(B:breakfast | L:lunch | D:dinner)
Saturday
AM: Upon arrival, reception and assistance at the airport, transfer from San Cristobal Airport to the M/C Ocean Spray.
PM: San Cristobal - Lobos Island/Kicker Rock
Lobos Island is aptly named after the many sea lions that reside here resting and playing along the rocky shores. It is also home to many different birds like pelicans, frigate birds and their nests, yellow warblers and more. Within the small channel the waters are very clear, making it easy to find sea turtles, sea lions, stingrays and perhaps even white- tipped sharks.
Activities: Short hiking, swimming and snorkeling.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Landing: Dry landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, various shorebirds, sally lightfoot crabs, frigate birds, Galapagos sharks, schools of tropical fish, stingrays.
Kicker rock is one of the most extraordinary sites in the Galapagos Islands, made of two eroded volcanic cones that tower over the sea at about 104 meters in the middle of the open water. It is a nesting place of sea birds and a nice spot to take pictures while the vessels circumnavigate around the rock.
Activities: Circumnavigation Type of landing: No landing Difficulty: ------
( -, L, D)
Sunday
AM: San Cristobal - Pitt Point
When arriving at Pitt Point, it will feel as if you’ve landed on an extraterrestrial planet. You can see the many different developments over time of how volcanic activity formed this island. A hike up to the top beholds amazing views of the surrounding waters. Watch out for blue-footed boobie nests on the ground and keep an eye out for the red-footed boobies nesting in the trees once you reach the top of the island.
Activities: Hiking and kayaking. Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, various shorebirds, sally lightfoot crabs, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, red-footed boobies.
PM: San Cristobal - Witch Hill
Witch hill has awesome crevices and eroding rocks along the shoreline where you will first pass in panga. Afterwards be prepared to visit a powdery white sand beach with teal and turquoise waters.
Activities: Panga ride, swimming, snorkel
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: sea lions, various shore birds, finches, mockingbirds, tropical fish, and different crabs from the Sally lightfoot.
(B, L, D)
Monday
AM: Floreana - Post Office Bay
Ask the Cruise Manager for one of our complimentary postcards to write a message and address it home. Leave it in the barrel used before by pirates and sailors. While your there, see if there are any other postcards you can take home with you to send for fellow travelers who have already left their messages!
Activities: Post office barrel, relaxing on the beach, swimming or snorkeling
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: frigatebirds, sea lions, sea turtles, various shorebirds and seabirds, marine life.
PM: Floreana - Cormorant Point / Devil’s Crown
Cormorant is an interesting visitor site. Two beaches can be visited here, just beyond the first beach is a saltwater lagoon with flamingos. One of the beaches look green because of the olivine crystals, and the other is appropriately called Flour Beach because of the powdery white sand, made from fine, pulverized coral. Watch your feet if wading in the water, stingrays love to hang out here as well.
Devil’s Crown boasts one of the finest snorkeling opportunities. Below the surface are amazing volcanic structures that have submerged over time. Hundreds of colorful fish species can be seen along the reef, along with sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea lions, and rays. It’s a beautiful underwater spectacle that cannot be missed.
Activities: Snorkeling and hiking
Difficulty: Snorkeling - Moderate to difficult / Hike – easy
Landing: Wet landing
Possible Wildlife: frigatebirds, sea lions, sea turtles, Galapagos sharks, white-tipped sharks, tropical fish, various shorebirds and seabirds, varied marine life.
(B, L, D)
Tuesday
AM: Santa Cruz - Black Turtle Cove
Black Turtle Cove is located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides a natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, and spotted eagle rays. Pelicans and blue-footed boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water.
Activities: Panga ride Difficulty: Easy Landing: No Landing
Possible Wildlife: White-tipped sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea lions and various shorebirds.
PM: Bartholomew - Pinnacle Rock
Pinnacle Rock is a volcanic cone formed by magma expelled by an underwater volcano. The sea cooled the hot lava and as it exploded from contact, the pieces formed together this huge rock of many, many layers of basalt. The huge rock also has a beach where a small population of green sea turtles will nest during breeding season. Galapagos penguins gather here and swimming can offer beautiful sights of colorful schools of fish and curious sea lions.
