternoon you visit Sullivan Bay lava field where you can set foot on Santiago’s last volcanic eruption, nearly 100 years ago. Here you can find shapes and textures of trees, which once existed here.

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Day 6: Mosquera Island & Santa Cruz Island

Between North Seymour and Baltra is the small island of Mosquera. The island consists of a long narrow stretch of white sand, rocks, and tide pools. Created by geological uplift the island has a flat look to it rather than the conical shape of the volcanically formed islands. Mosquera is a regular first or last day visit for boats operating out of Baltra. Mosquera’s calm waters offer excellent snorkeling opportunities and a stroll down the beach offers views of the brown pelicans, boobies and colonies of sea lions that can be found here. After your visit return to the yacht for lunch.

 

In the afternoon you visit Bachas Beach on the North end of Santa Cruz Island. Bachas is a nice beach with soft sand and clear water. Here you will have the opportunity to walk a trail leading to two lagoons where you may encounter Flamingos and other birds. This is also a nice place to snorkel which you will have the opportunity to do.

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Day 7: Punta Pitt & Lobos Islands

In the northeast of the island is Punta Pitt, a unique volcanic formation. The area is a nesting site for all three species of the Galapagos booby and home to an endemic species of lava lizard. Visit to Cerro Brujo and Turtle Bay, where flamingoes and turtles can be seen.

 

In the afternoon heading up the coast from Wreck Bay and Puerto Baquerizo, you will see Isla Lobos across a small channel off the coast of San Cristobal. The basalt island outcropping lives up to its name of "Sea Lion Island" with a noisy population of frolicking and barking beasts. It is also a nesting place for blue‐footed boobies and an excellent spot for snorkeling.

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Day 8: San Cristobal , Lobos and Sleeping Lion Islands

Early this morning you will 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.

 

After your arrival to San Cristobal, you visit its Interpretation Center where we can walk through the Galapagos Islands’ volcanic origins, its first human settlements and the great challenges it faces ahead.

 

Transfer to the airport to fly back to the mainland.