Southern Itinerary
Length 8 days
Departs on Saturday
from Baltra Island Airport
Ends on Saturday
at Baltra Island Airport
Visitor Sites
Click on each site for more information
-
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
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 Species -
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 Species -
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 Species -
Day 3 AM
San Cristóbal Island, Punta Pitt
65%San Cristóbal Island, Punta Pitt
Disembarking on Punta Pitt, the easternmost point in the Galápagos, you’ll arrive on a mangrove-lined beach. After being greeted by a sea lion colony, you’ll discover the only place in Galápagos where all three types of boobies nest, alongside both types of frigatebirds. A steep, 2.5-mile trail takes visitors up a cliff and through a ravine where abundant birdlife can be found. Landing: Wet. Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Nazca booby
- check Sea lions
- check Red-footed booby
Site Rating 65%
public Iconic Species -
Day 3 PM
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 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 Species -
Day 4 PM
Floreana Island, Punta Cormorant - Champion Islet
60%Floreana Island, Punta Cormorant - Champion Islet
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 5 AM
Isabela Island, Elizabeth Bay
71%Isabela Island, Elizabeth Bay
A panga ride site. A tour around the vary quiet mangrove inlets and adjacent lagoons may reveal Galápagos green turtles, golden cownose rays, spotted eagle rays, and white-tip reef sharks. Galápagos penguins prefer the rocky islets, and marine iguanas enjoy the plentiful algae. Other species seen here include flightless cormorants, pelicans and lava herons. Landing: None (panga ride). Difficulty: Easy.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Flightless cormorant
- check Galapagos penguin
- check Sea turtles
- check Sharks
- check Rays
Site Rating 71%
public Iconic Species -
Day 5 PM
Isabela Island, Punta Moreno
60%Isabela Island, Punta Moreno
Step onto the edge of a vast lava field, stretching out to Cero Azul volcano in the distance. The lava is dotted by numerous green lagoons, where flamingoes, paint-bill crakes, white-cheeked pintails and common gallinules can be seen. This young lava flow is in the process of being colonized by several species of interesting pioneer plants. Landing: Dry. Difficulty: Moderate.
Wildlife Sightings
- check Flamingo
Site Rating 60%
public Iconic Species -
Day 6 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 6 PM
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 7 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 Species -
Day 7 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 Species -
Day 8 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 Species
account_balance Is of cultural or historical significance
Itinerary Rating
Combined score of all sites visited
Rating: 66%
public Iconic speciesWildlife Sightings
- check Flamingo
- check Flightless cormorant
- 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 Red-footed booby
- check Sea lions
- check Sea turtles
- check Sharks
- check Waved albatross