Island Diversity Itinerary

Some highlights:  13 different islands (by land and/or snorkel);  swimming with sea-lions and spotting sharks, all three booby species, pristine wilderness beaches, waved albatross (Apr - Nov), great landscape diversity, warmer waters.  

DAY 3:  TUESDAY, SANTA CRUZ  (INDEFATIGABLE) [1]

AM: BALTRA AIRPORT
PM:  SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS

Up early this morning.  Please dress comfortably/appropriately as you will be taken on your first excursion on arrival in the islands  Consider bringing a small backpack with essentials you may need such as sunblock, insect repellent, a hat, rainwear, a water bottle (you will board the M/Y Samba at the end of the day).  After a quick breakfast you'll head off to the airport.  You might want to consider having a little snack at the Quito airport, or buying a little something on arrival in Galapagos to tide you over until lunch.   

At the Quito airport, you'll take your bags through the bio-control inspection - please don't bring any organic matter to the islands (fruit etc…).    The flight usually stops in Guayaquil, before heading off to Galapagos.  Total transit time is about 2.5 hours.   Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you will pay your US$100 National Park Entrance Fee.  Your hand luggage will then be checked by the local Inspection and Quarantine staff again to ensure you have no organic matter.  Exiting the arrival area, you will be met by the Samba's naturalist guide, who will assist you with the collection your luggage.

The journey will have you take a short bus ride to the narrow channel that separates Baltra island and Santa Cruz island.  Keep your eyes open for some land iguanas on Baltra - these had disappeared soon after the establishment of the World War II military base there, but have been painstakingly re-introduced since, and are now doing very well - particularly after the successful eradication of wild cats, which liked to dine on baby iguanas!

After the 3 minute ferry ride,  we'll head up to the Highlands of Santa Cruz.  At 1800 feet (550 metres), stopping at El Chato II for a highlands lunch.  El Chato II (a private reserve) is a good place for a visit to the native highland forests -  home of many Darwin's finches, mocking birds, vermillion flycatcher and a wonderful diversity of indigenous plants - including the peculiar looking scalesia trees, resembling giant broccoli.  You'll also encounter the iconic giant tortoises and have the chance to walk among them.   We'll continue on to Puerto Ayora, the biggest town in Galapagos where you'll have a chance to stroll around for about 45 minutes.  At the end of the afternoon, you'll embark on the Samba, settle in and get underway.  Dinner on board. 

DAY 4:  WEDNESDAY, FLOREANA (CHARLES)

AM: PUNTA CORMORANT / DEVIL'S CROWN
PM: BARONESS' LOOKOUT

Following a four-hour navigation from Puerto Ayora we will do a wet landing on a volcanic olivine beach. Punta Cormorant is located on the northern shore of Floreana and is the house of greater flamingos and sea turtles. On one side, the point is partially flooded with a brackish lagoon where flamingos occasionally feed. Whimbrels, herons and stilts are other common shore and migratory birds of the wetlands. On the other side sea turtles use every corner of a white sand beach to deliver their eggs.  You often see stingrays and reef sharks from the shore and if you are lucky turtles ending basking.

Late that morning we will snorkel at one of the best spots in the world! Devil´s Crown is a magical start to the Galápagos underwater experience.

To make absolutely sure you get a full day from sunrise to sun set, we will kayak/panga ride and climb at the Baroness' lookout. Navigating through a small set of islets with a sea lion colony, boobies and mangroves. Finally, following our ride we will start our short hike to the top of this eroded spatter cone to share the vivid obscurity of the human history of “Las Encantadas”. A fantastic landscape decorated with little islands is the perfect setting to engage with the fascinating story of the Wittmer´s, Doctor Ritter and Dora, and the famous Baroness and her three lovers. Charles, Floreana and Santa María are the official names of the Island that holds an overwhelming mystery of our human history.

