Your Travel Experience with chilepro
Day 1
Transfer from San Cristóbal Airport to the harbour
Arrive at San CristóbalAirport and transfer to the harbour to board the ship. Onboard, a briefing will be held and you will be shown to your rooms.
León Dormido, San Cristóbal Island
An impressive rock formation towering 150 meters above the Pacific Ocean, León Dormido (aka Kicker Rock) hosts a tropical underwater playground in the narrow channel between the two rocks. From a distance, locals thought they saw a sleeping lion in the rock formation, while, from the other direction, the British saw a boot. Whether a lion or a boot, the tropical birds at home on León Dormido don't seem to mind. Blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, and frigatebirds regularly enchant visitors with their daring flight manoeuvres, as they hunt and socialize around this ancient volcanic cone.In the 19 meters between the surface and the seabed, León Dormido offers snorkelers and divers a dazzling array of sea life. Whitetip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks and even hammerhead sharks are often seen darting between spotted eagle rays and sea turtles_
Day 2
Bartolomé Island
Morning: Bartolomé in the northern part of the archipelago was nominated for the World Travel Awards 2012 as the most beautiful beach of South America. Here, you will find a fascinating, lunar-like volcanic landscape. At its centre, the famous landmark of Galapagos: Pinnacle Rock.
A climb to the highest point of the island offers a wonderful view of the landscape. Take a swim together with some of the penguins who play in the waters and on the shores of the bay here.
Buccaneer Cove, Santiago
Afternoon: At the time of piracy in the 16th century, this cave on the north-western coast of Santiago was used by pirates and privateers to rest, get fresh water and replenish their food supplies. From here, it is best to go inland to find water and bring turtles as provisions to the ship, as the ship was well protected and undiscovered in the cave. Today, numerous Galapagos bird species nest on the cliffs of the cave and circle in the skies above the island's red beach. This is also a great place for snorkelling and relaxing on the beach with the odd sea lion or fur seal.
Day 3
Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela
Morning: The sea-horse-shaped island of 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 with high cliffs and tuff stone giving this area a majestic feel.
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.
Punta Espinoza, Fernandina
Afternoon: Fernandina is the youngest island in the archipelago, at only around 700,000 years old. 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 snorkeling you might come close to the resident penguins darting quickly through the water. This is a perfect spot for finding the flightless cormorant.
Day 4
Tagus Cove, Isabela
Morning: 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 into the cliffs surrounding the cove. Trails wind their way around Lake Darwin up to a ridge, offering wonderful views of the landscape and 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. You can enjoy a panga ride through the cliffs, observing penguins, flightless cormorants, boobies, pelicans and Sally Lightfoot crabs or return to the cove to relax on the shore or snorkel.
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela
Afternoon: The wide and sheltered Elizabeth Bay, on Isabela's east coast, hosts a bevy 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.
Day 5
Post Office Bay, Floreana
Morning: Floreana offers a wonderful testament to the fascinating human history of the Archipelago. Although paling in comparison to the geological history, human history extends far beyond the island's first residents.
At Post Office Bay you can learn about the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries. Lonely sailors, away from home for years at a time, would stop at Floreana to restock their supplies of food and water. The homesick sailors devised a clever solution - they left letters in a makeshift 'post box' on Floreana, and when passing ships stopped on the way back to their homeport, they would pick up all the letters destined for that place and deliver them.
To this day, the system is alive and well - each year thousands of visitors continue to leave letters for loved ones, and search for letters to bring home and deliver. To keep the tradition alive, hunt for a letter destined for a town near you and hand-deliver it.
Champion Islet
Afternoon: Champion Islet, located just off Floreana Island, is considered one of the most beautiful snorkelling spots in Galapagos. Seahorses, green sea turtles and surgeonfish are common to Champion. This is one of the best opportunities for dolphin watching and is one of the last two natural habitats of the Charles Mockingbird
Punta Cormorant, Floreana
Afternoon: Punta Cormorant is home to two stunning natural beaches. You'll make a wet landing in the first bay, where you'll find a special black sand beach that twinkles green in the sunlight. The shimmering sand is made of olivine crystals, remnants of a long-gone violent volcanic eruption. In the waters here are sea turtles, reef fishes, sea lions, and even reef sharks! There is also a small penguin colony in Floreana where you might have a chance to see on your lucky day.
Following the short trail along the beach, you'll come to a second little bay. Visitors will be delighted by the soft, white powdery sand that feels like walking in fine baking flour. This gorgeous beach certainly earned the name "Flour Beach". In the bay, you will likely spot green sea turtles, and if you wander back from the sandy stretch, you can find a saltwater lagoon that attracts vibrant flamingos and the adorable white-cheeked pintails.
Day 6
Highlands of Santa Cruz
Morning: As you venture into Santa Cruz's higher altitude areas, you will notice the changes in the vegetation as the climate becomes wetter and warmer. The earth in the upper altitudes is rich in minerals. Coffee plantations and fruit orchards line the streets and giant tortoises roam around at ease in their natural environment.
The Scalesia forests in this area offer the opportunity to discover endemic species of the Galapagos Islands, as well as giant cacti and a variety of deciduous trees and edible fruits.
