Draft Itinerary
(itinerary subject to prevailing weather and sea conditions, National Park rules and decision of the captain)
Day 1
Arrive Quito (or Guayaquil).
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the boutique Café Cultura or a similar hotel.
Day 2
Day to acclimatize in Quito and take the opportunity if you wish to visit Old Quito - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 3
You will be collected from the hotel and taken to the airport for your flight Quito (or Guayaquil) - Baltra Island in the Galapagos.
Flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island where our guide will meet you and take you to the yacht
After a quick stop in Puerto Ayora and lunch on board you will sail to the calm shallow waters of Punta Estrada and Bahia Divine, where rays, mullet and sharks can be seen snorkeling, and blue footed boobies and frigate birds can be found as we sea kayak along the rocky coast line. Dinner onboard - sail on to San Cristobal Island.
Day 4
AM Drive to the highlands and walk to El Junco lagoon - the only natural source of fresh water in the islands. Here frigate birds feed on fish in the lagoon. There are also many land birds to see here such as Darwin's finches and mocking birds.
PM: Visit to La Galapaguera which is a part of the Galapagos National Park where we can expect to see large numbers of giant tortoises in their natural habitat. After exploring the surroundings we will drive to Puerto Chino, a beautiful and pristine beach will be the perfect spot for a laid back afternoon where you can snorkel, swim or simply relax.
Day 5
AM Breakfast en route to the old 'tuff cone' of Kicker Rock (also called León Dormido). This is an excellent location for snorkeling and seeing nesting birds such as frigate birds, blue-footed boobies and nazca boobies and tropic birds.
PM Visit Puerto Grande for Kayaking and snorkelling.
Dinner onboard before sailing to Floreana island.
Day 6
AM After breakfast on board travel by car to the highlands of Floreana.
PM Visit the town of Puerto Velasco Ibarra, the smallest in the Galapagos.
Dinner onboard and sail to Isabela island.
Day 7
Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos and geologically one of the youngest. It is the highlight of many people's visits.
After breakfast we travel approximately one hour overland to the base of the active volcano, Volcan Sierra Negra. We climb the volcano on horseback up to the volcanic rim - the second largest in the world at some 2km wide. There are high chances of seeing wild tortoises along the way.
After lunch at the volcanic rim we trek along a lava trail to Volcan Chico. On a clear day you can see most of the Galapagos islands on this trek.
PM: Afternoon free to enjoy the beach. Dinner onboard.
Day 8
AM: Zodiac ride to La Tintoreras where you are most likely to see white tip sharks at the surface. Good opportunities to see (and swim with) the World's smallest penguins which are endemic to the Galapagos.
PM: Trek to Muro de las Lagrimas created by inmates from a former penal colony.
Relax on white sand beach watching out for shore birds. After dinner, sail overnight to Santa Cruz island.
Day 9
AM: After breakfast you will be taken to the highest part of Santa Cruz Island. Here you will be kitted up with a mountain bike for a bike ride and cycle to an area whee you can observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat.
After lunch visit the world famous Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about their efforts to research and preserve native and endemic species on the islands. You will also be taken to see a Giant tortoise rearing programme which includes the recent success in creating fertilized eggs from the last remaining Pinta tortoise: Lonesome George.
Day 10
AM: Visit a pair sink hole craters called Los Gemelos in an area of Santa Cruz dominated by endemic Scalesia trees. Scalesias provide nesting areas for Darwin's finches as well as many other land birds such as flycatchers and doves.
From these forests in the Central Highlands you will be driven north to the Itabaca Channel, which you will cross by ferry and then overland to the airport on Baltra Island.
Fly Baltra to Quito.
You will be met upon arrival and taken to your hotel.
Day 11
You will be collected from your hotel and taken to the airport for your flight home … or continue your adventures in Latin America.
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