Origin & Theory & Evolve - A+B combination 15 Days

Upon arrival in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (SCY) SAN CRISTOBAL Island, our guides will be waiting to escort you to your expedition yacht. After a short ride by bus to the dock, and by Zodiac to the yacht anchored in the bay, you’ll be shown your cabin and treated to a delicious lunch. There will be a welcome briefing and a brief safety drill afterward you can chose your snorkel equipment and wet suit for the week. You’ll have time to settle in after lunch before the yacht leaves the harbor. Within a few hours, we reach Leon Dormido, (Spanish for sleeping lion), a remnant of a vertical tuff cone formation, rising 500 feet from the ocean. Erosion has split the rock providing a spectacular backdrop for photographs at sunset. As we circumnavigate the formation, you’ll easily spot blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigatebirds on the cliffs. After a briefing on activities for the following day, join our Captain and crew for a cocktail reception. An elegant multi-course dinner, prepared by our accomplished chefs is served.

Full itineray map here: http://bit.ly/origin-15-days-ab

The first visit will be to Witch Hill, by a zodiac ride, a breathtaking white coral beach, with expansive views and good birdwatching. Take a peaceful walk along the beach, or swim with sea lions from the beach. Take out the kayaks or stand up paddle boards for a different perspective of the marine life. You can also enjoy a scenic Zodiac ride that takes us through a cave called The Cathedral. After BBQ lunch served on the sun deck if the weather allows it, you will visit Pitt Point a tuff formation that serves as a nesting site for many sea birds including all three types of boobies – blue-footed, Nazca and red-footed boobies, both frigate bird species, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, shearwaters, and brown pelicans. You can also snorkel with sea lions and various species of fish at this spot. After this activity return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Early in the morning, you will disembark at Suarez Point on Española Island, home to the greatest number of endemic species found in Galapagos. You can spot sea lions, curious Hood mockingbirds, and from April to December there are waved albatross, that perform their mating ritual. There are also colonies of blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. You can also find Darwin’s finches, Galapagos Doves and Galapagos Hawks. After this visit return to the yacht for lunch onboard. Then disembark at Gardner Bay, where large colonies of sea lions dot the white sand beach. You can take a stroll or relax at the beach. You can also swim with playful sea lions from the beach or explore the bay and islets by kayak or paddle board. After this activity return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

First activity of the day will be landing at Cormorant Point on Floreana Island, to visit the olivine sand beach. You will spot sea lions, lava herons, yellow-crowned night herons, blue footed boobies and penguins. You will also visit a brackish lagoon home to Bahama ducks, stilts and greater flamingos. You will head to a white sand beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs in certain months. After this, you can also head to Champion Islet or Devil’s Crown to snorkel and spot colorful fish, white tipped reef sharks and sea turtles. In the afternoon after lunch, you will head to Post Office Bay, where a post office barrel was erected in the 18th century to be used by English whaling vessels. There is also a chance to swim from the beach. In the late afternoon, you will visit Baroness Point by a zodiac ride. Return to the yacht for dinner.

First activity of the day will be disembarking at Ayora Port in Santa Cruz Island. You will take a bus ride to the Highlands, passing the vegetation zones in Galapagos to visit a privately owned ranch, where giant tortoises roam in their natural habitat. Stop at the lava tunnels that are large enough to walk through, and be marveled by the sight. Then visit los Gemelos (The twins), a pair of large craters, formed by two collapsed lava domes. After lunch, head to Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, to see the giant tortoises and land iguanas from close, and learn about the conservation efforts done to preserve this species. After this, you will have free time to explore Ayora Port town and buy souvenirs. At the end of the day, return to the yacht for dinner and rest.

 You will have two options on the morning. You can climb the 400 steps around Bartolome Island and admire Pinnacle rock, or enjoy a zodiac ride around Bartolome looking for penguins, swimming playfully. At this island, you can also snorkel with schools of tropical fish and white-tipped reef sharks. Your afternoon visit depends on the yacht. Guests on the Origin will visit Chinese Hat, which has this curious shape, hence its name. You can spot the remnants of the islands geological history, with volcanic rubble and cracked lava formations, along with sea lions swimming by the shore. Guests on the Theory will go to Bachas Beach on the northern side of Santa Cruz. You’ll also have a wonderful opportunity for snorkeling after exploring interior lagoons with vivid flamingos. After this visit, head back to the yacht for dinner and rest.

First activity of the day will be visiting South Plaza, a place with a geological uplift, with tall cliffs where swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters and red-billed tropicbirds build their nests. You will also spot land iguanas and a colony of bachelor sea lions. After lunch, you will head to North Seymour to observe great colonies of blue footed boobies, and magnificent frigate birds, along with endemic land iguanas and sea lions. You will also have the opportunity to snorkel in deeper water, while spotting sea lions, starfish and sharks. Return to the yacht for farewell cocktail party and dinner, followed by a special presentation by your guides.

