Galaxy 10 Days A

Day 1 – San Cristobal Island
AM: Arrival at the airport and transfer to the boat. Briefing onboard about the boat and the island.
PM: Isla Lobos is a small island named after the sea lions that rest and play on its rocky shores. It is also home to blue-footed boobies, great frigate-birds, brown pelicans, lava gulls, common noddies, yellow warblers and small and medium ground finches. There is good snorkeling in the clear waters of the channel and this is one of the best sites at which to swim with sea lions underwater.

Day 2 – Española Island
AM: Gardner Bay has a magnificent beach with turquoise waters. Around the small islets nearby, snorkellers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. The bay is also frequented by a transient colony of sea lions which like to swim with you. Birds, like the endemic Hood-mockingbird and different species of Darwin finches, are omnipresent.
Osborn Islet is a small island to the southeast of Española Island is a marine visit where you can enjoy fantastic snorkeling and swimming.
PM: Located on the north shore of Santa Cruz, Las Bachas is a swimming beach. One of the few remnants of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galápagos, a floating pier, can be seen here. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest off the beach.

Day 3 – Floreana Island
AM: The Baroness´ Observatory is a site that shows a breath-taking view of La Lobería and the inland features of Floreana Island. You can also learn about the mysterious disappearance of Baroness Eloise Wehrborn de Wagner-Bosquet, an attractive young Austrian, who lived on Floreana with her two lovers.
The best known site on Floreana is Post Office Bay, a white-sand beach where in the past sailors used to leave and receive their letters in a barrel. The tradition continues – leave your postcard in the barrel and see how long it takes to be delivered, and at the same time if there is a postcard with an address close to your home, please take it with you
PM: Noted for the volcanic green olivine crystals found in the beach, Cormorant Point offers a trail overlooking a saltwater lagoon that is a favourite of flamingos. Beyond the lagoon the trail leads to a magnificent white-sand beach. Green sea turtles lay their eggs in the sands here during the night and their tracks leading to and from the sea mark the beach.
Arguably the best snorkeling site in the islands, Devil’s Crown is a collapsed volcanic cone that boasts an extraordinary number and variety of fish. It is a popular roosting site for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans, and frigates. In addition, sharks, sea lions, sea turtles and eels can be found amongst the rocks and corals.

Day 4 – Santa Fe Island & South Plaza Island
AM: Santa Fe is a volcanic uplift and hosts a forest of Opuntia cactus, which are the largest of the archipelago, and palo santo. Weathered cliffs provide a haven for swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds, and sehar-waters petrels. The Santa Fe species of land iguanas are often seen, as well as lava lizards. There is a picturesque turquoise lagoon and calm waters where you can snorkel amongst sea lions.
PM: South Plaza has one of the largest populations of land iguanas in the Galápagos. It is also home to marine iguanas and a hybrid iguana whose fathers are marine iguanas and mothers are land iguanas. There are cliffs with spectacular views and a rocky trail circumnavigates the island displaying the combination of dry and coastal vegetation zone. The island is home to enormous prickly pear cactus and the endemic succulent sesuvian.

Day 5 – Santa Cruz Island
AM: Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the Galápagos Islands with many restaurants, souvenir shops, discotheques, bars, internet coffee shops and other stores. A good way to wind down after a Galápagos Islands cruise is to take a stroll through the town of Puerto Ayora. The bay is a good location to spot brown pelicans, golden rays, marine iguanas, herons, lava gulls, frigate birds, Galápagos sea lions, and large numbers of blue-footed boobies.
The Charles Darwin Research Station is an international not-for-profit organization that provides scientific research, technical information and assistance to ensure the proper preservation of the Galápagos Islands. Visitors can learn about natural history, issues concerning the islands, and see the tortoise breeding and rearing project at work.
PM: El Chato is a reserve in the highlands of Santa Cruz, where you have the amazing opportunity to observe the magnificent giant tortoise in the wild. This area is vegetated with transition zone vegetation and is located in the humid zone of the highlands of Santa Cruz. The walk to the reserve is one of the best places to observe ground birds, tree and ground finches, the vermillion flycatcher, cattle egrets and occasionally Galápagos rails.
Los Gemelos, Spanish for The Twins, are two volcanic depressions on the highest part of Santa Cruz. The larger of the two volcanic pits is featured here. In contrast to the dry coastal lowlands, the highlands are covered by mist in the garua (foggy) season and receive thus much more moisture and support a more luxuriant vegetation.

