Your Travel Experience with chilepro
Day 1
Transfer to the yacht
Morning: After arrival in the Baltra airport, transfer to the harbour to board your ship.
El Chato Giant Tortoise Ranch orBlack Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz
Afternoon:
Giant tortoise reserve
Meet the famous giant tortoises in the reserve "El Chato" in the highlands of Santa Cruz and marvel at the animals up close.
or
Black Turtle Cove
This small secret sanctuary, in the north of Santa Cruz Island, can only be reached by dinghy and as soon as the engine goes out and you drift through the waters, you will hear the sounds of nature. Surrounded by mangrove trees and diverse marine life, with feeding sea turtles in the calm shallow waters and various sharks and Galapagos rays. This slightly different spot for visitors shows the slightly different side of the Galapagos, away from the noisy waves of the coast and the barking sea lions.
Day 2
Prince Philip’s Steps, Genovesa Island
Morning: Prince Philip's Steps are a staircase sunken into volcanic rock that leads to a plateau rich with vegetation and wildlife. True to the nickname of Bird Island, this area is home to nesting masked and blue-footed boobies, Bahama ducks, petrels and gulls amongst a host of other local species. The Galápagos horned owls bask on the warm volcanic rocks here, paying no attention the tourists around them.
Darwin Bay, Genovesa
Afternoon: Emerging from the narrow entrance, you'll reach Darwin Bay, surrounded by protective cliffs. Frigatebirds regularly patrol the skies here and petrels can be seen hunting coastal waters for smaller fish. The green water in the bay is evidence of a high plankton content which attracts fish and seabirds, making this wildlife-rich bay a wonderful site for snorkeling. With some luck, you may also encounter peaceful hammerheads and black spotted stingrays.
Day 3
Plaza Sur Island
Morning: One of the smallest and most colourful islands in the archipelago, Plaza Sur, or 'South Plaza' in English, is just a short sail from Santa Cruz. Reaching dry land, you will come across some of the island’s friendly sea lions, one of the many types of animals in South Plaza for you to discover. Wander by the nesting places of swallow-tailed gulls, Audubon shearwaters, red-tailed tropicbirds, masked boobies and frigatebirds. The entire island is carpeted with dense sesuvium plants. From June to November, during the colder and drier season, the plants turn a deep red colour which gives the island a dramatic, fascinating atmosphere. Watch the iguanas searching high up in the opuntia trees for fruit - a sight you'll never see anywhere else in the world.
Santa Fé Island
Afternoon: You won't find a more fitting place name than Cerro Dragón, "Dragon Hill", located behind a flamingo lagoon.
Dragon-like land iguanas roam across the sun-scorched, boulder-strewn island, grazing freely on the fruits and flowers of their favourite food, the Opuntia Cacti. Cerro Dragón is a great opportunity to get out your camera and capture some of what makes the Galapagos Islands so unique.
Day 4
Las Bachas, Santa Cruz Island
Morning: On the north side of Santa Cruz, you will land on Bachas beach - one of the most important nesting sites for the Galapagos Island's sea turtle population.
A hidden lagoon behind the bay reveals a treasure trove of animal sightings - sunbathing iguanas, curious shorebirds, and Darwin finches, mockingbirds and seagulls frolic here. Native plant life is also interesting in this area. Red and black mangroves and salt bushes line the edges of the pond.
In this heavenly place you will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago when the US Navy operated a base on the island of Baltra during the Second World War. Local people changed the word Barges to "Bachas".
Transfer to Baltra
Afternoon: You will return to the harbor of Baltra. From there, transfer to Baltra Airport in time for your return flight to the mainland, or continue with your planned route through the Galapagos.