Galapagos in Depth Island Hopping

Santa Cruz Island

© Latin Trails

Flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra´s airport. A naturalist guide will be waiting for you to escort you during the transfer to Puerto Ayora. On the way, you will make a stop to visit the highlands. Next you will enjoy lunch at the harbor, after taking a short break you will visit the Charles Darwin Station.

At the Charles Darwin Station, you will be able to see a variety of species of Giant Tortoises in captivity. You will watch their different size and ages, and learn more about the Islands they originally come from.

Here you will learn more about the ongoing conservation efforts directed to preserve the Giant Tortoises, as well as learning more about the entire Galapagos environment.

After all these activities you will have dinner and taken to your hotel.

Overnight: Santa Cruz

Meals: -/L/D

Bartolome or North Seymour or Plazas

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After breakfast, the guide will meet you in the hotel´s lobby in order to take you to the dock, and start the tour. Lunch will be included onboard the yacht. Depending to availability you will choose one of the tours mentioned below:

North Seymour Island is a spectacular place to hike, swim, and enjoy snorkeling. The main attractions are: frigates, boobies, gulls, hawks, green sea turtles and the famous Galapagos Sharks.

Bartolome Island is the most attractive landscape of the archipelago. This island is undoubtedly the most photographed in all the Galapagos Islands. You can appreciate a spectacular view of two beautiful bays and observe the fascinating formations of lava and volcanic cones.

Two islands form Plazas. The turquoise waters of the channel contrast brilliantly with the white sand and black lava coast. It is a wonderful spot to observe marine life, including manta rays. Coasts are a perfect spot for snorkeling activity.

After all these activities you will have dinner and taken to your hotel.

Overnight: Santa Cruz

Meals: B/L/D

Santa Cruz Cerro Mesa – Garrapatero Beach

Photo:  DanFLCreativo

The guide will pick you up in order to visit Cerro Mesa. This place provides an impressive view over the archipelago. It has the most prestigious location and the best view to observe a variety of endemic plants, as well as up to 7 subspecies of finch and the vermillion flycatcher.

The area is known for its characteristic persistent drizzle (‘la garúa’) which falls horizontally throughout 8 months of the year. On the west side of the island you will watch the largest crater on Santa Cruz.

Afterwards, you will visit El Garrapatero, which is a wide bay with multiple sandy beaches. It is a nice area to swim and relax while enjoying the wonderful view.

After all these activities you will have dinner and taken to your hotel

Overnight: Santa Cruz

Meals: B/L/D

Bartolome or North Seymour or Plazas

Photo: boydhendrikse

On this day, you will sail to another island, depending to availability you will choose one of the tours mentioned above.

After breakfast, the guide will meet you in the hotel´s lobby in order to take you to the dock, and start the tour. Lunch will be included on board the yacht. In the afternoon you will return to the port.

After all these activities you will have dinner and taken to your hotel.

Overnight: Santa Cruz

Meals: B/L/D

Santa Cruz – Isabela

© Latin Trails

After breakfast, the guide will take you to enjoy the well-known Tortuga Bay. In approximately a 45 minutes walk, through a cactus trail on to the first beach, which is called Playa Brava due to its strong currents. On this beach you will see a lot of marine iguanas, marine birds and pelicans.

After visiting Playa Brava, you will continue with an additional 15 minutes walk to reach Playa Mansa. This second beach is a natural lagoon visited by blue footed boobies and pelicans. It is also a beautiful place to swim and sunbathe. Afterwards, you will go back to the port and have lunch.

After a small break you will embark on a speedboat that will take you to Isabela Island (approximately 2 to 2.5 hours of navigation). Upon arrival, you will be transfer to the hotel for check-in, afterwards you will visit the Lake of the Flamingos.

After all these activities you will have dinner and taken to your hotel.

Overnight: Isabela

Meals: B/L/D

Sierra Negra Volcano

© Latin Trails

Approximately at 7:30 am, the trip to Sierra Negra Volcano will start. You will be taken in a 45 minutes ride to the Galapagos National Park control site in order to record your visit. Then, you will begin a trek to the Sierra Negra and Chico Volcano. During the trek a box lunch will be provided. In the afternoon, you will return to the hotel, after a short break, you will be transfer to the Concha Perla for snorkeling

Overnight: Isabela

Meals: B/L/D

Tintoreras

Photo:  RugliG

After breakfast you will take the Tintoreras Islet Tour. The guide will escort you to the Puerto Villamil dock in order to embark on small boat. After a short ride of 15 minutes you will arrive to Tintoreras Islet. Once you hike through the islet, you will have the opportunity to snorkel. You will be able to see starfish, multicolor fish, sea-urchins, and with luck manta rays, sharks, and sea lions that may swim close up with us.

Afterwards you will return to the town for lunch.

In the afternoon, you will visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center of Isabela, where you will be able to see a variety of species of giant tortoises in captivity. Afterwards you will visit the Wall of Tears. The wall has a length of 100m and a height of 7m. The name is derived from the difficult and painful nature of the conditions in which the prisoners were forced to work. After this activity you will visit a Lava Tunnel near the Wall, as well as a visit to Mirador Orchilla, Estero de Isabela, and Playa del Amor.

After all these activities you will have dinner and taken to your hotel.

Overnight: Isabela

Meals: B/L/D