Day 6 – Isabela Island
AM: A short distance from Puerto Villamil is the small island known as 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. On the nearby sandy beaches, sea lions play and relax in the sun. This is one of Isabela’s most beautiful visitor sites.
The Wetlands of Isabela Island are located just outside of Puerto Villamil. The Wetlands consist of lagoons, swamps and mangroves and are home to a variety of unique bird species such as common stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintails and gallinules. The Wetlands can be visited on foot via a path that winds through the swamps.
PM: The Tortoise Breeding center was created to protect animals in their first years of life from the threats of foreign species such as pigs and donkeys. Giant tortoise eggs are collected and brought to the center where they are hatched and kept for five years before being released to their natural environment.

Day 7 – Isabela Island
AM: Elizabeth Bay is a marine visitor site. As enter you the bay Galápagos hawks can soar overhear and schools of pompanos and dorados can be seen swimming underneath you. Las Marielas, the small islets just outside the bay, are home to the largest concentration of Galápagos penguins living in the Islands. You can also see a red mangrove cove, passing through the red root and green leaf breeding ground for fish.
PM: The waters of Urbina Bay are a good place to see turtles and rays and ashore is a short trail leading to a coral reef, which is evidence of an uplift from the sea which occurred in 1954. This provides the rare experience of walking in the middle of a bed of coral. Marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and pelicans can be seen at this site.

Day 8 – Fernandina Island & Isabela Island
AM: Punta Espinosa is a narrow stretch of land where hundreds of marine iguanas gather largely on black lava rocks. The famous flightless cormorant inhabits this island and Galápagos penguins, pelicans and sea lions are also abundant. Different types of lava flows can be compared and the mangrove forests can be observed.
PM: Tagus Cove was named after a British warship which anchored here in 1814, this cove is located to the west of the island and you can take a panga (zodiac) trip below the high cliffs. Here there is an opportunity to see penguins as well as marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs and sea lions. Blue-footed boobies are also in abundance.

Day 9 – Santiago Island
AM: Puerto Egas, with its black sand beaches, was the site of small salt mining industry in the 1960s. A hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to sight land birds such as finches, doves, and hawks. A walk down the rugged shoreline will turn up many marine species. Iguanas bask on the rocks and sea lions laze in the tide pools. At the end of the trail there is a series of grottoes or sea caves where fur seals and night herons are found.
PM: This large coffee-coloured sand beach is just north of the prized fresh water supply that once attracted pirates and whalers. A short walk inland will take you through a mangrove forest normally inhabited by the common stilt. Sea turtles also visit these mangroves to nest. Beyond the mangroves is a brackish lagoon where flocks of pink flamingos and white-cheeked pintails can be seen. Sea turtles often lay their eggs on Espumilla Beach.
Buccaneer Cove is a testament to the fact that Santiago Island was once a refuge for British buccaneers. These pirates would anchor in the protected bay to make repairs and stock up on tortoise meat among other things. The steep cliffs, where hundreds of seabirds perch in front of the dark red sand beach, are a magnificent site.

Day 10 – Santa Cruz Island & Baltra Island
AM: Black Turtle Cove is located on the north side of the island and is only accessible by boat and with a guide. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cownose rays, spotted eagle rays, and an occasional hammerhead shark. Pelicans and Boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water.

Transfer to the Airport.

Departure	Arrival
Tuesday 21st of May 2024	Thursday 30th of May 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 4th of June 2024	Thursday 13th of June 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 18th of June 2024	Thursday 27th of June 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 2nd of July 2024	Thursday 11th of July 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 16th of July 2024	Thursday 25th of July 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 30th of July 2024	Thursday 8th of August 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 13th of August 2024	Thursday 22nd of August 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 27th of August 2024	Thursday 5th of September 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 10th of September 2024	Thursday 19th of September 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 24th of September 2024	Thursday 3rd of October 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 8th of October 2024	Thursday 17th of October 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 22nd of October 2024	Thursday 31st of October 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 5th of November 2024	Thursday 14th of November 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 19th of November 2024	Thursday 28th of November 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 3rd of December 2024	Thursday 12th of December 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 17th of December 2024	Thursday 26th of December 2024	[request availability]
Tuesday 31st of December 2024	Thursday 9th of January 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 14th of January 2025	Thursday 23rd of January 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 28th of January 2025	Thursday 6th of February 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 11th of February 2025	Thursday 20th of February 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 25th of February 2025	Thursday 6th of March 2025	[request availability]
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Tuesday 6th of May 2025	Thursday 15th of May 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 20th of May 2025	Thursday 29th of May 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025	Thursday 12th of June 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 17th of June 2025	Thursday 26th of June 2025	[request availability]
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Tuesday 15th of July 2025	Thursday 24th of July 2025	[request availability]
Tuesday 29th of July 2025	Thursday 7th of August 2025	[request availability]