Itinerary A


Tag 1: Baltra Airport & Santa CruzIsland: Highlands

This island is second in size in the Galapagos and has the highest developed vegetation zoning. On the short trip to the highlands, you will pass through Coastal and Arid Zones. Miconia, Miconia and Pampa Zones. You will have the chance to see the giant tortoises in their natural habitat during the rainy season. Also, you'll be able to visit the twin craters formed by large caverns that were left empty after flowing lava collided. Darwin's finches and vermilion flycatcher will be found, as well as the Galapagos Hawk.

Tag 2: Genovesa Island: Darwin Bay & El Barranco

Darwin bay

Darwin Bay is the caldera from a collapsed volcano. We land on a small coral island and take an easy walk. This will take you to lava rock, which is a more difficult walk for those who want it. The cliffs will offer stunning views and apple time to capture the incredible bird life, including red-footed and nazca boobies, swallow-tailed and large ground finches, large cactus finches, sharp-billed ground finch, great frigate birds, and small marine iguanas.

El Barranco

This is a strenuous walk up a steep hill, where you can find nesting seabirds such as tropicbirds and red-footed bobies. The trail leads us through a palo Santato forest to reach a storm petrel colony, passing boobies as well as great frigate birds.

Tag 3: Santiago Island: Sullivan Bay & Bartolome Island

Santiago Island: Sullivan Bay

This bay's main attraction is its broad, pahoehoe (or rope lava flow). This is a great place to see the different lava flows and compare their characteristics.

Bartholome Island

Bartolome is most likely the first island to rise from the ocean. It's a small island with beautiful beaches and lush green mangroves. You may see penguins at the swimming beach. A hike up to the peak of an active volcano offers stunning views of Pinnacle Rock panoramic, as well as its amazing moonscapes.

Tag 4: Chinese Hat Islet & Santiago Island: Whale Bay

Chinese Hat Islet

Its name derives from its appearance, which is a Chinese hat. This island, which was formed in the southern tip of Santiago, is a pleasant place to visit. The island is very beautiful and well worth the trip.

The northern end of Sombrero Chino is the best place to see the island's shape. This is where you can land your boat and boats. Sometimes, you may also see Galapagos penguins swimming in this area.

You will see American oystercatchers at work as you follow the trail around the cove. This 400-meter trail starts at a crescent-shaped, white sandy beach. It offers stunning views. The cove is home to many snorkelling and swimming opportunities, as well as white-tipped reef sharks.

Santiago Island: Whale Bay

This semicircle beach is located on Santa Cruz Island. It is green due to the high concentration of olivine crystals. It extends 25 m from the top of the hill. It is a historical landmark because it was the first trail to highlands to seek fresh water. Although there are many pieces of ceramic scattered about, no information is available regarding the origins. A curious galapagos Hawk can be found here.

Tag 5: Isabela Island: Tintoreras, The Humedales & Breeding Center

Isabela is the largest archipelago island and occupies more than fifty-eight% of the entire Galapagos landmass. It is a relatively new island that consists of five young, active volcanoes.

Tintoreras

Tintoreras To reach The Tintoreras, it takes approximately 10 minutes to drive from Puerto Villamil. The Tintoreras island is located to the south-east of Puerto Villamil. The small lbya is surrounded by tranquil turquoise waters. Here you can see sea lions and sea turtles as well as marine iguanas and rays. The bay is connected by a shallow crevice in the crystalline waters, whose entrance is closed when it is low tide. This crevice is home to sharks and other small fish, as well as sea lions.

These beaches are not recommended for swimming due to the possibility of disturbing colonies of sea lions.

Los Humedales

The site contains a number of lagoons that are well-known for their migrant bird population. The black-necked is the most prominent bird in the area. There are no trails through the dense vegetation surrounding the lagoons. However, the road to the highlands or the open beach provides reasonable access.

Breeding Center

The giant tortoise rearing center of Isabela is located 1.5 kilometers from Pto. Villamil, this important center has a captive breeding program for tortoises from the populations of southern Isabela.  In total there are 330 tortoises between juveniles and adults.

Tag 6: Fernandina Island: Punta Espinoza & Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

Fernandina Island: Punta Espinoza

It is the youngest and most active volcano of the Galapagos. There are eruptions every few years. Punta Espinosa's flat lava is a barren and stark landscape. But here, flightless cormorants nest on the point, sea-lions play in the tidepools, and large numbers marine iguanas adorn the sand. Here, we will also have the chance to compare the types of aa and phoehoelava.

Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

It is located east of Fernandina Island, on the west coast Isabela Island. This cove is protected by two volcanic craters. It has been used as an anchorage since over 300 years. The nature trail takes you through the typical dry vegetation zone to Darwin Lake. It is a saltwater lake with a long narrow inlet, which offers stunning views. The trail ends at the top, where you can see the various vegetation zones and the Darwin and Wolf volcanoes. You can also observe Galapagos penguins and Flightless cormorants, as well as pelicans.

Tag 7: Santiago Island: Egas Port & Rabida Island

Santiago Island: Egas Port

Egas port, with its black sand beaches was once home to a small salt mining operation in the 1960's. A hike inland to the saltcrater offers a great opportunity to see land birds like finches, doves, and hawks. In a tranquil grotto made into the lava rock cliffs, you can swim with Galapagos sealions and have fun. Sea lions may be seen basking on rocks under a natural rock bridge. They might also be seen diving blue-footed bobies, sally small crabs, and colorful lavalizards running at our feet.

Rabida Island

Rabida Island's unique feature is its extraordinary red color. This is due to the high level of oxidized iron found in the lava. We will see nine types of finches, as well as large-billed flycatchers (large-billed flycatchers) and brown pelicans. This small salt-water lagoon is home to greater Flamingos and a colony of sealions.

Tag 8: Daphne Mayor Island & Transfer out

Daphne Mayor is a volcanic cone made of volcanic tuff. It was formed from successive explosions caused by the combination of lava, water. This island is home to Dr. Peter Grant, who has conducted a long-term study on Darwin's finches. You can also see the birds being banded. Bursera malacophyla, the palo santo found herein Bursera alacophyla, is an endemic species to the Daphne Islands and North Seymour. The nests of blue-footed boobies and masked nests are located on the cone's flanks and at the edge of the Craters. There is also a tropical bird nesting in the cavities of the Cliffs.