Golondrina

A – Wednesday

Isabela Island

AM – After Breakfast

TINTORERAS: Located South of Port Villamil, Tintoreras has a tranquil turquoise-water bay where a variety of marine life can be seen: sea turtles, iguanas, and sea lions are almost a guaranteed spot. The bay is connected to a shallow fissure, when the tide is low the entrance is cut off and sharks and stingrays can be found swimming within. Lunch onboard.

PM

ARNALDO TUPIZA BREEDING CENTER: The population of giant tortoises of the island is maintained through their bred-in-captivity program.

WETLANDS: This area is known for its sandy beaches, rocky coastline and its mangroves. A series of trails allow tourists to closely observe the four species of mangrove that can be found in the Galapagos, as well as Great Blue Herons, Galapagos Hawks, Lava Herlons, Striated Herons, Lava Gulls and many other bird species. 30 minute hike.

PLAYA DEL AMOR: On this beautiful beach you can see marine iguanas resting or diving in the crystal-clear waters, and iconic Galapagos’ birds such as the blue-footed boobies, the masked boobies and frigatebirds.

LA PLAYITA: It is a beach of fine sand, you can see pelicans, marine iguanas, boobies fishing, as well as a mangrove and a cactus forest.

EL TÚNEL DEL ESTERO: It is directly connected to the ocean; it is surrounded by cacti that make it an unparalleled landscape. While passing through it, you can see small crabs and a variety of small fish.

• Tourist Attraction:

  Sunrise Point of Riverview

• Best Buy of this Place:

  Handmade Wooden Accessories

• Food Speciality:

  Sushie

• Activity:

  Two Hours Boating Ride

A – Thursday

Isabela Island

AM – After Breakfast

RABIDA ISLAND: One of the more colorful and volcanically active islands of the archipelago, as well as an amazing diving site. We begin at the prominent Brown-Sanded Beach of Rabida, then a light ½ a mile hike to reach a lookout of breath-taking view. A paradise for birdwatchers, Flycatchers, Brown Pelicans, Galapagos Hawks, varieties of Finches and many other of the rarer species flock to Rabida. Wet landing, lunch onboard.

PM

DRAGON HILL: After docking, we’ll go behind the beach to reach a hyper-saline lagoon frequented by Flamingos, Wilson’s plovers, Black-bellied Ducks among others. The hike to Dragon Hill overviews the bay and takes you right into the Galapagos Land Iguana nesting grounds after which the site takes its name. Many of the iguanas nesting at Dragon Hill have been relocated here by the Charles Darwin Scientific Station.

Isabela Island - Fernandina Island

AM – After breakfast

VICENTE ROCA POINT (ISABELA): Dinghy (panga) ride through this spectacular bay where sea horses, penguins, rays, sea turtles, globefish, blue footed Bobbies and the fascinating sunfish are commonly found. Lunch onboard.

PM

ESPINOZA POINT (FERNANDINA): Dry landing. Hour and a half hike through sandy and/or rocky trail that’ll take you through iguana nesting grounds (nesting season January-June). During the hike you’ll be able to see lava flows, penguins, pelicans, lava cacti, and a colony of cormorants. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

B – Sunday

Isabela Island

AM – After breakfast onboard

URBINA BAY (ISABELA): Wet landing on Urbina Bay. Kilometer-long, 2-hour-long hike through sandy and/or rocky trail were you can find coral reefs and seashells above water. You’ll also observe a large land iguana colony, Darwin finches, giant tortoises, (between June-September) and non-flying cormorants. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard for lunch.

