Calipso Naturalist 8 Days - Itinerary A

Upon your arrival to San Cristobal Airport you will be transferred to the boat for settling in and lunch. Then you will visit Witch Hill Located on the northern coast, this eroded hill and its surroundings present one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos with its white powdery sand and the abundance of animals. Wildlife includes sea turtles, rays, and various types of booby birds. The clear water provides an excellent opportunity for enjoying swimming and snorkeling.

Full itinerary map here: http://bit.ly/calipso-naturalist-8-days

Early in the morning you will head to Bartholomew Island, famous for its Pinnacle Rock. You can take a trail of stairs to the summit of this place, and have one of the best views of the island. This place is perfect for snorkeling and to spot Galapagos penguins. In the afternoon, you will head to Chinese Hat located near the southeast coast of Santiago Island. Its name comes from the distinct shape of the islet's summit. This small islet is a great location to view many geological formations such as lava tubes and lava flows.

After breakfast you will head to Fernandina Island, Crossing the Bolivar Channel that divides Isabela and Fernandina Islands, you will land at Espinoza Point, and after walking past a colony of marine iguanas and a group of sea lions, you will reach the island’s highlight: the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area also provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk. In the afternoon: Tagus Cove. You will visit Tagus Cove on Isabela Island which is located across from Fernandina Island, near the Bolivar Channel dividing the two islands. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s, using the area as an anchorage site. Trails winding by Lake Darwin up to a ridge display wonderful views.

First activity of the day will be taking a dinghy ride to Urbina Bay at the base of Alcedo Volcano, place that experience a major uplift, and is now home to land iguanas the biggest in the archipelago and Galapagos hawks. This is also a nice place for snorkeling. In the afternoon you will head to Moreno Point, located near Elizabeth Bay, place that you can access by a dinghy ride, while watching sea turtles and white tip sharks. You can take a trail to the tide pools at this spot to see flamingos and pintail ducks.

Early in the morning you will take a dinghy ride to North Seymour Island, and visit this place while spotting clue footed boobies and magnificent frigate birds, which are abundant at this place. Then you will head to South Plaza Island a place with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. After this activity head back to the yacht for dinner and rest.

Early in the morning you will disembark at Post Office Bay on Floreana Island, place famous for the wooden barrel used as an unofficial mail box by whalers in the 18th century to post their letters, and today visitors leave them as a tradition. Then you will head to Baroness Viewpoint, a fantastic place to absorb the environment of the Galapagos. Once inhabited by an indulgent baroness and her three lovers, the history of this island is intriguing. The trail is easy and you can spot various species along the way. In the afternoon after lunch, you will head to Cormorant Point by a dinghy ride, place that hosts a large flamingo lagoon. There are also two beaches here, one green due to the olivine crystals present in the sand, and the other one like flour, composed of white coral.

After breakfast you will land at Santa Fe Island, with to visitor trails, one to a scenic point at a cliff and the other to a small beach with a pear cactus forest where you will spot land iguanas. In the afternoon you will head to Santa Cruz Island and visit Charles Darwin Research Station, home to various subspecies of Galapagos giant tortoises, which are being breed to preserve the species. You will learn about the efforts made to preserve this magnificent animals.

First activity of the day will be disembarking at San Cristobal Island you visit the Interpretation Center, where you will learn about the human history and natural history of the Island. After this activity you will be transferred to the airport to take your flight back to the continent.