DAY 5:  THURSDAY, ESPAÑOLA (HOOD)

AM: PUNTA SUAREZ
PM: GARDNER BAY & GARDNER ISLAND

Hood is the oldest Galapagos Island, the Queen. Her Majesty has travelled 100 miles (160 km) away from the volcanic hotspot over which she was originally created; she sets an example of splendor and wisdom. When landing on her western tip, Punta Suárez, you'll be amazed at the most colourful marine iguanas in Galapagos, at the plentiful sea lions leisurely wandering around you, at blue-footed boobies and Sally light-foot crabs coating the rocks with their brilliant colours. The long walk leads you to one of the finest illustrations of ancient sea bird colonies on the planet. The endless cliff shaped by strong wave action and the force of the wind is the home of the only tropical albatross on Earth[2]. This mythical elegant glider shares the precipice with many others sea birds like the tropicbirds, the swallow tailed gull and the Nazca booby.

Depending on weather conditions, either at the end of the morning or early in the afternoon, we'll snorkel or kayak around Gardner Island. Its calm waters and attractive landscape give you a great experience above and below the water line.

Located on the north coast of Española Gardner Bay beckons with its tranquil snow white sand beach. The fine grains of sand make perfect terrain for a soft walk and a late afternoon "zen" time by the sea… though you won't be alone, sea lions and Hood mockingbirds will keep us company.   The mockingbirds here have the reputation for a certain cockiness.  So, don't drop your camera lens cap - they may make off with it!

DAY 6:  FRIDAY, SAN CRISTOBAL (CHATHAM)

AM:  PUNTA PITT
PM: ISLA LOBOS

On Punta Pitt we do a wet landing late in the afternoon to climb a tuff cone and enjoy the sunset. This is the point in Galapagos that is closest to mainland South America. Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, frigate birds and storm petrel nest in the area.  The ochre color beach is perfect for a relaxing plunge after the walk and great for picture taking.

We navigate by a dramatic tuff cone formation, Kicker Rock. The eroded structure has vertical walls of over 450 feet and has great numbers of sea birds nesting and resting on it. We will circumnavigate the rock to admire its magnitude. 

Lobos Island, located in the vicinity of the larger San Cristóbal Island, was named after the large colonies of sea lions that practically fill the entire area of the island.  In addition to sea lions, there is also a small population of blue-footed boobies and common frigatebirds who nest around the saltbushes. This site also presents great opportunities for snorkeling, as the waters passing between Lobos Island and San Cristobal are calm and filled with marine life.

DAY 7:  SATURDAY, SANTA FE & PLAZAS

AM: SANTA FE
PM: SOUTH PLAZAS

A more picturesque inlet could not have been created by the world's best artist.  The white sand floor of the seabed of Barrington Bay reflects the light, turning the calm waters turquoise. A small forest of gigantic prickly pear cactus grows on a peninsula that keeps the bay sheltered. Conditions are ideal for a large sea lion colony. Santa Fe is an ancient extinct volcano and it has been isolated from other islands long enough to have an endemic land dragon. Paler in color than its relatives, the Barrington land iguana has a primitive morphology. Galapagos Hawks, mocking birds, finches and endemic rice rats provide company to this yellowish monster. 

A two-hour navigation north will take us to South Plaza. The dry landing transports you to a brilliant combination of life and colors. Land iguanas wandering through bright red carpet weed, Swallow tailed gulls nesting around the overhang tops and red-billed tropicbirds and shearwaters flying with dancing displays. Mind the pirates of the sky; they will strike if you drop your guard. This 13 acre (5 hectare) island is one of the best spots in the archipelago to see land iguanas and swallow-tailed gulls, both indigenous to the Galapagos. There are iguana nests scattered all over the hill. The sheer cliffs of the southern shore are a perfect bird habitat, making it an unparalleled bird observatory especially for  swallow-tailed gulls, Audubon shearwaters, and red-billed tropicbirds.  You'll also have the chance to spot the only marine - land iguana hybrids in the islands.  Evolution in the making?

If we have enough time and good weather we will swim or snorkel in Punta Carrion. A great way to end an active day!

DAY 8:  SUNDAY, SOMBRERO CHINO & BARTOLOME

AM: SOMBRERO CHINO
PM: BARTOLOME

Named for its distinctive profile, Sombrero Chino (Chinese hat) is separated from Santiago island by a light-blue-green lagoon.

