Day 1: Arrival to Baltra Airport. Santa Cruz Highlands - Fausto Llerena Breeding Center
Flight from mainland Ecuador (Quito or Guayaquil) to Baltra, with LATAM Airlines; arriving at 11:40 a.m. approximately. Your guide will meet you at the arrivals gate, our crew will take care of your luggage. Your guide will lead you to a bus and after a short 5-kilometer ride to the pier; you board the Yacht immediately. As the crew weighs anchor, we greet you with our first orientation and we offer a light snack.
After lunch, you make an early wet landing on Mosquera Islet, a reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) and a great white sand beach and tide pools. You observe colonies of sea lions, brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies and sally light-foot crabs; the contrast between these bright red crabs on top and blue on the bottom and the black lava is stunning. Optional: time for those who would like to swim and snorkel. In the evening, we have an orientation about the Galapagos Islands in general: their origin and evolution. Welcome cocktail with the entire crew, and dinner.
Day 2: Baroness Point View / Post O. Bay / Asilo de la Paz - Cormorant Point / Champion Islet
After breakfast, we make a wet landing on Sullivan Bay, a perfect place to get a feel of the volcanic origin of the islands. Optional: time for those who would like to swim and snorkel. We return to the boat for a delicious lunch.
After this, you make a wet landing on Rabida, to walk and observe marine iguanas and sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and brown pelicans. You make a little walk and you arrive at a small saltwater lagoon where you can see pink flamingos. Optional: time for those who would like to swim, snorkel or kayak. Return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation.
Day 3: Suarez Point - Gardner Islet / Gardner Bay / Osborn Islet
After breakfast, we make a dry landing on Espinoza Point to observe and see a large colony of sea lions, marine iguanas and the flightless cormorants and clumps of lava cactus. Optional: time for those who would like to swim and snorkel. You come aboard for lunch.
In the afternoon, you make a panga ride around the islets of Elizabeth Bay to see marine iguanas, penguins, marine turtles, seabirds and shorebirds, herons and blue-footed boobies. Return to the Yacht for dinner and our nightly orientation.
Day 4: Cerro Brujo / Kicker Rock - B. Moreno Port / Isla Lobos / Gianni Arismendy Human Interpretation Center
After breakfast, you make a wet landing on Urbina Bay to take a walk and observe a coral area, land iguanas, flightless cormorants and giant tortoises. Optional: time for those who would like to swim or snorkel. Return to the Yacht for lunch.
In the afternoon, we make a panga ride on Tagus Cove, a cove between the shoulders of two volcanic craters, which protect it from the open sea; we observe penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions and a variety of birds including flightless cormorant and blue-footed boobies.
Day 5: Black Turtle Cove / Baltra
After breakfast, you make a wet landing on James Bay (Puerto Egas), to walk and observe sponges, snails, hermit crabs, a variety of shore birds, barnacles and the endemic four-eyed blenny, marine iguanas and sea lions. Optional: time for those who would like to swim or snorkel. You return to the boat for a delicious lunch.
In the afternoon, you make a dry landing on Bartolome Island, to hike to the summit; during the hike, you observe colonies of marine iguanas and lava lizards. On the summit you see an impressive view of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock. Optional: time for those who would like to swim or snorkel. You return to the yacht for a delicious dinner and our nightly orientation.
