NORTH EXPEDITION (A)

Day 1 - Monday

MORNING:

✈ Baltra Airport. Departure from either Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island is a 2 ½ hour flight. Upon arrival in the Galapagos, passengers are greeted at the airport by our knowledgeable guides who will accompany them on a short ten-minute bus ride to the pier where they will board the Galapagos Legend.

AFTERNOON:

Highlands (Santa Cruz Island). In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

• Difficulty level: Low
• Type of terrain: Flat & Muddy
• Duration:  1 hour walk & 45 minutes drive
• Landing:   Dry

Day 2 - Tuesday

MORNING:

El Barranco Prince Philip´s Steps (Genovesa Island). Be marveled at the variety of sea life that uses the crevices of the lava cliffs for shelter. Red-billed Tropicbirds fly overhead, and a small colony of fur seals may be found near the landing site. You will be dropped off at a steep stairway that begins on rocks at the foot of a path that leads through a seabird colony full of Nazca and Red-footed Boobies.

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Rocky - lava
• Duration:  1 hour 45 min hike,  30 min kayaking  or,  glass bottom boat, 1 hour deep snorkeling
• Landing: Dry

AFTERNOON:

Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island). From within the flooded caldera of Tower Island, we set foot onto a sandy beach to be greeted by swallow-tailed gulls often said to be the most beautiful gull in the world. In the trail we can see at nesting red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds.

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Sandy
• Duration: 45 min kayaking, 1 hour 15 min hike, 45 min glass bottom boat or, 1 hour deep or beach snorkeling.
• Landing: Wet

Day 3 - Wednesday

MORNING:

South Plaza Island. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, and land iguanas are all present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, we spend time watching birds like frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters, and of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds.

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Rocky
• Duration: 2 hours hike
• Landing:  Dry

AFTERNOON:

Santa Fe Island. After a fabulous snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay, we may have enjoyed time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. Landing on a sandy beach, we spend time watching the abundant sea lions there with us and . We begin a walk past a forest of island-endemic giant Opuntia cacti and we can watch the Santa Fe land Iguana.

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Rocky
• Duration: 30 min kayaking, 1 hour 45 min hike, 1 hour deep snorkeling, 45 min glass-bottom boat.
• Landing: Wet

Day 4 - Thursday

MORNING:

Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island). Named for some wrecked World War II barges whose ribs are still visible in the sand, this visitor site offers great swimming, a lovely walk along the shore, and a visit to a lagoon behind the high tide line with wading birds, marine iguanas and sometimes even flamingoes. The two beaches are also favorite nesting sites for green turtles, which often leave tracks in the sand that resemble tractor tires.

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Flat / Semi - Rocky
• Duration: 1 ½ hour walk
• Landing:  Wet

✈ Baltra Island Airport. After the visit, passengers will be transferred to the airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.