Usually, you will arrive late at night, In Quito airport will be your hotel, it is walking distance and we will assist you with anything.
After a morning flight from the mainland to San Cristobal Island, we continue to our comfort hotel for an energizing lunch, introductions, and a short overview of our trip with our local professional guide. Our Galapagos adventure starts with a visit to the local Interpretation Center where we learn about the unique wildlife, geology, natural history, and social dynamics of the Galapagos. After walk along the beaches to know a little more about the island of San Cristobal our first stop, Frigate Hill, where we might spot many of the unique avian species of the Galapagos. As we hike over natural lava rock trails our guides tell us all about the Galapagos cotton, palo santo, acacia, and cacti surrounding us, as well as blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, pelicans, herons, gulls, warblers, mockingbirds and finches that we spot in the vegetation and sea cliffs. In addition to the diverse wildlife, this walking tour provides marvelous views of the rugged coastline and the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno below us. During this walk is beautiful Carola Beach for a dip, where we snorkel and swim with sea turtles and sea lions while enjoying a lovely sunset on the beach. We return to the hotel for a gourmet seafood dinner after which you can set out to explore the friendly, laid-back town and visit the thousands of colony of the endemic Galapagos sea lions next door. (B).
After a great breakfast, we will pick you up at 8:30am from your hotel and we explore the northern coast. We will visit Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), Punta Pitt or Cerro Brujo. The visiting site depends on the week day and the Galapagos National Park regulations they are all great destination to enjoy snorkel. On our exploration trip we make sure to search the nearby coves and cliffs for sea turtles, sea lions, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies. Here we have the chance to get up close and personal with sea lions in their favorite playground. As we snorkel, we might see eagle rays, golden rays, Galapagos sharks, starfish, clams, and thousands of tropical fish. If we’re lucky, we may even come across hammerhead sharks. After we will have our cooks will prepare many choices of food, fresh and yummy. In the early afternoon we will swim in an incredible beach and see the giant turtles in the water and swim with them. As the sun sets on our day under the waves, we return to the hotel to for a relaxed evening. (B).
This morning your flight will be early around 7:15 am, we will transfer you to the local airport for a short flight. Your journey continues to Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos, mentioning that all island is use in 1%, means 90% still virgin to people. It´s constantly changing and evolving due to the six shield volcanoes, rendering it one of the most volcanically active spots on the planet. After a short small aircraft flight we settle into our hotel for a great breakfast. We then set out on a one-of-a-kind hike to the Sierra negra Volcano that erupted in the year of 2005 and still we can see the smoke coming on in on side of the Crater. Walking here is the most incredible and pleasant as you will see the farming areas and volcanoes in the distance. On the way back we will have a great lunch and after we will take you through an incredible variety of coastal ecosystems, along the way we spot giant tortoises, flamingos, and other wildlife as we pass through white sand beaches, the alluring poison apple forest, a gaping lava tube, dark mangroves and brackish lagoons. After a nourishing lunch we set out to explore Tintoreras, a group of small islets filled with hidden coves and isolated beaches. Here we find the endemic Galapagos penguin, as well as reef sharks, sea turtles and sea lions. At the end of the day, we retire to our hotel. You will have time to enjoy swimming on the beache sin front of your hotel. We finish the evening with a delicious dinner. (B).
An invigorating speedboat ride takes us to our next destination: Santa Cruz Island. Along the way we keep an eye out for whales and dolphins in the ocean around us. After checking in we head to El Chato nature reserve in the Santa Cruz highlands, home to the Galapagos giant tortoise. It is an honor to hike among these fascinating, gentle giants, who on average live to be over 175 years old. El Chato is also home to many pintail ducks, finches, frigate birds, egrets and the beautiful vermillion flycatcher. Our hike continues through some incredible lava tunnels created by flowing magma. Legend has it that the buccaneers who once frequented the Galapagos used these deep caves to hide Inca gold plundered from Spanish ships! After some pirate stories from our guides we head up to Los Gemelos, a pair of deep volcanic sinkholes at the high point of Santa Cruz. The path takes us through a forest of endemic Scalesia trees covered in ferns and epiphytes where we’ll keep a lookout for the resident short-eared owl. After a great lunch in the Preserve area with many great options. In the Afternoon you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station where local scientists rear endemic plants and animals for educational, scientific, and conservation purposes. We’ll learn about the ongoing conservation efforts to protect the future of the Galapagos. In the late afternoon we return to the hotel to pick up a towel and get ready to go to a beach for swimming or Kayaking. This evening we celebrate our once-in-a-lifetime trip with a delicious farewell dinner. We soak up the ambiance of our last night in the Galapagos with magnificent views of the brightly-lit ships in the bay and the town beyond. (B).
Finally, it’s time bid a fond farewell as we transfer to Baltra Island for our return flight to the mainland to connect to the international airport for your departure home, marking the end of Magical Tours Peru services. If your schedule permits, trip extensions to other regions or extra days in Quito can also be arranged. (B)