The island is the classic example of a place with a volcanic origin: The “land” is made of a few adjacent craters and very old, fragile pahoehoe lava flows.  As a result, vegetation is just starting to take hold. Colourful carpetweed plants are scattered here and there.

The trail on the island runs from the landing site on the northern white-sand beach — where you may see penguins, sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs — to the rocky shore of the western part of the island. Here, you’ll enter a primeval world of volcanic rubble, sharp outcroppings, and lava formations. Marine iguanas wallow in tide pools and relish a spray of mist as the waves crash against the nearby rocks. From the top of the island, Galapagos hawks monitor their kingdom.

The lava fields here will break beneath your feet and are so fragile that the Galápagos National Park has deemed this site to be sensitive to the impact of tourism. Only small boats are allowed to make a stop.

Because of the regulations, Sombrero Chino is one of the least visited sites in the Galápagos. This island is an unparalleled place within a unique archipelago.   There is an opportunity to go snorkeling in the lagoon. 

Bartolome Island offers an explosive volcanic landscape.  You'll be climbing the longest staircase in Galapagos - taking up over 270 feet (80 metres) to admire the dramatic spatter cones and the expansive view of Pinnacle Rock that distinguishes Galapagos from other oceanic archipealgoes.  It's from this vantage point that one of the most iconic pictures of Galapagos is taken - with Pinnacle Rock in the background.  Later, enjoy some down time on magical golden beaches where sea turtles nest (December to March), and/or go for a swim or snorkle near (or with!) penguins, sharks, giant rays and to explore the sunken lava tubes.

DAY 9:  MONDAY, RABIDA & SANTIAGO ISLANDS

AM: RABIDA
PM: JAMES BAY (Santiago Island)

Galapagos offers a diversity of geological formations without boundaries. The island of Rábida has lavas rich in iron and after millions of years of exposure to air they have turned it red. The rusted volcanic material has eroded to form a beautiful crimson sand beach, lovely for a walk. The protected shore provides excellent conditions for wildlife.  Brown pelicans use the nearby saltbushes as a resting and nesting area. Hawks and mocking birds are common visitors of the lowlands. Furthermore, you'll find that snorkeling off the beach can be very exciting as sharks, rays and many colorful fish are often visible.

Following a two-hour sail northwest we will do a wet landing at Puerto Egas also known as James Bay. The magical shorelines of the west of James Island are a combination of tuff cone, lava flows and organic sand. A rocky coast with a very gentle slope is used by a great number of shore birds and reptiles. Oystercatchers, whimbrels, sanderlings, turnstones, tattlers and other waders are mixed with marine iguanas and bright painted crabs to feed by the rich littoral zone.  Grand, partially collapsed lava tunnels house a Galapagos fur sea lion colony. The snorkel can be one of the best in the archipelago. Sea turtles feeding, parrot fishes, damsel fishes, white tipped reef sharks and many more…    Charles Darwin spent most of his Galapagos land time near this spot.

 DAY 10:  TUESDAY, NORTH SEYMOUR & BALTRA AIRPORT

AM: NORTH SEYMOUR
PM: SANTA CRUZ AND PUERTO AYORA

Following a dry landing at sunrise we will walk amongst the largest blue-footed booby colony of the Islands. If breeding, you will enjoy their dancing and singing to find a mate. Not far from the dancers we'll spot great and magnificent frigate birds nesting. The males inflate their pouches to attract the ladies that fly above them. Swallow tailed gulls and tropicbirds decorate the large basaltic walls of the island.

We will be back on board for breakfast at 8:00 and we have to be ready to check out at 9:00.

DAY 11:  THURSDAY, BACK TO QUITO

We'll take an early morning bus back to Baltra, and board our flight to Quito.  We should be arriving at Quito airport later in  the afternoon, at which point the trip ends.  If you have an outgoing international flight departing later that night (after 9PM), you will have time for the connection.   

PRISTINE AND BORN OF FIRE ITINERARY

Some highlights:  Lava flows, slow circumnavigation of Isabela Island, towering volcanos, flightless cormorants, whales and dolphins, and many iguanas. 

