ALTA - GALAPAGOS CRUISE ITINERARY

Day 1 - Saturday  / Galapagos Arrival, Ochoa Beach & Kicker Rock

We begin our morning by flying to the Galapagos and arriving at the island of San Cristobal.  Our crew meets us at the airport and assists us with our luggage and transfers with us to the Alta.  Once on board we have lunch and set sail passing Kicker Rock for Ochoa Beach.

Playa Ochoa is a small island just an hour from San Cristobal.  It is an excellent spot to practice snorkeling skills as well as view a variety of sea birds.

Day 2 - Sunday  / Prince Philips Steps & Darwin Bay, Genovesa (Tower)

Tower is a collapsed volcano and the Alta sails directly into its large caldera to anchor at the foot of the steep crater walls.  Tower attracts an enormous number of pelagic seabirds that come there to nest. Great frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and storm petrels all breed here by the thousands.

Day 3 - Monday  / Punta Espinosa, Fernandina & Tagus Cove

The youngest of the Galapagos Islands, Fernandina is approximately 700,00 years old. It's location to the west and on the far side of Isabela makes it one of the least visited islands. Fernandina is home to the largest colony of marine iguanas. Flightless cormorants nest in along this rocky area near the high water line, and recently Galapagos penguins have been spotted nesting in the area.

Lying directly east of Fernandina on the west coast approximately 2/3's of the way up Isabela is the narrow channel of Tagus Cove.  Arriving here the boat will sail through the Bolivar Channel, these are the coldest most productive waters in the Galapagos, the upwelling of the Cromwell Current, where dolphins and whales are frequently seen.  The coves quiet waters make for an ideal panga ride beneath its sheltered cliffs, where blue-footed boobies, brown noddies, pelicans and noddy terns make their nests, and flightless cormorants and penguins inhabit the lava ledges.

Day 4 - Tuesday  / Urvina Bay & Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela

Lying at the foot of Alcedo Volcano, south of Tagus Cove, is Urvina Bay (Urbina Bay) one of the best and the most recent example of geological uplift in the Galapagos. Seasonally Urvina Bay provides a nesting area for many of the Galapagos creatures. Female tortoises journey down from Alcedo to lay their eggs in the sand. Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants and brown pelicans have all been seen nesting in the area.

Located on the mouth of the seahorse that forms Isabela, Punta Vicente Roca is the remains of an ancient volcano.  A panga ride along the two turquoise coves and bay provides an excellent opportunity to view masked boobies, blue-footed boobies, and flightless cormorants.

Day 5 - Wednesday  / Bartolome & Caleta Tortuga Negra

Located just off Sullivan Bay east of Santiago, Bartolome, a desolate island with few plants is the most visited and most photographed island in the Galapagos. Bartolome's Pinnacle Rock has become one of the best recognized and most photographed sights in the islands and was the back drop for the movie Master and Commander.

Located on the north shore of Santa Cruz, is a living illustration of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat. As we drift though the quite waters in our panga, we are likely to see spotted eagle rays and diamond shaped mustard rays, white-tipped reef sharks slip beneath the boat and Pacific green sea turtles come to the surface for air and to mate. Waterfowl, including pelicans, herons and egret, all feed in the cove.

Day 6 - Thursday  / Darwin Station & Highlands, Santa Cruz

Located near the center of the archipelago, Santa Cruz is the center of tourism in the Galapagos. A ten minute walk from the center of town, the Charles Darwin Research Station is the working Galapagos based branch of the international, non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation, a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station is included in all cruises of the islands. Visitors learn about natural history, issues concerning the islands, and see the Tortoise breeding and rearing project at work

A trip to the highlands offers an excellent opportunities for viewing wild tortoises. As you walk through the forest, listen carefully for the sound of heavy foot steps and the sound of shrubs being slowly crushed as the tortoises make their way through the brush to enjoy a meal. The Highlands also offers plenty of lava tubes, sinkholes and craters to explore. Theses eerie formations offer a fascinating hike into the belly of the island to view its volcanic make-up.

Day 7 - Friday  /Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay, Española

Española's two visitor sites offer an exceptional island visit. Gardner Bay is a favorite destination for swimming and snorkeling as well as offering a great beach. Punta Suarez is one of the highlights of the Galapagos Islands. The variety and quantity of wildlife assures a memorable visit. Visitors find migrant, resident, and endemic wildlife including brightly colored marine iguanas, Española lava lizards, Hood mockingbirds, swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, Galapagos hawks, a selection of finch, and waved albatross.

Day 8 - Saturday Morning / Interpretation Center & Galapagos Departure

Returning to the island of San Cristobal, we visit the interpretation center to learn about the conservation efforts in the Galapagos.  We then return to the airport for our flight back to the Ecuadorian mainland.

*Please note the itinerary may vary due to changes in air schedules, weather, national park regulations, local conditions, safety or unforeseen emergencies.