Best of the Galapagos West

Day 1: Baltra Island | Santa Cruz Island

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to the Galapagos Explorer.

AFTERNOON: Begin your journey exploring Black Turtle Cove located along the northern shores of Santa Cruz Island. Accessible only via panga, Black Turtle Cove is a mangrove estuary. Pristine and naturally secluded, the cove is a haven for rare wildlife and plant species and has been declared a turtle sanctuary. The cove’s mangrove forest is a national park, comprising of three species of mangroves: black, white and red. Here you can encounter green sea turtle, sharks, rays, various boobies, herons and pelicans. Pangas are required to turn off their motors while visiting the cove, allowing you to truly become immersed in the sights and sounds of your natural surrounds.

Day 2: Santiago Island | Rabida Island

MORNING: Today you will explore Sombrero Chino Island, otherwise known as “Chinese hat”. The island features a gently sloping volcanic cone that emerges from the ocean, resembling the distinctive shape of an old-fashioned Chinaman’s hat. Commonly regarded as the geographical centre of the Galapagos Islands, in the west you can see lava formations topped with coral heads, which are an indicator that the flows were once formed under the sea. Look out for bright red Sally lightfoot crab, marine iguana and Galapagos sea lion. The lava cactus growing in between the lava cracks is also an incredible sight.

Sombrero Chino is also known as an excellent snorkelling spot. Protected by the larger Santiago Island, the island’s surrounding waters are calm but still deep enough to attract some spectacular marine life like white-tipped reef sharks. Very lucky snorkellers may also see the rare Galapagos penguin.

AFTERNOON: Also known as ‘Jervis’ in honour of British Admiral John Jervis, Earl of St. Vincent, Rabida Island is one of the most colourful and volcanically varied islands in the archipelago. Its famous red sandy beach and stunning lookouts provide unmatched photographic opportunities. The island is also a birdwatcher’s delight where some of the region’s rarest species are in abundance, including nine varieties of finches, the large-billed flycatcher, the Galapagos hawk and the brown pelican.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 3: Santiago Island

MORNING: Today you will continue to explore Santiago Island, heading to Espumilla Beach. Here you will visit the island’s palo santo forest as well as the multiple marine turtle nesting sites found along its shores.

AFTERNOON: This afternoon you will discover Buccaneer Cove. Located on the northwest side of Santiago, the cover was named after the first navigators that used the island as an anchorage place to beach their boats while they went looking for fresh water and food.

Today, the cove is home to a variety of marine birds, sea lion and fur seal. The cove is no longer a landing site, but a panga ride can be rewarding with sightings of pelicans, herons, swallow-tailed gulls and boobies as well as sea lion and fur seal. Ask you guide about the two unusual rock formations found in the area that have eroded to look like a ‘monk’ and ‘elephant’.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 4: Fernandina Island

Fernandina is the youngest island in the archipelago, with more visible lava fields than any where else in the Galapagos. Situated across the iconic Bolivar Channel from Isabela Island, lucky explorers may be able to spot whale sharks and sunfish en route.

MORNING: This morning you will explore Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island. No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina and the untouched landscape was created by lava fields of the volcano La Cumbre.

Marine iguana conglomerate here in larger groups than on any other island. They bask around in the sand, swim near the shore and sometimes even block the way at the landing dock. Among the unique species found here is also the flightless cormorant. Due to its lack of predators, over time the flightless cormorant has had to adjust its way of survival and perfect its skills of finding food in the ocean. This has resulted in its wings, tail and feet progressively adapting for swimming rather than flying. To see these birds is to witness evolution happening right in front of you. Espinosa Point is home to multiple flightless cormorant nesting sites.

AFTERNOON: A panga tour along Tagus Cove provides you with the opportunity to also see the Galapagos penguin and other iconic sea birds up close. From the landing dock it is about a 30-minute hike along a visitor trail to the top of the cliff from where you can view Darwin Lake, an uplifted ultra-saline lake saltier than the sea. You can also see several volcanoes from here. Look carefully at the graffiti on the surrounding cliffs of the cove that has been written by pirates, whalers and buccaneers in past centuries.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 5: Isabela Island

MORNING: Located on the west shore of Isabela Island at Perry Isthmus is Elizabeth Bay. This bay contains many islets, which can be visited by panga. Penguin and blue-footed boobies can be spotted on the rocky formations along with an abundance of other marine life in the beautiful clear water.

AFTERNOON: Punta Moreno is located on the north coast of the island and is ideal for snorkelling boasting an array of colourful fish, sea lion and even sharks. The main attraction, however, is the area’s unique coastal lagoons which can be seen in the middle of black lava flows. There are also three volcanoes here, including Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul, which are some of the most active in the Galapagos.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 6: Santa Cruz

MORNING: Begin your day with a visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the important conservation work taking place in the Galapagos. Next, visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center which was established to protect and preserve the Galapagos’ tortoise population. Strolling through the park not only showcases the various tortoises but also the land iguana that are bred and nurtured at the centre.

AFTERNOON: After lunch, explore the highlands of Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is the only island in the Galapagos that hosts every habitat type that exists in the archipelago. The journey from the coast into the highlands presents a wonderful opportunity to experience the lush tapestry of plant life that exists on these islands. You will also spend some time at the Tortoise Reserve El Chato where several subspecies of giant tortoises roam free.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 7: Santa Fe Island | South Plaza Island

MORNING: This morning you will explore Santa Fe Island, a charming little bay with two walking trails leading to a scenic viewpoint upon a craggy cliff and the other to a fascinating prickly pear cactus forest. While snorkelling along the rocky coast of the island you can see a variety of fish and sea turtles. On land you can spot colonies of sea lion, land iguana, frigatebirds, Galapagos doves and lava lizards. The island flora is also unique with its forests of giant cacti and palo santo trees.

AFTERNOON: In the afternoon, visit South Plaza Island, a landscape of steep cliffs filled with sesuvium plants and opuntia cacti make for some of the most interesting wildlife observations available in Galapagos. Land iguana are easily seen from the trail hiding in the shade waiting for a prickly pear to fall from the cacti above. Swallow-tailed gulls along with various other sea birds use the rising air to glide effortlessly over the escarpment while the protected rocky seashore is prime habitat for a large colony of noisy sea lion.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 8: San Cristóbal

MORNING: A small island with sandy white beaches, black lava rocks and turquoise waters, Mosquera is the last stop of your Galapagos adventure. Highlights include the island’s vibrant colony of Galapagos sea lion, one of the archipelago’s largest as well as the nesting grounds of the lava gull, the rarest gull species on the planet.

Thereafter, it is time to wave a fond farewell to the Galapagos as you head to Baltra Airport on Baltra Island for your flight onward.

Breakfast included.