8 Nights Island Hopping San Cristobal - Santa Cruz - Isabela Islands

Program

Day 1:
San Cristobal
- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Flight Quito – Galapagos Islands SCY (not included)
- Transfer airport in San Cristobal to hotel
- Visit to Loberia & Frigate Bird Hill
Today you will take your flight to the Galapagos Islands. You arrive in San Cristobal Island where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer to your hotel.
San Cristóbal Island has the second largest settlement of the archipelago. At the south, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the Galápagos province capital where most people work in government, tourism, and artisanal fishing. Arriving at the dock, you are greeted by lazy sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, frigate birds, and the endemic chatham mocking bird. Start with a walk of 1.5km (0.95mi.) along the paved road to Frigate Bird Hill, just outside Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. From here, catch some of the nicest views of the town and the bay. Keep your eyes out for the great and magnificent frigate birds and learn to differentiate them. In the afternoon, take a 900m (0.5mi.) path to “La Loberia”, a small bay where many sea lions lazily lay on the beach. By the rocky shores, spot marine iguanas, sea turtles, and maybe even a ray. Dinner will be served at town or hotel. Overnight in a Hotel in San Cristobal Island.

Day 2:
San Cristobal Island
- Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner
- Full day boat excursion to Kicker Rock – on shared basis
Kicker Rock or “León Dormido” is one of the Galapagos’ landmarks. The magnificent rock formation raises 140m (500ft.) from the ocean and resembles a sleeping lion. It is an important nesting area and great for bird watching: red-billed tropicbirds, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigate birds. As you cruise around the rock and its channels, appreciate the crystal clear waters and the underwater rock walls where you can spot manta rays and bottlenose dolphins. Afterwards visit to Manglecito, or Puerto Brujo or Cerro Brujo, depending on the itinerary of the Yatch. Box lunch will be served on board. Dinner at town or hotel. Overnight in a Hotel in San Cristobal Island.

Day 3:
San Cristobal - Santa Cruz
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz by speedboat (Sharing Basis)
- Visit to Highlands in Santa Cruz
- Visit to Academy Bay (Sharing Basis)
Drive to the pier of Puerto Baquerizo to take the public speedboat to Santa Cruz Island. The ride takes approximately 2 hours. A guide will be waiting for you to transfer to the hotel, and later start the visit to Highlands of Santa Cruz. . Extinct volcanoes and astonishing endemic plants characterize the Santa Cruz Highlands. Admire unique flora like ferns and meter-high Miconia shrubs in the Scalesia forest or spot different bird species like the Galápagos rails, cattle egrets, and flycatchers. Later on, continue to the Giant Tortoise Reserve “El Chato” in the Santa Cruz highlands is one of the few places you can see these giants in their natural habitat. The large, pre-historic looking animals can be seen as you walk along the trails during their migration from the coast to the highlands. “El Chato” is also one of the best sites to observe the short-eared owl, another endemic specie from the Galápagos. Lunch time free to choose your favorite place in the town.
Academy Bay Tour visits 5 different spots: La Loberia, which is a small island about 10 minutes into the bay where there is a large colony of sea lions. Shark Channel and Lovers Channel are both nice snorkeling sites and also beautiful places to take in the blue footed boobies who are regularly seen resting on the cliffs close by. Dog’s beach gives you opportunity to get off the boat and walk through cactus forests to a remote beach where you will almost definitely encounter a marine iguana or many, and turtles are often seen feeding just off the shore. The last site is Las Grietas, a water filled crevice in the rocks. Overnight in a Hotel in Santa Cruz Island.

Day 4:
Santa Cruz Island
- Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch
- Full day boat excursion to Seymour North or South Plazas or Bartholomew including lunch – on shared basis
During a full day boat excursion, you’ll visit one of the islands Seymour North, South Plazas, Bartholomew or Santa Fe or the Dragon Hill. Each of the islands has its own significant beauties to offer and regardless which you’ll visit, you’ll definitely enjoy your stay.

Remark: The excursion is shared with international traveller and accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

Lunch on board. Overnight in a Hotel in Santa Cruz Island.

