| Day | Visitor Site |
|---|---|
| Saturday | AM - Baltra, Highlands of Santa Cruz |
| PM - Darwin Station, Puerto Ayora | |
| Sunday | AM - Floreana: Punta Cormorant, Champion |
| PM - Post Office Bay, Black Beach, Asilo de la Paz | |
| Monday | AM - Isabela: Bahía Elizabeth |
| PM - Punta Moreno | |
| Tuesday | AM - Isabela: Bahía Urbina |
| PM - Fernandina: Punta Espinoza | |
| Wednesday | AM - Isabela: Caleta Tagus |
| PM - Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela) | |
| Thursday | AM - Santiago: Playa Espumilla, Caleta Bucanero |
| PM - Puerto Egas, Mina de Sal | |
| Friday | AM - Santa Cruz: Las Bachas |
| PM - North Seymour | |
| Saturday | AM - Baltra |
Day 1 – Baltra Island & Santa Cruz Island
AM: Arrival in airport and transfer to the boat. Briefing on board about the boat and the island.
PM: The highlands are located in the northern part of the island and can reach elevations up to 1500 meters. On a journey into the higher elevations of Santa Cruz you will experience all seven different vegetation zones. The vegetation here is abundant and lush and the weather moist.
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.
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.
PM: Osborn Islet is a small island to the southeast of Española Island is a marine visit where you can enjoy fantastic snorkeling and swimming.
Suárez Point is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Española Island mockingbirds, Galápagos doves and Galápagos hawks. Several types of reptiles, including the marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island.
Day 3 – San Cristobal Island
AM: 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.
León Dormido is a small, distinctive island that comprises two rocks which jut out of the ocean and is home to a large colony of sea birds. Kicker Rock is an excellent dive site where you could see many reef fish as well as hammerhead and Galápagos sharks. Sightings of large rays and turtles are common but not guaranteed.
PM: One of the first sites visited by Charles Darwin, Cerro Brujo is a beautiful white-sand beach where brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and marine iguanas can all be found. An onshore version of nearby Kicker Rocks, Cerro Brujo is a very striking, eroded tuff cone. There is also fantastic snorkeling in the turquoise waters.
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 –Genovesa Island
AM: The beach of Darwin Bay is a coral beach where a 750m trail takes you through more seabird colonies. You get to see the cliffs from the seaward side, which are home to a large red-footed booby colony. Once ashore the number of birds seems overwhelming – Nazca boobies soar overhead, great frigate birds display their pouches while resting on the nearby rocks and plants, and mockingbirds scamper quickly across the sand.
PM: Prince Phillip´s step is an extraordinary, steep path that leads through a seabird colony full of life, up to cliffs that are 25m high. At the top the trail continues inland, passing more seabird colonies in a thin palo santo forest. Leaving the forest you can overview a rocky plain. You could get a view of masked and red-footed boobies, great frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropicbirds and hundreds of storm petrels at the edge of the cliff.
Day 6 – Santiago Island & Bartholomew Island
AM: The Sullivan Bay lava field has a variety of interesting patterns made by the shapes and textures of trees that once existed there and hornitos caused when pockets of gas or water trapped under the lava exploded. The low-lying mollugo and the lava cactus are the only plants that have managed to take root in this harsh environment. On the shoreline black and white oystercatchers can be seen fishing for crabs and molluscs in the tide pools.
PM: Bartholomew is the most photographed island in the Archipelago, and its pictures are the most shown next to Galapagos’ name. In fact, a walk through an unusual lava landscape, and then up some wooden stairs, will take you to the top, from where the view is more spectacular than what the images suggest.and calm waters where you can snorkel amongst sea lions.
Day 7 – Rábida Island & Sombrero Chino Island
AM: The high amount of iron contained in the lava at Rábida gives the island a distinctive red color. White-Cheeked Pintail Ducks live in a salt-water lagoon close to the beach, where brown pelicans and boobies have built their nests. Up until recently, flamingos were also found in the salt-water lagoon, but they have since moved on to other islands, likely due to a lack of food on Rábida. Nine species of Finches have been reported in this island.
PM: Sombrero Chino is named after its shape formed by volcanic rock giving it the name, Chinese Hat. Since it was given a maximum visiting capacity by the National Park Service it offers rare, up close viewing of Galapagos wildlife and well preserved remnants of fragile volcanic rock that can’t be found in such a unique condition anywhere else. The islet is home to a colony of sea lions on the white coral sand beach. Here you can see American Oystercatchers, Galapagos Penguins swimming along the shores, and Sally-Lightfoot Crabs in bright contrast to the dark volcanic rock.
Day 8 – Baltra Island
AM: Transfer to the Airport
| Departure | Arrival | |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 25th of May 2024 | Saturday 1st of June 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 8th of June 2024 | Saturday 15th of June 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 22nd of June 2024 | Saturday 29th of June 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 6th of July 2024 | Saturday 13th of July 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 20th of July 2024 | Saturday 27th of July 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 3rd of August 2024 | Saturday 10th of August 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 17th of August 2024 | Saturday 24th of August 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 31st of August 2024 | Saturday 7th of September 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 14th of September 2024 | Saturday 21st of September 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 28th of September 2024 | Saturday 5th of October 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 12th of October 2024 | Saturday 19th of October 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 26th of October 2024 | Saturday 2nd of November 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 9th of November 2024 | Saturday 16th of November 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 23rd of November 2024 | Saturday 30th of November 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 7th of December 2024 | Saturday 14th of December 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 21st of December 2024 | Saturday 28th of December 2024 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 4th of January 2025 | Saturday 11th of January 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 18th of January 2025 | Saturday 25th of January 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 1st of February 2025 | Saturday 8th of February 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 15th of February 2025 | Saturday 22nd of February 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 1st of March 2025 | Saturday 8th of March 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 15th of March 2025 | Saturday 22nd of March 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 29th of March 2025 | Saturday 5th of April 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 12th of April 2025 | Saturday 19th of April 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 26th of April 2025 | Saturday 3rd of May 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 10th of May 2025 | Saturday 17th of May 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 24th of May 2025 | Saturday 31st of May 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 7th of June 2025 | Saturday 14th of June 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 21st of June 2025 | Saturday 28th of June 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 5th of July 2025 | Saturday 12th of July 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 19th of July 2025 | Saturday 26th of July 2025 | [request availability] |
| Saturday 2nd of August 2025 | Saturday 9th of August 2025 | [request availability] |