8 days cruise Catamaran Hermes – D+A

Morning – Arrival at Baltra Airport: Your TCC (Transit Control Card), also known as the Ingala card (US$20 per person), will be issued digitally after you complete an online form. At the airport, this digital card will be checked, and your luggage will be inspected to ensure that no non-native plant or animal species are introduced. In addition, the Galápagos National Park entrance fee (US$200) must be paid upon arrival if it has not already been paid. Your guide will meet you at the airport, assist you with your luggage, and accompany you on the short bus ride to the harbor. There you will board the yacht. After being welcomed by the crew and the captain, your cabins will be assigned, followed by the first shared lunch.

Afternoon – Highlands (Santa Cruz): In the highlands of Santa Cruz, you can observe various bird species such as small and large tree finches, ground finches, Galápagos flycatchers, and cattle egrets (often seen standing on the backs of tortoises). During the drive into the island’s protected area, you will see the contrasts of this diverse ecosystem. The road leads from the coast through agricultural land directly into dense humid forests. You can often see Galápagos giant tortoises right on the road or wandering across pastures and through the grass. This place is a paradise for ornithologists, as almost all birds either live on the island or pass through it.

Morning – Dragon Hill: At Dragon Hill, there are two main species that are very likely to be seen during any visit to the Galápagos Islands, although they are not widely distributed across the islands: the Galápagos land iguanas and the American flamingos. You will climb a hill with giant Opuntia cacti, where these “dragons” feed and nest. Although they are quite shy and elusive, you have a fair chance to witness the success of this conservation project with your own eyes.

The short trail crosses the coastal vegetation zone as well as the slightly higher arid zone with endangered tropical dry forest. During the warm and wet season in the first half of the year, everything turns green.

Evergreen giant prickly pear cacti with internal reservoirs have adopted a different survival strategy in this dry climate compared to the deciduous palo santo trees; in the end, both were successful. This is also a very photogenic site, with breathtaking panoramic views over the bay and a fascinating, steep volcanic tuff cone of red lava rising above the area. Dragon Hill is known for its saline lagoons behind the beach; these contain algae and shrimp and seasonally attract American flamingos. Dragon Hill is the best place on Santa Cruz to observe them.

Afternoon – Chinese Hat Islet (Santiago): Chinese Hat is a 52 m / 170 ft high volcanic cone that forms another island just off the rocky coast of Santiago, where a small colony of Galápagos penguins has settled.

As you approach Chinese Hat from the north, you will understand the origin of its name. This is an excellent place to learn more about volcanoes, lava bombs, and lava tunnels.

You arrive just in time to see how this barren islet is being colonized by pioneer species that have begun to sprout. Beautiful beaches with white coral sand and holes in the eroding lava fields are covered with lava sand, enabling plants to take root. Galápagos sea lions and countless marine iguanas contribute to fertilization, creating many viable opportunities for newcomers such as saltbush and sesuvium mats.

Morning – Prince Philip’s Steps (also known as El Barranco): In the morning, you will sail to Prince Philip’s Steps, one of the two visitor sites on Genovesa Island. Sometimes Galápagos fur seals rest on the rocky ledges. After climbing the steep stone steps, you will take a guided walk where you will see many different birds such as red-footed and blue-footed boobies. Red-footed boobies are found almost exclusively on Genovesa and nest in the palo santo trees. The bushes along the seaside edge open up, offering incredible views and a refreshing ocean breeze. As you continue, you will pass a colony of Nazca boobies and eventually reach nesting sites of storm petrels, where, with some luck, you may also observe the short-eared owl hunting.

Afternoon – Darwin Bay: Darwin Bay lies within the submerged caldera of Genovesa. This bay with a beautiful sandy beach holds several surprises as you walk over barren lava formations, past tidal pools and shrubs, and then climb small cliffs at the end. Each species you encounter along the way occupies its own ecological niche. Whimbrels and wandering tattlers forage actively along the surf next to resting Galápagos sea lions. Impressive frigatebirds and red-footed boobies nest in the mangroves, where you can also see songbirds such as yellow warblers, Darwin’s finches, and Galápagos mockingbirds. A special feature is the presence of two subpopulations of cactus finches, which differ only in their song. The sandy beach also offers excellent snorkeling opportunities.

