DAY 1 – MONDAY

am – Baltra Airport

Departing from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island in a 2:30 hour flight.  Upon arrival in the Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our Natural Guides and taken to a 10-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.

pm – Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island)

Dry landing. In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: flat & muddy

Duration: 1 hour 30 min bus ride / 1 hour 30 min visit

DAY 2 – TUESDAY

am – Barranco, Prince Philip’s Steps (Genovesa Island)

Dry landing. Riding our dinghy to the far side of the caldera, red-billed tropicbirds display vociferously overhead while Galapagos fur seals can be seen on the shoreline. Once at the top of the rocky stairway we are immediately met by Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, mockingbirds and finches that line our way through a palo santo forest until we arrive at an expansive open lava field. Wedge-rumped storm petrels swarm above the lava where we keep our eyes peeled for short-eared owls.

Difficulty level: moderate

Type of terrain: rocky – lava

Duration: 45 minute walk

pm – Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island)

Wet landing. From within the flooded caldera of Tower Island we set foot onto a sandy beach to be greeted by swallow-tailed gulls often said to be the most beautiful gull in the world. Our short, flat, trail leads us past stands of mangroves and saltbush on which we have our best possible looks at nesting red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds. At the tidal lagoon we may also see the rarest gull in the world, our very own, endemic lava gull.

Difficulty level: moderate

Type of terrain: sand and lava.

Duration: 2-hour walk

DAY 3 -WEDNESDAY

am – South Plaza Island

Wet landing. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and land iguanas are all present at the landing site.  The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, we spend time watching birds fly past at eye level in the up draught. These include, frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds. Back at sea level, we once again encounter land iguanas, some of which have hybridized with their resident marine cousins.

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain: rocky

Duration: 2-hour walk

pm – Santa Fe Island

After a fabulous snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay we may have enjoyed time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. Landing onto a sandy beach we are immediately distracted by the abundant sea lions there with us. We begin a walk past a forest of island-endemic giant Opuntia cacti. Here we search for another island-endemic the Santa Fe land iguana, paler than its cousins on other islands. Galapagos hawks and even endemic rice rats are also things to look out for.

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain: rocky

Duration: 1 ½ hour walk / 1 hour deep water snorkeling

DAY 4 – THURSDAY

am – Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island)

Wet landing. Named for some wrecked World War II barges whose ribs are still visible in the sand this visitor site offers a lovely walk along the shore and a visit to a lagoon behind the high tide line with wading birds, marine iguanas and sometimes even flamingoes. The two beaches are also favorite nesting sites for green turtles which often leave tractor-like tracks in the sand.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: sandy

Duration: 1-hour walk / beach time

pm- Baltra Airport

After the visit you will go to Baltra Airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

DAY 1 – THURSDAY

am – Baltra Airport

Departing from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island in a 2:30 hour flight.   Arriving in the Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our natural guides and taken to a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.

pm – Mosquera Islet

This tiny, low lying islet, covered in coral sand, is set between North and South Seymour Islands. It is home to a group of sea lions that come to laze on the soft white sand. It is a good spot to observe shorebirds as well as herons, lava gulls and boobies. Snorkeling or diving here one can often see sharks, rays and barracudas.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: sandy

Duration:1 ½-hour walk / snorkeling

DAY 2 – FRIDAY

am – Egas Port (Santiago Island)

Wet landing. The black volcanic sand sets this landing apart from most. It is best known for the dramatic shoreline where we meet a host of species that chose to live between land and sea. Particular among these are the endemic Galapagos fur seals which maintain a small colony at the end of our walk. Other species of note include American oystercatchers, sea lions, waders, herons, lava lizards and even Galapagos hawks. An optional visit takes us to an abandoned salt mine famous in its day for supplying salt to mainland Ecuador.

Difficulty level: moderate

Type of terrain: flat & semi rocky

Duration: 1 ½ hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

pm – Rabida Island

Wet landing. Lying at the heart of the archipelago this dramatic island, with its distinctive red-sand beach, is home to sea lions, mockingbirds, finches, endemic Galapagos doves and vermillion flycatchers. A walk takes us through a forest of palo santo and cacti to a beautiful overview of the bay. Snorkeling here can be excellent, often with large schools of black-striped salemas, sea lions and the ubiquitous turtles.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: sandy

Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling / 1 hour dinghy ride

DAY 3 – SATURDAY

am – Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

Wet landing. At the far end of a long, level hike we arrive at a strange phenomenon where large blocks of coral lie completely exposed after a dramatic geological uplift in 1954. Located at the western base of Alcedo Volcano we hope to run into a few very impressive land iguanas as well as some of the volcano´s endemic Galapagos giant tortoises during the wet season.