After breakfast, you will disembark at San Cristobal to visit the Interpretation Center to learn more about the history of Galapagos. In the afternoon, head to Kicker Rock, also known as Leon Dormido, (Spanish for sleeping lion), a remnant of a vertical tuff cone formation, rising 500 feet from the ocean. Erosion has split the rock providing a spectacular backdrop for photographs at sunset. As we circumnavigate the formation, you’ll easily spot blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigatebirds on the cliffs. 

Early in the morning, you will land at Prince Phillip’s Steps at Genovesa Island, where you will spot red footed boobies and a Palo Santo trees forest. There are also Nazca boobies and storm petrels. After this visit, return to the yacht for a BBQ lunch. Then you will go to Darwin Bay, and be amazed by a coral sand beach and see the swallow tailed and lava gulls that live here. You can also spot Great frigate birds, inflating the pouch on their chests to attract the female. You can relax at the beach or swim with sea lions. Return to the yacht for a briefing and dinner followed by a sky full of stars.

After breakfast, head to Bachas beach, Spanish translation for “barges” for one that was left here during WWII. This is a long white sand beach, with an interior lagoon where you can spot flamingos, pelicans, white-cheeked pintail ducks, stilts and iguanas. You can also snorkel from the shore. Then you will return to the yacht for lunch and after this, you will head to Dragon Hill for a majestic view of the bay and to visit the island trail to see flora species like opuntia cactus and palo santo. You will spot Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers, shearwaters and endemic land iguanas. After these activities return to the yacht for dinner and rest.

First activity of the day will be taking a zodiac ride to Vicente Roca Point. You can also snorkel at this spot, and see penguins diving playfully in the water. Look for sea turtles beneath the surface, and after lunch, you can relax at the sundeck while enjoy the scenery at Bolivar Chanel, where you might see whales or dolphins. In the afternoon you will disembark at Urbina Bay on Isabela Island, product of a dramatic uplift produced by a volcanic eruption in 1954. Here you can see Galapagos land and marine iguanas, Darwin finches, brown pelicans, and flightless cormorant at this spot.

After breakfast, head to Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island, the most pristine and young island in the archipelago. You can spot sea lions at the beach, hundreds of marine iguanas, and nests of flightless cormorants, that stay close to the shore. After lunch, you will head to Tagus Cove, a place that used to be a favorite anchorage for pirates and whalers in past centuries. This place is covered with graffiti they used to leave here. You can explore these places’ shoreline by kayak or stand up paddle board, while searching for Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, blue/ footed and Nazca boobies. You can also snorkel at this spot.

Early in the morning, you will visit you will disembark on Rabida Island, a red sand beach, due to the high iron content in the volcanic shores. You can visit a salt water lagoon here, where you may spot flamingos. You can also snorkel from the shore while spotting sea lions and rays. After lunch, your schedule depends on your yacht. Guests on the Origin will take a zodiac excursion to Black Turtle Cove, through a series of peaceful coves and inlets surrounded by mangroves, whose large roots rise out of the water, and where you can spot various species like white tipped reef sharks, and golden cow nosed rays. Guests on the Theory will visit Egas Port on Santiago Island, where you’ll stroll along the shoreline looking for octopus, starfish and other sea life caught in the tide pools. Watch for great blue herons, lava herons, American Oystercatchers, and yellow-crowned night herons. At low tide, catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they feed on exposed green algae. During mating season, green and red algae give the usually black marine iguanas beautiful coloration. The walk ends at the grottos, deep pools of clear water where you’ll encounter fur sea lions once on the verge of extinction. Before returning to the yacht, take the opportunity to snorkel from the beach. As the yacht sails after lunch, take a seat on deck to view the dramatic landscape and dolphins often spotted here.  After these activities, return to the vessel for dinner and a special presentation by your guides.

Early in the morning you will disembark at Ayora Port on Santa Cruz Island. You will visit Fausto Llerena Breeding Center and Charles Darwin Research Station, where you will learn about the ongoing conservation efforts made to preserve Galapagos giant tortoises and also spot this species here. After this you will have a guided tour through the streets of Ayora Port. In the afternoon after lunch, you will be transferred to the highlands, passing the vegetation zones found in the Galapagos, to visit Los Gemelos (The twins), a pair of large craters, collapsed volcanic craters that make an amazing landscape. Then you will visit a private hacienda, were giant tortoises roam freely. After this activity, return to the yacht for dinner or you can remain ashore on your own at a local restaurant. Zodiac shuttles will remain on dock throughout the evening for your convenience.

After breakfast, you will disembark at San Cristobal Island and visit the Interpretation Center to learn about the natural history of the Island. Then you will be transferred to the airport to take your flight back to the continent.