 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Introduction: A premium tour package that gives ample opportunities for incredibly close encounters with Galapagos wildlife. Kayak in turquoise waters with marine turtles, bathe on white sand beaches with sea lions, trek through active volcanoes with incredible bird life, bike in the tortoise highlands and snorkel in the world-class marine reserve. Your journey is lead by a team of first-rate professional adventure and nature guides, combined with top-quality adventure gear and the best available hotel accommodations in each port town, make this experience the ultimate Galapagos wildlife adventure tour! Trip highlights:
Itinerary: DAY 1: ARRIVAL AND HIKE IN SAN CRISTOBAL In the morning, we pick you up from your hotel to transfer you to the airport for your flight from Quito to San Cristobal Island. Once in the Galapagos, we welcome you with lunch and a pre-trip briefing at a local restaurant. After lunch, our adventure begins with a hike to the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, where we learn about the volcanic formation of the Galapagos archipelago and the evolution of life on the islands. We continue our hike towards Frigate Hill along trails of lava rock featuring splendid views of the coastline and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, while we explore dry forest and observe cacti, acacia, palo santo, Galapagos cotton and other endemic vegetation. This is also a good time to enjoy our first encounters with local wildlife, since 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. On our way back we can stop for a refreshing swim at Carola Beach or Mann Beach. In the evening, we explore town and dine at a waterfront restaurant. Accommodations in a first-class hotel on San Cristobal Island. (B, L, D) DAY 2: SEA KAYAK PLAYA OCHOA AND SNORKEL AT LEON DORMIDO We slip into our ocean kayaks and spend the morning paddling along the coast, going north exploring bays and coves full of local wildlife - including Darwin Bay, the site of the first landing of the HMS Beagle. The route is home to colonies of sea lions, marine turtles, blue-footed boobies and frigate birds. Once we reach Playa Ochoa, we continue on to nearby Isla Lobos on the lookout for marine iguanas and sea lions, swimming with them to enjoy one of 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 excellent snorkelling; for certified divers, this is also one of the best dives in the islands. There is a good chance of seeing hammerhead and white-tipped sharks, eagle and golden rays, as well as dozens of species of tropical fish, clams, starfish and marine invertebrates. In the afternoon, we return to our hotel to enjoy another dinner together and a relaxing evening on San Cristobal Island. (B, L, D) DAY 3: HIKE TO GALAPAGUERA, KAYAK AND SNORKEL IN CERRO BRUJO A morning boat ride along the northern coast of San Cristobal Island takes us to the trailhead of a path to La Galapaguera, a lava lake also known as the natural habitat of the Saddleback Tortoise. We hike for about 3 miles (5 kilometers) along flat and slightly uphill lava trails, where we encounter dozens of saddlebacks, as well as lava lizards and bird species including ground finches, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers and the San Cristobal mockingbird. On our way back to the water, we head to nearby Cerro Brujo for an excellent kayaking and snorkelling expedition in and around its spectacular white sand beaches. Bathing and snorkelling along the shores of Cerro Brujo, we encounter colonies of sea lions and marine iguanas and reach a freshwater lake home to many species of birds. In the afternoon, we slip into our kayaks and paddle south to explore more beaches and coves along the way to Puerto Grande. From here, we board our motorized boat to return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where we enjoy dinner and return to our hotel to spend our last evening on San Cristobal Island. (B, L, D) DAY 4: FLIGHT TO ISABELA, BAY & BEACH EXPLORATION After breakfast, we take a small, private plane 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 for one) remain active, making this island one of the most volcanically active places on Earth. Here, we visit the Galapagos Tortoise Rearing Center, to learn about tortoise development and conservation. We explore the bay for wildlife and follow a trail along the coastline to observe dramatic lava formations and meet a large colony of sea lions. We pass through mangroves and salty lagoons that are home to the mangrove finch, endemic to Isabela. We can also spot American oyster catchers, herons, flamingos and many other shore species. In the afternoon, we relax on exotic white sand beaches. The evening is spent in the tranquil port town of Puerto Villamil. (B, L, D)
DAY 5: HORSEBACK RIDE AND VOLCANO HIKE IN ISABELA From Puerto Villamil, we drive to the highlands of Isabela Island to prepare our horses for a 6 mile (9 km) ride on irregular terrain until we arrive at the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano. Sierra Negra is an active volcano which last erupted in October 2005 and is also the second largest caldera in the world. From this viewpoint, we have a fantastic vista of the 6x5 mile (9x8 kilometer) wide caldera, the other Isabela volcanoes and the Perry Isthmus beyond. From here, we hike to Chico Volcano, with its puffing fumaroles and striking lava formations, examples of the dramatic geological events that have forged the Galapagos Islands over millennia. In the late afternoon, we return to Puerto Villamil and enjoy a relaxing evening on Isabela Island. (B, L, D) DAY 6: MOUNTAIN BIKE IN THE SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS DAY 7: CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION & TRANSFER OUT |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
