Itinerary A Naturalist Cruise - Blue Spirit Yacht - Galapagos

Wednesday: Arrival Baltra / Santa Cruz Island

It is the center of the Archipelago with a diversity of wildlife and with amazing vegetation. This is the second largest island after Isabella, the most visited and offers lots of interesting places to visit. Puerto Ayora is the capital and it is in front of the sea, offering a relaxed and peaceful coastal town feeling. The highlands of Puerto Ayora are very interesting, you will see different vegetation, altitudes, weather and fauna. We can also admire the Giant Galapagos Tortoise roaming in its natural habitat. You can also explore a cavernous underground Lava Tunnel where you can view one of the geological wonders of our volcanic islands. You will also be able to explore some of the “backroads” of Santa Cruz on the way to Puerto Ayora.

AM: Santiago Island: Sullivan Bay

Santiago or “San Salvador” has an area of 585 square meters and an altitude of 907 meters. Dolphins, sharks, sea lions and flamingos are part of the wildlife of the island. Santiago has evidence of the pahoehoe lava flow. The lava shoreline has provided the island many of its attractions.

PM: Rabida Island

Jervis Island or Rabida Island is located at the south of Santiago, it is relatively a tiny Island with a rocky coastline. Its distinctive red appearance comes through the presence of iron on the surface of the craters that resented in the area. It has an area of 4.9 square kilometers and an altitude of 367 meters. Visitors have the single opportunity to see pelicans. Here nine of the fourteen species of finches are found.

AM: Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point

Isabela Island was named in this way in honor of Queen Isabela of Spain. Isabela has an area of 4,640 square kilometers and an altitude of 1,707 meters. This island occupies the 60% of the area of Galapagos making it the largest island of the archipelago. The Equator passes directly through Isabela.

Isabela is one of the inhabited Island in its port, called Puerto Villamil.
 

PM: Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point

Fernandina is the third largest island of the Archipelago. This island has an area of 642 square kilometers and an altitude of 1,494 meters and offers the opportunity to see small volcanic eruptions; also, this island is the home of Galapagos penguins, sea lions and many other extraordinary species

AM: Isabela Island: Las Tintoreras

Is a small rocky islet where is easy to find white tip fin sharks.
 

PM: The Wetlands

In this island form a network of trails that are essential for the maintenance of the wildlife of Galapagos.

AM: Mosquera

Mosquera is located between Baltra and North Seymour Islands. Mosquera is a reef of rocks, sand and corals. It is a flat island product of a geological elevation. It has a length of 160 meters and a width of 600 meters.

Quick Facts

– Mosquera has one of the largest populations of sea lions, Lava Gulls, sea fishes, coastal birds and Crabs, among others.
 

PM: North Seymour

North Seymour is covered with bushy vegetation and many endemic species that make it remarkable and it is the home of one of the largest populations of blue-footed booby birds, noddies, swallow-tailed gulls and magnificent frigate birds. The same thing with Land Iguanas, where you will find many of them.

Quick Facts

– Bird species have an interesting way of interacting.

AM: Floreana:  Post Office Bay & Cormorant Point

Floreana is one of the oldest of the Archipelago as well as one of the smallest islands. It has an area of 173 km squared and an altitude of 640 meters. It supports an abundant wildlife, with a variety of native and introduced species like: Shorebirds, flamingos, stilts, owls, rails, whitecheeked pintail ducks, migratory birds and nesting sites; sea lions, owls and wide forest of Palo Santo.

AM: South Plazas

South Plazas is a small island with an area of 0,119 km squared and an altitude of 23 meters that was formed by a stream of lava from the bottom of the ocean. Depending of the season, the vegetation changes its color. This island is the home of many species such as: land iguanas, swallow Tailed Gulls, sea birds, brown pelicans, red-billed tropicbirds and frigate birds.
Quick Facts

– It offers the opportunity of a direct interaction, almost face to face with sea lions.
– There are an enormous variety of birds that inhabit the rocky walls of the south side of the island.
 

PM: Santa Fe Island

Santa Fe is a small island with 1,9 kilometers squared and an altitude of 24 meters. Opuntia Cactus is part of its characterized dense forest vegetation; there are also salt bushes along the trail as well giant prickly pear cactus. Talking about fauna, this island is the home of one of the most beautiful coves and endemic species like Galapagos snake, the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos mockingbird, sea lion colonies, rice rats and one of the two species of lands Iguanas of the islands.
 

Quick facts

– A lot of sea lions are found on the beaches
– Home of two endemic species; Santa Fe Rice Rat and Land Iguana.

AM: Santa Cruz: Bachas Beach

A unique landscape with white-coral sand in a magnificent beach where you can also observe many endemic species like sea turtles, migratory birds, ducks, flamingos, the enchanted islands.

Transfer to the airport.