Itinerary A
Length 8 days
Departs on Tuesday
from Baltra Island Airport
Ends on Tuesday
at San Cristóbal Island Airport
Visitor Sites
Click on each site for more information
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Day 1 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 Species -
Day 1 PM
Santa Cruz Island, Black Turtle Cove
63%Santa Cruz Island, Black Turtle Cove
The cove is located on the north coast of the island and is only accessible by boat. A quiet boat ride through the mangroves may reveal lava herons, sea turtles, spotted rays, and a variety of shark species, including black and white tipped reef sharks and Galapagos sharks. Landing: None. Difficulty: Easy.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Sharks
- check Rays
Site Rating 63%
public Iconic Species -
Day 2 AM
Genovesa Island, Prince Phillip's Steps
84%Genovesa Island, Prince Phillip's Steps
This site is notable for its variety and abundance of birdlife including red-footed and Nazca boobies, short-eared owls, red-billed tropicbirds, Galápagos swallows and Galápagos doves. Upon landing on a steep rocky stairway, visitors are treated to the site of small fur seal colony and a variety of marine life clinging to the rocks. There are great views of lava plains near the end of the trail. Landing: Dry (with slippery rocks). Difficulty: Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Red-footed booby
- check Fur seals
- check Nazca booby
Site Rating 84%
public Iconic Species -
Day 2 PM
Genovesa Island, Darwin Bay
76%Genovesa Island, Darwin Bay
After landing on a white-sand, coral beach, you follow a short trail (800m) that meanders through mangroves to the tidal pools where sea lions are often found frolicking, and up a rocky hill that leads to a point overlooking the cliffs and Darwin Bay. This is one of the few places in the islands where you are pretty much guaranteed to see red-footed boobies, along with other tidal lagoon birds. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Nazca booby
- check Red-footed booby
- check Sea lions
- check Sea turtles
Site Rating 76%
public Iconic Species -
Day 3 AM
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 Species -
Day 3 PM
Rábida Island
67%Rábida Island
On its red sands, spot marine iguanas and a noisy colony of sea lions. Brown pelicans make homes by the beach in saltbushes. Behind the beach is a lagoon where wading birds and white-cheeked pintail ducks feed, while blue-footed and nazca boobies linger in the cliffs. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Sea lions
- check Nazca booby
Site Rating 67%
public Iconic Species -
Day 4 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 Species -
Day 4 PM
Santa Cruz Island, El Chato
65%Santa Cruz Island, El Chato
Wildlife Sightings
- check Giant tortoise in the wild
- check Scalesia forest
- check Vermillion flycatcher
Site Rating 65%
public Iconic Species -
Day 5 AM
Santa Cruz Island, Cerro Dragon
54%Santa Cruz Island, Cerro Dragon
Wildlife Sightings
- check Mockingbirds
- check Rays
- check Sharks
- check Land Iguana
- check Flamingo
Site Rating 54%
public Iconic Species -
Day 5 PM
Santa Cruz Island, Bachas Beach
57%Santa Cruz Island, Bachas Beach
Wildlife Sightings
- check Flamingo
- check Sea turtles
Site Rating 57%
public Iconic Species -
Day 6 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 Species -
Day 6 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 Species -
Day 7 AM
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 Species -
Day 7 PM
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 Species -
Day 8 AM
San Cristóbal Island, Interpretation Centre account_balance
35%San Cristóbal Island, Interpretation Centre
The center, which is just outside of the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, was opened in 1998 and features exhibits showcasing the natural and human history of the Galápagos and the ongoing efforts to preserve and protect the islands. Landing: None. Difficulty: Easy
Site Rating 35%
public Iconic Species -
Day 8 AM
San Cristóbal Island Airport
10%San Cristóbal Island Airport
The only commercial jet airliner airport we know that is located walking distance from town.
Site Rating 10%
public Iconic Species
account_balance Is of cultural or historical significance
Itinerary Rating
Combined score of all sites visited
Rating: 63%
public Iconic speciesWildlife Sightings
- check Flamingo
- check Fur seals
- check Galapagos hawk
- check Galapagos penguin
- check Giant opuntia cactus forest
- check Giant tortoise in the wild
- check Land Iguana
- check Mockingbirds
- check Nazca booby
- check Rays
- check Red-billed tropicbirds
- check Red-footed booby
- check Scalesia forest
- check Sea lions
- check Sea turtles
- check Sharks
- check Vermillion flycatcher
- check Waved albatross