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Departing Guayaquil to Galapagos (1½ Hour Flight).
BALTRA ISLAND: Home to Galapagos’ main airport, this will be the starting point of your experience aboard the best tour of the Galapagos Islands. A bilingual guide will meet you at the airport and assist you during the transfer onboard the Golondrina. Welcome Ceremony, briefing session.
PM – After Lunch
MOSQUERA: Wet landing. Situated between Northern Seymour and Baltra, its distinctive flat geography sets her apart from the rest of islands. A long strip of white sand, rocks and tide pools, Mosquera Islet is an excellent diving and snorkeling site where you can enjoy the local fauna without crowds of tourists to distract you.
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VICENTE ROCA POINT (ISABELA): Dinghy (panga) ride through this site made of two separate coves and a spectacular bay where sea horses, penguins, rays, sea turtles, globefish, blue footed Bobbies and the fascinating sunfish are commonly found. Lunch onboard.
PM
ESPINOZA POINT (FERNANDINA): Dry landing. Hour and a half hike through sandy and/or rocky trail that’ll take you through iguana nesting grounds (nesting season January-June). During the hike you’ll be able to see lava flows, penguins, pelicans, lava cacti, and a colony of cormorants. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.
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URBINA BAY (ISABELA):Wet landing on Urbina T. Kilometer-long, 2-hour-long hike through sandy and/or rocky trail were you can find coral reefs and seashells above water. You’ll also observe a large land iguana colony, Darwin finches, giant tortoises, (between June-September) and non-flying cormorants. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard for lunch.
PM – After lunch
TAGUS COVE (ISABELA): Dry landing. During the 1800’s this place was a port where whalers would dock and write the names of their vessels on the walls of a cave. The visit begins on the shore, up a wooden ladder and onto a trail that’ll take you through a forest of Palo Santo trees and arrive at Darwin Lake, a salt water lake inside an extinct volcanic crater. We’ll hike around the lake, through the site’s characteristically dry vegetation, so we can get a panoramic view of the Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes (2-hour-hike, begins at sea-level and getting up to 50m above sea-level). After the hike, a dinghy (panga) ride along the shoreline will offer a chance to observe penguins, cormorants, bobbies, pelicans and sally crabs. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.
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PORT EGAS: Wet landing on the dark sand beach of James Bay. 1½ hour hike on rocky terrain onto the Salt Crater were you can find Darwin finches, Galapagos hawks, marine iguanas, sally crabs, seals and sea lions. Snorkeling on the beach before heading back onboard.
PM – After lunch
ESPUMILLA BEACH: Discover one of Santiago Island’s most beautiful and untouched beaches, known for its distinctive reddish sand and tranquil setting. Walk through mangroves and Palo Santo forest—an essential ecosystem in the island’s natural regeneration. This site also serves as a seasonal nesting area for green sea turtles.
Along the shore and inland, you may spot marine iguanas, pelicans, herons, Darwin’s finches, and other shorebirds. Snorkeling in calm waters offers the chance to encounter rays, reef fish, and sea turtles.
BUCANERO COVE: Sail into a landscape shaped by both history and nature, once a hideout for pirates and whalers. Towering cliffs, sea caves, and iconic rock formations like “The Monk” and “The Elephant” create a dramatic setting.
Keep an eye out—you may see sea lions, fur seals, and Galápagos penguins, along with seabirds such as blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and lava gulls. Galápagos hawks are sometimes spotted gliding above the cliffs.
Return on board for dinner and your guide’s briefing.
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SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (CHARLES DARWIN SCIENTIFIC STATION): Visit the 1959-established Charles Darwin Station to learn about the Giant Tortoises and their reproduction, as well as the origin and formation of the archipelago.
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PRIMICIAS RANCH: On the very first stop, you’ll be able to see the staple and namesake of the Islands: the Giant Tortoise, these gentle creatures are easily spotted gracing through the foliage or resting. Harder to spot but equally fascinating, the many birds that reside in the Galapagos are literal descendants of the Andean Plateau species; endemic sub-species of Mockingbirds, Flycatchers, Cattle Egrets and Finches can be seen throughout the Ranch.
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BOWDITCH POINT: Step onto a pristine white-sand beach where volcanic landscapes meet crystal-clear waters. Enjoy a relaxing walk along the coast and take in one of the most vibrant marine environments in the Galápagos.
While snorkeling, you may observe reef fish such as parrotfish, salemas, surgeonfish, and angelfish, along with corals and submerged lava formations. With some luck, you might also spot sea turtles, rays, and even reef sharks in the distance.
Lunch on board.
PM
CHINESE HAT: Wet landing onto a striking volcanic islet. Enjoy a short and easy 30-minute walk across lava rock formations, where you may see lava cactus, Galápagos sesuvium, and traces of ancient lava flows and tunnels.
Wildlife may include marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, and occasionally Galápagos penguins along the shore.
Time for snorkeling in clear waters, where you may encounter sea lions, rays, and colorful fish.
Return on board for dinner and your guide’s briefing.
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RABIDA ISLAND: One of the more colorful and volcanically active islands of the archipelago, as well as an amazing diving site. We begin at the prominent Brown-Sanded Beach of Rabida, then a light ½ a mile hike to reach a lookout of breath-taking view.
A paradise for birdwatchers, Flycatchers, Brown Pelicans, Galapagos Hawks, varieties of Finches and many other of the rarer species flock to Rabida. Wet landing, lunch onboard.
PM
DRAGON HILL: After docking, we’ll go behind the beach to reach a hyper-saline lagoon frequented by Flamingos, Wilson’s plovers, Black-bellied Ducks among others. The hike to Dragon Hill overviews the bay and takes you right into the Galapagos Land Iguana nesting grounds after which the site takes its name. Many of the iguanas nesting at Dragon Hill have been relocated here by the Charles Darwin Scientific Station.
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BLACK TURTLE COVE:
No landing, dinghy (panga) tour of the site; near Baltra.
An extraordinary beautiful experience. You’ll get a chance to see Black Sea Turtles in the clear water below, as the dinghy cuts the engine and the operators row you along the mangrove-laden shoreline, discover hidden lagoons while keeping an eye out for the diverse bird and sea life variety.
After visiting the cove, you’ll do your final transfer to Baltra Airport by bus and fly back to mainland.
Considering that tours of the Galapagos Islands often include long walks, swimming, humid or dry terrain, and other physical activities we recommend that you bring along with you:
Booking should be handled through email and will be confirmed by a TIERRA VERDE TOUR GUIDE.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE TERMS AND TIME LIMITS WITHOUT A WRITTEN TIME EXTENTION PETITION BY THE CLIENT, TIERRA VERDE CAN MAKE USE OF CANCELLED BOOKINGS WITHOUT NEED OF CONCENT OR GROUNDS FOR COMPLAINT FROM THE CLIENT.
