Itinerary B - Mary Anne Sail Boat - Galapagos Cruise

After arriving at Baltra airport you will meet a Cruises representative and then board a bus that will take us to Puerto Ayora  for the first visit on the islands: the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center. Here, we will see tortoises from different islands. The animals are found in large semi natural

pens for their protection, but also to ensure an easy view for the tourists. The pens are divided according to four different stages: eggs, neonates, juveniles (held here until they are mature enough to be “repatriated”), and adults.

Afterwards we will head back to Puerto Ayora, where we will have some time to explore the town and shops by ourselves before boarding the Mary Anne at around 5:00 p.m. Once on board, we will be welcomed by the crew and captain, have a short security drill and enjoy dinner and the briefing for the next day´s activities.

We spend the day on Floreana, legendary homestead of infamous Baroness Eloise Von Wagner de Bousquet. Wet  landing onto the olivine beaches of Punta Cormorant we will be seeking Greater Flamingos on our way to another special beach with the finest sand you’ll set foot on, a sea turtle nesting ground where sharks and rays also visit regularly.  We end the outing with a short panga ride to Devil’s Crown, a key snorkeling site.

After lunch we will visit Post Office Bay (wet landing), where you can drop your postcards in the barrel as the whalers did centuries ago and select cards to hand deliver when you return home

This morning we will visit Floreana Island´s Black Beach to learn about the intriguing human history of the island and its first inhabitants. Floreana was the first island in the archipelago to be inhabited since it has one of the very few freshwater sources.  We will visit this fresh water source known as Asilo de La Paz, as well as the caves that served as hideouts for pirates and where the first Galapegueño was born, according to the stories of Floreana, which involve the infamous Baroness Eloise Wagner von Bousquet and her lovers who mysteriously began to disappear after settling on the island.

After our visit, we will have the best opportunity for a not‐so‐common yet well-beloved activity in the archipelago, a full afternoon navigation to look for whales and dolphins. The waters of the Galapagos form the second largest marine reserve in the world very rich in wildlife.  The biggest representatives of the underwater fauna are the different species of whales and dolphins found here. We will navigate from Floreana to Isabela Island while looking for these fascinating creatures, which are commonly seen in this area.  This afternoon is completed by the impressive landscapes of Isabela and the Cerro Azul volcano.

We arrive at Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos. After breakfast, we step ashore at Punta Moreno (dry landing) onto a superb pahoehoe lava flow surrounded by giant shield volcanoes, some of which are still active! From here we will do a short hike to a lagoon where flamingos are usually present.

We disembark at Urbina Bay (wet landing) onto a black sand beach, nesting site for green sea turtles. We take a brief hike inland in search of land iguanas and giant tortoises (seasonal) that migrate to and from the highlands.  At the beach, we will admire the remains of a geological uplift exposing coral heads and marine fossils and if the sea conditions and time are on our side, we will also snorkel in these waters.

Dry landing near Tagus Cove, historic pirate hideaway where names of countless ships are recorded for posterity on the  cliff face. Hike through beautiful Galapagos landscapes to Darwin Lake, a salt‐water crater lagoon surrounded by tuff stone.

We cross Bolivar Channel to Fernandina Island, one of the world’s most unspoilt sites, and disembark (dry landing) at Punta Espinosa. Strolling along the shoreline, we will be on the lookout for flightless cormorants, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos penguins and hawks, sooty‐colored marine iguanas and bright red‐orange Sally Lightfoot crabs.

At Puerto Egas (wet landing) we disembark on a dark sand volcanic beach with an interesting history of human settlement. Sleepy Galapagos fur seals lounge under arches of lava carved by the ocean and occasionally dip into the crystalline pools, also known as “grottos”. Walk along the shore and observe the abundant marine life.

At Buccaneer Cove we will take a panga ride around the beautiful coastline. This place got its name due to the fact that used to be a refuge for British Buccaneers during the time they would anchor here to collect supplies and clean their ships among other activities.  The cove is very scenic with views of the cliffs and a dark beach. Do not forget to look for two unusual rock formations known as ‘the monk’ and ‘elephant rock’.

We head to central Santiago to disembark at Espumilla (wet landing), onto a golden‐colored sand green sea turtle nesting site. A forest trail will take us through some of the largest specimens of Palo Santo on the islands to observe yellow warblers, the amazing Galapagos flycatcher and  Darwin finches

We head across to Sullivan Bay (dry landing) in Santiago to walk over a recent lava flow, including very fresh pahoehoe lava formations, lava bubbles containing crystallized minerals and pioneer plants. Along the shoreline, we may find Galapagos penguins and herons going after small fish.

We disembark on North Seymour (dry landing), a small uplifted island, where we will walk right up to bird nesting colonies of the two species of frigate birds, blue‐footed boobies and swallow‐ tailed gulls, and experience, depending on season, spectacular mating ritual displays.

Dry landing near Tagus Cove, historic pirate hideaway where names of countless ships are recorded for posterity on the cliff face. Hike through beautiful Galapagos landscapes to Darwin Lake, a salt‐water crater lagoon surrounded by tuff stone.

We cross Bolivar Channel to Fernandina Island, one of the world’s most unspoilt sites, and disembark (dry landing) at Punta Espinosa. Strolling along the shoreline, we will be on the lookout for flightless cormorants, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos penguins and hawks, sooty‐colored marine iguanas and bright red‐orange Sally Lightfoot crabs.