Galaxy Yacht

Day 1

AM: SAN CRISTOBAL AIRPORT
Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrival at San Cristobal airport, where our naturalist guide of the National Park will be waiting for you.

PM: LOBOS ISLAND

• Lobos island is a small islet packed with wildlife, especially with sea lions. Groups of sea lions will welcome you at the landing spot, but as you walk a few steps inland, male frigatebirds displaying their inflated red balloons will be perched on the bushes and trees. A small colony of blue footed boobies, which often nest right on the trail, will give you the opportunity to observe their famous courtship dance.
• Snorkel: This is a great snorkeling location as the water are usually calm and the sea lions often play with divers to show off their swimming skills. Sea turtles and rays are often seen resting in the sandy bottoms.
• Highlights: Galapagos sea lions, marine Iguanas, magnificent & great frigatebirds, blue-footed Boobies, San Cristobal Lava Lizards.
• Trail: 0,6 km / 0,4 mi
  Meals: Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 2

AM: GARDNER BAY

• Gardner beach is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and interesting beaches to visit in the Galapagos. Its fine coral sand and turquoise water give it a totally tropical appearance, which contrasts with the presence of sea lions basking in the beach. You will have the opportunity to walk along the beach and learn about the biology of sea lions and other endemic species, such as the Española mockingbird, marine iguanas and Galapagos hawks.
• Snorkel: There are several great snorkeling places at Gardner bay. It is a fantastic site to swim with sea lions, reef sharks, rays and many species of fish, including; Angelfish, Parrotfish, Damselfish, Surgeonfish and many others.
• Highlights: Coral sand beach, sea lions, Galapagos hawks, Española mockingbirds, Darwin finches, marine iguanas.
• Trail: 0,8 km / 0,5 mi

PM: SUAREZ POINT

• From the moment you set foot on the island and all the way along the trail the amount and diversity of fauna is truly amazing. Sea lions and marine iguanas will be the first ones welcoming us, followed by large colonies of sea birds, including Nazca and Blue-footed boobies, gulls and tropicbirds. At the end of the trail we will visit a colony of waved albatross (April to January), the largest bird in the islands.
• Highlights: Sea lions, Waved Albatross, Galapagos hawks, Española mockingbirds, Darwin finches, marine iguanas, Nazca & Blue-footed Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Swallow-tailed gulls, herons, lava lizards, herons.
• Trail: 1,7 km / 1,1 mi
  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 3

AM: POST OFFICE BAY

• Post office bay was often used by whalers to anchor their ships and go up to the highlands to get freshwater and tortoises. Most boats visiting the Galapagos had to came to this place sooner or later, so a system of mail was established more than 200 years ago.
• Aside from a small beautiful beach and a lava tunnel, the area is great for dinghy tours to look for sea lions, green sea turtles, shorebirds, small sharks and, with some luck, Galapagos penguins.
• Snorkel: There is great snorkel from the beach, as you can see lots of sea turtles, rays, great diversity of fish and, if you are really lucky, Galapagos penguin,
• Highlights: Sea Lions, sea turtles, finches, shorebirds, marine iguanas, penguins.
• Trail: 0,7 m / 0,4 mi

PM: CORMORANT POINT / DEVIL´S CROWN

• There is a beautiful white sand beach which is an important nesting ground for green sea turtles where we can also see rays and reef sharks. In the last years, a small groups of blue footed boobies have started to breed right by the trail. This is also a great trail to look at endemic plants.
• Snorkel: It will be done at Devil’s Crown, a heavily eroded little volcano right by Floreana island. This is considered by many as one of the best snorkeling sites in the entire archipelago as the current funnels plankton through the Crown, attracting huge schools of snapper, Creole fish parrot fish, angelfish, reef sharks, sea turtles, rays and a phenomenal amount of marine life.
• Highlights: American flamingo, blue-footed booby, frigatebirds, tropicbirds, Galapagos shearwaters, sea lions, sea turtle nesting site, finches, shorebirds, coral-sand beach.
• Trail: 1,6 km / 1 mi
  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 4

AM: SANTA FE

• Giant Prickly-pear cactus and barren lava rocks surround the landing spot at Santa Fe, located inside one of the most beautiful bays in the Galapagos. Turquoise water and white sand beaches make this location a perfect home for a large colony of sea lions which you will see basking in the sand.
• Snorkel: After the hike, you will have the option to kayak or snorkel in the sheltered waters inside the bay, where you can swim with sea lion pups and reef sharks. Also look for sea turtles, rays and a large variety of tropical fish including large schools of surgeonfish and parrotfish.
• Highlights: Giant cactus, Santa Fe bay, Galapagos sea lions, Santa Fe land iguanas, Galapagos hawks, Galapagos doves, reef sharks.
• Trail: 0,8 km / 0,5 mi

PM: PLAZAS

• Right after you land you will see Galapagos land iguanas waiting under prickly-pear cactus feed on their fruits. A large colony of sea lions will give you the opportunity to see playful pups enjoying the tide pools, but also large grumpy males defending their territories. The trail will take you to a cliff where you can observe many sea birds, such as frigatebirds, red-billed tropicbirds, boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and pelicans. A reddish succulent vegetation with scattered cactus covers most of the islands like a carpet, giving this island a unique personality.
• Highlights: Galapagos land iguanas, sea lions, tropicbirds, pelicans, boobies, Galapagos shearwaters, swallow-tailed gulls.
• Trail: 1,4 km / 0,8 mi
  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 5

