Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
Transfer to the yacht
Arrive at the Baltra Island airport and transfer to the ship. Here you'll receive a brief introduction to the ship and the islands.
Highlands of Santa Cruz
Afternoon: In comparison to the dry, low part of the island, the densely forested highlands create a beautiful contrast. The dominant plant species of the highlands are the Scalesia forests, which give the highlands a luscious green. Pay a visit to the underground lava tunnels for an almost unreal experience.
Please consider appropriate clothes for a hike today!
Day 2
Punta Moreno, Isabela Island
Morning: Punta Moreno is located on the west coast of Isabela Island. Ornithophiles will be delighted by the variety of birds along the impressive rocky coast or during a hike through the lava rocks to the tide pools and mangrove forests. The tide pools regularly attract green sea turtles and white tip sharks.
Punta Mangle, Fernandina Island
Afternoon: Off the eastern coast of Fernandina, Punta Mangle offers great snorkeling and a beautiful location for riding in a dinghy through a grove of mangrove trees. Whether you hike, snorkel, or stay in your dinghy for a ride through the red mangrove trees, the second site of Fernandina Island is equally memorable. During your ride, you are likely to see sea lions, tortoises, pelicans, rays and many types of birds.
Day 3
Urbina Bay, Isabela Island
Morning: Urbina Bay graces the southeast flank of the Alcedo Volcano. After volcanic activity in 1954 caused a significant uplift, the coast expanded almost a kilometer out. Marine life found a way to thrive in this newly fertile area and many species chose to stay. Today, this area is a great place for snorkeling. During your hike, you may see a large colony of land iguanas, Darwin's finches, giant tortoises (from June to September) and flightless cormorants.
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
Afternoon: The historical pirate hideaway of Tagus Cove has been frequented by sailors since the 1800s. The names of visiting ships were often painted and carved in to the cliffs surrounding the cove.
Trails wind their way around Lake Darwin up to a ridge, offering wonderful views of the landscape, the ocean, with Wolf and Darwin Islands dotting the horizon. Punta Tortuga, just north of Tagus Cove, is another idyllic tropical beach surrounded by mangroves. Later, take a panga ride through the cliffs, observing penguins, flightless cormorants, boobies, pelicans and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Return to the cove to relax on the shore or snorkel.
Day 4
Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island
Morning: Today you head to Fernandina, the westernmost and youngest island of the archipelago. In the midst of a cactus and mangrove-covered lava landscape, you will find visitor's site Punta Espinoza. Sea lions and hundreds of marine iguanas sun themselves on the black lava rocks and on the beach. When snorkeling, you might come close to the resident penguins whizzing through the water at lightning speed.
Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island
Afternoon: This sea-horse-shaped island Isabela is the largest of the archipelago and the most volcanically active. Punta Vicente Roca is considered one of the most impressive and spectacular places of the enchanted Galapagos Islands. High cliffs and tuffstone, ash and lava formations give this area a majestic touch.
While you explore the two coves and the large bay with spectacular sea life, keep an eye out for seahorses, sea turtles, and the weird and wonderful mola-mola, also known as sunfish. In good conditions, Punta Vicente Roca is considered one of the best snorkelling sites in the Galapagos.
Day 5
Espumilla Beach and Buccaneer Cove, Santiago Island
Morning: Espumilla Beach is famous for its marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs. The crabs attract hunting herons, who can be seen here performing their hunter-prey dance. In the waters here you can find octopus, moray eels and sharks.
Buccaneer Cove was once a haven for British buccaneers. These pirates most likely took a break here in the sheltered bay to make repairs and replenish their turtle meat stock. Furthermore, the steep cliffs, where hundreds of sea birds settle on the dark red sand beach, are an impressive place.
Puerto Egas, Santiago Island
Afternoon: After landing on the black sand beach of Puerto Egas, Santiago Island hike along a 2km long coastal area boasting sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks and lava herons. The rugged lava coast with natural pools, where sea lions bathe and herons play marks the end of your hike.
An excursion to Santiago Island is also one of the rare chances to see Galápagos fur seals in the wild, though not in large numbers.
Day 6
Rábida Island
Morning: On arrival at Rábida Island's red sand beach you will be greeted by the resident sea lions, basking in the sun. The island's otherworldy red colouring is a result of the high level of iron and magnesium left behind from previous volcanic activity.
A stroll along the beach reveals marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and several species of Darwin’s finches. If you look carefully you may also spot the bright red Sally Lightfoot crabs, who have found possibly the only place on earth where they can effectively camouflage themselves.
Chinese Hat Islet
Afternoon: Sombero Chino was named by locals for its shape, resembling the outline of a Chinese hat. Since the management of the National Park restricted the number of visitors, rare creatures of the Galapagos Islands can once again be seen up close.
Sea lion colonies live on the white coral sand beach. Here you can also see the American oystercatcher and Galapagos penguins swimming along the shore, as well as the Sally Lightfoot crabs, which contrast starkly with the black volcanic stones.
Day 7
Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
Morning: Black Turtle Cove is a red mangrove lagoon serving as a nursery for sharks and rays. Black Turtle Cove is a great location to observe mating sea turtles during nesting season. Travellers often see large groups of resting white-tip reef sharks, schools of golden rays and the incredibly beautiful spotted eagle rays. As the water is usually very calm, this area can be navigated using paddles instead of the loud panga engines, increasing your chances of wildlife encounters.
Return to Baltra
You will return to the harbour of Baltra. From there transfer to Baltra Airport by bus for your return flight to the mainland or you continue with your individual Galapagos program.