Day 5:
Santa Cruz - Isabela
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer to the pier in Puerto Ayora
- Transfer Santa Cruz – Isabela by speedboat (Sharing Basis)
- Visit to Tintoreras (Sharing Basis)
Early in the morning, you will go to the pier of Puerto Ayora to take the public speedboat to Isabela Island. The ride to Isabela takes approximately 2 hours. Your guide will be waiting for you for the transfer to hotel in Isabela. During the afternoon, take a short boat ride to a small rocky islet known as “Las Tintoreras”, one of the island’s most beautiful sites. Here, sharks can be seen resting in the lava canals. Observe marine iguanas and playful sea lions on the sandy beach. Put your mask and snorkel on to explore the underwater world filled with colorful fish, sea turtles, and much more. Overnight in a Hotel in Isabela Island.

Day 6:
Isabela
- Meals included: Breakfast, Box lunch
- Visit to Sierra Negra Volcano & Volcan Chico (Sharing Basis)
- Optional with extra cost: Visit to Tunnels
The Sierra Negra Volcano’s caldera 10km x 8km (6mi x 5mi) is the largest of the Galapagos Islands. It is located in the south of Isabela Island, between the Alcedo and Cerro Azul volcanoes. From Puerto Villamil, drive about 33km (20mi.) until you reach the trail’s starting point. Walk up to the crater for about 6km (4mi.) and appreciate the native plants and unique landscapes. At the top, the views are spectacular and you could see fumaroles inside the crater. Continue your journey and descend the short trail from the Sierra Negra Volcano rim to the Chico Volcano. Here, appreciate the petrified lava formations with many different colors and textures as well as the fumaroles scattered throughout the area. On a clear day, you can enjoy the views of the Perry Isthmus and the surrounding islands. Box lunch will be included for this activity.

Optional excursion with extra cost, replacing Sierra Negra visit: From Puerto Villamil, take a 60min boat ride to “Los Túneles”. The shallow, clear, and calm waters make this spot ideal for snorkeling and observing colorful fish, sea turtles, and sharks. Explore the marine sanctuary characterized by its unique geologic formations with arches and tunnels formed by lava flows.

Overnight in a Hotel in Isabela Island.

Day 7:
Isabela – Santa Cruz
- Meals included: Breakfast
- Visit to Flamingos ‘Lagoon in Isabela and Breeding center
- Transfer Isabela – Santa Cruz by speedboat (Sharing Basis)
After breakfast, start a walk to the Breeding center. On the way stop at a Flamingos ‘lagoon and admire these elegant, bright pink birds. Then continue in the trail through different ecosystems until you arrive at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. Here, learn about these endemic creatures and their different life phases: reproduction, breeding, and development. Get up close and personal with giant tortoises and understand how the center is helping to protect and recover the species. In the afternoon, take a public speedboat in the pier of Isabela. The ride to Puerto Ayora takes approximately 2 hours. After arrival, transfer to hotel in Puerto Ayora. Overnight in a Hotel in Santa Cruz Island.

Day 8:
Santa Cruz Island
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer hotel – Baltra airport
- Flight Galapagos Islands – Quito (not included)
Early in the morning, transfer to Baltra airport – only with Spanish speaking assistance - and flight back to Ecuador mainland.

Price includes

- 2 overnights in hotel in Santa Cristobal + 3 overnights in hotel in Santa Cruz + 2 overnights in hotel in Isabela
- Transfer In and guided tours on Galápagos with local English / Spanish speaking guides (English / Spanish speaking guides changing in each Island and for sharing Basis activities)
- Transfer out with local driver (Spanish speaking assistance)
- Meals as mentioned

Price does not include

- Optional tours, airfares, airport-taxes, personal expenses, extras at the hotels
- Drinks during meals if not otherwise mentioned
- Non-mandatory tips
- Newly introduced entrance fees that were established after the date of the proposal
- All services not indicated in the program
- Anything not expressly included in the " Prices Include"

Itinerary

Accommodations provided in each place