Galapagos Discovery: Island Hopping

Guayaquil

Tag 1: Welcome to Ecuador!

Today you will arrive in Guayaquil and will be welcomed at the airport.

The city offers a grand variety of architecture like authentic wooden buildings and pompous monuments between modern high-rises. You will have time to discover and get a sense for the vivid street life and experience how the steamy climate has opened-up the mentality of its outgoing inhabitants.

Baltra - Santa Cruz Island

Tag 2: El Chato Tortoise Reserve

Please note that this trip has different cruise itineraries depending on the accommodation class and dates of the trip. Get in touch with us and we will help you with your perfect route!

In the morning, you will be driven to the airport by your private driver to take an onward flight to Santa Cruz island.

Once on the island, the tour begins right away! The native Scalesia forest of El Chato Tortoise Reserve is the best place to search for Galapagos giant tortoises in their most authentic setting!

Despite the interesting breeding centers - where you are guaranteed to see tortoises in their corrals - nothing is better than observing them in their wild environment and natural habitat. Be prepared though, as this visit can get quite muddy and wet, that your visit may turn into an adventurous quest when the tortoises you are trying to see have silently left their favorite pond.

Santa Cruz

Tag 3: A Tour of the Bay Area

The peninsula along Academy Bay has been formed by a lava flow that once reached the coastline. Its fissure vents (typical for the Hawaiian and Galapagos type of volcanism) formed gorgeous lava channels, some of which are connected to the sea and filled with water.

In the Shark Channel (Grieta de las Tintoreras) golden rays and Whitetip Reef Sharks find shelter and rest from their nocturnal hunts. You will spend your day today to observe them! Especially designed walking-boards lead to viewpoints that look down into the channel, and over the port and highlands of Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz

Tag 4: One of the Best Beaches in the World

This day is dedicated to the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean!

Beach lovers should not miss Turtle Bay, only accessible by foot along a quite long, but exciting nature trail. Beyond the wild natural beach and a fringe of exotic red mangroves lies the island's most popular recreational beach. In 2017 it has been elected by TripAdvisor as the world's 10th best beach destination.

South Plazas, North Seymour, Bartolome Or Santa Fe

Tag 5: Wildlife Discovery at South Plaza

Today you will take a full-day tour by boat discovering South Plaza and Carrion Point, just off the coast of Santa Cruz island.

South Plaza is one of most popular visitor sites and definitively a highlight of your Galapagos trip. You will find a high concentration of wildlife, amazing diversity and sharp contrasts. Today you will also have the opportunity to enjoy the amazing submarine world and snorkel at Carrion Point.

Floreana

Tag 6: Snorkel with Galapagos Sea Lions

Today you will embark on a southward journey to the island of Floreana. 

Though the lowest populated island of Floreana can be visited from Puerto Ayora on a long day-tour by speedboat, it remains remote and still breathes the pioneering spirit of its first colonists.

On this tour, you will visit the historical site of Galapagos' first penal colony called Asylum of Peace, nearby Pirates Cave dwellings and the vital freshwater spring in the highlands, where you can also stroll between Galapagos giant tortoises in the humid forest.

Before returning to Santa Cruz, you will hike along the Black Beach to the Sea Lion colony for some snorkeling with Galapagos sea lions, Pacific green turtles and perhaps Galapagos penguins.

Santa Cruz - San Cristobal

Tag 7: Speedboat to San Cristobal

In the morning, you will leave Santa Cruz island by public speedboat to San Cristobal. The boat ride takes about 2.5 hours and takes you to view the island of Santa Cruz from a vantage point.

You will not be surprised that Galapagos sea lions and fur seals occupy Lobos Islet, just as many other sandy beaches around San Cristobal. This tiny islet houses emblematic marine iguanas, and breeding sites for blue-footed boobies and great frigate birds. These try to impress females (and tourists) with clumsy dances, striking feet, balloon-sized scarlet pouches and are great fun to watch.

Before returning to Puerto Baquerizo you will spend some free time at nearby Ochoa Beach.

San Cristobal - Kicker Rock

Tag 8: A Day of Underwater lLfe

The offshore formation of Kicker Rock is a magnificent landmark just off the northwest coast of San Cristobal. Above all, it holds some of the most popular sites for scuba-diving and deep-water snorkeling in the entire Galapagos Marine Reserve and Shark Sanctuary, without being overcrowded.

Unique to Kicker Rock is that even snorkelers can peer into deep waters below, and have a chance to distinguish incredible pelagic species that usually remain exclusive to scuba diving.

San Cristobal

Tag 9: Dramatic Cliffs at Pitt Point

Two wind sculptured cones at Pitt Point and two rocky islets constitute the extreme east-end of San Cristobal Island, and thus, of the archipelago. These dramatic cliffs were the first sight of land when HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin arrived on September 15th, 1835. Nowadays it is still a remote, adventurous and exclusive site.

On this visit, you have the unique opportunity to spot all three species of Galapagos boobies and both species of frigate birds at once.

San Cristobal

Tag 10: Exploring the Island of San Cristobal

Today you will be able to get a view from above on the island of San Cristobal!

A short, though often hot, uphill trail with steps winds from the Interpretation Center to the summit of Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeritas) to panoramic lookout points.

Four viewpoints will give you a view of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno from above, as well as the bays on both sides of the headland; and on clear days even distant off-shore sculpture of Kicker Rock!

These wooded hilltops are one of the rare places where some magnificent frigate birds which form a mixed breeding colony, can be spotted. A viewpoint with another Charles Darwin statue reminds that the HMS Beagle anchored in the exotic bay below in the year of 1835.

From here, a trail descends to Carola Point and if time allows it you can take a hike down.

San Cristobal - Guayaquil

Tag 11: Travelling Back to Mainland

It’s time to say goodbye to Galapagos!

In the morning, you will be driven from your hotel to the airport for your domestic flight back to the continent, to Guayaquil. Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel.

Depending on the time of arrival you have the rest of the day or the evening to see more of Guayaquil or try the local Ecuadorian cuisine.

Guayaquil

Tag 12: Hasta luego, Guayaquil!

It’s been a pleasure accompanying you on this unique trip and we hope to see you again very soon! You will be driven from your hotel to the airport for your international flight back home!