Day 1: Transfer in – Visit Charles Darwin Station
Arriving at Baltra airport, a staff member from Hotel Silberstein will welcome our new guests, including help with luggage and guidance towards the bus that heads towards the Channel of Itabaca which separates the island Baltra from Santa Cruz.

Upon arrival, a small ferry crosses the azure waters of the Channel towards the island, Santa Cruz, which will take approximately 5 minutes. Next, the private transport consisting of a double cabin Pick-up or Mini-bus crosses the island in approx 45 minutes towards Puerto Ayora and your new home, Hotel Silberstein. Guests should pay special attention to the changing environment that surrounds them. You will see everything from arid red and rocky ground in the North, to green and vivid nature in the highlands towards the South.

The charming welcome reception at the hotel is followed by an introduction and explanation of all personalized itineraries, and you will also receive the details of accommodations in our spacious rooms.

If requested, it is possible to enjoy an Ecuadorian or international lunch at the hotel restaurant before our specialized guide takes guests to the Charles Darwin Research Station in the afternoon. This station hosts educational museums, both about the history and development of the Galapagos Islands, and the protection of the natural heritage. The endemic giant land tortoises can be observed. At Galapagos, many different tortoise species exist, and with this station their extinction is studied and anticipated.

Subsequently, there is also some leisure time to explore the small but pictorial harbor town Puerto Ayora with its many shops of local arts and crafts.

Dinner is served at the cozy hotel restaurant after an exciting day and memorable day.

Day 2: Bartolome
Prepare for a very early start – 6.00 am the bus departs from the Hotel Silberstein to take guests to the Channel of Itabaca, where the yacht awaits, ready to depart.

Experience a day in a paradise with beautiful white beaches, outer space ambient, clear water, and observe as many native animals start their day.

On the two hour boat trip you may have breakfast while watching the sunrise at sea. There is also an opportunity to experience dolphins and other marine residents very close to our boat in the early hours.

Landing at Bartolome, approximately 300 steps follow their way up through the moon-like ambient to the highest point of the volcano island. The reward is an amazing view over the islands Santiago, North Seymour, Baltra, Santa Cruz and Rábida.  Also in view is the Chinese Hat, as well as the well-known Pinnacle Rock which consists of remains of an ancient volcano, made of black lava. It is the home of thousands of sea birds, and is the most famous photographed portrait of the Galapagos Islands.

Shortly after changing clothes for the beach visit, the dinghy-ride will provide guests with an amazing impression of the only 50 cm tall Galapagos Penguin.  See him standing on the cliff or shoot like a bullet through the clear waters.  Further, arriving at the shore, a short walk through the dunes takes visitors to the northern beach.  Here the pelicans have their nesting area.  Just a step to the inside the bay, small white-tip reef sharks swim in their territory and can be observed.  Back at the southern beach, the shallow sea invites to go swimming and snorkeling along with the cozy Galapagos penguins, sharks, starfish, rays, sea turtles and plenty of other exotic and colorful fish.  Enjoy the diversity of native residents such as marine iguanas, sea lions, pelicans, and many more.

After this amazing adventure, lunch is served on the boat.  The day trip ends with the return in the late afternoon to the Hotel Silberstein.

Again, there is some leisure time to stroll over the mole of Puerto Ayora, before dinner is served at the Hotel Silberstein.

Day 3: Options are: Seymour or Santa Fe

Seymour
This day trip starts at 8 am and offers the golden chance to get to know the northern island Seymour and Bachas beach.

The bus takes guests to the yacht at Itabaca Channel, and afterwards the awakening of the archipelago can be noticed during the approximate one hour cruise to Seymour Island.

The disembarkation takes place from the Dinghy straight to the rocky coast near a small forest consisting of gray and silver trees the Palo Santo (Holy Stick), which is without leaves for most of the year.

