Galapagos on board the Cormorant II

AM | Arrival to Baltra

Morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra, Galapagos Islands. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Cormorant II staff member and brought onto a private bus to start your adventure in Galapagos. Please note that your first excursion in the Galapagos will be after being picked up at the airport upon arrival to the islands, before boarding the cruise. You need to arrive in the Galapagos wearing comfortable clothes, good closed-toe shoes suitable for an excursion, a long-brimmed hat, sun lotion, and sunglasses, and to ensure you have your camera handy.

PM | Santa Cruz Highlands & Fausto Llerena Breeding Center

Accessible by bus from Puerto Ayora, the highlands of Santa Cruz are a deep green which contrasts beautifully with the dry, lower part of the islands. The predominant vegetation in the highlands are Scalesia trees which create a lush green forest. The lava tunnels, over half a mile long, are underground, and walking through them is a unique, surreal experience. At this place, you’ll have lunch. You will visit the “Fausto Llerena” Tortoise Breeding Center in Puerto Ayora, where giant tortoises are bred in captivity. This is home to tortoises ranging from 3 inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet-long adults. Subspecies of the giant tortoises interact with one another, and many of the older tortoises are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.

AM | Tintoreras Islet & Sierra Negra Volcano

Tintoreras Islet, situated a short distance from Puerto Villamil, is teeming with diverse wildlife. Its turquoise, crystalline waters are home to white-tip reef sharks, Galapagos penguins, marine turtles, and sea lions. One of its beaches, surrounded by mangroves, serves as a vital breeding ground for marine iguanas.

You'll then embark on a visit to the Sierra Negra Volcano, boasting the largest basaltic caldera in the Galapagos with a diameter of 6.2 miles (10 km). This site offers breathtaking vistas and the opportunity to observe up to seven species of finches, along with a rich array of vegetation. Evidence of the volcano's most recent eruption in 2005 can be seen on the north side of the caldera.

PM | Wetlands & Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center

The Wetlands of Isabela Island, located just outside Puerto Villamil, encompass lagoons, swamps, and mangroves, providing a habitat for a variety of unique bird species such as common stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintails, and gallinules. These Wetlands can be explored on foot via a path through the swamps.

The Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center, situated approximately one mile (1.5 km) from Puerto Villamil, is dedicated to the conservation of tortoise populations from South Isabela, Sierra Negra Volcano, Cerro Azul, Cazuela, Cinco Cerros, Roca Union, San Pedro, Tables, and Cerro Paloma. In total, the center houses 330 juvenile and adult tortoises.

AM | Moreno Point

Situated southwest of Elizabeth Bay, Moreno Point offers a unique landscape formed by once-flowing lava. Visitors can make a dry landing on the hardened lava, which has left behind craters that now form crystal tide pools. Peering into these pools offers a glimpse into another world, as marine life glides by. Among the brackish pools, you may spot pink flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, and common gallinules. Keen observers might even catch sight of white-tip reef sharks and sea turtles lurking beneath the surface.

PM | Elizabeth Bay

Located on the east coast of Isabela Island, Elizabeth Bay is adorned with numerous islets, accessible by dinghy. These rocky islets are home to penguins and blue-footed boobies, offering excellent opportunities for wildlife observation. With its abundant marine life and clear waters, the bay is perfect for snorkeling, allowing visitors to witness schools of colorful fish, playful sea lions, and perhaps even glimpses of sharks.

AM | Espinoza Point

Upon crossing the Bolivar Channel that separates Isabela and Fernandina Islands, you'll arrive at Espinoza Point. Here, after passing by a colony of marine iguanas and a group of sea lions, you'll reach the island's highlight: the nesting site of the flightless cormorant. This area also offers a great opportunity to observe the Galapagos hawk in its natural habitat.

PM | Vicente Roca Point

Comprising two separate coves, Vicente Roca Point is a vast bay teeming with spectacular marine life. While snorkeling, keep an eye out for seahorses, sea turtles, and the intriguing Mola mola, also known as the sunfish.

AM | Egas Port

Egas Port, also known as James Bay, situated on Santiago Island, is inhabited by curious Galapagos hawks and swift Galapagos lava lizards. Following the trail leads to the coastline adorned with stunning tide pools and grottos teeming with wildlife. Here, you can observe Galapagos fur seals basking in the sun. This area also offers excellent snorkeling opportunities.

PM | Espumilla Beach & Buccaneer Cove

Espumilla Beach is a haven where marine iguanas bask in the sun and Sally Lightfoot crabs attract hunting herons, offering a captivating display of predator-prey interactions. Snorkeling is highly recommended here, offering the chance to encounter octopuses, moray eels, sharks, and a variety of tropical fish species.

Buccaneer Cove serves as a reminder of Santiago Island's past as a refuge for British buccaneers. These pirates would anchor in the protected bay for repairs and to replenish their supplies, including tortoise meat. The towering cliffs, adorned with hundreds of seabirds, overlook the dark red sand beach, creating a magnificent sight.

AM | Pinnacle Rock

Your morning will take you to Bartholomew Island, home to the iconic Pinnacle Rock. Bartholomew showcases an extinct volcano adorned with a variety of volcanic formations in striking hues of red, orange, black, and even green. Embark on a trail of stairs leading to the summit of the volcano, a 30 to 40-minute hike, offering unparalleled views of the islands. You'll also visit a small yet picturesque beach enveloped by the island's sole vegetation. This beach provides an excellent opportunity for snorkeling, where you may encounter and swim alongside Galapagos penguins.

PM | Sullivan Bay

In the afternoon, you'll explore Sullivan Bay, situated on the southeast coast of Santiago. This area is renowned for its fascinating geology, characterized by extensive lava flows. Elevations resembling small volcanoes dot the landscape, formed by the solidified lava.

AM | Chinese Hat Islet

Located near the southeast coast of Santiago Island, Chinese Hat Islet derives its name from the distinctive shape of its summit. This small islet offers an excellent opportunity to observe various geological formations, including lava tunnels and flows. Some of the lava flows were initially formed underwater and subsequently emerged above sea level. The presence of coral heads atop the lava flow attests to this phenomenon.

PM | Dragon Hill

Found on Santa Cruz Island, Dragon Hill stands as one of the newest visitor sites accessible to tourists in the Galapagos Islands. Visitors can embark on one of the longer walking trails in the Galapagos, which leads along a beach and up to a lagoon lookout point. Here, you may spot vibrant flamingos, pintail ducks, and land iguanas amidst the stunning natural surroundings.

AM | North Seymour

North Seymour Island offers an opportunity to encounter a variety of Galapagos wildlife, including Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigatebirds, which abound on this island. Formed by a series of submarine lava flows containing layers of sediment uplifted by tectonic activity, North Seymour is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.

After this final visit, you will be transferred to the Baltra airport in time for your flight back to the mainland.