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This 10-Day tour will take you to one of the most amazing places in the world, which is also one of the most fascinating birding destinations: the Galapagos Islands. A group of 13 major islands and dozens of smaller islets and rocks, all the result of volcanic activity, certainly appear to be out of this world. They are a perfect place for birders, boasting 28 endemic species. Of course, there are also lots of other things to see including playful sea lions, exotic plant life, volcanoes and an evocative land and seascape.
We will visit two of the least visited, but most birdy, islands GENOVESA, ISABELA and FERNANDINA! Here we can easily see Galapagos Penguins and Flightless Cormorants. We will also visit BACHAS with it's beautiful beaches, ESPAÑOLA, FLOREANA, SANTA CRUZ, BARTOLOME, and NORTH SEYMOUR. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to visit one of the most unique birding areas in the world! We will need 15 participants to confirm this tour. Spaces will go quickly, so sign up now!!
Day 1: FROM QUITO TO THE ENCHANTED GALAPAGOS ISLANDSStarting in Quito, your trip starts with an early morning transfer from your hotel to the airport, to catch your flight to the Galapagos islands. If you have not included th Galapagos National Park entrance fee with your payment, it will be collected at the airport upon arrival (US$ 100 cash per person). Outside the airport, the ship's guide will be waiting to transfer you to the pier where your boat will be ready to start your cruise. Onboard the guide will explain the rules that you have to follow in the Galapagos according to the National Park policies and will give you some safety lessons. You will have lunch and in the afternoon you will visit Bachas, a beautiful beach of sand derived from decomposed coral, which makes it white and soft and a perfect site for nesting sea turtles. Return to the boat for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will visit Playa Negra, located in Isabela Island. We will have lunch and visit Fernandina Island, the youngest and most pristine island in the Galapagos, with no introduced species. Here recent lava flows formed by an active volcano are evident. Along the shoreline hundreds of marine iguanas form the largest colony found in the Galapagos, sea lions with resident bulls guard their territory. Flightless Cormorant's build their nests here and Galapagos Hawks can be seen overhead. Possible snorkelling, dinner and overnight in the boat. (B, L, D)
Today you will visit two of the most important places of Isabela Island, Urbina Bay and Pta. Moreno. In Urbina Bay we will have the opportunity to see coral heads and other marine formations left on the surface after the uplift. A walk will show land and marine iguanas and (occasionally) giant tortoises. Flightless Cormorants and Brown Pelicans nest along the coast during their breeding season. Lunch and in the afternoon we will visit Pta. Moreno where you will see lava fields, flamingo lagoons, and we should see penguins. (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will visit another important place in Isabela Island, Pto. Villamil, the town that is located on the south-eastern coast of the island and has some of Galapagos' most beautiful beaches, with a number of brackish water lagoons, which provide refuge to migratory birds that arrive to Galapagos. The Giant Tortoise Breading Center can be also visited. Here National Park collects adults (to mate in captivity) and eggs of giant tortoises from the two southern volcanoes on Isabela Island. Hatchlings are raised for several years, and then reintroduced to their habitat. Possible snorkelling. After lunch we will visit Isabela Highlands and its main attraction, Volcano Sierra Negra, located at the southern end of Isabela, one of the most impressive volcanoes of the archipelago. Its caldera measures 10 Km across from north to south. A visit to this area is quite impressive in addition to its attractiveness. Following the rim of the caldera to the north, a site called "Volcan Chico" is reached comprising a group of small craters and fumaroles. If you head south to the end of the rim of Sierra Negra Volcano the so-called "Sulphur Volcano" is reached, where huge amount of sulphur are found due to the continuous action of fumaroles. This is one of the preferred places for birdwatchers. Return to the boat for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
After breakfast you will visit Pta. Suarez and in the afternoon Gardner Bay, both places in Española Island. Pta. Suarez is a rocky point of land that sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in the Galapagos. Along its southern shore, steep cliffs rise up from the sea, for a spectacular view of soaring birds and the famous blowhole. A noisy colony of Sea Lions and curious mockingbirds greet us as we land on their beach. You will meet a multitude of Blue-footed Boobies, Masked Boobies and endemic marine iguanas with unique traces of red and green soak up the heat from the sun. In Gardner Bay we find a good spot for swimming and a long brilliant white, powder-sand beach for walking. This site is favored by sea turtles for nesting, sea lions for peaceful walks. Dinner and overnight in the boat. (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will enjoy Floreana Island, here you will visit the famous Post Office Bay from where you can mail some letters to your friends and for sure they will arrive. Later we will have time to snorkel in one of the most spectacular places for snorkelling, Devil's Crown, where you will swim with sea lions, colourful fish and with sharks. Lunch and visit Pta. Cormorant, where you will find a nice lagoon full of pink flamingos and a beautiful beach where you will see some rays close to the beach. Return to the boat for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)
Day 7: SANTA CRUZ: HIGHLANDS - CHARLES DARWIN STATIONSanta Cruz is the second largest island of the archipelago and it is the home of the Charles Darwin Research Station and Galapagos National Park headquarters. Here you will learn first hand of the conservation and research efforts in the islands seeing the tortoise hatchlings and breeding programs which are saving several races of tortoises from extinction. We will stroll through the town of Puerto Ayora to buy souvenirs, mail postcards and absorb some local color in the social heart of the islands. In the afternoon you will visit the highlands of Santa Cruz. Here, there is a big possibility to see the Giant Tortoises in the wild style of life at a private farm. Visit a pair of large pit craters called "Los Gemelos" (Spanish word for twins) and the largest lava tunnels found in the Galapagos. Return to Pto. Ayora and then to the boat to dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
This day you will visit Genovesa Island, one of the favourite islands for birdwatchers because of its high diversity of birds especially for the Red-footed Booby, specie possible to see only in this island. Full day in Genovesa and return to the boat for diner and overnight. (B,L,D)
Breakfast and departure to Pto. Egas in Santiago Island, where you will enjoy of lava flows, here you can see for the last time the playful sea lions, hawks marine iguanas and several heron species. Return to the boat to take your lunch while you sail to Bartolome Island, famous for its spectacular landscapes, penguins and its Pinnacle. Return to the boat to enjoy your farewell dinner party, overnight. (B, L, D)
After breakfast on this last day of your cruise you will visit a small and flat Island, called North Seymour. A trail makes a loop to the southwest, inland and along the rocky coast, crossing the colony of Blue-footed Boobies, followed by a colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds. Their nests of twigs are made on the Palo Santos (endemic of this island) as well as on the salt bushes bordering the beach. Sea Lions bask on the black lava rocks and the surf crashes on the rocky shore of the coast at sunset. After this visit you will travel to Baltra Island where you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back to Quito. At the airport in Quito, our guide will be there to transfer you to Café Cultura Hotel. Free afternoon, diner and overnight at your hotel. (B,L,D)
US$2850 per person (includes $100 park entrance fee per person)
For further information please contact us.
For questions and booking inquiries please email Sacred Earth