Seymour is famous for its large colonies that are fluent with different kinds of birds. The very special male frigate birds with their red pouch attract females in breeding time, and the famous Galapagos blue-footed boobies can be observed. These seabirds have a wedge shaped tail, long pointed wings and for courtship, the males lift first one, then the other blue foot into the air and dance to impress the female. Other highlights of this excursion are a beach with small cliffs, the observation of seagulls, many sea lions, marine iguanas and pelicans, most are almost an arm length away.

The freshly cooked lunch consists of two courses, and is served on the yacht. During siesta time, the yacht continues to Bachas beach at the Northern coast of Santa Cruz. First we suggest a short hike to a Flamingo pond just behind the beach, and afterwards refresh with swimming and snorkeling at this lonesome, paradisiac beach with white sand and turquoise water! Sea lions, different kind of rays, tortoises, and tropical fish may join in your underwater experience!

Santa Fe
Departure: 07h45. Santa Fe offers one of the more beautiful and sheltered coves in the islands. Its turquoise lagoon is protected by a peninsula of tiny islets forming an ideal anchorage. The island lies to the southeast of Santa Cruz within sight of Puerto Ayora. Like North Seymour, Santa Fe has been uplifted seismically, and you can see underwater lava formations.

A wet landing on a sandy white beach brings us into contact with one of the many sea lion harems. Bulls vie for the right of Beach Master, while smaller males ask as females to make stealthy mating moves. Galapagos hawks are often easily approached, perched atop salt bushes. The giant prickly pear cactus found here live up to their name, with tree-sized trunks!

Our goal is to spot one of the large species of land iguana native to Santa Fe. Beige to chocolate brown in color with dragon – like spines, these huge iguanas truly resemble dinosaurs. An indigenous species of rice rat also inhabits the thicket, and lucky hikers can spot harmless Galapagos snakes. After the hike, there is nothing more inviting than a swim in the calm waters of the bay.

The return to Puerto Ayora is approximately at 16:30h. Here it is possible to have a walk at the pier, shop for some souvenirs, or enjoy the sunset from the hotel roof before the day ends with a lovely dinner at our restaurant “El Pelicano”.

Day 4: Plazas
The group departs at 8 AM from the hotel, leaving towards the north to the channel of Itabaca, followed by hopping on the yacht to cruise to Plazas South Island. It is one of the smaller islands of the Galapagos which visitors are able to reach, located close the eastern coast of Santa Cruz. After 1 ½ hours, Plazas welcome travelers with a bright colorful red and green carpet of Sesuvio, an endemic plant, spread over the Island, joined with the loud, friendly barking of several sea lion families which have settled down on the shore of the channel between North and South Plazas where the yacht anchors. The turquoise water of the ocean jars perfectly with the white shining beaches and the black lava rocks of the coast.

The hike is easy and goes alongside relaxing sea lions and Land Iguanas which are around most of the Island. This leads to the highest cliff where swallow-tailed gulls cross the air screaming, and here lie the sea lions which could not persist against their competitors climbing up the almost vertical wall. At the same time, tropical birds, bluefooted boobies, and other marine frigate birds glide gently in the wind. We suggest you bring along binoculars in order to get an extraordinary close view of these animals, as well as the other marine life. The view from the highest point over the ocean and the powerful waves breaking at the cliffs is an experience that visitors will not forget.

Afterwards the trip continues to Punta Carrion where lunch is served on board the ship. This is a great spot to snorkel and swim among rays, sharks and hundreds of colorful tropic fish.

Take some time take a refreshing drink back at the hotel bar, before enjoying dinner at the restaurant.

Day 5: Floreana
A new adventure starts at approximately 7.00 am from the pier in Puerto Ayora where the boat is ready to depart.

After 2 hour cruise, the island of Floreana in the South of Santa Cruz is reached. This was the first populated island of the Galapagos that currently still holds unsolved mysteries, romantic sites, and a vivid history, which our guide will tell first hand with the spots where it all happened at sight.

With a bus the group is taken to the Highlands of Floreana. Here, it is possible to feel how the real pirates must have felt in their old, dusky caves that they used in the 17th century as a hideaway. The “Asilo de la Paz” is a pretty lookout with the only source of fresh water for the island.

