DAY 1: SUNDAY
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
AM: BALTRA AIRPORT ARRIVAL
Morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra, Galapagos Islands. You will arrive at Baltra Island in the morning. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Galapagos Angel staff member and transferred.
PM: BACHAS BEACH
Bachas Beach is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz and is a beach for swimming. One of the few remnants of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galapagos, a floating pier, can be seen here. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black-necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest on the beach.
DAY 2: MONDAY
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
AM: DRAGON HILL
Situated on Santa Cruz Island, Dragon Hill is one of the newest visitor sites accessible to tourists in the Galapagos Islands. One of the lengthier Galapagos walking trails will lead visitors along a beach and up a trail to the lagoon lookout where bright flamingos, pintail ducks, and land iguanas can be spotted.
PM: BARTOLOME ISLAND
PINNACLE ROCK
You will head to Bartholomew Island where the famous Pinnacle Rock is found. Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. We will take a trail of stairs to the summit of the volcano (about 30 or 40 minutes) where you will enjoy one of the best views of the islands! You will also visit a small, beautiful beach surrounded by the only vegetation found on this barren island. The beach is perfect for snorkeling where you may even see and swim with Galapagos penguins.
DAY 3: TUESDAY
ISABELA AND FERNANDINA ISLANDS
AM: VICENTE ROCA POINT
Comprised of two separate coves, Vicente Roca Point is a large bay with spectacular sea life. Keep an eye out for seahorses, sea turtles, and the strange yet fascinating Mola mola (or sun fish) while you snorkel.
PM: ESPINOZA POINT
Crossing the Bolivar Channel that divides Isabela and Fernandina Islands, you will land at Espinoza Point, and after walking past a colony of marine iguanas and a group of sea lions, you will reach the island’s highlight: the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area also provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.
DAY 4: WEDNESDAY
ISABELA ISLAND
AM: TAGUS COVE
You will visit Tagus Cove on Isabela Island which is located across from Fernandina Island, near the Bolivar Channel dividing the two islands. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s, using the area as an anchorage site. Trails winding by Lake Darwin up to a ridge display wonderful views.
PM: ELIZABETH BAY
Elizabeth Bay is located on the east coast of Isabela Island. The bay contains many islets, which can be visited by dinghy. Penguins and blue-footed boobies can be spotted on the rocky islets. With an abundance of marine life and clear water, the area is perfect for snorkeling and viewing schools of colorful fish, sea lions, and perhaps even sharks
DAY 5: THURSDAY
ISABELA ISLAND
AM: URBINA BAY
Urbina Bay is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954 causing the land to rise over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. This area is also a great place for snorkeling.
PM: MORENO POINT
Moreno Point is located southwest of Elizabeth Bay. Here a dry landing onto what was once flowing lava is possible. The lava has left craters in its wake which formed crystal tide pools. By looking into the pools, you can peer into another world as the marine life drifts by your window. In the brackish pools of this area, you may see pink flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, and common gallinules. If you look carefully into the pools, you may see white-tip reef sharks and some sea turtles.
DAY 6: FRIDAY
ISABELA ISLAND
AM: SIERRA NEGRA VOLCANO
Visit to the Sierra Negra Volcano, which is the largest basaltic caldera in the Galapagos with a diameter of 6.2 miles (10 km). The site offers impressive views and the opportunity to observe up to seven species of finches and a rich display of vegetation. The north side of the caldera provides evidence of its most recent volcanic activity in 2005.
PM: ARNALDO TUPIZA BREEDING CENTER
Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center is located about one mile (1.5 km) from Puerto Villamil. Here, tortoise populations from South Isabela, Sierra Negra Volcano, Cerro Azul, Cazuela, Cinco Cerros, Roca Union, San Pedro, Tables and Cerro Paloma have been bred in captivity. In total there are 330 juvenile and adult tortoises.
DAY 7: SATURDAY
FLOREANA ISLAND
AM: DEVIL’S CROWN
You will have a chance to snorkel around Devil’s Crown which is the rocky remains of an offshore volcano sticking out of the water. This is a great location to spot a wide range of marine creatures.
CORMORANT POINT
Cormorant Point hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts and white-cheeked pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The Green Beach is named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the Flour Sand Beach is composed of white coral.
PM: POST OFFICE BAY
You will land on a beach and head to a spot where 18th century whalers placed a wooden barrel used as an unofficial mail box. The
custom continues to this day with Galapagos visitors. So, don’t forget your postcards, and don’t be surprised if the post card
arrives to its destination before you even get home!
DAY 8: SUNDAY
AM: MOSQUERA ISLET
Mosquera Islet is located between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour. This reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) is
only 160 meters across at its narrowest width. This island has one of the largest populations of sea lions and is home to many
shorebirds. There have been occasional reports at this site of orcas feeding on sea lions
BALTRA AIRPORT DEPARTURE
After this final visit, you will be transferred to the Baltra airport in time for your flight back