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain: flat & rocky

Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling

pm – Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)

Dry landing. A well-known hideout and deep-water anchorage in the days of pirates, Tagus Cove was also one of the few sites visited by Charles Darwin and the HMS Beagle in 1835. A beautiful hike leads us past an overview of Darwin Lake and on to a stunning volcanic landscape revealing Isabela island´s dramatic northern volcanoes. Once back at sea level the perfect activity is to snorkel along a submerged wall with turtles, lots of fish, penguins and potentially flightless cormorants. You might even be tempted by a dinghy ride or kayak!

Difficulty level: intermediate / difficult

Type of terrain: steep & steep

Duration: 2 hour walk / 40 minutes dinghy ride / 1 hour deep water snorkeling

DAY 4 – SATURDAY

am – Punta Espinosa (Fernandina Island)

Dry landing. The youngest island of Galapagos and one of the most pristine in the world. Fernandina is simply the ‘marine iguana capital of the world´, This desolate volcanic backdrop is home to a huge concentration of these enigmatic reptiles. Incongruously, sharing the same shoreline, we can find the diminutive Galapagos penguins. Here we also have the exciting opportunity to snorkel with marine iguanas feeding underwater, penguins, turtles and the bizarre, endemic, flightless cormorants.

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain: flat & semi rocky

Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling

pm – Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island)

This is a spectacular visitor site, surrounded by immense cliffs of the eroded volcano. Studded with resting sea birds such as brown noddies and Nazca boobies, we will enjoy them in close proximity from our dinghies. Snorkeling here is superb, with certain species of fish only found in the west of the archipelago. We also have a very real chance of swimming with penguins and potentially a plethora of green turtles.

Difficulty level: moderate / high

Type of terrain: water

Duration: 1-hour snorkeling / 1 hour dinghy ride

DAY 5 – MONDAY

am – Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island)

Dry landing.  In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: flat & muddy (depending on season)

Duration: 45 minutes drive / 1 ½ hour walk

pm- Baltra Airport

After the visit you will go to Baltra Airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

Day 1: Monday
– 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/V Galapagos Legend.

pm -North Seymour Island

This flat, uplifted, island is an important spot to see both magnificent and great frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their grossly inflated, bright red, gular pouch. We will also likely see courting blue-footed boobies displaying their unique feet while dancing to a prospective mate. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views the Daphne Islands top off a great visit.

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain: rocky

Duration: 2-hour walk, 3o minutes snorkeling

DAY 2 – TUESDAY

am – Bartolome Island

Considered the most iconic landscape of the entire archipelago the view from the top of Bartolome Island, overlooking the famous Pinnacle Rock and the austere Santiago Island beyond is well worth the climb up the wooden boardwalk. This volcanic scene has often been likened to a lunar landscape. Our subsequent snorkel here might put us face to face with Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions.

Difficulty level: intermediate

Type of terrain­: trail made of 37a steps.

Duration:  1 ½ hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

pm – Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island)

Wet landing. This site located at the southeastern portion of Santiago Island is of important geologic interest. It features extensive relative young pa-hoe-hoe lava flows formed during the last quarter of the 19th century. In the middle of the lava flow, older reddish-yellow- colored tuff cones appear. Mollugo plants with their yellow-to-orange whorled leaves usually grow out of the fissures. Walking on the solidified lava gives the impression of been in another planet. Tree molds are found, indicating that in that position large size plants grew in small crevices, until the lava flow of past eruptions burned down the flora of the island.

Difficulty level: difficult

Type of terrain: flat volcanic lava

Duration: 1 ½ hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling / beach time

DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY

am – Punta Pitt &Pitt Islet (San Cristobal Istand)

Sea lions will greet us as we land on the beach and prepare for our climb to a high point on the steep eroded tuff cone. This is the only place in the islands where we will enjoy the chance to see all three of the booby species in the same place. The red-foots will be perched on the Cordia lutea and small trees, the Nazcais on the ground near the cliff edge while the blue-foots will be a little further inland. Frigatebirds will be all around and the views are breathtaking.

Difficulty level: difficult

Type of terrain: rocky

Duration: 2 ½ hour walk / 4o-minutes snorkeling or kayaking

pm – Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)

From our pongas, as we head to shore, we are first humbled by the immensity of the stunning cliffs of ésorcereris Hilli. We can enjoy simply sharing the beach with sea lions, snorkeling from shore or take a walk to a hidden lagoon where we might spot black- necked stilts, ruddy turnstones. whimbrels and white-cheeked pintails

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: sandy

Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

DAY 4 – THURSDAY

am – Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristobal Island)

In the moist highlands of San Cristobal we will visit the giant tortoise breeding center La Galapaguera to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in its various life stages. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photographic opportunities. The aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise back into the wild. In town, there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.

