Your Travel Experience with chilepro
Day 1
Arrival and transfer at the airport
You will arrive at Baltra by flight and the crew from the cruise will welcome you at the arrival. Your guide will accompany you to the ship and a briefing will be held.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago island
Afternoon: To the east of Santiago Island, you will reach the white coral beach of Sullivan Bay. Although this beach deserves your full attention, the day will surprise you with another highlight: Santiago's cooled lava blanket. Almost 100 years ago, lava flows flowed across the island here, leaving behind different ground shapes: braided and thread-like lava fields alternate with sharp-edged jagged formations. Feel the warm stones of the black, unreal lava landscape under your hands and transport yourself back to the time when volcanoes raged here and ultimately created a paradise.
Day 2
Vulcano Sierra Negra, Isabela island
Morning: Sierra Negra is the third-highest volcano on Isabela Island and the fifth-highest in the Galapagos. (1124 m). It erupted a total of 7 times in the 20th century, most recently in October 2005. It is the only volcano on Isabela whose crater region is open to tourism. A half-day hike through the cloud forests brings you to a viewpoint on the rim of the crater and offers fantastic views into the caldera (clear weather required, although unpredictable; thanks to prevailing winds, most clouds dissipate at the viewpoint). The caldera measures about 7 x 9 km and is the largest in the archipelago. A somewhat muddy path along the rim takes you through an evergreen cloud forest that exists only in the highlands of the main islands. The dense and rich vegetation includes ferns, tree ferns and endemic scalesias, laden with epiphytes such as lichens, orchids, and bromeliads. The mist and drizzle, frequent during the cool Garúa season (June-December), add to the mysterious atmosphere. Along the way, you may also spot striking songbirds such as the vermilion finch, the golden warbler, and the woodpecker finch (among six other species of Darwin's finches); this species hammers branches like a woodpecker and uses twigs as tools to catch insects!
Tortoise breeding center, Isabela island
Afternoon: After a short walk from the port town of Puerto Villamil, you will reach the Arnaldo Tupiza Interpretation and Breeding Center for Tortoises. A wooden walkway leads to the center and through the impressive surrounding wetlands, which are a wonder in themselves. At the center, you can see five different species of tortoises! They are all endemic to Isabela Island, but various influences, including volcanic eruptions and the introduction of non-native animals, have compromised their natural habitat. Here at the turtle breeding center, the eggs are protected and incubated in warmth, while the adult turtles spend their time outside on the huge property. This program was created to increase the turtle population again, as they are an important part of the island's ecology.
Day 3
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela island
Morning: The wide and sheltered Elizabeth Bay, on Isabela's east coast, hosts a bevvy of the archipelago's unique wildlife. The mangrove-lined shore contrasts starkly against the surrounding lava fields. The myriad of small islets and rocky reefs make this is a particularly rich area for wildlife. The waters here are particularly clear, and this makes Elizabeth Bay a great place to spot the rays, sharks, green sea turtles, Galapagos penguins, pelicans, and Galapagos sea lions known to gather here. Nearer to the shores and mangroves, you'll see Galapagos flightless cormorants and the sunbathing marine iguanas.
Urbina Bay, Isabela island
Afternoon: On the east coast of Isabela Island lies Urbina Bay, one of the youngest bays in the Galapagos. Formed in 1954, by an upwelling of the coast and was pushed up 5 meters. This brought a variety of corals to the surface, which can now be admired. However, this view will not last long as the air is destroying the coral reef. After a wet landing in the bay, you will go on a 3.5-kilometre march into the interior of the island. Here, you have a high probability of seeing giant tortoises and land iguanas, which are only found in the Galapagos Islands. As the trail leads back to the coast, you will encounter flightless cormorant colonies. The bay offers a fantastic place to snorkel and see Galapagos sea lizards feeding underwater.
Day 4
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
Morning: You will take an excursion to the infamous Tagus Cove - a favourite anchorage of pirates and whalers for centuries. The deep blue cove is home to breeding penguins, flightless cormorants, noddy terns, shearwaters and blue-footed boobies. A steep trail through dry balsam tree forests and cacti leads to a salty, green crater lake (Laguna Darwin). Sea turtles and marine lizards appreciate the food-rich bay, making it ideal for snorkelling despite the abundance of green algae.
Punta Espinoza, Fernandina island
Afternoon: Today, you are heading towards Fernandina, the westernmost and, with just about 700,000 years, the youngest island in the archipelago. Surrounded by hills amidst a lava landscape covered with cacti and mangroves is the visitor location Punta Espinoza. Meet sea lions and hundreds of marine iguanas basking on the black lava rocks and on the beach. While snorkelling, you might come close to the resident penguins darting quickly through the water.
Day 5
Espumilla Beach, Santiago island
Morning: At the northernmost end of James Bay is Espumilla Beach. Next door, feeding sea lizards, the Green Galapagos Sea Turtles also visit this beach to lay their eggs here. In addition, the beach also offers a nice snorkelling experience, where sharks, rays and octopods have been observed in the clear water. Continue a trail that leads inland, passing a seasonal lagoon, some of which is quite green due to the algae in the water. Along the way, you might encounter Galapagos flamingos, Bahama ducks and many other species of Galapagos birds. If you are lucky, you might also spot a Galapagos hawk circling in the skies above you.
Rábida island
Afternoon: The small island has only one access point for visitors, located on the east coast. The red beach, the lagoon near the coast and the 1.1-kilometre-long circular walk on the island are breathtaking. The red colour of the rock and beach is due to the porous ferruginous volcanic rock and various environmental factors, such as rain, saltwater, and coastal winds. Along with the highest concentration of volcanic features and the environmental factors that act as oxidants, the red colour of the island is created. After a wet landing, you can see sea lions and marine lizards relaxing on the Galapagos red beach. Just past the beach is one of the nesting sites for pelicans, which use the island's plants for shelter. It is one of the best places to see pelicans and sometimes a flamingo or two is spotted. The path of the island leads through opuntias, and a variety of birds can be seen here such as Darwin's finches, Galapagos doves or Galapagos mockingbirds. After the short walk, you can dive and swim in the bay, the clear water offers a good view of the underwater world.
Day 6
Islet Mosquera
Morning: Like many islands in the archipelago, Mosquera was formed due to an eruption of a submarine volcano. Rocks and coral colonised the island and supported you against the current that flows between Baltra and Seymour to collect sand. Now it is home to one of the largest colonies of sea lions and offers them a large beach to rest, sunbathe and play. In addition, orcas (killer whales) can sometimes be seen from here, as sea lions are part of their diet and there are many cavorting here. Mosquera can also surprise some rare species. The endemic and rare Lava Gull nests on this island, but is one of the rarest gull species in the world, with its few hundred pairs. With a bit of luck, you may stalk a crabeater heron or catch a glimpse of a rare red-footed booby.
End of cruise
The cruise concludes at Baltra. From there, you will transfer to the airport for your flight back to the mainland or continue with your scheduled itinerary in the Galapagos.