Morning – Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz): This small cove is located on the northern side of Santa Cruz Island and offers a unique setting for exploration. The landscape gives you the feeling of being in the Amazon rainforest rather than by the sea. Discover the calm emerald-green lagoon and the surrounding shallow bays by dinghy. The crystal-clear water allows you to observe groups of whitetip reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, and eagle rays.

Afternoon – Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz): These two small beaches are located west of Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz. Their sand consists of decomposed coral, making it white and soft. This makes it a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. Behind one of the beaches is a small lagoon where, depending on the season, you may observe flamingos or other coastal birds, as well as American stilts and plovers. At the second, wider beach, you will explore the remains of two abandoned warships. During World War II, they were left there by the United States when Baltra was used as a strategic base for protecting the Panama Canal.

Morning – Tagus Cove: You will navigate along the cliffs of Tagus Cove. From the dinghy, you have a good chance of seeing Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and other seabirds. From the landing site, it is about a 30-minute walk to the top of the cliff, from where you can see Darwin Lake. The lake contains more salt than the sea itself. From here, you can also see several volcanoes. Look out for the graffiti on the surrounding cliffs of the bay—they were left by pirates and whalers in past centuries.

Afternoon – Urbina Bay: Urbina Bay is located on the west coast of Isabela, between Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove. It lies near the base of Alcedo Volcano. The coastline experienced a major uplift in 1954, extending the shoreline by over a kilometer. Here you will find corals, shells, and many other calcareous organisms above water. Urbina Bay is home to large and colorful land iguanas and giant tortoises from the Alcedo Volcano population. Many Darwin’s finches can also be seen here.

Morning – Espinoza Point (Fernandina): Espinoza Point is the only visitor site on land on Fernandina Island and one of the few places where you can find some bizarre outcomes of natural selection. The highlight is the flightless cormorant, which lives exclusively on the remote western side of the Galápagos Islands and represents a kind of Holy Grail of evolution. You will also love the almost otherworldly view of the cone of La Cumbre Volcano with its spectacular backdrop. The narrow spit of land you walk along is the end of a lava tongue that reached the coast and solidified upon contact with the cold seawater.

Afternoon – Vicente Roca Point (Isabela): During lunch, you will cross the Bolívar Channel one last time to reach Vicente Roca Point, located at the mouth of the seahorse-shaped island of Isabela. As you enter a dark cave beneath a spectacular arch, you will be accompanied by the echoes of the waves. Just around the corner, the collapsed amphitheater of Ecuador Volcano offers another impressive view. The calm waters of the bay are well protected from ocean waves. The water is quite cold, but it is an excellent place for snorkeling among various species of sharks, penguins, pufferfish, and seahorses.

Morning – Puerto Egas: Puerto Egas is famous for its fur seal grottos, where you will take a special guided walk along the coast. The artistically shaped coastline with black basalt and multicolored ash layers creates a photogenic backdrop with collapsed lava tunnels, natural arches, caves, and holes such as “Darwin’s Toilet.” In a grotto directly beneath a spectacular stone arch at the end of the beach, a colony of sea lions gathers in the shade. Hundreds of red cliff crabs glow bright orange on the pitch-black rocks.

Afternoon – Buccaneer Cove: The visitor site Buccaneer Cove is located in the northwest of Santiago Island and is historically significant. Whalers and pirates once stopped here to replenish their freshwater supplies. Today, pelicans, boobies, swallows, sea lions, and fur seals live here among other species. At nearby Buccaneers Bay, you will have the opportunity to snorkel.

Morning – North Seymour: The flat, small island of North Seymour is an uplifted section of the ocean floor. Among the dry shrubs, you may spot Galápagos iguanas. You will also see many seabirds such as brown pelicans, red-billed tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls, and, depending on the season, Nazca boobies. The main attraction, however, is the Galápagos’ largest breeding colony of blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds. At the beginning of the breeding season, the adult male frigatebirds inflate their bright red throat pouches into football-sized balloons.

After this tour, you and your luggage will be transferred to Baltra, where you will take the airport shuttle.