PM – After lunch

TAGUS COVE (ISABELA): Dry landing. During the 1800’s this place was a port where whalers would dock and write the names of their vessels on the walls of a cave. The visit begins on the shore, up a wooden ladder and onto a trail that’ll take you through a forest of Palo Santo trees and arrive at Darwin Lake, a salt water lake inside an extinct volcanic crater. We’ll hike around the lake, through the site’s characteristically dry vegetation, so we can get a panoramic view of the Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes (2-hour-hike, begins at sea-level and getting up to 50m above sea-level). After the hike, a dinghy (panga) ride along the shoreline will offer a chance to observe penguins, cormorants, bobbies, pelicans and sally crabs. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

B – Monday

Santiago Island

AM – After Breakfast

PORT EGAS: Wet landing on the dark sand beach of James Bay. 1½ hour hike on rocky terrain onto the Salt Crater were you can find Darwin finches, Galapagos hawks, marine iguanas, sally crabs, seals and sea lions. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

PM – After lunch

CHINESE HAT: Wet landing onto a rocky-terrain trail. 30 minute hike that’ll take you through lava rock formations, you’ll see the lava cacti and the Galapagos Sesuvium. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

B – Tuesday

Santa Cruz Island – Baltra Island

AM – After Breakfast

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (CHARLES DARWIN SCIENTIFIC STATION):

Visit the 1959-established Charles Darwin Station to learn about the Giant Tortoises and their reproduction, as well as the origin and formation of the archipelago.

After the Scientific Station visit, bus transfer over the Baltra Airport and flight back to mainland.

Genovesa Island

AM

EL BARRANCO: Dry landing. Also known as the Prince Phillip Steps (after the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit in 1964), “The Cliff” is a flat lava rock formation that can be easily accessed by a wooden ladder and provides an amazing view of the surrounding habitat; you’ll find red-footed bobbies, swallow-tailed gulls, the Galapagos dove and many other species among the Palo Santo trees and lava cacti during the 2-kilometer walk. Lunch onboard.

PM

DARWIN BAY: This enormous bay dominates the Island and just like Prince Phillip’s Steps is home to colonies of frigates and a great variety of marine life.

C – Sunday

Bartolome Island – Santiago Island

AM

BARTOLOME: Dry and Wet landings. This island features distinctive lava formations and ash-cones, as well as a 375-step wooden ladder that takes you 114 meter above sea level to the top of the volcano were a spectacular view of the bays below awaits you. The prominent “Pinnacle Rock” is located on this island and is one of the most visited sites in Galapagos.

PM

SULLIVAN BAY (SANTIAGO): An amazing diving spot with white sand beaches where you can share the water with penguins and sea lions.

C – Monday

Plaza Sur Island – Santa Fe Island

AM

PLAZAS ISLAND: Dry landing. This tiny cliff-bounded island was formed out of lava and now is covered by the Opuntia cacti. Resting place of one of the biggest sea-lion colonies in the Galapagos, as well yellow and red-land iguanas, Plaza Sur also holds numerous species of birds. During the 2½ kilometer walk on the island you’ll notice the its most characteristic plant is the Sesuvium. A low, round-leafed bush that changes colors from green to yellow as rain becomes more scare during the months of April and May; and becomes bright red in the late part of June, until the end of dry season in January. Lunch onboard.

PM

SANTA FE: Wet landing. Snorkel and swim with sea lions in the turquoise waters of Santa Fe after taking a trail through a forest of giant cacti and Palo Santo trees where you’ll spot dozens of swallow-tailed gulls, petrels, and lava gulls.

C – Tuesday

San Cristobal Island – Lobos Island

AM

KICKER ROCK: A gigantic lava rock that sticks out of the Pacific Ocean’s surface. The volcanic formation is split into two, forming a small channel between the two sections and creating a surreal diving spot or an exciting dinghy (panga) ride. The rock is frequented by an array of seafaring birds, but the real attraction of the “Sleeping Lion”, as it’s called in Spanish, is the marine life: spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, and hammerhead sharks are usual visitors to Kicker Rock.

WITCH’S HILL: An eroded hill of lava surrounded by coral reef that locals used to frequent to get salt, for food preservation. Witch’s Hill is no longer exploited for salt, but home of two salt-tolerant species of plants as well as blue and red footed bobbies, rays and sea turtles. Lunch on board.

