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Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights
Level of difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Activities: Walking, Snorkeling, Learning and Wildlife Encounters
Accommodations: Private Island Hotels

Introduction:

The Opuntia Naturalist Explorer is the utmost wildlife and natural history program. Follow Darwin s footsteps to encounter incredibly friendly wildlife, and learn about the amazing geological and natural history that made possible this park, home to the living history of evolution. Top naturalist guides will escort you throughout your journey and relax with the quality service and charm of the Opuntia ocean front lodges.

Trip highlights:

• Swim with sea lions, penguins and marine turtles
• Snorkel with Galapagos sharks,rays, and thousands of tropical fish
• Learn evolution as you meet finches, boobies and other famed birds
• Meet Lonesome George, the last giant tortoise of his specie
• Relax on pictures white sand beaches surrounded by Galapagos wildlife
• First-rate naturalist guides accompany you every step of your journey
• Includes one inter-Island flight and only one inter-island boat crossing
• Enjoy your privacy, good ambiance and gourmet cooking with the Opuntia Lodges

Itinerary:

DAY 1: WALKING AND SNORKEL IN FRIGATE HILL
We embark on a morning flight from Quito to San Cristobal Island. At our arrival we are briefed on the details of our trip as we have lunch at the Casa Opuntia oceanfront restaurant. Our adventure begins with a walk to the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, where we learn about the volcanic formation of the Galapagos archipelago and the unique evolution of life on the islands. We continue towards Frigate Hill along trails of lava rock to explore the dry forest and observe cacti, acacia, palo santo, Galapagos cotton, and other endemic vegetation. Here we enjoy our first encounters with local wildlife as Frigate Hill is often visited by Galapagos species such as the magnificent and great frigate birds, blue-footed
boobies, brown pelicans, gulls, herons, and numerous other land birds, including Darwin finches, warblers, and mockingbirds. From Frigate Hill we descend to Darwin Bay, site where the HMS Beagle first landed when Charles Darwin first arrived to Galapagos. We set out to snorkel on this crystal clear bay for our first marine life encounters. Here we see many tropical fish, sea lions, turtles and rays. We end the day relaxing and watching the sunset in nearby Carola Beach. In the evening, we dine at Casa Opuntia Hotel. (L, D)

DAY 2: SNORKEL & EXPLORE SAN CRISTOBAL’S NORTHERN COAST
The northern coast of San Cristobal Island is protected from the main currents and offers incredible marine and wildlife experiences. We set out on a speed boat along the coast, exploring bays and coves. We find colonies of sea lions, marine turtles, rays, blue-footed boobies, and frigate birds along the cliffs. We reach Isla Lobos on the lookout for marine iguanas and sea lions. Isla Lobos forms a clear water channel where we can enjoy excellent snorkeling and the best sea lion encounters in the entire archipelago. We continue on to Leon Dormido, the jagged remains of an old tuff cone whose flanks are home to thousands of sea birds. At Leon Dormido, we enjoy exceptional snorkeling. Here we can see white-tipped, Galapagos and hammerhead sharks, eagle rays, golden rays, marine turtles and dozens of species of tropical fish, clams, starfish, and marine invertebrates. In the afternoon, we continue further north to Punta Pitt where we will be able to see the uncommon red-footed boobie, as well as a great variety of other bird species including petrels, terns and tropic birds. By the end of the day we return to port for dinner and our last evening in Casa Opuntia Hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 3: COASTAL EXPLORATION AND ISABELA ISLAND
In the morning we take a small aircraft inter-island flight from San Cristobal to Isabela Island. Isabela is the largest Island in the archipelago, formed by 6 shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf. All of these volcanoes except one remain active, making this island one of the most volcanically active places on earth. When we arrive we settle in Opuntia’s Iguana Crossing Hotel before we set out explore the beautiful coastline for its scenery and wildlife treasures. We visit to “El Muro de las Lágrimas” which means Wall of Tears, a historic site that dates back between 1946 and 1959 when Isabela Island was used as a penal colony. The wall was built with lava blocks and had no other purpose than of keeping prisoners busy from the madness of isolation. We continue exploring the expansive white sand beaches, mangroves and brackish lagoons. This area is filled with birdlife such as American oyster catchers, herons, flamingos, finches and many shore birds, as well as sea lions and marine iguanas. In the afternoon we take a quick boat ride to Tintoreras, a set of small Islets within Isabela bay. The Islets are filled with wildlife and are home to the famed Galapagos Penguin, the only penguin that lives in equatorial region. We will also see sharks, marine turtles, sea lions and much more wildlife as we explore its many small coves and beaches. We receive the sunset from the Iguana Crossing Hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 4: VOLCANO DISCOVERY IN THE ISABELA HIGHLANDS
From Puerto Villamil, we drive up to the highlands to where the road ends. Here we walk into an amazing geological world. We walk on dirt trails until we arrive to the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano. Sierra Negra is an active volcano which last erupted in October 2005. We explore along the rim of the huge 6x5 mile-wide (9x8 kilometer) lava-filled crater. We may also get views of the Perry Isthmus and the other Isabela volcanoes. Here at the 1300 meter level the environment is fern sedge. We can find wildlife such as Isabela tree finches, martins, Galapagos hawk, and the Isabela lava lizard. We continue our hike all the way to Volcano Chico, an area of petrified flows, puffing fumaroles and extraordinary lava formations. These are dramatic geological examples of the forces that created the Galapagos Islands. In the afternoon we return to Puerto Villamil for our last afternoon in Iguana Crossing Hotel. (B, L, D)

DAY 5: EXPLORE THE SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS
In the morning we take a fast boat from Isabela to Santa Cruz Island. On our way we will be on the lookout for dolphins and whales. On arrival we settle in Opuntia’s Angermeyer Waterfront Inn and head out to El Chato reserve. El Chato is located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island and is the natural habitat of the dome shape Galapagos tortoise. Here we find the best preserved tortoise reserve in the Galapagos with over 4000 individuals roaming in the forest area. As we seek out these lumbering giants, we’ll also come across pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches, mocking birds, and frigate birds bathing in freshwater lakes. We enjoy lunch at a traditional highland hacienda. In the afternoon we also explore some amazing volcanic tunnels that were created by hot flowing lava. As we walk in these underground geological formations we revive tales of buccaneers hiding Inca gold. We continue to Los Gemelos, two volcanic craters near the top of the Island. We walk around these deep craters through Scalesia forest covered with epiphytes and ferns. This unique habitat is the only Scalesia (Daisy) forest in the world. Here we find the short-eared owl, one of the two owls that live in the Islands. We return to town for the evening at the Angermeyer Waterfront Inn (B, L, D)

DAY 6: RESEARCH STATION & TRANSFER TO BALTRA ISLAND & AIRPORT
In the morning we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about conservation and management efforts in the archipelago. We also get to meet Lonesome George, the last giant tortoise of his species. We transfer by vehicle to Baltra Island for our airport connection back to the continent. (B)