Santa Cruz Adventure
short and charming 5 Days - 4 Nights Package
Itinerary:
Day 1: Transfer in Baltra Island and visit Highlands of Santa Cruz
Day 2: Sea Excursion to Bartolome Island
Day 3:Half Day Bay Tour & visit beach Tortuga bay
Day 4: Sea Excursion to Seymour Island
Day 5: Transfer Out
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 Baltra Island & cross over to Santa Cruz Island
- Visit Highlands of Santa Cruz
- Drop off at hotel
On the way you will observe how the vegetation changes from arid landscapes on the North shore to lush tropical forests in the central highlands.
You will have the opportunity for a quick photo stop at ‘Los Gemelos’, the twin craters, where you will learn about the islands’ volcanic origins.
Continuously you will visit the Natural Reserve of Giant Tortoises "El Chato" where you will find giant Tortoises in their natural habitat and explore naturally formed lava tunnels.
You will have Lunch on the private Ranch selected and then continue to your hotel in Puerto Ayora, the largest populated area of the archipelago with around 15,000 habitats.
You will have the afternoon at your disposal to settle into your hotel room, to rest or explore the town.
Arrival to Galápagos (Baltra Island)
Upon arrival at the airport on Baltra Island, you will be welcomed by a local guide and begin the journey to the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island.
After a 10-minute bus ride you will reach the Itabaca canal where you embark on a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island.
Situated in the centre of the archipelago, Santa Cruz Island is the economic and touristic hub of the islands.
Included: naturalist guide, transportation and Lunch
Not included: Galapagos Transit Control card $20 at the airport in Guayaquil or Quito and Galapagos National park entrance fee $100 to be paid in cash at arrival in Galapagos
Day 2:
Sea Excursion to North Seymour Island
- Pick up around 7h30
- Hiking in North Seymour
- Snorkeling in Bachas o Mosquera Island
- Arrival in Puerto Ayora around 4h30
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 3:
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 4:
Sea Excursion to Bartolome Island
- Departure around 6h00 am
- Hiking to pinnacle rock
- Snorkeling in Sullivan Bay or Chinese hat
- Arrival in Puerto Ayora around 6 pm
Bartolome Island
Bartolome is an uninhabited island, situated off the east coast of Santiago Island and is one of the youngest islands of the archipielago. The most famous landmark on this island is the incredible Pinnacle Rock, which was formed by an eroded volcanic cone.
island is named after naturalist Sir Bartholomew James Sullivan, who was Charles Darwins travel companion onboard on the HMS Beagle in 1835.
Description
A 40-minute bus ride from Puerto Ayora will bring you to the Itabaca Channel, where you embark on a comfortable day tour boat. Journey time is about 2 hours. You will reach the Moon lookout point over a landscape characterized by younger lava eruptions, you will have a 40 minute hike up (372 steps on wooden boardwalk) to Pinnacle Rock where you can enjoy the breath-taking view of the lava landscapes, surrounded by clear blue water.
During a panga ride close to the rocks of pinnacle, you will come close to the unique Galapagos penguins which you also might meet during your snorkeling time. You will encounter a rich sea life with many starfish, marine turtles and colourful fish.
Included: Lunch, Snacks, towels, snorkeling equipment and bilingual naturalist guide (Spanish/English)
Not included: volunteer tips, alcoholic beverages, wetsuit
Day 5:
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 channel and from there 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