PM

LOBOS ISLAND: Named after the German geologist, Theodor Wolf, this island offers no landing site and is mainly frequented by master divers, the cold currents attract the rarer sea life and create a truly unique snorkeling / diving experience.

C – Wednesday

Española Island

AM

PUNTA SUAREZ: Dry landing. A congregation place for the blue footed and masked bobbies, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, and from April to June the albatrosses make this part of Española their nesting grounds. Take the 3 kilometer trail and visit the colonies of sea lions and marine iguanas at the blowhole known as “El Soplador” (the blower) that sprays water around 75 feet (25m) into the air.

PM

GARDNER BAY: Wet landing. Located on the east side of Española, this spot is the nesting ground for almost all the Galapagos albatross in the world; some 12 thousand albatross-couples visit the bay every year. After a 45 minute dinghy (panga) ride, you’ll arrive at a white-sand beach populated by the usual colony of sea lions. Excellent for snorkeling.

GARDNER ISLET: Gardner Islet offers a magical landscape both above and beneath the water surface. Many small fish can be seen while snorkeling around the site as well as sea urchins and stars.

C – Thursday

Floreana Island – Santa Cruz Island

AM

CORMORANT POINT: Wet Landing. This site holds a large lagoon where flamingos come to feed. The green sanded beach owes its color to the olivine crystals present in the soil and it is the perfect texture for the sea turtles to lay their eggs during their breeding season from December to May.

DEVIL’S CROWN: No landing. This wave-eroded volcanic crater surrounded by coral reef creates an impressive underwater landscape where you’ll be able to find schools of colorful fish, sharks and sea turtles.

PM

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (CHARLES DARWIN SCIENTIFIC STATION): Visit the 1959-established Charles Darwin Station to learn about the Giant Tortoises and their reproduction, as well as the origin and formation of the archipelago.

C – Friday

Seymour Island – Baltra Airport

AM

NORTHERN SEYMOUR:

Wet landing. Seymour Island is famous for being a gathering spot for blue footed bobbies, frigates, swallow-tailed gulls, marine iguanas and sea lions. The island’s vegetation is dominated by the Palo Santo tree and the climate is typically arid.

After the visit, transfer over the Baltra Airport and flight back to mainland.

Isabela Island – Fernandina Island

AM

VICENTE ROCA POINT (ISABELA): Dinghy (panga) ride through this site made of two separate coves and a spectacular bay where sea horses, penguins, rays, sea turtles, globefish, blue footed Bobbies and the fascinating sunfish are commonly found. Lunch onboard.

PM

ESPINOZA POINT (FERNANDINA): Dry landing. Hour and a half hike through sandy and/or rocky trail that’ll take you through iguana nesting grounds (nesting season January-June). During the hike you’ll be able to see lava flows, penguins, pelicans, lava cacti, and a colony of cormorants. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

D – Sunday

Isabela Island

AM

URBINA BAY (ISABELA):Wet landing on Urbina T. Kilometer-long, 2-hour-long hike through sandy and/or rocky trail were you can find coral reefs and seashells above water. You’ll also observe a large land iguana colony, Darwin finches, giant tortoises, (between June-September) and non-flying cormorants. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard for lunch.

PM – After lunch

TAGUS COVE (ISABELA): Dry landing. During the 1800’s this place was a port where whalers would dock and write the names of their vessels on the walls of a cave. The visit begins on the shore, up a wooden ladder and onto a trail that’ll take you through a forest of Palo Santo trees and arrive at Darwin Lake, a salt water lake inside an extinct volcanic crater. We’ll hike around the lake, through the site’s characteristically dry vegetation, so we can get a panoramic view of the Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes (2-hour-hike, begins at sea-level and getting up to 50m above sea-level). After the hike, a dinghy (panga) ride along the shoreline will offer a chance to observe penguins, cormorants, bobbies, pelicans and sally crabs. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

D – Monday

Santiago Island

AM

PORT EGAS: Wet landing on the dark sand beach of James Bay. 1½ hour hike on rocky terrain onto the Salt Crater were you can find Darwin finches, Galapagos hawks, marine iguanas, sally crabs, seals and sea lions. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

PM – After lunch

CHINESE HAT: Wet landing onto a rocky-terrain trail. 30 minute hike that’ll take you through lava rock formations, you’ll see the lava cacti and the Galapagos Sesuvium. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.

