When arriving at the Galapagos airport, you must first pass through the Galapagos National Park entrance and then onto baggage claim. Continuing through the airport with your baggage you will scan your belongings once more and then finally pass through.  

Just outside the doors will be your Guide waiting with a sign to greet you.  Once all those who will be boarding are together, the guide will escort everyone to the vessel to be welcomed by the crew and Cruise Manager.

At the end of your cruise, your guide will transfer you and the rest of the group to the airport specified in the itinerary with assistance at the check-in area.  

Special Note: The following itinerary includes all necessary details on each day’s activities.  If you have further questions please contact your Account Manager or Travel Agent.  

AM: San Cristobal: Arrival and transfer to boat

• Briefing onboard about the boat and the island.

PM: San Cristobal – Interpretation Center

• The Interpretation Center was opened in 1998 as a phase of the project “Interpretation and Environment Education Project.” Visitors enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control. The Interpretation Center has an outdoor stadium, audio-visual equipment, and meeting rooms.
• Highlights: Interactive exhibits
• Possible Activities: Short walk
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: San Cristobal – La Galapaguera

• A visitor site in the southeast part of San Cristobal Island that can be reached in roughly one hour by road from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. On the trees and shrubs surrounding the site, you may see land birds like warbler, finches and mockingbirds, and on the trails, Giant Tortoises.
• Highlights: Giant Tortoises in captivity, land birds
• Possible Activities: Short walk
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Easy

AM: Española – Gardner Bay

• Gardner Bay, on the eastern side of the island, is the breeding site of nearly all of the world´s 12,000 pairs of Waved Albatrosses. It has an ample white sandy beach with a myriad of sea lions, perfect for relaxing. Its rocky shores make this site a great place for diving and snorkeling.
• Highlights: White sandy beach, sea lions, mockingbirds; snorkeling: colorful fish, sea lion nursery
• Possible Activities: Snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking, short hike of (0.6 mi/1 km)
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

AM: Española – Osborn Islet

• After landing, you can walk across a lovely white sand beach amongst a busy sea lion colony or dive into the water to swim with sea lion pups. This small island is a marine visit where you can enjoy fantastic snorkeling and swimming.
• Highlights: White sandy beach, sea lions, and mockingbirds.
• Possible Activities: Snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking, and short hike of (0.6 mi / 1km)
• Type of Landing: Wet Landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Española – Suárez Point

• This area is great for spotting Blue-footed Boobies, albatrosses and Nazca Boobies. A beautiful site on the ocean front, the large Waved Albatrosses use the cliff as a launching pad. The famous attraction is the magnificent blowhole, spurting water high into the air. This site presents wonderful photograph opportunities.
• Highlights: Hood Mockingbird, Nazca Boobies, Waved Albatross, Red-billed tropicbirds, lava lizards, Galapagos Hawk, Blue-footed Boobies, blow hole, amazing landscape
• Possible Activities: Hike (1.9 mi/3 km)
• Type of Landing: Dry Landing
• Difficulty: Difficult

AM: Floreana: Cormorant Point / Devil’s Crown

• This site hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts, White-cheeked Pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The “Green Beach” named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” composed of white coral.
• Highlights: Flamingoes, green-colored beach
• Activities: Dinghy ride & hike (1.2 mi /2 km)
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

AM: Floreana: Devil’s Crown

• One of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos, this volcanic crater has been eroded by the waves leaving the northern and southern sides poking out of the water. The coral reef in the middle is perfect for attracting marine life. Snorkelers enjoy the variety of marine life and exciting currents that rush through the crown, creating an exhilarating experience.
• Highlights: The best snorkeling site in Galapagos Islands with sharks, rays, rock formations, lots of tropical fish.
• Possible Activities: Snorkeling
• Type of Landing: No landing
• Difficulty: Moderate/difficult

PM: Floreana: Post Office Bay

• In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.
• Highlights: Barrel Post Office, nice sandy beach
• Activities: Short hike (less than 0.6 mi/1 km) & snorkeling
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

AM: Santa Cruz – Charles Darwin Station

• The Charles Darwin Research Station is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet long. Sub-species of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans, stretching out their heads for a pet. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.
• Highlights: Giant Tortoises in captivation
• Possible Activities: Walking
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Santa Cruz – Highlands

• Here at the Highlands, you can walk along a path, observing the hills, ferns, volcanoes, and rich wildlife. This area is home to giant tortoises, forest, mockingbirds, Bahama ducklings, White-cheeked Pintail ducklings, Darwin finches, and many other species.
• Highlights: Wild turtles, tortoises breeding center.
• Possible Activities: Hike (1.5 mi/ 2 ½ km)
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Moderate (Long)