DAY 3:  TUESDAY, SANTA CRUZ  (INDEFATIGABLE)[1]

AM: FLIGHT TO BALTRA ISLAND, GALAPAGOS EMBARKATION
PM: MOSQUERA Islet (wet landing)

Up early this morning - a quick breakfast before the transfer to the airport.  At the Quito airport you'll take your bags through the inspection for bio-control - please don't bring any organic matter to the islands (fruit etc…).    The flight usually stops in Guayaquil, before heading off to Galapagos.  Total transit time is about 2.5 hours.   Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you will pay your US$100 National Park Entrance Fee.  Your hand luggage will then be checked by the local Inspection and Quarantine staff again to ensure you have no organic matter.  Exiting the arrival area, you will be met by the Samba's naturalist guide, who will assist you with the collection your luggage and will accompany you to the Samba.

After a light lunch, the Samba will navigate to Mosquera Islet, located between North Seymour and Baltra. It is one of the smallest Islands resulting from an uplift of sand, made up of coral reefs and rocks. It boasts one of the largest sea lion colonies in the Galapagos archipelago. There are occasional reports of Orca whales seen praying on the sea lion colony. You'll have the chance to jump into the Pacific for the first time - a great way to start your time in the islands.

DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY, GENOVESA (TOWER)

AM: DARWIN BAY (wet landing)

PM: PRINCE PHILIP'S STEPS (dry landing)

After an overnight navigation from Santa Cruz Island to Tower Island, you'll awaken to the cacophony of one of the largest tropical sea bird colonies on the planet.  Disembarking at Darwin Bay, the first thing you'll notice are the cliff tops, decorated with frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, swallow tailed gulls, tropic birds and many other pelagic animals.  Staring up the trail, the red-footed boobies are spotted displaying for potential mates as they collect nesting material and male great frigate birds are seen inflating their gulag sacks hoping to attract a mate while others play their favorite game: piracy. Darwin's finches, Galapagos doves and mocking birds stroll the area foraging for seeds and insects. The red mangroves, cactus and saltbushes contrast with the blue sky and the dark basaltic walls.

Following lunch, you'll climb Prince Philip's Steps. The steep ascent takes you 100 feet above sea level. At the summit, you may encounter the elegant silhouette of the red billed tropic bird and the aerobatic Galapagos shearwater. Both interact with the precipice on fast approaches. The lava rock trail leads you through the endemic dwarf incense tree (palo santo) forest, where we'll encounter nesting red-footed "lancers" and many of their gannet-like relatives, the Nazcas, loudly claiming the earthen floor as their residence. The Palo Santo forest is dormant most of the year, and awakens only in the rainy season to infuse the air with its refreshing aroma. As you leave the forest, your breath may be taken away by the panoramic view of thousands of storm petrels flying erratically beyond the lava flows. This is the perfect scenario for the island's top predator to make a successful kill. The short-eared owl, known elsewhere around the world as a nocturnal predator, hunts in bright daylight in Genovesa. More cat than owl, it waits patiently outside lava tunnels and crevasses to capture the storm petrels as they leave their tunnel homes after feeding their young.

Snorkeling on Tower offers a view of a wide variety of tropical fish.

DAY 5:  THURSDAY, MARCHENA (BINDLOE)

AM: PUNTA ESPEJO or PUNTA MEJIA
PM: PLAYA NEGRA

Almost all other cruise ships travel back south after sailing to Genovesa; the Samba is one of only two that head west-northwest. The Galapagos National Park Service has granted us the rare opportunity to visit Marchena's magical shorelines to snorkel, dinghy ride and kayak. The forbidding endless and untouched lava flows, where only scientists are allowed, has no fresh water and very little precious soil.  The island's serenity is awakened by the murmur and surge of the Pacific swells and musical argument of the castaway sea lions. Punta Mejía is one of the best sites in the Archipelago to snorkel. The calm and clear deep blue water of the northwest coast, and the dark hostile topography of the location give the sensation of witnessing the beginning of our planet and its underwater world.  Apart from great fish diversity, when we snorkel, we often see rays, reef sharks and sea turtles.

Navigating southwest for 45 minutes to Playa Negra is always an exciting experience.   We've often been delighted during this transit by the play of bottle nosed dolphins, other cetaceans or feeding frenzies. After an early afternoon snorkel around a recently formed lava grotto where marine iguanas feed, we will start a 5 to 6 hour sail to the west. As we get further away from the island the sea floor changes dramatically and we enter deep water, an oceanic drop-off. The Cromwell current, which arrives from the west from the very deep waters, brings many nutrients to the surface, contributing to an outburst of marine life.   As a result, there are positive effects throughout the marine food chain and we have a good record of spotting whales and other ocean wanderers on this navigation. Whales or dolphins are never a guaranteed, but we will we do our best to find them (we'll need your help!).  If we do spot whales, we'll see what we can do to get a better view. 

DAY 6:  FRIDAY, ISABELA (ALBEMARLE)

AM: PUNTA ALBEMARLE
PM: PUNTA VICENTE ROCA

Human history has left its footprint on this small corner of the Galapagos.  Punta Albemarle, the most northerly point of Isabela, was one of the most important US radar stations in the Pacific.  Designed to guard against an eventual Japanese attack on the Panama Canal, all that remains is a small and deteriorated building, symbolic of the boredom and routine that was the daily grind experienced by junior navy officers who manned this desolate outpost for rotating three week shifts - where, in the end, the Japanese never came.

In contrast to the calm of the radar station, the wildlife of Punta Albemarle gives the best example of constant struggle for survival, a fight where only the fittest continue. The recent lava flows are nesting grounds for the flightless cormorant, found only in Galapagos.  The largest marine iguanas of Galapagos can also be found basking in the sun here.   Because not many boats visit this site, the cormorants, which are very shy birds by nature, are totally indifferent to human presence as they build their bulky nests of seaweed.  As the morning advances the iguanas reveal their adaptation as they wonder along the shoreline to feed on green and red algae. With this fantastic setting, you are reminded that the only constant in these Islands is change. 

Punta Vicente Roca offers an overwhelming diversity of geological formations. Located on the southwest end of Ecuador Volcano, only a few miles south of latitude 0°, the area is an outstanding example of how the Islands were formed and how the forces of change have transformed the landscape and shaped the wildlife over thousands of years. Vicente Roca is the home of tuff cones and lava dikes and is fertile ground for erosion and the disaster of collapse. We will look at the dramatic structures from our dinghies, as we also enjoy watching the Galapagos penguins, brown noddies, blue-footed boobies and other marine life. When the waters are calm enough, the snorkelling is fascinating. The walls of the tuff cones are full of colorful invertebrates and rich, blooming algae gives us of the opportunity to witness numerous sea turtles feeding. 

DAY 7:  SATURDAY, FERNANDINA (NARBOROUGH) AND ISABELA

AM: PUNTA ESPINOZA, Fernandina Island
PM: URBINA BAY, Isabela Island

Only 30,000-100,000 years old, Fernandina is the youngest island of the Archipelago. This immature shield volcano is a newborn in geological terms. Not even in your wildest imagination can you conjure up a better setting to witness the start of life on an island. The whole Island is covered with hostile, sterile lava fields.  Life has taken root in only a few places.  However, at Punta Espinoza the shoreline is teeming with life. Reptiles, birds and mammals all coexist in this tiny island of life.  Marine iguanas, playful sea lions, hard working flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, busy Sally light-foot crabs and much more. Don't forget to look around because the Galapagos Hawk, the resident predator, is always on the hunt. The site is a true cradle of evolution.

Snorkeling with turtles, iguanas, cormorants and plenty of fish is the best way to refresh after the lava walk. The geologic hotspot under the Galapagos generates intense volcanic activity. The western islands are the youngest and most active of the Archipelago. Located in the center of Isabela, Alcedo Volcano is a reminder of how volatile these Islands are. On the western shoreline of Alcedo lays Urbina Bay.   Here, in 1954, more than ¾ of a mile (1 km) of new shoreline was created overnight by a sudden geological uplifting event.  Many coral reef extensions where exposed to air and fish were suddenly left stranded.  Evidence is still graphic today.   The new land became a perfect nesting terrain for the most beautiful land dragon.

The land iguanas of Isabela are the largest in the Galapagos and in Urbina the colorful population offers a great example of the tendency towards gigantism in isolated island ecosystems. The impressive yellow, orange/brown iguanas roam the low lands foraging for the flowers, fruits, leaves and shoots of their favorite plants. Reminding one of the Jurassic Period, when the rains arrive, it is possible to see the land iguanas sharing their habitat with another primitive looking reptile, the giant tortoise. 

DAY 8:  SUNDAY, ISABELA

AM: ELIZABETH BAY
PM: PUNTA MORENO

Isabela Island constitutes almost half of the entire surface of the Archipelago. It is nearly 100 miles (160 km) long and offers a remarkable diversity of habitats. Shaped like a seahorse and with volcanoes over 5000 feet (1.5 km) high, it is also the birth place of vast mangrove extensions. Elizabeth Bay is the only place on Earth where mature tropical mangrove forests and penguins co-exist. The ecosystem is also the residence of spotted eagle rays, sea turtles and a nursery for fish and marine invertebrates. We'll opt for rowing our boats here instead of using the motors, so that we can take in the full display of life in its undisturbed condition.  

When you land on Punta Moreno you understand why the Spanish Bishop that discovered the Islands said: "It was as if God had decided to rain stones". When he first set foot on a lava field he struggled to find fresh water and in desperation was reduced to chew on cactus pads to quench his thirst. More than three centuries later a young Naturalist saw beyond the lava. Charles Darwin was amazed by the colonization of plants and the start of life proceeding on this terrain. He thought this process somehow provided clues to the origin of life on our planet. The mystery of mysteries…[2] The pioneer cactus growing over the lava landscape is contrasted with stunning oases. Where lava tunnel roofs have collapsed, brackish water accumulates to give life to greater flamingoes, moorhens, black-necked stilts and Galapagos Martins. 

DAY 9:  MONDAY, FLOREANA

AM: POST OFFICE BAY
PM: CHAMPION ISLET

Adventure, survival, mystery and murder are the main ingredients for our next stop. Post Office Bay has left a legacy of pirates, whalers, scientific expeditions and fascinating stories. After a wet landing, we walk a very short distance to be part of the most important Galapagos tradition (the post office). Don't forget to bring your postcards and addresses with you so you can take part in this age old tradition! 

Around late morning we sail for 25 minutes do a snorkel and a panga ride at Champion Islet. The snorkeling around the island is extraordinary, lots of fish, rays, sharks and the playfulness of the Galapagos sea lions. This small piece of land is one of two places were the Floreana mocking bird survives after its extinction on the big Island. While trying to find the rare bird from our dinghies, we will enjoy a beautiful landscape full of fairy tale cactus and terracotta rock formations.  

DAY 10:  TUESDAY, SANTA CRUZ  (INDEFATIGABLE)

AM:  DISEMBARKATION, SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS

Today, you'll visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz island. We begin with a stop at a giant tortoise reserve, where you’ll have a chance to wander around among these great reptiles. We follow that with a visit near the island summit. At 1800 feet (550 metres) the greenery offers the opportunity to admire the remnant of a Galapagos mature forest. The broccoli shaped Daisy trees of the genus Scalesia decorate a couple of extraordinary geological formations. Known as "Los Gemelos", these twin collapsed craters and their surroundings are the home of many Darwin's finches, mocking birds and a wonderful diversity of indigenous plants.  We return back to the northern side of Santa Cruz Island and transfer to Baltra airport. Your guide will be on hand to help with check-in, and to wave goodbye as you head off back to the continent.

DAY 11:  THURSDAY, BACK TO QUITO

We'll take an early morning bus back to Baltra, and board our flight to Quito.  We should be arriving at Quito airport later in  the afternoon, at which point the trip ends.  If you have an outgoing international flight departing later that night (after 9PM), you will have time for the connection.