Sample Itinerary: West option - subject to changes

Day 1 (Thursday): Arrival & Mosquera Islet Visit
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the Galapagos Legend.

This afternoon, wet landing on Mosquera Islet, located between North Seymour and Baltra Island. This flat, sandy island has a large colony of sea lions. It is also an excellent site to observe shorebirds such as herons and lava gulls. There is no trail on the islet, the visitor can enjoy the open area. Most of the islet is covered with sand and barren lava rock. Very little sesuvium portulacastrum plants grow on the sand.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 1 ½-hour walk & snorkeling

Day 2 (Friday): Santiago & Rabida Islands
We start the day with a wet landing at Egas Port (Santiago Island), a black volcanic sand beach, visited by Darwin in 1835. The first section of the trail is formed of volcanic ash (eroded tuff) and the other half is an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock. The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago shore is home to a variety of animals including the bizarre yellow-crowned night heron and marine wildlife including lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally light-foot crabs. It is easy to see colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water volcanic rock pools.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate (flat & semi-rocky terrain)
Activity Duration: 1 1/2-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling

After lunch, wet landing on Rabida Island. Dark-red sand covers these unique beaches with incredible landscape. Rabida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting Brown Pelicans are found from July through September and nine species of the famous Darwin’s finches can be seen. We will also take a dinghy ride along cliffs to observe nesting seabirds, and snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling / 1 hour dinghy ride

Day 3 (Saturday): Isabela Island
In the morning, wet landing (might be difficult due to the tide) at Urbina Bay. Volcanic black beach, depending on the season, it is possible to find giant tortoises, land iguanas, and the unusual flightless cormorant. After a short walk inland it´s snorkeling time, a chance to swim with sea turtles, sea lions, and countless tropical fish. Urbina Bay features a wide variety of plants with the different range of colors in flowers, attracting different insects, birds, and reptiles. One of the highlights of the island is the uplifted coral reef that resulted from the 1954 seismic activity; here the views of Alcedo Volcano are remarkable. When navigating from Urbina to Tagus Cove whale watching is usual in May – December.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate (flat terrain)
Activity Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling

This afternoon, dry landing on Galapagos’ largest island (Isabela) where we will learn about the eruption of the 5 volcanoes that form it. The trail leads from Tagus Cove to Darwin’s salt-water crater Lake and excellent views of lava fields and volcanic formations. We will return by the same path for a dinghy ride along a shoreline full of marine wildlife, where we will admire a variety of seabirds*, such as Blue-footed Booby, Brown Noddy, terns, Flightless Cormorant and depending on the season, a large number of Galapagos Penguins* which are only 35 cm. tall; the only penguin species in the world to extend its range into the northern hemisphere along the equator. They are monogamous and lay their eggs in small cracks of lava, on the lower parts of the island near the shoreline not reached by the ocean waves. The population of penguins on the islands is about 2,000 individuals, most of which live on this western portion of Isabela; others are scattered further south on the island. We will have an opportunity to snorkel in deep water. Graffiti believed to have been left by19th-century pirates is a curious reminder of an intriguing past.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate / difficult (steep)
Activity Duration: 2 hour walk / 40 minutes dinghy ride / deep water snorkeling 1 hour

Day 4 (Sunday): Fernandina & Isabela Island
After breakfast, we visit the youngest island of the Galapagos and one of the most pristine in the world: Fernandina island.  Fernandina is simply the 'marine iguana capital of the world'. This desolate volcanic backdrop is
home to a huge concentration of these enigmatic reptiles. Incongruously, sharing the same shoreline, we can find the diminutive Galapagos penguins. Here we also have the exciting opportunity to snorkel with marine iguanas feeding underwater, penguins, turtles and the bizarre, endemic, flightless cormorants.
Difficulty level: intermediate (flat/semi rocky terrain)
Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling

Later that day, we visit Punta Vicente Roca, on Isabela island. This is a spectacular visitor site, surrounded by immense cliffs of the eroded volcano. Studded with resting sea birds such as brown noddies and Nazca boobies, we will enjoy them in close proximity from our dinghies. Snorkeling here is superb, with certain species of fish only found in the west of the archipelago. We also have a very real chance of swimming with penguins and potentially a plethora of green turtles.
Difficulty Level: moderate / high
Duration: 1-hour snorkeling / 1-hour dinghy ride


Day 5 (Monday): Departure
For our last morning expedition, dry landing on Santa Cruz Island. In the mountains of Galapagos, it is possible to admire different kind of birds, such as: tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets (usually standing on the tortoises’ shell). The journey to the reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrasts that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems. The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense humid forests. Often, Galapagos Giant Tortoises are also seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. This spot is a birdwatchers’ haven, since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here.
Activity Difficulty: easy (flat & muddy terrain depending on season)
Activity Duration: 45-minutes drive / 1 ½-hour walk

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



Sample Itinerary: South option - subject to changes

Day 1 (Thursday): Arrival & San Cristobal Island Visit
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to San Cristobal in a 2-hour flight. Upon arrival, passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the Galapagos Legend.

