SOUTH & NORTH EXPEDITION (D+A)

Day 1 - Thursday

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:

Interpretation Center & Frigatebird Hill (San Cristobal Island). The interpretation center is full of interesting information and offers the perfect overview of the formation of the Galapagos. Following a hike to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) we will have a great look at both species of frigatebirds, with the bonus of a beautiful view of the bay below.

• Difficulty level: Low / High
• Type of terrain: Flat path / Rocky 
• Duration: 1 hour hike, 1 hour walk

Day 2 - Friday

MORNING:

Gardner Bay (Española Island). One of the most stunning beaches in all of the Galapagos. The long, white, sandy beach, lapped by turquoise waters, home to a colony of Galapagos sea lions. Hood mockingbirds, endemic to this particular island. We can also snorkel here from the beach, in the shallows of the bay.

• Difficulty level: Low
• Type of terrain: Sandy
• Duration: 1 hour hike, 30 min kayaking, 30 min Glass-bottom boat, 1 hour 45 min beach or deep snorkeling

AFTERNOON:

Punta Suarez (Española Island). Punta Suarez is a naturalist´s paradise. The oldes extant island in the archipelago is our only opportunity to commune with the endemic wave albatross during their breeding season between April and December. With luck, we can watch their complex courtship display.

• Difficulty level: High
• Type of terrain: Rocky 
• Duration: 2 hours 15min hike

Day 3 - Saturday

MORNING:

Post Office (Floreana Island). The famous Post Office Barrel. Claimed to have been first set up in 1793 by Captain James Colnett. The system involved whalers and fur sealers would leave addressed letters in the barrel to be picked up by homeward-bound colleagues. Actually visitors often take letters and handdeliver them to their home countries.

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Rocky
• Duration: 1 hour 15 min hike, 1 hour beach snorkeling

AFTERNOON:

Punta Cormoran & Devil´s Crown (Floreana Island). Our walk takes us to a large, shallow lagoon, often inhabited by a variable number of shockingly pink greater flamingos. We arrive at a powdery white beach, a nesting area for green turtles. Devil’s Crown is one of the favorite snorkeling sites on the islands..

• Difficulty level: Low
• Type of terrain: Sandy & flat 
• Duration: 1 hour 45 min hike, 45 min glass-bottom or 45 min deep or beach snorkeling

Day 4 - Sunday

MORNING:

Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island). Arriving at a small lava dock, our first encounter is with marine iguanas that blend-in perfectly with the dark rock. As we walk past a large prickly pear cacti, we arrive at one end of a long, sickle-shaped beach with Dragon Hill standing in the distance. Our walk takes us on a circular path, past a shallow lake where flamingoes frequently come to feed. .

• Difficulty level: Medium
• Type of terrain: Rocky
• Duration: 45 min walk, 1 hour 15 min snorkeling

AFTERNOON:

Punta Bowditch (Santa Cruz Island). Feel the indescribable feeling of being where no one else has. Relax on a powdery beach. Snorkel around
turquoise water islets and hike beside salt pools and dried white corals. Be one of the first humans –to visit Punta Bowditch at Galapagos Legend.

• Difficulty level: Low
• Type of terrain: Sandy
• Duration: 30 min walk, 30 min kayaking, 1 hour snorkeling

Day 5 - Monday

MORNING:

Highlands Tortoise Reserve (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.

Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island). We visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes places as part of our efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment.

• Difficulty level: Low
• Type of terrain: flat & muddy depending on the season
• Duration: 1 ½ hour walk, 45 minute drive

AFTERNOON:

Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island). On the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, accessible only by sea, four species of mangrove crowd and
form an internal lagoon, turtles visit the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface while fish, rays circle below. White-tipped reef sharks can be seen beneath the boat, plus sea birds, including pelicans, herons and egrets. This cove has been declared as a “turtle sanctuary”.

• Difficulty level: Low
• Type of terrain: none
• Duration: 1 hour dingy ride

Day 6 - 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 Redfooted Boobies.

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

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, 1 hour deep or beach snorkeling.

Day 7 - 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

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.

Day 8 - 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 tractor-like tracks in the sand.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate
• Type of terrain: Flat / Semi - rocky
• Duration: 1 ½ hour walk

AFTERNOON:

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