AM: ESTACIÓN CHARLES DARWIN

• The Charles Darwin Station is a nonprofit organization which has been working for decades together with the Galapagos National Park to preserve the biodiversity of these unique islands. During this visit you will learn about the projects that both institutions carry together to protect the native species and eradicate the invasive ones which are threatening the Galapagos environment.
• Highlights: Galapagos giant tortoise & land iguanas breeding program, Darwin finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers.
• Trail: 2 km / 1,2 mi
  Then, transfer to the airport to take your flight back to continental Ecuador.
  Meals: Breakfast

Day 1

AM: BALTRA AIRPORT

• Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrival at Baltra airport, where our naturalist guide of the National Park will be waiting for you.

PM: MOSQUERA

• You can walk along the beach and enjoy seeing playful sea lion pups surfing the waves and having a great time in the tide pools. Look for endemic lava gulls which are often seen flying over the beach in the search of food.
• Snorkel: If the waves are not too big you can snorkel at the northern tip of the island or at one of the small beaches in the sheltered side.
• Highlights: Galapagos sea lions, lava gulls, oystercatchers, shorebirds,
• Trail: There is no trail, but you can walk along a sandy area of 0,6 km / 0,4mi
  Meals: Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 2

AM: SULLIVAN BAY

• You will walk in a very well-preserved flow of Pahoehoe lava. At first sight the barren landscape looks completely deprived of life, but look carefully for pioneer plants, lava lizards and small birds. By the shore, you can find penguins, pelicans and oystercatchers.
• Snorkel: You will have the option to swim or snorkel from a coral sand beach or from the dinghies. Getting underwater is like traveling to another world: if the land is almost lifeless, the sea is teaming with life, including large schools of fish, Galapagos penguins, reef sharks, turtles and rays.
• Highlights: Pahoehoe lava, Galapagos penguins, oystercatchers, Galapagos hawks.
• Trail: 2,2 km / 1,4 mi

PM: BARTOLOME

• You will get great views of Pinnacle Rock, located in the northern side of the island, right next to a beautiful peach-color sand beach.
  The hike to the top of the island is fantastic and will offer you incredible views of lunar landscapes with scattered volcanic cones. Many islands are visible from this outlook, as well as the bay of Sullivan and the Pinnacle rock.
• Snorkel: You will have the option to swim or snorkel from the beach. This area holds a well-deserved reputation of being one of the best snorkeling places in the Galapagos, not only because it’s clear and calm water, but also because of the presence of penguins, which are relatively easy to find while snorkeling, along with an incredible diversity of fish, colorful invertebrates, sea lions, turtles, rays and reef sharks.
• Highlights: Galapagos penguins, volcanic landscapes, Pinnacle rock, blue- footed boobies, herons, sea lions, sharks.
• Trail: 1,5 km / 0,9 mi
  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 3

AM: EL BARRANCO

• El Barranco is located in the southern part of Darwin Bay at Genovesa Island. It attracts an important population of short-eared owls preying of the nesting birds. Red footed and Nazca boobies are abundant along the trail. At the base of the cliffs you can see Galapagos fur seals resting in shaded areas, as well as several species of seabirds.
• Snorkel: You can snorkel along the cliffs where there are many fish and great chances of seeing sharks, rays and sea lions.
• Highlights: Nesting great frigatebirds, red footed & Nazca boobies, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos fur seals, lava & swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-crown night herons, Genovesa ground finch, Genovesa cactus finch, Galapagos mockingbirds.
• Trail: 1,2 km / 0,7 mi

PM: DARWIN BAY

• Genovesa is a favorite island for birdwatchers as it is home for very large colonies of seabirds.The trail is an ultimate wildlife experience as there are animals everywhere; sea lions and marine iguanas near the sea; night herons, lava & swallow tailed gulls, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds and many more species inland.
• Snorkel: The bay offers several places to snorkel; from deep waters along the cliffs across the bay, to shallow waters by the beach. In either case, there are many fish to see and great chances of seeing sharks, rays and sea lions.
• Highlights: Nesting great frigatebirds, red footed & Nazca boobies, Galapagos sea lions, lava & swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-crown night herons, Genovesa ground finch, Genovesa cactus finch, Galapagos mockingbirds.
• Trail: 1,2 km / 0,7 mi
  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  Lodging: Yacht Galaxy

Day 4

AM: INTERPRETATION CENTER

• Located in the outskirts of Puerto Baquerizo, this center is dedicated to the history of human presence in the Galapagos. Since the times of the early Spanish explorers to the present times, including illustrious visitors such as Charles Darwin, this permanent exhibition will take you through the dangers and struggles of the first settlers trying to survive the harsh Galapagos environment.
• Highlights: Endemic plants, exhibition on human history
• Trail: 0,2 km / 650 ft
  Then, transfer to the airport to take your flight back to continental Ecuador.
  Meals: Breakfast