Eastern & Southern Galapagos Islands 5-day Cruise

Description

Day 1: Baltra Island - Santa Cruz Island

When your flight lands at Baltra airport at 9:08 am, we'll pick you up by bus and take you to the ship so you can leave your luggage in your cabin. We'll have lunch on board and then, in the afternoon, we'll visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center on Santa Cruz Island.

If you want to see the famous giant tortoises of the Galapagos, you've come to the right place! We'll observe tortoises of different ages, from hatchlings to adults, while learning all about the peculiarities of this endemic species.

We'll end the day by returning to the boat for dinner and rest.

Day 2: Floreana Island

To start the day off, we'll have breakfast on the boat and then start exploring the southern part of the Galapagos archipelago by visiting Floreana Island. We'll disembark at the peninsula of Punta Cormorant, where we'll be greeted by a small colony of sea lions.

First, we'll walk through the island's palo santo forests and then border an old volcanic cone located in the middle of the sea, known as Devil's Crown. Did you know that it's one of the best places to snorkel in the Galapagos? Its reefs attract a variety of marine life, from turtles and colorful fish to dolphins and penguins!

Then, we'll have lunch on the boat and spend the afternoon visiting Post Office Bay and the Baroness's viewpoint. We'll discover who Eloise von Wagner was and we'll go back to the 18th century to learn about the history of a curious mailbox that was used by sailors who hunted whales in these waters. You'll want to know more and more!

Finally, we'll have dinner on the boat and rest until the next day.

Day 3: Osborn Islet - Española Island

After enjoying breakfast on board, we'll head to the southeastern end of the Galapagos National Park. We'll approach Gardner Bay, where Osborn Islet awaits us. This is one of the most important breeding sites for green sea turtles in the Pacific. There's also an important colony of sea lions endemic to this archipelago. Did you know that they're relatives of the California sea lions?

Once we've admired the fauna of the islet, we'll return to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, we'll visit Punta Suarez, on Española Island. Looking out over the high cliffs here is like looking out over the ends of the earth. The silence is only interrupted by the sound of the sea hitting the coast, the iguanas walking among the rocks, the albatross flying over the area... You'll be fascinated!

Back on the boat, we'll have a delicious dinner and rest until the next day.

Day 4: San Cristobal Island

On the fourth day, we'll arrive at San Cristobal, the easternmost island of the Galapagos. We'll explore Punta Pitt, a place of great historical importance, as it was Charles Darwin's first sight of land when he visited this archipelago in 1835. We'll talk about the great importance of this national park for the life of the famous scientist!

We'll then have lunch on the boat and, in the afternoon, we'll snorkel on the beach near Cerro Brujo.

After that refreshing dip, we'll rest and have dinner on the boat.

Day 5: Lobos Islet - San Cristobal Island

On the last day of the cruise, we'll have breakfast and then go directly to Lobos Islet. As its name suggests, this land is known to be home to a large colony of Galapagos sea lions (sea lions in Spanish is lobo marino). We'll see these animals up close, but without disturbing them in their natural habitat. The bird life in this area is also quite varied. If we're lucky, we'll be able to witness the curious and clumsy dances that blue-footed boobies and male frigate birds use to attract females!

We'll end this amazing cruise by leaving you at the San Cristobal airport with enough time to catch your flight back home.

Accommodation

This 5-day tour includes 4 nights accommodation on the Archipel I boat with full board. When booking, you can opt for a double room with a double bed or twin beds.

Flights

To participate in this cruise, you need to book your roundtrip flights at the following times:

If you're traveling from Quito

• Departure flight: AVIANCA - AV1632. Departure at 8:04 am from Quito. Arrival at 10:48 am in Baltra.
• Return flight: AVIANCA - AV1631. Departure at 1:05 pm from San Cristobal. Arrival at 5:43 pm in Quito.

If you're traveling from Guayaquil

• Departure flight: AVIANCA - AV1632. Departure at 9:53 am from Guayaquil. Arrival at 10:48 am in Baltra.
• Return flight: AVIANCA - AV1631. Departure at 1:05 pm from San Cristobal. Arrival at 3:53 pm in Guayaquil.