Arrival at San Cristobal Airport. Short bus ride to the harbor and settle aboard the catamaran. After lunch you will make a visit to Lobos Islet in San Cristobal Island, where a colony of Galapagos sea lions lives, in particular nurturing mothers with their babies. You may also spot male blue footed boobies and great frigate birds.
Full itinerary map here: http://bit.ly/archipel-ii-8-days-a
Early in the morning you will visit South Plazas, located to the east of Santa Cruz Island, forming a pair of islands known as “Islas Plazas”, where you will see outstanding species such as land and marine iguanas and hybrid iguanas too. After lunch we visit Santa Fe Island, where you may see some endemic species such as the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snake, Galapagos mockingbird, and land iguanas. You will also see one of the many sea lion colonies, and have the possibility to snorkel. After this activity return to the yacht and dinner.
Early in the morning you will visit Chinese Hat, a 52m/170ft high volcanic cone, that forms an islet of the rocky coast of Santiago, and where a small colony of Galapagos penguins have settled. You will also witness how this barren islet has been colonized by pioneer species. Galapagos sea lions, and marine iguanas are also present. After lunch, we go to Dragon Hill at Santa Cruz, consisting of a trail that leads to a hyper-saline lagoon frequently visited by flamingos, pintail ducks and other bird species. Return to the catamaran and dinner.
In the morning we visit Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the protection and conservation of the tortoise’s species of the National Park. After lunch, you will take a bus ride to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island at the National Park boundary, where you visit the Twin Craters, and a local ranch to observe the giant tortoise of Santa Cruz Island in their natural habitat. Return to the catamaran and dinner.
Early in the morning visit to the Tintoreras Islet, where you will be able to see sea lions and Galapagos Penguins, and also White tipped reef sharks (depends on season). After lunch, we land at Puerto Villamil in Isabela Island, the largest and one of the youngest island in the archipelago. First you will visit the Flamingo Lagoon, then the breeding center Arnaldo Tupiza, where you can see hundreds of giant Galapagos tortoises; this project was created to rescue endangered populations of tortoises that live around the island. In the early afternoon, return to the yacht and dinner.
Visit Moreno Point on the north coast of Isabela, between volcanoes Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul, through a trail of solidified lava until a coastal lagoon where you can see several species of birds. During the afternoon we go to Elizabeth Bay, the excursion has no landing point so it is a zodiac ride. You will visit the Marielas islets, and see the most important penguin colony and a cove that is surrounded by red mangroves and observe sea turtles, flightless cormorants, spotted eagle rays, brown pelicans and sea lions. End of the day and dinner.
After breakfast, head to Tagus Cove to see the Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorant and other seabirds. Then hike along the trail to the top of the cliff where you can view Darwin Lake, and the graffiti on the surrounding cliffs of the cove, written by pirates, whalers and buccaneers in past centuries. After lunch, visit Espinosa point in Fernandina, where you will see large colonies of marine iguanas. Dinner and end of the day.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
At the beginning of the day, you will visit Bachas Beach, at the west of Turtle Cove, these are two small beaches and its sand is a nice nesting place for sea turtles. Behind this beaches there is a small brackish water lagoon, where it is possible to observe flamingos and coastal birds, like black necked stilts. The other beach was an strategic point during WWII to protect Panama Channel. After this activity, you will take a shuttle back to Seymour Ecological Airport.
Breakfast