Itinerary Wednesday - Wednesday

Wednesday: Arrive at Baltra, Galapagos – North Seymour Island
Flight to Galapagos to Baltra Island where you will start your cruises abord the Motor Sailor Sagitta after a short drive to the harbor.

North Seymour is an uplifted (as opposed to volcanic) island and so is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are good nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate birds. Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in the more open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea lions haul out onto the beach and can be found together with marine iguanas.

Thursday : South Plaza – Charles Darwin Station
Located on the east of Santa Cruz, the main characteristics on the small island South Plaza are the Opuntia cacti and the carpets of red sesuvium, a succulent plant that turns green in the rainy season. The cactus is the main food of land iguanas, which are usually found resting at the cactu's shade. The island contains one of the largest sea lion colony of Galapagos, swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds nesting, and boobies roosting on the south cliff of the island.

The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic center of the archipelago, with the largest population of the 4 inhabited islands (approx 10.000). Santa Cruz is also the only island where six different zones of vegetation can be seen: Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia, Miconia, and Pampa Zones. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based here. We will have an opportunity to visit some of the best scientists of their kind. Scientists, park rangers and park managers among others, who make huge efforts to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site, conduct the conservation of the islands. The station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing center, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this island will probably be Lonesome George. He is the only survivor of the specific turtle species.

Friday: Española – Bahia Gardner – Punta Suarez – San Cristóbal Island
Española is the southernmost island of the archipelago, and being so isolated, a high percentage of its fauna is endemic.

Punta Suarez, on the western coast of the island, is one of the most popular and attractive places in Galapagos. Sea lions, the picturesque marine iguana, blue footed and masked boobies nesting next to the trail are found there. This is also the only place in the world where the waved albatross nests. Along the cliffs there is spectacular view of a fantastic blowhole. Gardner Bay has a beautiful white sand beach to be shared with sea lions and curious mocking birds. Afterwards we visit La Galapaguera at San Christobal Island where we can observe giant turtles who are walking around freely. At Puerto Baquerizo, the second largest port of the Galapagos Islands, we will visit the informations center which provides the visitor with an excellent overview regarding the Galapagos' history and nature.Saturday: Floreana - Pto. Cormorant / Devil's crown / Post Office Bay Floreana Island is perceived as one of the most exotic Islands of the archipelago.

At Punta Cormorant you land on a green olivine sand beach. Following a 100 m long path you will soon reach a lagoon with flamingoes, white-checked pintail ducks and other shorebirds. The trail goes on to a white beach made of grinned coral, so it looks like flour. This is the green sea turtle's nesting place. North of Punta Cormorant and eroded volcano, Devil´s Crown , is a snorkel's delight. To the west, Post Office Bay keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers used to send their mail.

Sunday : Isabela Island – Punta Moreno – Elisabeth Bay
The Island Isabela is very big and with its surface it almost covers half of the land of the Galapagos archipelago. Situated at this island is the Punta Morena, a young volcanic landscape with numerous fresh-water pools at which Flamingos, Bahama Ducks and other birds unite.

About 40 kms of Punta Moreno you will find the mangrove bay Bahia Elisabeth with little islands off-shore. Here you can see little dwarf penguins as well as schools of manta rays, turtles and other giants of the ocean such as whale-sharks and others.

Monday : Isabela Island – Urbina Bay / Fernandina Island – Punta Espinoza
This day we start day with the visit of Urbina Bay, a coastline that has been 4 metres uplifted by an volcanic eruption. It is a spectacular place to view coral reefs without needing to dive or snorkel. The flightless cormorant, oversized iguanas and the rare mangrove finch can be observed close by.

The Island Fernandina, which is the most western island of the Galapagos, is a very interesting point to visit. The main attractions of this island are its Lava-Cactuses and the on the surface of the lava growing mangroves as well as numerous animals such as sea lion colonies, penguins, the flightless cormorant and the iguanas.

Tuesday : Santiago - Puerto Egas/ Bartholome
From the visitor center at James Bay on the island Santiago a small path leads you in southern direction along the coast. Passing by the ruins of a former salt mine company and the many inhabitants of the bank area, like sea lions, lizards, herons, and cancers, you arrive at the famous fur seal grotto, the best place at Galápagos in order to observe these elegant animals.

Bartolome is a small island that has beautiful white sand beaches, luxuriant green mangroves and a colony of penguins. Activities will include swimming and snorkeling and a climb to the summit of the island for one of the most breathtaking views in all the Galapagos. From the summit you will have the best view of the often-photographed Pinnacle Rock. The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some fine snorkeling spots from which you can discover the marvelous underwater world with a good chance to encounter penguins or the softly gliding turtles.

Wednesday: Santa Cruz – Cerro Dragon- Baltra - return flight
At the Island Santa Cruz we will head for the hill Cerro Dragon, which is an excellent spot for observing land lizards and swallow-tailed gulls. Nearby is a lagoon where you can observe flamingos. Transfer to Baltra to the Airport and flight back to Guayaquil or Quito.