8 days cruise yacht Galaxy – D

Morning – Arrival to Baltra Airport, Transfer to the ship: At the mainland airport, you have purchased your TCC or Ingala card and a luggage inspection has already been conducted to ensure that no foreign plant or animal species are introduced. Upon your arrival at Seymour Ecological airport, your TCC (Transit Control Card) will be stamped. This must be kept in a safe place during your trip, as it must be presented again on your return flight. In addition, the Galapagos National Park entrance fee is due upon entry (US$200), if not already paid. Your guide will meet you at the airport, help you with your luggage and will accompany you on the short bus ride to the port. Here you will board the yacht. After greeting the crew and captain, you will be assigned your cabins and then have your first lunch together.

Afternoon – Highlands: You will visit the highlands of the island (so have your shoes and rain jacket ready). Observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat as well as a variety of native and migratory birds including tree finches, ground finches, Galapagos flycatchers and cattle egrets, often standing on the backs of tortoises.

Meals: Lunch/Dinner

Morning – Moreno Point: Punta Moreno is located on the north coast of Isabela Island between the Sierra Negra volcano and the Cerro Azul volcano. The trail leads along the former wavy lava flow Pahoehoe to a complex of coastal lagoons whose main attractions are various species of birds.

Afternoon – Elizabeth Bay: Elizabeth Bay can only be visited from the water. Passing the Marielas Islands, home to the largest penguin colony in the Galapagos, you will enter the bay. Here you can admire the red mangroves, their red roots and green leaves. Sea turtles, cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays, brown pelicans and sea lions can be seen here!

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Morning – Urbina Bay (Isabela): Urbina Bay is located on the west coast of Isabela, between Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove. It is located near the base of the Alcedo volcano. The coastline underwent a major uplift in 1954, extending the shoreline for a kilometer. Here you can find corals, shells and many other calcareous organisms above water. Urbina Bay is home to the large and colorful land iguanas and giant tortoises of the Vulcan Alcedo population. There are also many Darwin’s finches to be seen.

Afternoon – Tagus Cove (Isabela): You will navigate around Tagus Cove along the cliffs. From the rubber boat you have a good chance to see the Galápagos penguins, the flightless cormorants and other seabirds. From the dock it is about a 30-minute walk to the cliff top where you can see Lake Darwin. The lake contains more salt than the sea itself. You can also see some volcanoes from here. Look out for the graffiti on the surrounding cliffs of the bay! They were written by pirates and whalers in the last centuries.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Morning – Espinoza Point (Fernandina): Espinoza Point is the only visitor site on land of Fernandina Island and one of the few places where you can find some bizarre outgrowths of natural selection. The flagship species is the flightless cormorant, which lives exclusively on the remote western side of the Galapagos Islands and represents a kind of holy grail of evolution. You will also love the almost alien view of the cone of La Cumbre volcano with its spectacular scenery. The narrow headland you walk along is the end of the lava tongue that reached the coast and solidified due to contact with the cold sea water.

Afternoon – Albemarle Point (Isabela): Albemarle Point is located in the north of the island, this visit site consists of two areas: the first, a mangrove area between the lava flows Pahoehoe (lava solidified in a wave or by accordion) and which form coves and channels. This place is ideal for a panga ride. The second point to visit is the old radar station left near the beach by the Americans during World War II. The marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) of Punta Albermarle and West Isabela are the largest in the archipelago. On a panga ride you can observe flightless cormorants (Nannopterum harrisi), marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), seabirds and various marine animals.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Morning – Puerto Egas: Puerto Egas is famous for its fur seal caves, where you will take a special guided walk along the coast. The artistically sculpted coastline of black basalt and multicoloured ash layers forms a photogenic backdrop of collapsed lava tunnel, natural arches, caves and holes like “Darwin’s toilet”. In a grotto just below a spectacular stone arch at the end of the beach, a colony of sea lions cavorts in the shade. Hundreds of red cliff crabs glow bright orange on the pitch-black stones.

Afternoon – Espumilla Beach, Buccaneer Cove: Espumilla Beach is a visitor spot at the northern end of James Bay, on the west coast of Santiago. Hidden behind the beach are two picturesque lakes. The beach is an important breeding ground for turtles, which return year after year to bury their eggs in the cinnamon-colored sand dunes. Climbing a hill, you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the transition from sea to beach, to mangroves to Palo Santo Forest. At nearby Buccaneers Bay you will have the opportunity to snorkel.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Morning – Dragon Hill: On Dragon Hill there are two main species that are most likely to be seen on any visit to the Galapagos, although not spread too widely across the islands: Galapagos land iguanas and American flamingos. They climb a hill with huge Opuntia cacti where these “dragons” feed and breed. Despite being quite shy and elusive, you have a fair chance to see the success of this project with your own eyes.The short trail crosses the coastal vegetation zone as well as the slightly higher dry zone with endangered tropical dry forest. In the warm and humid season in the first half of the year, everything turns green.Evergreen giant cactus prickly pears with internal reservoirs chose a different survival tactic in this dry climate than the leaf-dropping palo santo trees; in the end, both were successful. It’s also a very photogenic place, with stunning panoramas across the bay and onto a fascinating, steep volcanic spout of red lava that overlooks the area. Dragon Hill has become popular for its salty lagoons behind the beach; these contain seaweed and shrimp and attract seasonal foraging American flamingos. Dragon Hill is the best place on Santa Cruz to see them.

Afternoon – Black Turtle Cove: This small cove is located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island and offers a unique setting for adventure. The scenery makes you feel like you’re in the Amazon rainforest instead of by the sea. Discover the tranquil emerald lagoon and the surrounding flat coves by rubber dinghy. The crystal-clear water gives you a view of groups of whitetip reef sharks, hammerheads and eagle rays.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Morning – Rabida Island: After breakfast and a wet landing on the extraordinary red beach of Rabida, there are two short guided walks planned. Oxidised iron particles give the stones and sand their rusty colour. Behind the beach is a green-fringed lagoon. This oasis is the most fertile place on the otherwise dry island, which is overgrown with Palo Santo trees. The salty pool is attractive to all kinds of water birds, such as pintail ducks and sometimes American flamingos. Hidden among the evergreen foliage of the surrounding mangrove bushes, many species of songbirds breed. An outstanding attraction is the large breeding colony of brown pelicans, the only species that dive. On the way back, you will be picked up by inflatable boats where you will prepare for another snorkelling adventure.

Afternoon – Chinese Hat: Chinese Hat is a 52-meter-high volcanic cone that forms another small island out of the rocky coast of Santiago, where a small colony of Galapagos penguins has settled. Because its primordial fire went out quite recently, this place is perfect for learning about volcanism, lava bombs and lava tubes. On the beach you can also discover pillow lava with coral on top. This area was originally underwater before it was raised above sea level. Beaches of white coral sand grow and the holes in the eroding lava fields are filled in with lava sand. Galapagos sea lions and marine lizards contribute to the fertility of the soil. All together they create further beneficial options for pioneer plants such as saltbush and the coloring sesuvium carpet.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Morning – North Seymour, Mosquera: The flat little island of North Seymour is an elevated part of the seabed. Among the scraggy bushes you can spot Galapagos iguanas. You will also see many seabirds such as the brown pelican, red-billed tropicbirds, fork-tailed gulls and, depending on the season, Nazca boobies. The main attraction, however, is Galapagos’ largest breeding colony of blue-footed boobies – be careful not to step on their nests! – and frigatebirds. Early in the breeding season, adult male frigatebirds inflate their bright red throat pouches to nearly the size of a soccer. You will then be transferred to Baltra Airport for your flight to the mainland.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner