GALAPAGOS EXPLORER II

8 DAY CRUISE (Wednesday to Wednesday)

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

DAY 1 - Wednesday / Galapagos Arrival, Cerro Brujo

We begin our morning with a flight to the Galapagos Islands. Our crew meets us at the airport and assists us with our luggage and transfers with us to the Galapagos Explorer II. Once on board we have lunch and set off to Cerro Brujo.

The White coral beaches of Cerro Brujo provide you with an idyllic spot to swim and observe seabirds, shore birds as well as the famous Galapagos sea lions. This beautiful sandy beach is also an excellent place for snorkeling.

DAY 2 - Thursday / 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 the waved albatross.

DAY 3 - Friday / Charles Darwin Research Station & Rabida

A ten minute walk from the center of Puerto Ayora, 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.

Located south of Santiago, Rabida is one of the most volcanically varied islands in the chain. Geologically consisting of eroded hills and lava emitted from spatter cones that have resulted in island's striking colors. A visit begins with a wet landing on the deep maroon colored northern beach.
Marine iguanas and sea lions are often seen resting in the shade of the caves nearby. Behind the beach is the salt brush home where the brown pelicans make their nests. On the cliffs above the pelicans, blue-footed boobies and masked boobies can be seen. Following the path visitors arrive at a small saltwater lagoon where pink flamingos, Bahama pintail ducks and common stilts are frequently seen feeding.

DAY 4 - Saturday / Bachas Beach & Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz

Located west of Caleta Tortuga Negra on Santa Cruz, Bachas Beach is a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. The lagoon behind the beach offers the opportunity to view coastal birds like pink flamingos, black-necked stilts and whimbrels.  Bachas also is home to hundreds of blue-footed boobies who can be seen hunting in the waters just off the coast.

At Cerro Dragon you can observe flamingoes in the “Humedal” lagoon, migratory birds, Darwin finches, mocking birds and lava lizards. The arid vegetation consists mostly of prickly pear cactus, rosewood or Palo Santo.  the beach zone there are lots of native plants and animals such as marine iguanas, sea lions, oystercatchers, pelicans and small colonies of blue footed boobies.

DAY 5 - Sunday / Bartolome & Puerto Egas, Santiago

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.

Puerto Egas is home to some of the Galapagos Island's best tide pools. Sponges, snails, hermit crabs, barnacles and fish including the endemic four-eyed blenny can be seen. The walk also presents visitors with a variety of shore birds, marine iguanas, sally light foot crabs, sea lions and fur seals.

DAY 6 - Monday / Punta Espninoza, Fernandina & Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela

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.

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 7 - Tuesday / North Seymour & Highlands of Santa Cruz

The small flat island of North Seymour is home to colonies of colonies of blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds. Sharing the same nesting area on North Seymour blue-footed boobies nest on the ground making their nests from the twigs of the palo santos trees, while the magnificent frigatebird nests just above them in the saltbushes. North Seymour is an excellent site to view the endemic Galapagos land iguana.

Located near the center of the archipelago, Santa Cruz is the center of tourism in the Galapagos. 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 8 - Wednesday Morning / Optional Tours of San Cristobal & Galapagos Departure

Your final day in Galapagos offers you your choice of activities on San Cristobal.  Including the  interpretation center to learn about the conservation efforts in the Galapagos.  La Loberia named for the many sea lions that frequent the beach, low tide is the best time to visit as the many playful pups can be found swimming in the tide pools surrounding the beach and others.

View the 8 Day Itinerary (Saturday - Saturday)

View the 5 Day Itinerary (Saturday - Wednesday)

View the 4 Day Itinerary (Wednesday - Saturday)