Difficulty: intermediate

Type of Terrain: sandy

Duration: 4o-minute bus drive to the Reserve / 1-hour visit

am – San Cristobal Airport

After the visit you will go to San Cristobal Airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Ouito.

DAY 1 – THURSDAY

AM – San Cristobal Airport:

Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to San Cristobal.  Upon arrival passenger are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the Galapagos Legend.

PM – Interpretation Center & Frigatebird Hill (San Cristobal Island):

The interpretation center is full of interesting information and offers the perfect overview ot the formation of Galapagos, it´s significance in the world, threats and conservation efforts.  Followed by a hike to Frigate Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) we will have great look at both species of frigatebird with the bonus of a beautiful view of the bay below.

Difficulty level: easy / intermediate

Type of terrain: flat / stairs

Duration: 1-hour visit / 1 hour walk

DAY 2 – FRIDAY

AM – Garden Bay (Española Island):

One of the most stunning beaches in all of Galapagos.  The long white sandy beach, lapped by turquoise waters in home to a colony of Galapagos sea lions, indifferent to the humans that walk amongst them.  The Hood mockingbirds, endemic to his particular island, will be eager to inspect the visitors and satisfy their innate curiosity.  Darwinis finches may also join the throng including the reclusive warbler finch. We can also snorkel her from the beach in the shallows of the bay.

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain­: sandy

Duration:  1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

PM – Punta Suarez (Española Island):

One of the highlight visits of the trip Punta Suarez seems to have everything – a naturalistis paradise. A slew of marine iguanas and sea lions greet us at the landing site from where our walk continues with close encounters of boobies, endemic lizards, gulls and even a dramatic blow hole. The oldest extant island in the archipelago it is our only opportunity to commune with the endemic waved albatross during their breeding season between April and December. With lucky we can watch their complex courtship display

Difficulty level: difficult

Type of terrain: rocky

Duration: 2 ½ hour walk

DAY 3 – SATURDAY

AM – Post Office (Floreana Istand):

A very short walk from the beach leads us to the famous Post Office Barrel.  Claimed to have been first setup in 1793 by Captain James Colnett it remains the oldest functioning epost office in the Pacific. The system was that whalers and fur sealers would leave addressed letter in the barrel to be picked up by homeward bound colleagues. In the spirit of maintaining tradition visitors today will often take and hand deliver them in their home countries

Difficulty level: easy

Type of terrain: sandy

Duration: 30 minutes walk / 1 hour snorkeling

PM – Punta Cormoran, Devil´s Crown (Floreana Island):

Punta Cormoran: on arriving the observant visitor will notice that olivine, a volcanic crystal, has proffered a subtle grren hue on the dark beach. Our walk takes us past island- endemic Scalesia plants to a large, shallow, lagoon often inhabited by a variable number of shockingly pink greater flamingoes.  We continue through a forest of palo santo trees to arrive at a powdery white beach, a nestin area of green turtles.  As we paddle barefoot in the shallow water we will spot diamond stingrays and white tipped reef sharks.

Devil´s Crown: One of the favourite snorkeling in the islands. Devil´s Crown, an eroded volcanic cone, is home to an abundance of fish and marine animals.  We will swim with big schools of yellow tailes surgeonfish, salemas, and creolefish and with lucky may spot turtles, spotted eagle rays, parrotfish and even hammerhead sharks.

DAY 4 – SUNDAY

AM – Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island):

Arriving to a small lava dock our fist encounters are with marine iguanas that blend – in perfectly to the dark rock.  As we walk past large prickly pear cacti we arrive to one end of a long, sickle – shaped, beach with Dragon Hill standing in the distance.  Our walk takes us on a circular path, past a shallow lake where flamingoes frequently come to feed.  Waders such as stilts, turnstones and sandpipers work the muddy edges frenetically looking for food as we continue inland to a dry forested habitat where land iguanas nest and burrow.

Difficulty: intermediate

Type of Terrain: rocky

Duration: 2 hour walk

PM – Punta Bowditch (Santa Cruz Island):

Feel the indescribable feeling of being were no one else has. Relax on a powdery beach, snorkel around turquoise water islets and hike beside salt pools and dried white corals.

Difficulty: easy

Type of Terrain: sandy

Duration: 30 minutes walk / 1 hour snorkeling

DAY 5 – MONDAY

AM – Highlands Tortoise Reserve:

In the mountains of Galapagos is possible to admire different kind of birds, such as: tree and ground finches, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers and cattle egret.  The journey to the reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrast that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems. The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up the dese humid forests.  Often Galapagos giant tortoise are also seen on the way wandering through pastures in the paddocks. 

Difficulty: easy

Type of Terrain: flat & muddy (depending on season(

Duration: 45 minutes walk / 1½  hour walk

After the visit passenger will be transferred to the ariport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.