D – Tuesday

Santa Cruz Island – Baltra Island

AM

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (CHARLES DARWIN SCIENTIFIC STATION): Visit the 1959-established Charles Darwin Station to learn about the Giant Tortoises and their reproduction, as well as the origin and formation of the archipelago.

PM

PRIMICIAS RANCH: On the very first stop, you’ll be able to see the staple and namesake of the Islands: the Giant Tortoise, these gentle creatures are easily spotted gracing through the foliage or resting. Harder to spot but equally fascinating, the many birds that reside in the Galapagos are literal descendants of the Andean Plateau species; endemic sub-species of Mockingbirds, Flycatchers, Cattle Egrets and Finches can be seen throughout the Ranch.

D – Wednesday

Española Island

AM

TINTORERAS: Located South of Port Villamil, Tintoreras has a tranquil turquoise-water bay where a variety of marine life can be seen: sea turtles, iguanas, and sea lions are almost a guaranteed spot. The bay is connected to a shallow fissure, when the tide is low the entrance is cut off and sharks and stingrays can be found swimming within. Lunch onboard.

PM

ARNALDO TUPIZA BREEDING CENTER: The population of giant tortoises of the island is maintained through their bred-in-captivity program.

WETLANDS: This area is known for its sandy beaches, rocky coastline and its mangroves. A series of trails allow tourists to closely observe the four species of mangrove that can be found in the Galapagos, as well as Great Blue Herons, Galapagos Hawks, Lava Herons, Striated Herons, Lava Gulls and many other bird species. 30 minute hike.

PLAYA DEL AMOR: On this beautiful beach you can see marine iguanas resting or diving in the crystal-clear waters, and iconic Galapagos’ birds such as the blue-footed boobies, the masked boobies and frigatebirds.

LA PLAYITA: It is a beach of fine sand, you can see pelicans, marine iguanas, boobies fishing, as well as a mangrove and a cactus forest.

EL TÚNEL DEL ESTERO: It is directly connected to the ocean; it is surrounded by cacti that make it an unparalleled landscape. While passing through it, you can see small crabs and a variety of small fish.

• Tourist Attraction:

  Sunrise Point of Riverview

• Best Buy of this Place:

  Handmade Wooden Accessories

• Food Speciality:

  Sushie

• Activity:

  Two Hours Boating Ride

D – Thursday

Santa Cruz Island

AM

RABIDA ISLAND: One of the more colorful and volcanically active islands of the archipelago, as well as an amazing diving site. We begin at the prominent Brown-Sanded Beach of Rabida, then a light ½ a mile hike to reach a lookout of breath-taking view.

A paradise for birdwatchers, Flycatchers, Brown Pelicans, Galapagos Hawks, varieties of Finches and many other of the rarer species flock to Rabida. Wet landing, lunch onboard.

PM

DRAGON HILL: After docking, we’ll go behind the beach to reach a hyper-saline lagoon frequented by Flamingos, Wilson’s plovers, Black-bellied Ducks among others. The hike to Dragon Hill overviews the bay and takes you right into the Galapagos Land Iguana nesting grounds after which the site takes its name. Many of the iguanas nesting at Dragon Hill have been relocated here by the Charles Darwin Scientific Station.

D – Friday

Santa Cruz Island – Baltra Airport

AM

BLACK TURTLE COVE:

No landing, dinghy (panga) tour of the site; near Baltra.

An extraordinary beautiful experience. You’ll get a chance to see Black Sea Turtles in the clear water below, as the dinghy cuts the engine and the operators row you along the mangrove-laden shoreline, discover hidden lagoons while keeping an eye out for the diverse bird and sea life variety.

