8b
Length 8 days
Departs on Thursday
from Baltra Island Airport
Ends on Thursday
at Baltra Island Airport
Visitor Sites
Click on each site for more information
-
Day 1 PM
Baltra Island Airport account_balance
28%
Baltra Island Airport
The first airport here was built by Americans during the 2nd World War - remnants of that military base can be easily observed. The latest airport here touts itself as the world’s first “green” airport. It opened in December 2012. The terminal consists of recycled steel tubes taken from oil drilling operations in the Amazon. It spreads over 6,000 square meters and required an investment of just over $24 million. The new complex uses clean, renewable technologies such as solar energy, wind farms, and seawater desalination, among other environmental innovations. It is kept cool(ish) simply by design - no air conditioning is required.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Land Iguana
Site Rating 28%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 1 PM
Mosquera Island
56%
Mosquera Island
Located between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour, this sand covered reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) has one of the largest populations of sea lions. You can also observe several species of shorebirds and the curious sally lightfoot crabs. There have been occasional reports at this site of Orcas (Orcinus orca) feeding on sea lions. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy
Wildlife Sightings
- check Sea lions
Site Rating 56%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 2 AM
South Plaza Island
78%
South Plaza Island
Various sea birds can be spotted from the top of the sea cliffs. Land iguanas sit patiently, waiting for cactus flowers to drop. Marine iguanas and sea lions are also abundant. South Plaza is also home to the beautiful succulent Sesuvium plant, which changes from bright green in the rainy season to red, orange, and purple during the dry season. Landing: Dry. Difficulty: Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Hybrid land/marine iguana
- check Red-billed tropicbirds
- check Sea lions
- check Land Iguana
Site Rating 78%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 2 PM
Santa Fe Island
78%
Santa Fe Island
A visit begins with a wet landing on a small beach. The beaches here are popular with sea lions, which can often be seen surfing the waves. There are two visitor trails here; one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other wending through a forest of massive Santa Fe opuntia cactus. Snorkeling in the radiant blue-green waters is excellent, and you may see a Galápagos green turtle gracefully swim by. Landing: Dry. Difficulty: Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Sea lions
- check Giant opuntia cactus forest
Site Rating 78%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 3 AM
Española Island, Gardner Bay
79%
Española Island, Gardner Bay
A wonderful white sand beach with a myriad of sea lions, perfect for relaxing. Famous for the Española mockingbirds, which like to pick at your laces. Great beach relaxation and swimming.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Mockingbirds
- check Sea lions
Site Rating 79%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 3 PM
Española Island, Punta Suarez
90%
Española Island, Punta Suarez
A wet landing onto a beach with Sea Lions and colourful Marine Iguanas leads on to a 2km trail through Masked and Blue-Footed Booby colonies (be careful not to step on them!) to some magnificent cliffs with a blow-hole. Beyond here is the Galapagos' only Waved Albatross colony (Apr-Dec) - watch their somewhat clumsy attempts to take-off and land. Other animals including the Large cactus finch and Galapagos Hawk may also be seen.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Galapagos hawk
- check Giant opuntia cactus forest
- check Mockingbirds
- check Nazca booby
- check Red-billed tropicbirds
- check Sea lions
- check Waved albatross
Site Rating 90%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 4 AM
Floreana Island, Post Office Bay account_balance
37%
Floreana Island, Post Office Bay
In the eighteenth century, a group of whalers set up a wooden barrel to collect mail at this site, now known as Post Office Bay. A trail behind the barrel leads through palo santo and palo verde trees to a cave, which is actually a lava tube running down to the sea. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy.
