Cachalote Fernandina + Tower 15 Days

Upon arriving in Baltra, you will be transferred to Santa Cruz Island, where the activities will begin with a visit to the Highlands to see giant tortoises in the wild. After lunch, we visit the Charles Darwin Scientific Research Station to learn about conservation efforts. The rest of the afternoon you will have free time. Dinner and rest aboard the yacht.

Full itinerary map here: http://bit.ly/cachalote-15-days-fernandina

The day begins with a morning visit to Chinese Hat, so named because of it's conical appearance. After a short walk around the island you can see flamingos and a small colony of sea lions, and have the opportunity for snorkeling too. After lunch, head to Rabida Island, where you take a trail to a salt water lagoon to see flamingos. You will also have the option to swim and snorkel on the beach.

Begin your day with a trekking excursion to Sierra Negra Volcano. Next you will head to Villamil Port to visit the town or for souvenir shopping around this place.

The day begins with a dry landing at Punta Moreno, that is a young lava field, scenery that is interrupted by occasional lagoons, lush vegetation and brightly colored birds. There are also clear tidal pools that attract flamingos, herons and pelicans. After lunch, head to Elizabeth Bay to enjoy a ride through the mangrove area to see rays, turtles, sea lions, and Galapagos hawks. You may also see a colony of penguins at the entrance to the bay. Dinner onboard.

At the beginning of the day, you take a scenic cruise along the Bolivar Channel where it is sometimes possible to see whales and dolphins. Once you disembark at Urbina Bay you will see giant tortoises and land iguanas, and may also swim and practice snorkeling depending on local conditions. After lunch, head to Tagus Cove, that was originally the favorite landing point for pirates and whalers. You will see the native vegetation of this area which is Palo Santo, and during the walk to Darwin Crater you can enjoy a magnificent view of the island. You also have the option of swimming or snorkeling.

Early in the morning you will visit one of the youngest islands, Fernandina, at Espinosa Point, where you will see a vast population of marine iguanas, sea lions, penguins and flightless cormorants. During the afternoon, we go to Punta Vicente Roca, a wonderful snorkeling site, and place to see Nazca boobies, pelicans and marine iguanas from afar.

The day begins at James Island, specifically at Puerto Egas, where you can see land and marine birds, marine iguanas and fur sea lions. Snorkeling and swimming from the beach is an option. In the afternoon, you will disembark at Bartolome Island for a hike to the summit to enjoy an amazing view of the island. You will also have time to enjoy the beach or practice snorkeling.

Early start with a tour to North Seymour island, to observe bird colonies of blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, swallow tailed gulls, sea lions and marine iguanas. In the afternoon, you will begin with a visit to the Highlands to see giant tortoises in the wild. After, we visit the Charles Darwin Scientific Research Station to learn about conservation efforts.  Dinner and rest aboard the yacht.

Begin your day at South Plaza Island situated off the east coast of Santa Cruz, where you will see one of the largest populations of land iguanas in the archipelago. You may also see frigate birds, shearwaters, brown pelicans and masked boobies, and snorkel from the beach. During the afternoon we visit Santa Fe Island, which has one of the most beautiful coves of all the region. Here you may see species like the land iguana which is the largest of their kind in Galapagos. Manta rays and sea turtles may be seen here too.

The day begins at San Cristobal Island with a visit to Witch Hill, where you may go for a swim and also see a small population of sea lions that resides there. In the afternoon we go to El Junco Lagoon, located at an altitude of 700 meters, which is a nice site for bird watching. Return to the yacht and dinner

Disembark at Gardner Bay on Española (Hood) Island. You can take a short walk and watch the groups of see lions gathered together, along with mockingbirds, and finches. You will also have the opportunity to practice snorkeling. After lunch, the cruise will head to Punta Suarez, where you will take a walk along the lava terrain to visit the sea bird colonies, including waved albatross and blue footed boobies.

At the beginning of the day we disembark at Punta Cormorant on Floreana Island, on the green sand beach. Then you will head for a walk to a brackish water lagoon that is the home of flamingos, stilts and sandpipers; then you will visit the “flour beach”, and you will have the opportunity to practice snorkeling at Devils Crown. After lunch, the cruise will take us to Post Office Bay, where you will learn about the first post service that was established here by early whaling ships in the late 1700s.

We begin with a visit to Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz Island. Here we will be able to see various types of bird, such as boobies, frigates and pelicans, along with marine turtles, rays and sharks. Take a trail to Dragon Hill for a beautiful view of the bay and western archipelago. Continue the excursion to Sullivan Bay on James Island, a recent formed lava field that shows a variety of interesting patterns.

An early start at Genovesa Island, a low lying volcano rising above the ocean surface. A vast variety of birds can be found here, like frigate birds, red-footed boobies, swallowtailed gulls and storm petrels. After this, take a steep climb up Prince Phillip steps, where you may see blue and red footed boobies. In the afternoon we go to Darwin Bay, to take an easy trail to observe frigate birds, gulls, herons, finches and mocking birds. You can also enjoy a swim or snorkeling in the harbor.

The day begins at Black Turtle Cove, where you will see three kinds of mangrove plants, red, white and black, and also white tipped sharks, spotted rays and pacific marine turtles. After this activity, you will disembark at Santa Cruz Island and head to the airport to take your flight back to the continent.