Galápagos cruise aboard the Golondrina

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Baltra and Mosquera

  

  Your adventure in the Galápagos begins on Baltra Island, the historic gateway to the archipelago. Upon your arrival, your bilingual naturalist guide welcomes you and accompanies you to boarding the Golondrina. You discover your living spaces, meet the crew, and receive the first navigation instructions before setting course for your first stop. In the afternoon, you head to Mosquera Islet, a long strip of white sand set between Baltra and North Seymour. Its surprisingly flat terrain contrasts with the surrounding volcanic silhouettes. The beach is the territory of sea lions, often stretched out in the sun or playing in the waves. The intertidal pools reveal crabs, mollusks, and small fish, while the rocks sometimes host marine iguanas. Snorkeling there is particularly enjoyable: clear waters, little current, and abundant marine wildlife, with turtles, rays, and tropical fish, all in a peaceful atmosphere.

• day 2

  Isabela and Fernandina

  

  The morning begins at Vicente Roca, on the north-west coast of Isabela. From the panga, you explore two sheltered coves and a spectacular bay where marine life is omnipresent. The deep waters are home to turtles, rays, sunfish, seahorses and schools of tropical fish. The basalt cliffs provide refuge for Galápagos penguins, blue-footed boobies and flightless cormorants. The atmosphere is wild, almost primitive. In the afternoon, you disembark at Punta Espinoza, on Fernandina, the youngest and most intact island in the archipelago. The trail crosses a raw landscape, made up of recent lava flows and sandy areas where marine iguanas nest between January and June. The colonies are particularly dense there, sometimes hundreds of individuals piled up on the black rocks. You also observe flightless cormorants, penguins, pelicans and sea lions. A snorkeling session on the beach concludes this immersion in one of the most preserved ecosystems in the Galápagos.

• day 3

  Isabela

  

  In the morning, you disembark at Urbina Bay, at the foot of the Alcedo and Darwin volcanoes. This area is famous for its 1954 tectonic uplift, which left corals and shells exposed to the open air. A two-hour hike takes you through an arid landscape where large colonies of land iguanas live, Darwin’s finches, mockingbirds and, between June and September, giant tortoises roaming free. Snorkeling on the beach allows you to observe turtles and tropical fish in calm waters. In the afternoon, you head to Tagus Cove, a former refuge for 19th-century whalers. The names of their ships are still visible on the rock walls. The trail starts at the edge of the bay, climbs through a palo santo forest and leads up to Darwin Lake, a salt lagoon nestled in a volcanic crater. The panorama over the Darwin and Wolf volcanoes is striking. After the hike, a panga outing along the cliffs allows you to observe penguins, cormorants, boobies and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Snorkeling at the end of the visit.

• day 4

  Santiago and Sombrero Chino

  

  In the morning, you disembark at Puerto Egas, on Santiago Island. The black sand beach opens onto a trail that crosses lava formations sculpted by time. The caves and natural pools shelter fur seals, herons, finches, and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Marine iguanas warm themselves in the sun on the dark rocks. Snorkeling is excellent there, with turtles, tropical fish, and sometimes reef sharks. In the afternoon, you head to Sombrero Chino, a small volcanic cone whose silhouette evokes a Chinese hat. The trail crosses lava flows and areas where lava cacti and sesuvium grow, which takes on red hues in the dry season. The turquoise waters are ideal for snorkeling, often in the company of penguins, sea lions, and colorful fish.

• day 5

  Santa Cruz

  

  The morning is devoted to the Charles Darwin Station, a major scientific research center founded in 1959. There you discover the breeding programs for giant tortoises, the conservation efforts for endemic species, and the history of emblematic specimens. The enclosures allow you to observe different subspecies of tortoises, each adapted to its island of origin. In the afternoon, you head to the Primicias ranch, in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The climate there is more humid and verdant. This is where giant tortoises live in the wild, moving slowly between ponds, tall grasses and wooded areas. The trails also allow you to observe mockingbirds, flycatchers, herons and several species of finches. The peaceful atmosphere of the highlands contrasts strongly with the arid coastal areas.

• day 6

  Isabela

  

  In the morning, you explore Tintoreras, a group of volcanic islets located south of Puerto Villamil. The turquoise bay is home to turtles, sea lions and marine iguanas. A shallow fissure, isolated at low tide, often makes it possible to observe white-tipped sharks and motionless rays in perfectly clear water. The atmosphere is serene and conducive to observation. In the afternoon, you visit the Arnaldo Tupiza breeding center, where several subspecies of Isabela giant tortoises are preserved and raised. You then continue to the Wetlands, a network of trails crossing mangroves, lagoons and beaches. You can observe blue herons, Galápagos hawks, striated herons, gulls and many species of shorebirds. The walk continues to Playa del Amor, where marine iguanas rest on the rocks or dive into the crystal-clear waters. La Playita and the Tunnel del Estero complete this exploration, between fine sandy beaches, mangroves, cacti and small fish visible in the calm waters of the natural tunnel.

• day 7

  Rábida and Cerro Dragón

  

  In the morning, you disembark on the island of Rábida, one of the most colorful in the archipelago. Its red beach, tinted by the oxidized iron of the lava, creates a striking contrast with the blue of the Pacific. A short hike leads to a lookout offering a spectacular view of the coast. Rábida is a paradise for birdwatchers: flycatchers, brown pelicans, Galápagos hawks and several species of finches are frequently observed there. Snorkeling is excellent there. In the afternoon, you head to Cerro Dragón, on Santa Cruz. The trail begins behind a beach and leads to a hypersaline lagoon frequented by flamingos, Wilson’s plovers and ducks. Farther on, the path climbs toward the nesting areas of land iguanas, relocated here by the Charles Darwin Station. The panorama over the bay is superb, and iguana sightings are numerous.

• day 8

  Black Turtle Cove and Baltra

  

  Your last morning takes place at Caleta Tortuga Negra, a peaceful mangrove located near Baltra. From the panga, you glide silently between the mangrove roots. The calm waters are home to black turtles, rays, white-tipped sharks and a wide variety of coastal birds. The experience is gentle, almost meditative, and offers a final immersion in the natural richness of the Galápagos. After the visit, you are transferred to Baltra airport for your return flight to the continent, your head still full of volcanic landscapes, animal encounters and the unique lights of the archipelago.