After visiting the cove, you’ll do your final transfer to Baltra Airport by bus and fly back to mainland.

Santa Cruz Island

AM – After Breakfast

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (CHARLES DARWIN SCIENTIFIC STATION): Visit the 1959-established Charles Darwin Station to learn about the Giant Tortoises and their reproduction, as well as the origin and formation of the archipelago.

PM – After Lunch

PRIMICIAS RANCH: On the very first stop, you’ll be able to see the staple and namesake of the Islands: the Giant Tortoise, these gentle creatures are easily spotted gracing through the foliage or resting. Harder to spot but equally fascinating, the many birds that reside in the Galapagos are literal descendants of the Andean Plateau species; endemic sub-species of Mockingbirds, Flycatchers, Cattle Egrets and Finches can be seen throughout the Ranch.

H – Wednesday

AM – After Breakfast

TINTORERAS: Located South of Port Villamil, Tintoreras has a tranquil turquoise-water bay where a variety of marine life can be seen: sea turtles, iguanas, and sea lions are almost a guaranteed spot. The bay is connected to a shallow fissure, when the tide is low the entrance is cut off and sharks and stingrays can be found swimming within. Lunch onboard.

PM

ARNALDO TUPIZA BREEDING CENTER: The population of giant tortoises of the island is maintained through their bred-in-captivity program.

WETLANDS: This area is known for its sandy beaches, rocky coastline and its mangroves. A series of trails allow tourists to closely observe the four species of mangrove that can be found in the Galapagos, as well as Great Blue Herons, Galapagos Hawks, Lava Herons, Striated Herons, Lava Gulls and many other bird species. 30 minute hike.

PLAYA DEL AMOR: On this beautiful beach you can see marine iguanas resting or diving in the crystal-clear waters, and iconic Galapagos’ birds such as the blue-footed boobies, the masked boobies and frigatebirds.

LA PLAYITA: It is a beach of fine sand, you can see pelicans, marine iguanas, boobies fishing, as well as a mangrove and a cactus forest.

EL TÚNEL DEL ESTERO: It is directly connected to the ocean; it is surrounded by cacti that make it an unparalleled landscape. While passing through it, you can see small crabs and a variety of small fish.

• Tourist Attraction:

  Sunrise Point of Riverview

• Best Buy of this Place:

  Handmade Wooden Accessories

• Food Speciality:

  Sushie

• Activity:

  Two Hours Boating Ride

H – Thursday

Santa Cruz Island

AM – After Breakfast

RABIDA ISLAND: One of the more colorful and volcanically active islands of the archipelago, as well as an amazing diving site. We begin at the prominent Brown-Sanded Beach of Rabida, then a light ½ a mile hike to reach a lookout of breath-taking view. A paradise for birdwatchers, Flycatchers, Brown Pelicans, Galapagos Hawks, varieties of Finches and many other of the rarer species flock to Rabida. Wet landing, lunch onboard.

PM

DRAGON HILL: After docking, we’ll go behind the beach to reach a hyper-saline lagoon frequented by Flamingos, Wilson’s polvers, Black-bellied Ducks among others. The hike to Dragon Hill overviews the bay and takes you right into the Galapagos Land Iguana nesting grounds after which the site takes its name. Many of the iguanas nesting at Dragon Hill have been relocated here by the Charles Darwin Scientific Station.

H – Friday

Santa Cruz Island

AM – After Breakfast

BLACK TURTLE COVE:

No landing, dinghy (panga) tour of the site; near Baltra.

An extraordinary beautiful experience. You’ll get a chance to see Black Sea Turtles in the clear water below, as the dinghy cuts the engine and the operators row you along the mangrove-laden shoreline, discover hidden lagoons while keeping an eye out for the diverse bird and sea life variety.

After the cove, you’ll do your final transfer to Baltra Airport by bus.