WEDNESDAY
AM: Arrival to San Cristobal Airport and Transfer to the boat
PM: Lobos Island
The name of this island means "Sea Lion Island." This appropriately named island is ripe with noisy, frolicking, jolly sea lions who will welcome you to their home with open, well, fins. This island also offers great snorkeling opportunities as well as the chance to see blue-footed and Nazca boobies.
Highlights: Snorkeling with sea lions, frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies
Possible Activities: Short hike (less than 0.6 miles/1 km), dinghy ride and / or snorkeling.
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Easy / moderate
PM: Kicker Rock
This striking rock formation is located a couple hours off the western shore of San Cristobal. Jutting out of the water, the rocks stand vertically at hundreds of feet above the ocean divided by a small channel. Although there are no landing areas, circumnavigation and dinghy rides allow visitors to spot a variety of marine life.
Highlights: Sharks, tropical fish, turtles, manta rays (occ.), hammerhead sharks, spectacular rock formations; sea birds: blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies & frigatebirds.
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride
Type of Landing: No landing
Difficulty: Easy
THURSDAY
AM: Suarez Point
This area is great for spotting blue-footed boobies, albatrosses and Nazca boobies. A beautiful site on the ocean front, the large waved albatrosses use the cliff as a launching pad. The famous attraction is the magnificent blowhole, spurting water high into the air. This site presents wonderful photograph opportunities.
Highlights: Hood mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, waved albatrosses, red-billed tropicbirds, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, blue-footed boobies, blowhole, amazing landscape
Possible Activities: Hike (1.9 miles/3 km)
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Difficult
PM: Gardner Bay
Gardner Bay, on the eastern side of the island, is the breeding site of nearly all of the world´s 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses. It has an ample white sandy beach with a myriad of sea lions, perfect for relaxing. Its rocky shores make this site a great place for diving and snorkeling.
Highlights: White sandy beach, sea lions, mockingbirds; snorkeling: colorful fish, sea lion nursery
Possible Activities: Snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking, short hike of (0.6 miles/1 km)
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
FRIDAY
AM: Post Office Bay
In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.
Highlights: Post office barrel, nice sandy beach
Possible Activities: Short hike (less than 0.6 miles/1 km) & snorkeling
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
AM: Baroness Viewing Point
Baroness Viewpoint is a fantastic place to absorb the environment of the Galapagos. Once inhabited by an indulgent baroness and her three lovers, the history of this island is intriguing. The legends about this baroness are associated with a fascinating murder mystery. There are easy trails in this area for exploring the flora and fauna of Floreana.
Highlights: Great view, sea turtles, mysterious story about the first inhabitants of the islands
Possible Activities: Short hike (0.6 miles/1 km), Snorkeling, Kayaking and Panga Ride
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
PM: Cormorant Point
This site 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” named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” composed of white coral.
Highlights: Flamingos, green-colored beach
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride & hike (1.2 miles /2 km)
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Easy
PM: Champion Islet
The Champion Island, named after the whaler Andrew Champion, is a small island located just offshore Floreana Island in the southern part of the Archipelago, considered as one of the most beautiful places on Galapagos for all snorkeling and diving fans and an excellent opportunity for dolphin watching.
Highlights: See lions, reef fish and Nasca boobies
Possible Activities: Snoreling and dinghy ride
Type of Landing: Wet landing
Difficulty: Moderate / Difficult
SATURDAY
AM: Los Gemelos (Twin Craters)
Los Gemelos, or the Twin Craters, are located opposite each other on both sides of the road leading from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. The name is only figurative; not real craters, these formations were created by the collapse of surface material in underground fissures and chambers. The view is breathtaking.
Highlights: Pit craters, Scalesia forest
Possible Activities: Short hiking
Type of Landing: Dry landing
Difficulty: Moderate
Transfer to Baltra Airport.
