Black Turtle Cove and Chinese Hat

We can barely compare this unique place with any others in the Galapagos. A cove surrounded by a mangrove forest, home of green sea turtles and a baby white-tip reef sharks’ nursery. We can spot schools of golden rays, spotted eagle rays, marine turtles and pelicans, herons, and frigates on top of the mangrove trees. We also see very colorful Sally light footed crabs and Blue footed boobies on the rocky area. We can appreciate this only on a zodiac ride.

Sombrero Chino, has its nickname, “Chinese hat” after the shape like an old-fashioned Chinaman’s Hat, it is one of the smallest Galapagos Islands having a terrific visitor site with an unforgettable view. Like the other islands in Galapagos, Sombrero Chino is from volcanic origin, known as a “spatter cone”, it is located at the southeastern of Santiago Island. The visitor path starts at a gorgeous beach to observe, red sallylight foot crabs, marine iguanas, Galapagos sea lions resting on the beach, Oystercatchers, Wandering tattler, herons and lava lizards.

El Barranco, Prince Philip´s Steps and Darwin Bay

There is a boat ride activity to look for Nazca boobies, Swallow-Tailed Gulls, the smallest sub species of marine iguanas, red billed tropic birds, Galapagos fur seals and Galapagos sea lions, followed by a dry landing to climb up natural stairway to get to the top of the island. This path passes through colonies of Nazca and red-footed boobies, some frigate birds, the famous Darwin finches and Galapagos mockingbirds. At the end of the trail, Wedge-rumped storm petrels’ nest on the lava field where we look for short-eared owls. We have an optional kayak activity inside the bay in clear water and smooth sea.

We have a wet landing on a coral sandy beach which is much younger than the ones on the other islands. Swallow-tailed gulls often are presented and also Galapagos sea lions. Our trail is flat and short going by the mangrove forest and saltbush. It is one of the best sites to look for red footed-booby nesting. During the low tide, we have the possibility to observe the rarest gull in the world named lava gull, there is approximately nine hundred individuals in all of Galapagos Islands. Genovesa is a special place for birdwatchers to see Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, Nazca boobies and migratory birds. Once back to the beach there will be another chance for snorkeling from the beach.

Bartolome Island and Santiago Island: Sullivan Bay

From the summit of Bartolome, we have the most famous view, overlooking the pinnacle rock and Santiago Island beyond. This volcanic scenery has often been linked to a lunar landscape. The altitude of the island is just 114 meters. From the trail to the top of the island we observe spatter cones, lava tubes and very few plants. This island has a small colony of Galapagos penguins which is the only species of its family to live in the tropics and has only one population in the northern hemisphere. This can be observed during a boat ride activity.

We have a snorkeling time with good possibilities to see Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions.

This site located at the southeastern part of Santiago Island is of important geological interest. Extensive lava flows, “pa-hoe-hoe” which is a smooth ropy formation and “aa” which is explosive, were formed about 120 years ago. In the middle of the lava flow, older reddish-yellow colored tuff cones appear. There are few plants well adapted to the dry conditions such as Mollugo grow out of the fissures, lava cactus and chamaesyce. Tree molds are holes in the surface of hardened lava where a tree once stood, indicating that in that position large size plants grew in small crevices, until the lava flow of past eruptions burned down the flora of the island.

Santa Cruz Island: Highlands Tortoises Reserve and Transfer out to Baltra Airport

After a bus ride of 40 minutes from Puerto Ayora, we have the highlands in front of us, during our walk is possible to admire different kinds of birds, such as tree and ground finches, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers and cattle egrets (often standing on the tortoises’ shell and cows). This expedition offers great opportunities to see the contrasts of the different ecosystems that Galapagos has in each island. Galapagos giant tortoises are present on the trail, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. A light rain jacket is suggested to visit this point because usually it is misty or rainy.

After the excursion we go back straight to the Baltra airport for your flight to the mainland

Española Island: Suarez Point and Gardner Bay

This is one of the highlights of our cruise. At the moment of arrival at the pier we will be received by a welcome committee of marine iguanas and sea lions. We will meet the biggest bird of the archipelago, the large Waved albatross, which use the edge of the cliff to start the fly. Suarez Point seems to have everything: Nazca boobies, endemic lizards, gulls, Darwin finches, Galapagos hawks, endemic mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and even a dramatic blow hole.

One of the most beautiful beaches in all of Galapagos, is located on the north-eastern coast of Española, Gardner Bay has a white sandy coral beach giving us the chance to observe one of the biggest colonies of Galapagos sea lions. We will see Española mockingbirds, they enjoy flying around the visitors. After our excursion we can also snorkel from the beach, in the shallow waters of the bay or relax and enjoy the landscape.

