Petrel 8 Days - Itinerary B

Upon your arrival to the airport on San Cristobal Island, you will be transferred to the dock to get onboard Petrel Catamaran. After settling in the catamaran and lunch, you will visit the Galapaguera, a breeding and conservation center for giant tortoises, where you will see this species roam freely in a semi natural habitat created by the center. End of the day and dinner onboard.

Full itinerary map here: http://bit.ly/petrel-8-days-b

Early in the morning, you will head to Gardner Bay on Española Island, this place is home to a large and varied wildlife population, like boobies, frigate birds, sea lions, and endemic Española mockingbird. You can also swim or relax at the beach, or head for a dinghy ride to Osborn Islet, for snorkeling or diving. In the afternoon you will visit Suarez Point site where you will get to see many species such as sea lions, marine iguanas, Galapagos Hawks, and Nazca boobies, but the most important of all is the waved albatross, since this is their breeding site. If you are lucky enough you may see a young albatross take off for its first flight to the sea. End of the day and dinner onboard.

First activity of the day will be a visit to Cormorant Point, place recognized by its two types of beaches, a green one, composed by olivine crystals, and a white one, composed of coral, used as nesting site for sea turtles. After his visit you will head to Devil ́s Crown, a volcano structure emerged form under water, that is the perfect place for snorkel along with sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea lions and rays. During the afternoon, you will head to Post Office Bay in which a wooden barrel was placed, by whalers during the 18th century to use as a mailbox. Nowadays visitors can also post their letters here, as a tradition. You can also swim of snorkel from this place ́s beach.

First activity of the day will be disembarking on Puerto Ayora at Santa Cruz Island, where you will visit Charles Darwin Research Station, place created to show information about the wildlife and geology of Galapagos Islands, and where you will learn about the endemic wildlife and the conservation efforts that have been made to observe the species that reside in the archipelago. During the afternoon, you will take a bus to Santa Cruz Highlands, where you can see the different agricultural zones, and the lava soil, product of the volcanic origin of the archipelago. This area is great to spot wild giant tortoises roaming freely. After this visit return to the catamaran for dinner and rest.

After breakfast, the yacht will take you to Sullivan Bay, place that was used as a salt mine by buccaneers in past centuries, and where you will see the geological formations product of lava flows due to the recent eruptions of the still active volcanoes around this bay. In the afternoon, you will visit Bartholomew Island, where you will take a trail to the highest point of this place and from this spot, you will watch one of the most amazing and recognized landscapes on the entire archipelago. You will also see Pinnacle Rock, and visit the two beaches that are at this island, and enjoy swimming or snorkeling during the rest of the afternoon.

Early in the morning head to Darwin Bay at Genovesa Island. This place used to be a shield volcano, thousands of years ago, and nowadays you can visit one of the sides of its collapsed caldera. This place is also known to be home of a variety of bird species like red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and red-footed boobies. In the afternoon, you will head to El Barranco, also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps, this place consists of a steep rocky path to a cliff, from where you can view the entire Island, and there is also a Palo Santo Forest home to various shorebirds.

First activity of the day will be landing at Egas Port, known to be one of the best snorkeling sites in Galapagos, and home to Galapagos Lava lizards and fur sea lions that reside at the grottos and tide pools around this place. In the afternoon, we disembark on the small beach of Espumilla, named after the white foam that forms at its shore. This paradisiacal beach gives us the opportunity to snorkel in turquoise waters surrounded by colorful fishes and swim along with the magnificent green marine turtles. Espumilla is one of the predicted nesting sites for the green marine turtles, so we might be able to spot their nests. Be observant and pay close attention to your guide, you could take a unique memory back home. After his activity, you will head to Buccaneer Cove, that was once a refuge for passing sailors and pirates, and is also a nice place for snorkeling and swimming, while watching species like marine iguanas, sea lions, tropical fish species and sea turtles. End of the day and dinner onboard.

Before we depart for Baltra Island airport, we will visit this beautiful mangrove estuary home to spotted eagle rays, golden rays, harmless reef sharks, green sea turtles, and schools of colorful fish. The dinghy will gently float along the coastline while we enjoy wonderful views of the mangroves under the watchful gaze of the sentinel-like brown pelicans and other marine birds, this place truly is a safe haven for wildlife. After our boat ride, we will transfer to our ground transportation to the airport, the guide and a member of the crew will assist you during the check-in process and accompany you to the security gates, they will say goodbye and wish you a safe trip back home. Please remember to show your transit control card as requested.