Activities: Hike, snorkel and panga ride
Difficulty: Moderate
Landing: Wet Landing
Possible Wildlife: Galapagos penguins, sally lightfoot crabs, sea lions, rays, sea turtles, sharks, various tropical fish, various shore birds.
(B, L, D)
Wednesday
AM: Genovesa - Darwin Bay
Darwin Bay used to be a shield volcano, now you can see where one of the sides of its caldera collapsed after hundreds of years of erosion. It is known for the wide variety of birds that can be seen. Over 20,000 red-footed boobies are estimated to call this island home within the trees and bushes of Genovesa Island.
Activities: Hike, panga ride, snorkel Difficulty: Easy/Moderate Landing: Wet Landing
Possible Wildlife: Red-footed boobies, blue-footed boobies, nazca boobies, swallow- tailed gulls, finches, various shorebirds, rays, tropical fish species, marine iguanas, sea lions.
PM: Genovesa - El Barranco
In English, this visitor site is also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps. It leads to a rocky path up a cliff that rewards guests with a remarkable view. It is also home to a Palo Santo forest that is home to the nesting red-footed boobies and other shorebirds.
Activities: Hike, panga ride, snorkel
Difficulty: Moderate
Landing: Dry Landing
Possible Wildlife: Red-footed boobies, storm petrels, Galapagos doves, short-eared owls, sea turtles, rays, sharks, sea lions, marine iguanas.
(B, L, D)
Thursday
AM: Santiago - Espumilla Beach / Buccaneer Cove
As the second Island Charles Darwin discovered, it was originally named after King James of England. Buccaneer Cove is an excellent opportunity for snorkeling and was once a refuge for passing sailors and pirates. The underwater formations provide an amazing home for the many different tropical species of fish that can be found here.
Activities: Snorkeling and swimming, short walk on beach
Difficulty: Easy
Landing: Wet Landing
Possible Wildlife: Marine iguanas, sea lions, various shorebirds, tropical fish species, rays, sea turtles, sally lightfoot crabs.
PM: Santiago - Egas Port
Egas port is also known as James Bay, home to quick-footed Galapagos lava lizards. There are grottos and tide pools housing all kinds of different marine species. This is also one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos.
Activities: Snorkeling, hike Difficulty: Easy/Moderate Landing: Wet Landing
Possible Wildlife: Fur sea lions, Galapagos hawks, oyster-catchers, marine iguanas, finches, sharks, sea turtles, tropical fish.
(B, L, D)
Friday
AM: North Seymour Island
The island was named after English nobleman Lord Hugh Seymour.
Formed by uplifted submarine lava, the island is home to a huge colony of about 2,500 land iguanas and large populations of sea lions, blue-footed boobies, common noddies, and frigatebirds.
Along the coast, it is possible to see land and marine iguanas and the biggest colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds.
Activities: Snorkeling, panga ride, hike
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Landing: Dry Landing
Possible Wildlife: Land and marine iguanas, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, common noddies, sea lions.
PM: Santa Cruz - Highlands
The Highlands of Santa Cruz is a very interesting site due to the rich wildlife, hills, ferns, volcanoes and lava tubes present. Exploring the lava tubes is a surreal and unique experience. Here you can see all the different agricultural zones that are present in the Galapagos in one place. The variety of birds makes this a bird watchers delight.
Activities: Hike Difficulty: Moderate Landing: Dry Landing
Possible Wildlife: Wild Galapagos Tortoises, various shorebirds, lava lizards. (B, L, D)
Saturday
AM: Mosquera Islet
This visitor site is located between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour. It is a reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) and a great white sand beach. Its narrowest width reaches about 160 meters and has an estimated length of 600 meters. In most of the perimeter there is a base of lava rocks, as evidence of the lava uprising, except in the southwest side where the landing occurs. This island has one of the largest populations of sea lions. You can also observe several species of shorebirds. There have been occasional reports at this site of Orcas (Orcinus orca) feeding on sea lions.
Activities: Short walk Difficulty: Easy Landing: Wet Landing
Possible Wildlife: Sea lions, various shore birds, frigate birds, sally lightfoot crabs.
Depart from Baltra airport.
After this last visit, transfer to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador. Assistance and farewell at the airport.
(B, -, - )
***End of cruise***
* Itineraries are subject to change without prior notice due to weather conditions, National Park regulations, emergencies on board or any unforeseen situation.