San Cristobal- Santa Cruz
6 Days - 5 Nights Island Hopping
Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer in Baltra Airport & Highlands of Santa Cruz
Day 2: Boat Tour to Seymour or Bartolome Island
Day 3: Speed Boat to Isabela Island & Tintoreras Tour
Day 4:Hiking to volcano Sierra negra
Day 5: "Los tuneles Snorkel Tour" & ferry to Santa Cruz Island
Day 6: Transfer Out to Baltra Airport
Included:
Not Included:
√ acommodation of your choice
√ breakfast
√ lunch
√ all activities and excursions of the itinerary
√ inland and maritime transport forming part of the itinerary
√ bilingual naturalist guide
√ Snorkeling equipment (mask, Snorkel & fins)
Χ Air tickets to the Galapagos
Χ Transit Control Card $20
Χ National park entrance fee $ 100 per adult
Χ Dinner
Χ wetsuits
Χ alcoholic beverages
Χ gratitudes
Day 1:
Transfer In San Cristobal Island
- Pick up from Airport and transfer to Hotel
Arrival to Galapagos- San Cristobal Island
Your driver will pick you up at the airport and bring you to your accommodation. You will have the afternoon at your disposal to settle into your hotel room, to rest or explore the town and close beaches like ¨Playa Mann¨ , ¨Playa Carola¨, Interpretation center or “Cerro Tijeretas.
Day 2:
Boat tour to Kicker Rock
Choose between Diving or Snorkeling experience. If you want to dive you will have to try on diving gear the day before at 5h30 pm.
- Departure around 7h30 am
- Visit Kickers Rock for diving or snorkelling
- Visit one of the beaches: Puerto Grande, Cerro Brujo or Manglecito
- Arrive at Pier of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno around 3 pm
Tour Description:
Kicker Rock or Spanish name ¨Leon dormido¨ (sleeping lion) is a large volcanic rock formation that has a height of 150m (500 ft). It is a very popular destination for diving and snorkeling. A natural channel between the rocks attracts various marine life such as hammerhead sharks, salema fish, eagle rays, golden rays, etc. Out of the water, you may see blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and frigate birds resting on the cliffs and sea lions playing on the shore. This tour also combines a visit to a beach, which may be Puerto Grande, Cerro brujo or Manglecito, depending on the season and sea conditions. The tour ends in the afternoon, around 3 pm.
Includes: bilingual naturalist guide, Snorkeling gear, lunch & Snacks
Day 3
- Speed boat to Santa Cruz Island
- Visit Charles Darwin Research Centre & Highlands
- Departure from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno around 6h30 amAround 9 am Pick up at the pier in Puerto Ayora and drop off at your hotel10 am Visit Charles Darwin Research Centre
Tour description:
You will be picked up from your hotel at 6h30 am and brought to the pier where you will board your speedboat to Santa Cruz Island. You will arrive in Puerto Ayora around 9h15 am and brought to your hotel for Check in and change if needed. Around 10 am your guide will bring you to the Charles Darwin Research Station
At the Research Station visitors can learn all about science in the Galapagos, see interesting collections and even take a photo inside of a real giant tortoise shell. They also have a small shop with some really cool clothes, books and lots more Galapagos souvenirs, from which all of the money made goes towards the Foundation’s science projects. You will visit the Tortoise Breeding Center where you will find baby and adult tortoises from different islands, and even meet the famous Lonesome George, the last individual from Pinta Island.
After the visit you will have Lunch in a local restaurant. At 2:30 pm you will visit the lush Highlands of Santa Cruz. At ranch Chato you
will observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat, bathing themselves in lagoons. You will have the chance to pass through the naturally formed lava tunnels, which have installed lights inside. Afterwards you will visit the Twin Craters “Gemelos” where you can observe the Scalecia forrest and different birds and
Day 4
- Sea Excursion to un inhabited island
North Seymour Island & Bachas
OPTIONAL
Bartolome Island
North Seymour is one of the uninhabited islands of the archipelago that can be visited as part of a day tour via boat. The island is home to various interesting and colorful species, such as frigate birds, land iguanas, blue footed boobies, sea lions and sally-lightfoot crabs.
