Isabela Island

• Breakfast
• Hotel Pickup in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
• Departure at 07:00 am.
• Sailing from Santa Cruz to Isabela Island (2-hour journey).
• Arrival at Villamil Port, Isabela Island, around 09:00 am.
• Departure from Villamil Port to Tunnels at 11:00 am (1-hour sail).
• Exploration of Tunnels
• Two sessions of snorkeling (each lasting 45 minutes).
• Lunch
• Return to Isabela at 16:00 pm.
• Estimated arrival on Isabela at 17:00 pm.
• Transfer to your Isabela Hotel.
• Orientation for the following day’s activities.

Sights to Explore:

Tunnels: Renowned as one of Isabela’s premier snorkeling spots, the Tunnels boast shallow, tranquil, and crystal-clear waters, forming a marine sanctuary. Created by a series of lava flows, this site features unique geological formations, including arches and tunnels both above and below the water’s surface, inhabited by numerous endemic Galapagos species. While the entrance to the site is relatively shallow, strong waves can occasionally pose access challenges. The optimal time to visit Los Túneles is from January to May.

Specifics:

Wildlife to observe: Blue-footed boobies, rays, starfish, penguins, seahorses, sharks, sea turtles, and reef fish.
Activities: Snorkeling
What to bring: Sunscreen, Insect repellent, Lightweight attire, Binoculars, Camera, Swimsuit.
Include: Breakfast, Professional bilingual guide, Transportation, Lunch, Snacks, Water, Hotel Accommodation, Snorkeling Equipment.
Not Included: Isabela Fee ($10), Dinner, Tips, and Extra Expenses.

Notes:

Please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed as they are in their natural habitat.
You will be staying on Isabela Island overnight.

Isabela Island

• Breakfast
• Hotel Pickup in Villamil Port, Isabela Island.
• Exploration of the Wetlands
• Visit to Flamingo Lake
• Tour of the Tortoise Breeding Center
• Lunch
• Snorkeling at Tintoreras (45-minute session)
• Return to Santa Cruz at 15:00 pm.
• Estimated arrival on Santa Cruz at 17:00 pm.
• Transfer to your Hotel
• Orientation for the next day’s activities

Sights to Explore:

Wetlands: Situated just outside Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island’s Wetlands encompass lagoons, swamps, and mangroves, providing habitat to a diverse array of bird species including common stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintails, and gallinules. Visitors can explore the Wetlands on foot via a winding path through the swamps.

Flamingo Lake: West of Puerto Villamil lie several salt and brackish lagoons teeming with coastal and seabirds, including the largest concentration of flamingos in the Galapagos.

Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center: Also known as the Interpretation Center, this facility near Puerto Villamil is connected to town by a boardwalk spanning the wetlands and Prickly Pear Cacti shrub. With five sub-species of Giant Tortoise on the island, the center plays a crucial role in their conservation efforts, nursing eggs in a hatchery and observing adults in supervised corrals to boost populations and ensure survival.

Tintoreras: The Tintoreras Islets, a short distance from Puerto Villamil, host a wealth of wildlife. Turquoise waters harbor white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos penguins, marine turtles, and sea lions. One of the beaches, surrounded by mangroves, serves as a successful nesting site for marine iguanas.

Specifics:

Wildlife to observe: Giant tortoises, flamingos, land iguanas, white-tip sharks, sea lions, reef fish.
Activities: Trekking and Snorkeling
What to bring: Sunscreen, Insect repellent, Lightweight attire, Binoculars, Camera, Swimsuit.
Include: Breakfast, Professional bilingual guide, Transportation, Lunch, Snacks, Water, Hotel Accommodation, Snorkeling Equipment.
Not Included: Isabela Fee ($10), Dinner, Tips, and Extra Expenses.

Remarks:

Please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed as they are in their natural habitat.

Bartolome or North Seymour or Floreana

Bartolome Island

• Hotel Pickup in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
• Departure Time between 06:00 am and 07:00 am.
• Transfer from Ayora Port to Itabaca Channel (45 minutes).
• Sailing from Itabaca Channel to Bartolome Island (2-hour journey).
• Arrival at Bartolome Island around 08:45 am.
• Two hours of hiking on Bartolome Island.
• Lunch
• Snorkeling in Sullivan Bay
• Return to Santa Cruz at 14:15 pm.
• Estimated arrival in Santa Cruz around 17:00 pm.
• Transfer to your Hotel.
• Briefing for next-day activities.

Sights to Explore:

Bartolome Island: Named in honor of Sir Bartholomew Sulivan of the British Navy, this island covers an area of ​​1.2 km² with a peak altitude of 114 meters. It showcases some of the archipelago’s most stunning landscapes, comprising an extinct volcano and a range of vibrant volcanic formations. The lava cactus of the Galapagos thrive in the new lava fields here. The iconic Pinnacle, a significant landmark of the archipelago, offers opportunities for diving and snorkeling with penguins, sea lions, white-tip reef sharks, and other tropical marine life. Bartolomé serves as a mating and nesting site for green turtles seasonally, and its bay is ideal for swimming. The twin bays are divided by a narrow isthmus.

Sullivan Bay: This extraordinary landscape features two eroded scoria lava cones enveloped by a recent pahoehoe lava flow, considered one of the world’s finest examples.

Specifics:

Animals to see: Sea lions, reef fish, sea turtles, penguins.
Activities: Hiking and Snorkeling
What to bring: Sunscreen, Insect repellent, Lightweight attire, Binoculars, Camera, Swimsuit.
Include: Breakfast, Professional bilingual guide, Transportation, Lunch, Snacks, Water, Hotel Accommodation, Snorkeling Equipment.
Not Included: Dinner, Tips, and Additional Expenses.

Remarks:

Please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed as they are in their natural habitat.

North Seymour

• Breakfast
• Hotel Pickup in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
• Departure Time at 08:00 am.
• Transfer from Ayora Port to Itabaca Channel (45 minutes).
• Sailing from Itabaca Channel to North Seymour Island (1-hour journey).
• Arrival at North Seymour Island around 09:45 am.
• Two hours of hiking on North Seymour Island.
• Lunch
• Snorkeling in Bachas Beach
• Return to Santa Cruz at 14:15 pm.
• Estimated arrival in Santa Cruz around 16:00 pm.
• Transfer to your Hotel.
• Briefing for next-day activities.

Sights to Visit on North Seymour:

North Seymour Island: Named after the English noble Lord Hugh Seymour, this island covers an area of ​​1.9 km² with a peak altitude of 28 meters. Covered in dense vegetation, the island features a 2 km trail for visitors, offering exploration of its rocky coast. The island is home to a significant population of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Numerous land iguanas, introduced from Baltra Island, inhabit the island, contributing to the repopulation efforts. Visitors can also observe frigates and sea lions with their offspring.

Bachas Beach: This beach hosts characteristic Galapagos species such as flamingos and Sally Lightfoot crabs, along with migratory and aquatic birds. It serves as a primary nesting site for sea turtles on Santa Cruz Island.

Specifics for North Seymour:

Animals to see: Blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, fork-tailed gulls, land iguanas, sea lions, reef fish, sea turtles.
Activities: Hiking and Snorkeling
What to bring: Sunscreen, Insect repellent, Lightweight attire, Binoculars, Camera, Swimsuit.
Include: Breakfast, Professional bilingual guide, Transportation, Lunch, Snacks, Water, Hotel Accommodation, Snorkeling Equipment.
Not Included: Dinner, Tips, and Additional Expenses.

Remarks for North Seymour:

Please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed as they are in their natural habitat.

Sta Cruz & Flight back to Quito

• Breakfast
• Hotel Pickup in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
• Transfer to Twin Craters in Santa Cruz.
• Exploration of Twin Craters
• Transfer from Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport
• Return Flight.

Sights to Explore:

Twin Craters: Contrary to their name, the Twin Craters aren’t true craters. These striking depressions were shaped by magma (lava) domes that solidified externally while remaining molten internally. Over time, the hollow chambers collapsed, forming the remarkable twin pits we see today. Situated in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, the Twins are surrounded by verdant forests dominated by endemic Scalesia plants. Visitors can stroll along the crater rims to admire the vastness of the depressions and the local flora and fauna. This site also offers a prime opportunity to spot the endemic short-eared owl of the Galapagos.

Specifics:

Activities: Trekking
What to bring: Sunscreen, Insect repellent, Lightweight attire, Binoculars, Camera.
Include: Breakfast, Transportation.
Not Included: Lobbito Bus fee ($5), Guide, Dinner, Lunch, Tips, and Additional Expenses.

Remarks:

Please note that wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed as they are in their natural habitat.
This day does not include a guide, only a driver.