Punta Cormorant, Devil´s Crown, Post Office Bay and Baroness Lookout

After a wet landing, we will walk on an olivine green sanded beach. Our walk is going from the beach through the vegetation (white and black mangrove, holly stick, endemic Scalesia villosa), to get the first viewpoint to look for the famous flamingos, common stilts, white-checked pintail ducks and other migratory birds. The other trail goes to another beautiful white sandy beach, where the Green Pacific Sea Turtles come for nesting during the breeding season. It is not permitted to walk in the water due to the Sting Rays that may be hiding in the sand. Occasionally we observe small reef sharks along the shoreline.
Deep water snorkeling is another optional activity around the Devil’s Crown which is a volcanic natural formation where we have the chance to see white-tipped reef sharks, reef fish such as parrot, trumped, puffer, king angel, surgeon fish and occasionally Galapagos sea lions.

Located on the north side of Floreana, the Post Office Bay was named because in 1973 Captain James Colnett installed a wooden barrel which served as an informal post
office for sailors passing through, who would take letters with them back to their destinations. Today, visitors continue the tradition by placing unstamped postcards inside the barrel, hoping that some other traveler, going to the letter destination, will take it back for free.
We will have a wet landing on a greenish beach for a short walk to visit the Post Office Barrel, we will walk back to the beach for snorkeling in the shallow waters, good opportunity
to observe marine turtles and sting rays.
Our next optional activity will be in the Baroness Bay, where we can kayak and see great scenery with mangrove trees and volcanic natural formations.

North Seymour Island and Bachas Beach

One of the uplifted islands of Galapagos: North Seymour, is a small flat island that has the perfect conditions for a nesting site for the two species of frigate birds (great and magnificent) that coexist in the Islands. Frigate birds are the only marine sea birds in Galapagos that they lost the capability to plunge in the water because they don’t produce enough oil to cover all of their plumage and that enables them to float; for this reason they need to steal the food from the other seabirds, getting the “pirates of the air” nickname. Here is the only place all year around the courting dance, especially males displaying the bright red gular sack to get a female attention. Blue footed boobies, land iguanas, sea lions, swallow tailed gulls, Darwin finches and lava lizards we will encounter along the trail of our excursion, and on a lucky day, you might even come across a Galapagos Snake.

After a wet landing on a white coral sandy beach which is one of the most important nesting areas for Green Sea Turtles they arrive usually after 6 pm, the trail is about 500 meters long divided in two sections, at the end of the trail we can find a small brackish lagoon where usually flamingos and shore birds such as whimbrels, black necked stilts, plovers, herons, white cheeked pintail, sandpipers, sanderlings, are feeding. Also Darwin finches, yellow warblers and marine iguanas. After we come back to our landing spot, we will have an outstanding chance to submerge in tropical waters.

Mosquera Islet and Transfer out to Baltra Airport

Wet Landing, Mosquera Islet is located between North Seymour and Baltra Island. This flat, sandy island is formed by a geological uplift. A colony of sea lions are present here. It is also an excellent site to observe shorebirds such as herons and lava gulls.
There is no trail on the islet, however the visitor can enjoy the open area. Most of the islet is covered with sand and barren lava rock. Very little Sesuvium portulacastrum plants grow on the sand.
After the visit we will sail to Baltra Island for your return flight to the mainland.

Tintoreras Islet, Sierra Negra Volcano and Wetlands

We will have a boat ride to look for blue footed boobies, pelicans, herons and Galapagos Penguins, followed by a dry landing for a loop trail. This small islet is the result of a volcanic uplift and home of one of the eleven sub-species of marine iguanas (baby marine iguanas), lava lizards, Galapagos sea lions and yellow warblers. There is a channel, locally called Tintoreras, after the presence of white-tipped sharks resting on the bottom of this canal.

Sierra Negra is 60 to 40 km wide and with 7 to 10 km length, is the largest and simultaneously the shallowest (elliptical) caldera of all Galapagos volcanoes. It is often said that Sierra Negra is the second largest caldera in the world, but it is not, still, it ranges in the first fifty or so largest calderas of our planet. The caldera itself has undergone several episodes of collapse, upheaval and deformation. To visit this amazing formation, we will land on Puerto Villamil where we will head up by bus ride to the slope of Sierra Negra volcano.

Good hiking shoes and light rain jackets are highly recommended for this hike.