Here you can also visit the twin 'craters' Los Gemelos. While they are not craters in the technical sense, these 70-meter vertical gullies with a carpet of lush vegetation are an impressive sight to behold.
Fausto Llerena breeding station, Santa Cruz
Afternoon: Visit the Galapagos giant tortoises and land iguana breeding programme, where the famous Lonesome George (the last surviving specimen from Pinta Island) lived for decades. The centre is managed by Galapagos National Park (GNP) staff in collaboration with scientists from the Charles Darwin Station (CDS). Here, eggs from Pinzon, Santiago and Santa Cruz Islands hatch without the threat of introduced species. After artificial incubation, the "galapaguitos" (newborn tortoises) are bred until they are 5 years old so that when they are released into their native habitats, they have enough skills to survive on their own. Since the 1970s, more than 2,000 specimens have returned to their native islands. In addition, Darwin Station works on several scientific projects, botanical research and provides environmental education for local communities, schools and tourists. If there is still time, you can take a stroll through the small town of Puerto Ayora.
Day 7
Cerro Dragón, Santa Cruz
Morning: 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.
Islet Guy Fawkes
Afternoon: Guy Fawkes is a group of four small islands on the north-western side of Santa Cruz Island. They are satellite cones surrounded by deep waters. When they emerge from the depths, they are caught by the strong ocean currents, making the area a place full of life. These small islands have beautiful underwater cliffs covered with all kinds of marine invertebrates such as sponges, corals, starfish and sea urchins - a very colourful place for deep water snorkelling. Due to the conditions mentioned above, huge fish aggregations occur, and because of the depth of the water, it is not uncommon to see sharks or manta rays. Guy Fawkes is one of the most exciting places for deep water snorkelling.
Bahía Borrero, Santa Cruz
In the north of Santa Cruz Island is Bahía Borrero, a beautiful white coral beach used as a nesting site by green sea turtles. Behind the dunes is a forest with typical vegetation from the dry zone: palo santo, leatherleaf and salty shrubs. This vegetation is home to yellow warblers and some of the most characteristic species of Darwin's finches, such as the cactus finch or the small ground finch. This extinct volcano, due to its altitude, shows the different vegetation zones that go from littoral to dry and then, with more humidity, to the humid zone, finally ending in the dry pampas. It is an impressive landscape to enjoy while swimming in the turquoise waters of the bay or taking a relaxing walk on the beach.
Day 8
Free Time
Today is an opportunity for you to sleep in and to enjoy the wonderful amenities such as the basecamp, the gym and the spa area onboard the Silver Origin. Take your time to recharge before heading to your next adventure
Day 9
Prince Philip's Steps, Genovesa
Morning: Genovesa Island is secluded from the other main islands in the north of the archipelago and is well-known as Bird Island.
Prince Philip's Steps are a staircase sunken into the 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 to 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 snorkelling. With some luck, you may also encounter peaceful hammerheads and black spotted eagle rays.
Day 10
North Seymour island
Morning: The small island of North Seymour is one of the most diverse islands in the Galapagos archipelago. It is only about two square kilometers in size and above all known for of the intensive courtship rituals of many magnificent frigatebirds, taking place here during mating season. The island is also home to large colonies of land iguanas, marine iguanas and sea lions. The characteristic bush landscape features diverse species of animals amongst the aromatic endemic balsa trees.
Sullivan Bay, Santiago
Afternoon: Although this beautiful beach deserves its place in the highlights list, the day will surprise you with another highlight: the special pahoehoe lava flows.
Almost 100 years ago, lava flowed across the island and left behind various forms of soil: braided and stringy lava fields alternate with sharp-edged jagged formations. Feel the warm stones of the black, unreal lava landscape under your hands and move back to the time of origin, when volcanoes raged here, ultimately creating a paradise.
Day 11
Punta Mangle, Fernandina
Morning: Hidden between the impressive new lava fields of Fernandina Island is a bay surrounded by mangroves. A rewarding place for bird watching, the bay is where the land meets the sea and connects the two habitats where sea, shore and land birds live. The different types of mangroves: red, white and black mangroves have formed a root system that serves as a nursery for many species of fish, including juvenile sharks and green sea turtles. Snorkelling is equally rewarding, as you can see marine iguanas feeding on algae or flightless cormorants diving for their prey.
Punta Moreno, Isabela
Afternoon: Punta Moreno is a rugged young lava bay. At first, it appears to be a lifeless landscape, however as you walk over the cooled lava, you'll see new green areas and lagoons hosting a wide variety of birds. Marine iguanas and lava lizards are usually found in the lagoons you'll often meet flamingos foraging here for their favourite meal. While the sharp rocks make this hike a little tricky, its path itself is easy enough to be enjoyed by everyone and provides an unforgettable landscape set against a backdrop of the volcanoes Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul.
We recommend bringing plenty of water during this visit, as the lava field reflects the sun making the temperature higher than average. Don't forget to apply sunscreen!
Day 12
Return to the habour of San Cristóbal
The cruise concludes at San Cristóbal, from there you will transfer to the airport for your flight back to the mainland or continue with your planned itinerary in the Galapagos.