Unveiling the Hidden Gems of Galapagos Islands and Isabela

When you land in Baltra a guide will be waiting for you. You will arrive at Santa Cruz Island crossing the Itabaca Channel, it is a waterway that connects two islands, (Baltra and Santa Cruz), in 10 minutes. Then we continue to Highlands of Santa Cruz. Here you may observe the famous Giant Tortoises in their natural environment, which also known as Galapagos, and from where the name of the Islands derive. Also catch sight of the famous Galapagos Finches, Bird Wizards, as well as endemic vegetation such as Escelacias forests and Matazarnos. Later you will have free time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora, where you can several souvenir shops. Accommodation: Villa Laguna Hotel www.galapagoshotelvillalaguna.com/ -/L/-

Breakfast: at hotel. Bartolome Island is a volcanic islet in the Galápagos Islands group. It is a volcanic islet just off the east coast of Santiago Island. It is one of the “younger” islands in the Galápagos archipelago. With a total land area of just 1.2 km², this island offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the archipelago. The island consists of an extinct volcano and a variety of red, orange, green, and glistening black volcanic formations. Bartolome has a volcanic cone that is easy to climb and provides great views of the other islands. Bartolome is famous for its Pinnacle Rock, which is the distinctive characteristic of this island, and the most representative landmark of the Galápagos. It has two visitor sites. At the first one, you may swim and snorkel around Pinnacle Rock; the underwater world there is really impressive. You can snorkel with the penguins, marine turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and other tropical fish. Accommodation: Villa Laguna Hotel www.galapagoshotelvillalaguna.com/ B/L/-

Breakfast at the hotel. • Seymour Island North Seymour is a small island near to Baltra Island in the Galapagos Islands. It was formed by uplift of a submarine lava formation. The whole island is covered with low, bushy vegetation. This island is home to a large population of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. It hosts one of the largest populations of frigate birds in Galapagos. North Seymour has a visitor trail approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) in length crossing the inland of the island and exploring the rocky coast. North Seymour is an extraordinary place for breeding birds, and is home to one of the largest populations of nesting blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigate birds. Pairs of blue-footed boobies can be seen conducting their mating ritual as they offer each other gifts, whistle and honk, stretch their necks towards the sky, spread their wings, and dance—showing off their bright blue feet. • Plazas Island South Plaza is a small island off the east coast of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands. It has an area of 0.13 km and a maximum altitude of 23 metres. South Plaza was formed by lava up streaming from the bottom of the ocean. Despite its small size it is home to a large number of species and it is famous for its extraordinary flora. That is why this island is very popular with visitors. On the steep banks it is possible to see a great number of birds such as nesting Red-billed Tropicbirds and Swallow-tailed Gulls, but most of all, enjoying the beautiful view from atop the steep banks or strolling along the base of the cliff is an extremely pleasurable experience. Very attractive are the beautiful prickly pear cactus trees (Opuntia echios) and of course the large colony of Galapagos Land Iguanas. Depending on the season, the Sesuvium ground vegetation changes its colour from intense green in the rainy season to orange and purple in the dry season. Return to the hotel Accommodation: Villa Laguna Hotel www.galapagoshotelvillalaguna.com/ B/L/-

Breakfast: at the hotel.

Accommodation: Villa Laguna Hotel www.galapagoshotelvillalaguna.com/ B/-/-

Breakfast: at the hotel. Early at the mooring we go to Isabela Island by public speed boat. Then we will visit Tintoreras. Located 10 minutes on bote far from Pto. Villamil is located Tintoreras Islet whose name is taken from this reef shark that sorrounds the islet and the channel that is formed between two vertical rocky walls, this calm waters is the perfect spot where this sharks come to take a rest. Then we will visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, completed in 1994 and home to the tortoise populations of southern Isabela. We’ll get a chance to see hatchlings as well as older tortoises. Along the way to the Tortoise Center we pass through a manzanillo forest surrounded by wetlands, home to the famous giant pink flamingos a delightful and unexpected sight for Galapagos. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation: Albemarle Hotel 3+* www.hotelalbemarle.com/ B/L/-

Breakfast: at the hotel. Our tour guide will pick us up at the hotel to take us towards our first adventure of this day Sierra Negra Volcano. Sierra Negra is one of the most gorgeous and impressive volcanos in the Galapagos Islands. This volcano has the largest caldera of all of the Galapagos volcanoes and it’s also considered to be the second largest caldera in the world. It measures 10 km across from north to south and 9 km from east to west. It is one of the most active of the Galapagos volcanoes with the most recent historic eruption in June 26th 2018. Visits to Sierra Negra require a 40 minutes’ drive from Puerto Villamil followed by another 45 minutes of walking up. Then we will visit, Concha Perla Bay (snorkel) This place is a natural pool with calm and clear sea water, ideal for swimming and snorkeling with tropical fish, marine iguanas, sea lions, marine turtles and penguins. You can reach this place by a short walk through a wooden pathway surrounded by marvelous mangroves. Return to the hotel Accommodation: Albemarle Hotel 3+* www.hotelalbemarle.com/ B/BL/-

Breakfast: at the hotel. We will visit Los Tuneles, also known as “Cabo Rosa”, is the most spectacular site for snorkeling in Isabela Island due to its crystal-clear and shallow waters, a real sea sanctuary. Millions of years ago, the lava flows formed a large number of arches and tunnels getting to be one of the most bio diverse sites in the Galapagos Islands. The adventure starts in Puerto Villamil, where you will take a boat ride for approximately 45 minutes to do a first stop in the open sea, around Roca Union. Then we will do a second stop to walk on these beautiful lava formations to catch with our eyes the sea lions resting on the rocks or playing by the lava tunnels. Our last and wonderful stop will be snorkeling in open water, we will get in a wonderful submarine world where we can swim along with white-tipped sharks, manta rays, penguins, sea lions, sea turtles, sea horses, lobsters, sea snakes, among many other tropical species. Then we will have an adventure trip by bicycle to the Wall of the tears (approximately 3 hours round trip). On the way, you go through the beach and follow the trail surrounded by lagoons with all four species of mangroves that exist in Galapagos. The trail continues through the dry zone until reaching the Wall. This fantastic 5 to 6 meters tall by 3 meters wide and approximately 100 long wall constructed in volcanic rock keeps a sad memory of the history of Isabela. Around the years of 1944 and 1959, the island was a colonial jail and the prisoners were forced to build this wall as punishment. Return to the hotel Accommodation: Albemarle Hotel 3+* www.hotelalbemarle.com/ B/- /-

Breakfast: at the hotel. Day at leisure. Accommodation: Albemarle Hotel 3+* www.hotelalbemarle.com/ B/- /-

Breakfast: at the hotel. Transfer to the dock to take a public speedboat to Santa Cruz. At Santa Cruz transfer to the airport. B/- /-