After a dry landing on a jetty, we have a five-minutes bus ride to get to the Jacinto Gordillo breeding center to observe the Galapagos giant tortoises from various sites of Isabela, on different ages which are unique for this island, followed by an interior trail through mangrove forest and wet lands at both sides. Flamingos, herons, marine iguanas, migratory
birds are often seen. This trail will end in front of a beach, where you will have free time to
enjoy the view and the little village can be visited too.

 Punta Moreno and Elizabeth Bay

Wet landing on the lava field for a long walk where we find a great volcanic formation giving the chance to the photographers to take nice photos. Two types of lava flows are found Pahoehoe and “aa”. Pahoehoe lava has a billowy surface, ropy in places, looking almost smooth enough to be soft, fresh pahoehoe lava has a paper-thin, shiny black glass trust that reflects light in iridescent colors. Cooler lava, pastier and stiffer, tears itself apart through its own forward motion creating rubbly aa.

We have a trail on the bare lava with lagoons to occasionally observe flamingos and wading birds. Boat ride activity to look for the biggest marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, pelicans and blue footed boobies, deep water snorkeling off the zodiac.

Elizabeth Bay is located at the west side of Isabela Island, the use of outboard motors is forbidden, we have a boat ride inside of the bay surrounded by red mangrove trees to observe in the water spotted eagle rays, golden rays, sea turtles, flightless cormorants. This a natural mating area for sea turtles, we will move with paddles only to avoid disturbing the marine wildlife.

Marielas islets are found in front of the visitor side, where the largest Galapagos penguin colony, big marine iguanas, blue footed boobies and brown pelicans are present.

Fernandina Island: Punta Espinoza and Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

Fernandina is the youngest of the Galapagos Islands, and it is considered the best-preserved island in the world. Free of introduced species. Espinoza point is located in the northeastern part of Fernandina Island.

Over the last 50 years there have been more than ten eruptions. As a result of this volcanic activity, Punta Espinoza has been uplifted 90 cm in 1975. Coral reefs and mangrove roots are exposed to the strong ties which are unable to survive.

Fernandina has a high diversity of species such as Galapagos hawk, two species rodent, one species of snake, lava lizard, flightless cormorant, Galapagos sea lion (baby sea lions enjoying the intertidal swimming pools), sally light foot crab and marine iguana. Snorkeling on the zodiac, it is a great and only chance in your trip to observe marine iguanas and sea turtles feeding on seaweed underwater. Flightless cormorants will show us their extraordinary adaptation to get food underwater having stronger muscles on their feet and legs, giving them the possibility of high-speed diving.

Tagus Cove is located at the northwestern side of Isabela Island, after a dry landing we have a wooden stairway, its name originated when the British vessel “Tagus” visited this cove. Sailors began to make graffiti on the cliff around the cove until the National Park Service decided to stop. The trail leads to Darwin’s salt-water crater lake, excellent views of lava elds and volcanic formations. We will return by the same path for a boat ride along the shoreline full of marine wildlife, during this activity we will observe blue footed boobies, brown noddies, ightless cormorants and the famous Galapagos penguins which are only 35 cm tall; the only penguin species in the world to live within the tropics having a small colony on the northern hemisphere; 95% of the population is found at the west side of Isabela and Fernandina islands. A great location for snorkeling to look for sea turtles and ightless cormorants in the waters.

Espumilla Beach and Puerto Egas

Espumilla beach is located at the northern end of James Bay. It is an important nesting side for marine turtles, a lot of ghost crabs hide in the sand. There is an inland hiking trail when occasionally there are flamingos and Galapagos
pin-tail ducks. The trail loops through the arid zone, where you can observe some bird species including Galapagos hawks, Galapagos mockingbirds, Darwin finches, yellow warblers and the Galapagos doves. Optional snorkeling activity.

Wet landing on a black volcanic sandy beach, where is the resting side of the Galapagos sea lions. There is a loop trail, the first section is formed of volcanic ash and the second half is an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock, the coast is home of a variety of animals including sea lions, marine iguanas, sally light-foot crabs, herons, Darwin finches, yellow warblers, migrant birds (whimbrels, ruddy turnstones, wandering tattlers, semipalmated plovers), at the end of this site we have natural volcanic formation called the grottos of Galapagos fur seals.

The interior trail leads to the beach where usually Galapagos hawks are present.
A great location for snorkeling from the beach, playful and curious sea lions swimming around the visitors, colorful tropical sh and occasionally marine turtles and white-tipped reef sharks are found in the waters.