In the morning, you will be picked up at your hotel and taken in a 40- minute bus ride to the Itabaca canal, where you will board a comfortable boat that is designed for day tours.
After about an hour you will arrive to North Seymour Island, where you will disembark for a guided walk around the island.
Your guide will tell you about the different species and their habitats, while you can snap some amazing photos.
Afterwards, lunch will be served onboard.
Then you will be taken to a beautiful sandy beach, where you have the opportunity to go snorkeling. With a little luck, you will spot colorful fish and maybe even a sea turtle.
Upon arrival back to the canal, you will be taken to your hotel in Puerto Ayora, where you have the rest of the evening at your disposal.
Included: Lunch, Snacks, towels, bilingual naturalist guide, Snorkel equipment
Not included: alcoholic beverages, volunteer tips, wetsuits
Day 5:
Half Day Bay Tour & visit beach Tortuga bay
- Pick up at 8h40 am
- Visit 5 different spots around the Bay
- Snorkeling in Frankling Bay and grietas
- Visit Tortuga bay – optinal rent a kayak
- Arrival at your hotel around 5h 30 pm
You will depart from the pier in Puerto Ayora and have a boat ride to 5 different sites around the Academy Bay.
Within approximately 10 min you will reach a small island called the Loberia where you will encounter a large colony of playful sealions. Then you will continue to Franklin’s Bay where you can drop yourself into the water and snorkel around. Next stop will be the ‘Canal de Amor’, where you can enjoy a great panorama and will have the chance to spot some blue-footed boobies perched on the cliff. At the ‘Playa de los Perros’ beach you will disembark and wander down a trail through a prickly-pear cactus forest. You will find marine iguanas and turtles off the shore. Reaching the ‘Canal Tiburon’, you will see white-tip sharks resting at the bottom of a clear turquoise pool. The last site to visit in this tour is ‘Las Grietas’, a 10-metre-deep channel with huge lava stone walls, an ideal site for snorkeling and experiencing a different kind of natural formations in the islands. Da
Ø Academy Bay tour ends around 1 pm, you will have a traditional Ecuadorian Lunch included or you can choose a local restaurant of your preference.
2 pm Exploration-Tortuga Bay:
This beach is ranked in the 25 most beautiful beaches in the world. 1 km of dazzling white sand and pristine turquoise water with marine iguanas occasionally crossing the beach are just some of the aspects that makes this place so special. This secluded beach is part of the National Park and the most popular way to reach it is by walking a 2.5 km (1.55miles) trail leading you through an Opuntia cactus forest. You can also reach the beach by a shared boat, for $10 per person at 2 pm. At the first beach ‘Playa Brava’ you have the chance to surf, bodyboarding or relax. If you walk 1 km along the beach, you will reach the more tranquil beach ´Playa Manza’ where you can go for a swim, rent a kayak or just relax in the shade of the mangroves.
Included: Naturalist guide, snorkelling masks, traditional Ecuadorian Lunch
Not included: towels, tips, kayaks
Day 6:
Unfortunately, every trip must come to an end. Today you will need to say good-bye to Galapagos… for now.
From your hotel you will be taken to the channe. On your way you will make a photo stop at the twin craters. Reaching the Itabaca Canal you will cross over by ferry to Baltra Island to go back to the airport and board your plane to the mainland.
Nevertheless, memories of your Galapagos adventure will stay with you for a lifetime. And who knows, maybe you liked it so much that you will be back one day!
What to pack:
- protect your head with a cap or hat
- sunglasses
- sunscreen with a high UV protection
- good grip closed shoes for hiking activities
- UV protecting long sleeve for water activities
- reusable water bottle (you can refill the bottles in your hotel)
- microfiber towels are very practical for the beach
- In the cool season you might need a wetsuit, you can also rent them for aproximately $5 the day
- bathing suits of course 🙂
- if possible, a good camera, as you will take the best pictures of your life