Discover The Galapagos

Today, we will head to the Quito airport for the flight to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos. On arrival, we will continue to Santa Cruz, crossing the narrow Itabaca Channel by ferry. From here we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. Here we will visit a private ranch for lunch before we go on a turtle spotting hike. We can witness some lava tubes, which are formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure to relax and explore this beautiful Island. 

After breakfast, we will visit the Academy Bay. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it. We will take a boat to the Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are inquisitive animals and like to approach you or swim next to you underwater. We will also see the rare blue-footed boobies. From here we will head to a lookout point to see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below us. We will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. We can learn all about the endemic species found on the islands, as well as the ongoing conservation work on the Galapagos Islands.

Today we will take a trip to the largest island in the archipelago with the Galapagos' most volcanic activity. The island was formed by six volcanos, Alcedo, Cerra Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf; five of these are still active making the island one of the most volcanically active places on the planet. We will then head to the giant tortoise breeding centre and the flamingo lagoon to admire these incredible species in their natural habitat. In the afternoon we will visit Tintoreras Islet near Puerto Villamil and home to a wide variety of wildlife. Its turquoise, crystalline waters are inhabited by white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos Penguins, marine turtles and sea lions. One of its beaches, surrounded by mangroves and is one of the few sites in the world where marine iguanas can successfully reproduce.

After breakfast, we will head out on a hike to the Sierra Negra. From the trailhead, we will hike through a young forest ecosystem to the rim of the Sierra Negra Crater, an active volcano which last erupted in June 2018. We can appreciate spectacular views from the crater and explore the massive, 10 km wide, lava-filled crater. We will continue our hike to the Volcan Chico, a secondary crater with a wild landscape of smoky fumaroles and colourful lava formations. In the afternoon you will have time to enjoy the crystal clear water of Concha Perla and head out for some snorkelling in the area.

 Today we will explore the amazing lava formations along the shore, left by the island's last volcanic eruptions. National Geographic and the BBC have filmed a number of documentaries on this impressive island. This labyrinth of lava arches and crystal clear water is replete with sea turtles, eagle rays, sea lions, sharks and other sea creatures. The turtles navigate their way from the mangroves to the open sea through "Los Tuneles". This is where we will have the best snorkelling on the island with an array of spectacular sea creatures, including the Galapagos penguins.  We can enjoy many optional activities such as snorkelling, biking, or simply relaxing on the pristine white-sand beaches.

Today we will leave these amazing Islands to head back to the capital. There will be a final opportunity to take some photos of the sea lions before we fly back to the mainland. After we arrive at the hotel, we will prepare for our final evening of the tour.

Today is the final day of this spectacular Galapagos tour.  We will collect you from the hotel to head to the airport for your flight back home or to your next exciting destination!