AM: Santiago – Sullivan Bay

• Located southeast of Santiago Island, Sullivan Bay is of great geological interest. The area is covered by Pahoehoe lava flows combined with A’A lava. It was very active 200 years ago. This flow is geologically very young. The magma formed is flat, but the movement of underground lava, the rapid cooling and other eruptions led to the break in many places.
• Highlights:  Pahoehoe lava flows, which have hardened in accordion like formation. Small glass-like bubbles of lava can be found, called «hornitos». Swimming with sea lions and other wildlife from the shore is a lovely way to finish off the tour.
• Possible Activities: Hike (1.3 mi / 1 1/2 km) swimming and snorkeling.
• Type of Landing: Dry landing
• Difficulty: Moderate

PM: Bartholomew – Pinnacle Rock

• Home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one o the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos Penguin.
• Highlights: Pinnacle rock, panoramic view, moonlike landscape, penguins, pioneer plants, lava cactus; snorkeling: penguins, reef sharks, rays, and great colorful fish.
• Possible Activities: Dinghy ride, snorkeling & hiking (1.2 mi/ 2km)
• Type of Landing: Dry and wet landings
• Difficulty: Moderate/difficult. Walk up to the top of volcano 114 meters, 375 wooden steps

AM: Genovesa – Darwin Bay

• This white-sand coral beach heads a half mile trail (.75km) that winds through mangroves filled with land birds. Nazca Boobies, Red-footed Boobies, and Swallow-tailed Gulls can be spotted here. Further down the path are tidal pools where sea lions swim playfully. At the end is a spectacular view off a cliff.
• Highlights: Nazca Boobies, Red- footed Boobies, Swallow-tailed Gulls, mangroves, coral pebbles beach, snorkeling: rays, colorful reef fish and hammerhead sharks
• Possible Activities: Hiking (0.9 mi/1.5 km), snorkeling, kayaking & dinghy ride
• Type of Landing: Wet landing.
• Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

PM: Genovesa – Prince Phillip’s Steps

• Also known as El Barranco, Prince Phillip’s Steps’ steep, rocky paths leads up to a high cliff-face. A marvelous view can be appreciated from here. This site is also home to Palo Santo vegetation as well as Red-footed Boobies, Short-eared Lava Owls, Galapagos Swallows, and Galapagos Doves.
• Highlights: Red-footed Boobies, Short-eared Lava Owls, storm-petrels, Galapagos Doves
• Possible Activities: Hiking (0.9 mi/2 km)
• Type of Landing: Dry, difficult landing
• Difficulty: Moderate

AM: Santiago – Puerto Egas

• Also known as James Bay, Egas Port is home to the curious Galapagos Hawks and Quick-footed Galapagos Lava Lizards. The trail leads to a coastline with gorgeous tide pools and grottos full of fauna. Here the Galapagos Fur Sea Lions bathe in the sun. This is also a great snorkeling site.
• Highlights: Fur sea lions, Galapagos Sea Lions, tidal pools and “grottos”, Galapagos Hawk, oyster catchers, marine iguanas, finches; snorkeling: reef sharks, turtles, rays, nice underwater formations.
• Possible Activities: Snorkeling, hiking (1.25 mi/2 km)
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

PM: Santiago – Espumilla Beach

• Espumilla Beach is a popular place for marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot Crabs. The crabs attract the hunting herons, performing the dance of predator and prey. With an abundance of marine life including octopi, moray eel, and shark, snorkeling is highly recommended.
• Highlights: Snorkeling
• Possible Activities: Snorkeling and swimming
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Santiago – Buccaneer Cove

• Years ago Buccaneer Cove was a safe haven where pirates in the 1600 and 1700’s would stake out on the Northwestern side of Santiago Island. Sea turtles now take the pirates place and dig their nests for their eggs near the Mangrove trees. It is a great location for snorkeling and many marine birds and sea lions can be found here.
• Highlights: Historical site, rock formations; tropical fish, turtles, sting-rays while snorkeling
• Possible Activities: Hiking, snorkeling
• Type of Landing: Wet landing
• Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

AM: Santa Cruz – Carrion Point

• Carrion Point creates a sheltered lagoon with beautiful, turquoise water. During this visit you can snorkel and see a variety of fish, rays and perhaps the harmless white-tip reef sharks. The point is on the north coast of Santa Cruz Island at the entrance of Channel of Itabaca.
• Highlights: Snorkeling
• Animals: Fish, rays, white-tip reef sharks
• Type of Landing: None
• Difficulty: Easy

PM: Transfer to the Airport

• Please keep in mind that on departures days, your morning visit will be early and short since we need to be prepared before heading back toward the airport for your returning flight to Ecuador’s mainland.