This afternoon, dry landing in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Galapagos Islands. Passengers visit the Interpretation Center, an excellent place to learn about islands’ history in The Museum of Natural History which displays information about the volcanic origins of the islands, their remoteness from the continent, ocean currents, climate, the arrival of the different species and their colonization, among other points of interest. The human history is also showcased, chronologically narrating the most significant events related to the discovery and the island’s colonization.
Activity Difficulty: easy /intermediate (flat/stairs)
Activity Duration: 1-hour visit / 1-hour walk

Later that day, visit of Tijeretas Hill, with a high-intensity walk amidst beautiful landscapes and a magnificent view at the foot of a frigate bird nesting colony.
Activity Difficulty: difficult (rocky terrain)
Activity Duration: 1-hour visit

Day 2 (Friday): Española Island
We start our day with a wet landing on a beautiful white coral sandy beach guarded by a colony of sea lions: Gardner Bay. There are no trails, so we stay along the shore where we can spot Galapagos hawks, American Oystercatchers, Galapagos Ground Doves, Hood mockingbirds, Yellow Warblers, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and three species of Darwin’s finches: a subspecies of the Large Cactus Finch, which is similar to the large ground finch, the Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) and the Warbler Finch (Certhidea Olivacea), another endemic subspecies. Swimming and snorkeling offer a great variety of the Galapagos’ marine wildlife: king angelfish, Creole fish, damsel fish, parrotfish, manta rays, and white-tipped reef sharks.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 1-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling

In the afternoon, dry landing at Suarez Point. Here, we can see that Espanola is an island of geological interest. We explore volcanic formations and a riveting wildlife: large sea lion colonies and seabirds including the Española mockingbird, Nazca Boobies, and the spectacular Red-billed Tropicbird. You will also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the colorful Sally Lightfoot Crabs.
A somewhat lengthy hike will bring you among Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies, right up to nesting grounds that sometimes overlap the trail. Other birding favorites include Galapagos Dove, Galapagos Hawk, Swallow-tailed Gulls and the world’s largest colony of Waved Albatross, an unequivocal highlight during mating season (May-December).
Admire the island’s dramatic backdrop, featuring the famous “Soplador”, a seaward blowhole that shoots up water up to 23 m (75 ft) in the air.
Activity Difficulty: difficult (rocky terrain)
Activity Duration: 2½-hour walk

Day 3 (Saturday): Floreana Island
After breakfast, wet landing at Post Office. Located on the north side of Floreana, the bay was named like this because in 1793 Captain James Colnett installed a wooden barrel which served as an informal post office for sailors passing through, who would take letters with them back to their destinations. Today, visitors continue the tradition by placing unstamped postcards inside the barrel, hoping that some other traveler, going to the letter destination, will take it back for free. The chances are that the letter posted can take a long time to arrive at its destination. However, there have been cases where it has arrived before the sender.
We may also encounter Darwin’s finches, Yellow Warbler and Lava Lizards. Great snorkeling opportunities with Green Pacific Sea Turtles. As well, the island is best known for its endemic vegetation: Scalesia villosa, Lecocarpus Pinnatifidus, and the Galapagos Milkwort. Snorkelers can practice on the main beach among playful sea lions.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 30-minutes walk / 1-hour snorkeling

Later that day, wet landing, on an olivine green, sanded beach: Cormorant Point. We hike from the black mangrove beds to a brackish lagoon, which usually holds one of the largest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features some endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. The trail continues to a beautiful white sandy beach, one of the most important nesting sites of Green Pacific Sea Turtles. It is important to avoid walking in the water due to the Sting Rays that may be hiding in the sand, which can be dangerous if accidentally stepped on. From the beach, one can spot sea turtles, blue-footed boobies plunging into the water, and small reef sharks floating along the shoreline in the search for food.
This coral-sand beach marks the end of our trail, and we head back to the olivine beach we landed on, to swim or snorkel amongst sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions and, on a good day, white-tipped reef sharks. A small colony of penguins resides on Floreana and can sometimes be observed as well.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy & flat terrain)
Activity Duration: 1-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling

Day 4 (Sunday): Santa Cruz Island
Arriving to a small lava dock, our first encounters are with marine iguanas that blend in perfectly to the dark rock. As we walk past large prickly pear cacti, we arrive to 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 flamingos frequently come to feed. Waders such as stitlts, turnstones and sandpipers work the muddy edges frenetically looking for food as we continue inland to a dry forested habitat where land iguanas nest and burrow.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate (rockyterrain)
Activity Duration: 2-hour walk

This afternoon, we 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!
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 30-min walk / 1-hour snorkeling

Day 5 (Monday): Departure
For our last morning expedition, dry landing on Santa Cruz island. Here, it is possible to observe different kind of birds such as: tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers and cattle egrets (usually standing on tortoises' shell). the journey to the Highland Tortoise Reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrasts that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems. the road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense humid forests. Often, Galapagos giant tortoises are also seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. This spot is a birdwatchers' haven, since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrate here.
Activity Difficulty: easy (could be muddy depending on the season)
Activity Duration:  45-min drive / 1.5-hour walk

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

Packages and Options

Rates Note:

The transit card fee and the Galapagos entrance fee must be paid to the CGG (Consejo de Gobierno de Galapagos) at the airport in cash.

Rates Note:

The transit card fee and the Galapagos entrance fee must be paid to the CGG (Consejo de Gobierno de Galapagos) at the airport in cash.

Transfer and Other Charges: