8 days visiting the Galápagos Islands (San Cristóbal - Santa Cruz - Isabela)

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Exploration of the highlands of Santa Cruz and the Charles Darwin Research Station.

  

  After a delicious breakfast, your guide will be waiting to take you to the highlands of Santa Cruz. You will be amazed to see giant tortoises in the wild (in their natural habitat) during our first stop at a local farm in the highlands, where there are dozens of giant tortoises. You can walk around at your leisure and enjoy a delicious lunch before continuing to the port of Puerto Ayora to check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, you will visit the Charles Darwin Station, where scientists from all over the world meet and work together on environmental projects such as water analysis, animal protection, the effects of tourism on nature, etc. It is also the most famous place to see the Galápagos giant tortoises, where the animals are raised before being released into the wild. The current name of the tortoise area is the "Fausto Llerena" breeding center, named after the Galápagos National Park ranger who took care of Lonesome George. It is the best place in the Galápagos to observe many different species and see how their shell shapes have evolved to adapt to the terrain and vegetation of the islands they come from. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch Group type: Private group

• day 2

  Tortuga Bay Kayak (by boat) - Afternoon bay tour

  

  We have reserved kayaks for you at Tortuga Bay. A 30-minute boat ride will take you to Tortuga Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galápagos. When you have finished kayaking, you can stay to sunbathe or go snorkeling. In the afternoon, you will tour the bay. In a small boat, you will visit the most beautiful bays and beaches of Santa Cruz Island. Swim with playful sea lion pups, explore the diversity of fish while snorkeling, or simply sunbathe on the beach. Enjoy! In the late afternoon, you will return to Puerto Ayora and be taken to your hotel, where you will spend the night. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: small group

• day 3

  Free time on Santa Cruz Island by bike.

  

  You will enjoy the beauty of the island at your own pace. A bike will be reserved and waiting for you at your hotel so you can explore the island on two wheels. You will only have to leave the bike at your hotel at the end of the day, after making the most of it! Today, you will enjoy the beauty of the Galápagos, take many photos, and slow down to appreciate island life. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: Private group

• day 4

  Fast boat to Isabela Island and discovery of wildlife on Las Tintoreras islet.

  

  Start your morning with a public speedboat ride to Isabela Island, a two-hour journey. After your arrival, head to the flamingo lagoon or the giant tortoise breeding station to discover the local wildlife. After lunch, join a group excursion to visit Tintoreras Islet, where you will enjoy a short hike and a snorkeling session. You may observe Humboldt penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions, and sharks resting in the natural channels formed by lava flows. Next, go snorkeling in the turquoise water and spot different fish, sea turtles, rays, and penguins. The evening is free and you will spend the night on Isabela Island. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: Small group

• day 5

  Hiking on the Sierra Negra volcano

  

  The majestic Sierra Negra volcano will be the focus of the day's program. Our adventure begins with a journey from Puerto Villamil to the start of the trail. Once there, we will prepare our backpacks and begin our walk through the relatively young woods, which are undergoing constant geological changes. You will take a six-hour round-trip hike to its summit, from where you can see the second largest volcanic crater in the world. Stroll through spectacular lava landscapes, admiring the volcanoes of northern Isabela and Fernandina islands. During your ascent, make sure to be on the lookout for the unique vegetation that inhabits the region. Your destination is the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano crater, which is still active. Once at the crater rim, you will have a spectacular view of the crater and the surrounding volcanoes. The circumference of the crater is enormous, with a diameter of nearly 10 km at its widest point. You will have some free time after your return to Isabela Island. If you still have energy, you can go to a beach or go snorkeling at Concha Perla. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch Group type: Small group

• day 6

  Visit to the interpretation center, Mount Tijeretas, and La Lobería.

  

  After you check in at your hotel in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you will head to the northern edge of the city, to the local interpretation center, which was built in 1998 by the Galápagos National Park Directorate and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation. Here, you will have the chance to learn more about the wildlife and flora through exhibition and conference rooms, a natural history room that explains the origin of the islands, a human history room that describes the presence of humans since the discovery of the Galápagos, and of course, about conservation as well as how to protect and preserve the fragile environment. Next, we will visit Las Tijeretas Hill, located a few steps from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It gets its name from the large number of frigatebirds or "tijeretas" that inhabit and nest in this area. You will have viewpoints along the way, from which you can observe the passage of whales, mainly between the months of June and October. If time permits, you will also visit La Loberia, which is an ideal site to observe colonies of sea lions and marine iguanas. Here, you can see the coastal and dry vegetation where mangrove, salt marsh, muyuyo, and palo verde are common. In the evening, return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno for your next day of adventure. Meals included: Breakfast Group type: Private group

• day 7

  Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

  

  Today, you will visit the most popular sites - the famous Kicker Rock. It is one of the most popular diving sites in the Galápagos, with depths ranging from 30 to 130 feet. The natural erosion of this ancient cone has formed a channel between the rocks, which provides a perfect habitat for Galápagos sharks, white-tip sharks, large rays, pelagic and reef fish, sea turtles, and sea lions. You can only wonder what a wonderful diving and snorkeling site such an ecosystem makes! The currents at Kicker Rock are strong and generally cold, but the marine wonders are totally worth it. The excursion departs from the port in the morning and includes two dives in different areas of Kicker Rock. In the late afternoon, you will return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where you will spend the night. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch Group type: Small group

• day 8

  Transfer to San Cristóbal airport for a return flight to the mainland.

  

  In the morning, after breakfast, you will be taken to San Cristobal airport where you will take your return flight to mainland Ecuador. Goodbye! Meals included: Breakfast