The finca of the ancient Wittmer family is not only the biggest and oldest property of Floreana, but also a lovely place to enjoy the archipelago. They were one of the first settlers on the island and have given the possibility to many tourists from all over the world to experience this heritage with their knowledge and experience.

On the way back to the village, marvel at the endemic land tortoises of this island.

Once the group attains the pier, playful sea lions, green sea turtles and penguins may pass by.
The cruise now continues on to La Loberia, which is the perfect place to be in order to view the baby sea lions. They may join curiously while the guests snorkel in the bay – it’s truly an unforgettable and simply unique experience.

With these images in mind, the group returns to Santa Cruz, and before it is time for dinner, there is time to get to know the local crafts and arts in Puerto Ayora.

Day 6: Isabela
We will leave at 7:00 AM to Isabela, which is a beautiful island with a great diversity of animals.
Upon arriving to the main dock of Puerto Villamil we will board a bus that takes us to the “Planchonales” fresh lava formations where the animal and plant life starts. Then we continue visiting the Orchillas Hill, the great viewpoint in the highlands of Isabela is perfect to take panoramic pictures of the south of the island and Villamil town with the Pacific Ocean as its background. On the trip of two hours you will have the chance to see different species of Darwin finches.

The following visit is to the white sand beach of Isabela, to observe marine iguanas, blue footed boobies and different kind of marine birds. The snorkel is done at the Concha Perla Bay, it is a beautiful and lonely natural pool between mangroves and lava formation where you can see turtles, rays, different species of fish. The place is located twenty minutes walking from the town Villamil. To get there we will walk on a baulk through mangroves, which begins near the port of the town. The colours of the water, the mangroves and lava formation are amazing!

After lunch, we will continue with the visit to the wetlands, and then passengers will continue to the Breeding Center of Giant Tortoises and cultural center of the Galapagos National Park. We will return to Puerto Ayora around 17:00.

Day 7: Tortuga Bay / Highlands of Santa Cruz
Breakfast is provided at the Hotel.

In the morning, the guide picks up passengers at the hotel to take them through a cactus trail to Tortuga Bay. The first beach is called Playa Brava, due to its strong currents. Here are a lot of marine iguanas, marine birds and pelicans.

Walking for 15 additional minutes you get to Playa Mansa, a kind of natural lagoon visited for blue footed boobies and pelicans, beautiful for swimming and taking sun.

After an eventful morning, everybody returns to the hotel for a great lunch.

Highlands of Santa Cruz
The local guide leaves with the group in the afternoon towards the Highlands of Santa Cruz.

Driving through the rural area of the island, travelers can experience the agriculture of the archipelago, as well as the diversity of its surface. Surrounded by wild landscape and different species of the flora and fauna, it is possible to glance at finches that are famous for being the basis of Darwin´s theory of evolution.

Watch the famous Galapagos land tortoises in their natural environment and learn how the private ranches aid to protect these special animals and their habitat. You can hear their sounds while they are trying to eat the leaves of the trees or while they are searching for delicious nourishment. Tortoises of all different ages and sizes are gathering here: Small young ones with shining carapaces, and older ones which are a little bit more laggard and partly with cracked carapaces – showing tracks of a long life.

The well-known Lava Tunnels are another amazing experience! Formed by the lava floods of the volcanoes, they range from the highlands down to the sea level. The track is collapsed on several spots. Nevertheless, a track of about 30 minutes hike is intact and gives the observer an impression of their formation where the tunnel gets too small to pass or the collapsed rock averts… as if they still hold many undiscovered mysteries. The personalized guide will share in detail the story, of the origin of these tunnels.

The town at sunset shows the contrasts of the Island and invites you to a pleasant dinner back at the hotel.

Day 8: Transfer out
After breakfast, according to the individual flight schedules of our guests, we coordinate every transfer to the airport of Baltra with our hotel staff individually.  Our service does not end until our guests have checked in with full satisfaction, many photographs, and uncountable, unforgettable memories in their luggage while heading back home.