Site Rating 37%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 4 PM
Floreana Island, Punta Cormorant - Devil`s Crown
60%
Floreana Island, Punta Cormorant - Devil`s Crown
Between two tuff cones, the Punta Cormorant landing is on a beach with green, olivine sand. Trails allow you to explore a brackish lagoon where greater flamingoes wade through the water, sifting shrimp with their curved bills. Stingrays can be seen in the shallows. You may also see pintail ducks, stilts, large-billed flycatchers, and several species of finches. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Flamingo
- check Rays
Site Rating 60%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 5 AM
Santa Cruz Island, Darwin Station - Tortoise Centre account_balance
53%
Santa Cruz Island, Darwin Station - Tortoise Centre
The Station is about a ten-minute walk from the center of Puerto Ayora. It has its own staff scientists but also hosts visiting scientists from around the world. The archipelago's first tortoise breeding centre is next door, along with land iguana pens. An open air rest area serves cold drinks and snacks. Visit the station's new "mini-museum" and buy a t-shirt to support the station's work. Landing: No Landing. Difficulty: Easy.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Mockingbirds
Site Rating 53%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 5 PM
Santa Cruz Island, Los Gemelos - Highlands
62%
Santa Cruz Island, Los Gemelos - Highlands
Los Gemelos (The Twins) are a pair of large pit craters on the road from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. They were created when the surface material covering empty magma chambers collapsed. You can walk along the rim of the craters and enjoy breathtaking views. The trail around the larger crater passes through a Scalesia forest and is good place to see a variety of bird species. Landing: None. Difficulty: Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Scalesia forest
- check Vermillion flycatcher
Site Rating 62%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 6 AM
Santiago Island, Puerto Egas
71%
Santiago Island, Puerto Egas
This is the jumping off point for two trails. The first leads to fur seal grottos – a stretch of rocky coastline that offers them shade and protection. The second trail leads to the Salt Mine Volcano, a small crater that features a seasonally flooded lagoon, where flamingos and Galapagos hawks can sometimes be spotted. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Fur seals
- check Galapagos hawk
- check Flamingo
Site Rating 71%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 6 PM
Santiago Island, Espumilla Beach
49%
Santiago Island, Espumilla Beach
This beach is fringed by beautiful palo santo forest and is a sea turtle nesting site. It is a good place to see marine iguanas and colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs and it is an excellent place to snorkel and see octopi, moray eels, and sharks. Take a loop trail inland to a seasonal lagoon where flamingos are sometimes spotted. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy.
Site Rating 49%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 7 AM
Bartolomé Island
68%
Bartolomé Island
Bartolomé Island has two visitor sites that are usually combined into one visit. The first is a swim and snorkel off a nice beach, around the iconic Pinnacle Rock; the underwater world there is really impressive. Snorkelers are in the water with the penguins, marine turtles white-tipped reef sharks, rays and other tropical fish. The second site is accessible via a long staircase leading up to a spectacular view point from which you can see the manifestations of recent volcanic activity. Landing: Dry. Difficulty: Moderate
Wildlife Sightings
- check Galapagos penguin
- check Sharks
- check Rays
- check Sea turtles
Site Rating 68%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 7 PM
Santiago Island, Sullivan Bay
58%
Santiago Island, Sullivan Bay
While it doesn’t boast much wildlife, Sullivan Bay provides visitors with an opportunity to walk across a recent lava flow and examine its otherworldly beauty. Don’t worry; the lava isn’t hot, as it was formed in the late 19th century. The trail here crosses pahoehoe lava, dotted with pyroclastic cones. Inland, striking red and yellow tuft cones rise above the flow. Landing: Dry. Difficulty: Easy.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Galapagos penguin
Site Rating 58%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 8 AM
North Seymour Island
83%
North Seymour Island
From the small dock, the trail leads along the coast — past an area where marine iguanas nest — and then loops into the palo santo forest by the nests of frigatebirds and boobies. The frigatebirds rely on the fishing success of the blue-footed boobies for their survival, stealing their catches. Landing: Dry. Difficulty: Easy
Wildlife Sightings
- check Nazca booby
- check Land Iguana
Site Rating 83%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality -
Day 8 AM Baltra Island Airport account_balance
28%
Baltra Island Airport
The first airport here was built by Americans during the 2nd World War - remnants of that military base can be easily observed. The latest airport here touts itself as the world’s first “green” airport. It opened in December 2012. The terminal consists of recycled steel tubes taken from oil drilling operations in the Amazon. It spreads over 6,000 square meters and required an investment of just over $24 million. The new complex uses clean, renewable technologies such as solar energy, wind farms, and seawater desalination, among other environmental innovations. It is kept cool(ish) simply by design - no air conditioning is required.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Land Iguana
Site Rating 28%
public Iconic Speciespets Biodiversityphoto Striking vistasbeach_access Beach quailtypool Snorkeling quality
account_balance Is of cultural or historical significance
Itinerary Rating
Combined score of all sites visited
Rating: 65%
public Iconic speciesWildlife Sightings
- check Flamingo
- check Fur seals
- check Galapagos hawk
- check Galapagos penguin
- check Giant opuntia cactus forest
- check Hybrid land/marine iguana
- check Land Iguana
- check Mockingbirds
- check Nazca booby
- check Rays
- check Red-billed tropicbirds
- check Scalesia forest
- check Sea lions
- check Sea turtles
- check Sharks
- check Vermillion flycatcher
- check Waved albatross