ITINERARY :

DAY 1: Arrival in the Galápagos Islands (Transfer in: Baltra Airport) – Highland: Gian Tortoise Lava Tunnels – Hotel 

At the Baltra Airport the naturalist tour guide accredited by Galápagos National Park is going to welcome to our guests, he is going to be waiting with the paper signboard at the passenger principle hall meeting. The naturalist guide is going to assist to all our adventurers and he will share whole information about the Galápagos Islands. Before to get to the Ecological Hotel, the excursionist will enjoy a teeming wildlife journey in the highland of Puerto Ayora, so they will wonder visiting a ranch where it is possible observe closely endemic giant turtles on natural state, also our guests will take a trip under the lava tunnels always assisted by the tour guide. Then, at the most comfortable and ecological and sustainable Hotel, Twin Lodge Galapagos (in fact, the only hotel builds up over the lava tube in all Puerto Ayora) our guests will be welcome by the hotel´s staff with fresh juice and they will get the briefing about hotel and the Galápagos Islands.

The sunny afternoon and the friendly Puerto Ayora city population will welcome to the travelers at their attractive and touristic destination. So, visitors can explore the Puerto Ayora pier where is common to enjoy watching sea lions resting on the pier and city park chairs, another beautiful place is the fisher market which is a small-scale fishier market, so the excursionist can see the biggest lobsters and different kind of fishes ready to take to the different city restaurants, and the adventurers can walk on the whole Charles Darwin Avenue getting memories at the local shopping.

After the gourmet dinner the comfort or tourist class hotel will amaze to our guests making their rest a pleasant experience surrounded by the mist tropical forest of the volcanic highland.

DAY 2: AM: Playa Los Alemanes – Las Grietas – PM: Charles Darwin Research Center Station

AM: This morning our guests are going to have a magic visit to the Playa de los Alemanes -or “German Beach” in English-, so yhey will take a water taxi from the Puerto Ayora Pier until Punta Estrada, approximately 7 minutes navigation. After quick trail adventurers will find the crystalline waters that sit alongside German Beach. This natural state beach is ideal for enjoying the richness of the ocean while relaxing in a peaceful and calm environment. It is common to see and swim next to white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, marine iguanas, sea lions, rays. Then, just 15 – 20 minutes trail excursionist will soon stumble upon Las Grietas -or “The Crevasses” in English- which is another magic place. It consists three rectangular pools glimmering with emerald waters that are flanked by towering lava cliffs. A plunge in its cool waters on a hot day is a fun and refreshing activity partake in. All these activities are going to be accompanied and assisted by a naturalist tour guide who is going to explain deeply about the Galápagos` flora and fauna.

PM: After the luscious lunch the adventurers will be taken to the Charles Darwin Research Center in order to know deeply the Galápagos Islands land and marine wildlife. At this scientific place passengers are going to be able to know a lot about the numerous baby and adult Galápagos Giant Tortoises that are currently being raised in captivity, so visitors can observe a variety of tortoises, including hatchlings, juveniles, and full-grow individuals. Guests will also learn about land iguana’s life, see several kinds of birds including Darwin´s flinches, watch endemic flowers and plants. And, it is possible to visit the George Tortoise museum in order to overserve and learn about the life of the last giant turtle specimen.

DAY 3: Full Day Tour Floreana Island -walking & snorkeling- (speed boat)

Very early in the morning, at 7:30 am, after the fresh delicious breakfast start the trip to Floreana Island which is very famous because the small group of families have preserved Patrick Watkins and baroness´ stories, so these two stories have become part of their culture. Both, people´s stories and island´s wildlife are going to make a magic visit time in Floreana island. The trip consists to visit the pirate caves created by pirates seeking water and shelter, the giant tortoises and Larga de Aki. A beautiful lookout over the island and the bay permit to wonder red-billed tropicbirds nesting in the crevices. Snorkeling on the black beach is possible to swim next to the sea lions, also with many green marine turtles and possibly next the cute Galápagos penguins. Devil´s Crown crater which has been eroded away by the waves is haven for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans, and frigatebirds. Red-billed Tropicbirds nest in the crevices. Birdwatch travelers will be wondering learning Campion and Gardner-by- Floreana, the last refuges for the Floreana Mockingbird, are two small, pristine islets. Hot lunch will be provided on the island´s restaurant or aboard.

It is recommended to wear wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea cold because it falls under 20ºC on September to December and it is up of 27ºC on January to August.

DAY 4: Full Day Tour Isabela Island -walking & snorkeling- (speed boat)

The departure is going to be at 6H30 am from the Puerto Ayora Pier, our guests´ tour experience is going to be amazing wondering marine and land wildlife in Isabela Island which is the largest island of the Archipelagos. First able, passengers will spot the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where the naturalist will explain and show closely five different species of tortoises from the different volcanoes on Isabela, it is also possible to see different kind of tropical birds. Then, Flamingo lagoon will be visit where all the visitors have chance to see hundreds of sea lions, obviously the pinks flamingos. In order to finish the tour, Las Tintoreras is the last spot, which is the paradise of the tipped reef sharks and it is a small bay where the Galápagos penguins like to frequent, also it is possible to observe playful lava heron and gull birds. This place is magic in order to snorkeling, so the adventurers have to be quick to get a glimpse of the penguins underwater. The biggest island journey offers the opportunity to

watch closely several species of finch. The hot lunch will be enjoyed at the town’s restaurants.

It is recommended to wear wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea cold because it falls under 20ºC on September to December and it is up of 27ºC on January to August.

DAY 5: AM: Isabela Island: Tour Los Tuneles (walking & snorkeling) – PM: Ferry: Isabela to Santa Cruz Island

AM: Early in the morning approximately at 7:00 am, after wondering a delicious breakfast at the cozy hotel´s restaurant, our adventurers embark on a must-do day trip to one of the most biodiverse sites in the Galápagos Islands, Los Tuneles -or The Tunnels in English- also known as Cabo Rosa. It is an uninhabited islet located 1 hour from Villamil Pier, Isabela Island. The first spot is Roca Union a small islet located in the open sea where our guests can enjoy watching majestic pelicans, blue footed boobies and Nazca Boobies and, occasionally, sea lions resting on the rocks.

This site is an ideal place for snorkeling due to its crystal-clear and shallow waters, so there is possible to swim next to sea turtles, white-tipped sharks, trumpetfish and surgeon fish. It is also able to see eagle and golden rays. The second and principle spot is in Los Tuneles where our adventurers get the chance to do more snorkeling and enjoy some short trail observing the landscape and teeming wildlife. Cabo Rosa is heaven to sea turtles, albatrosses, flamingos, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue footed boobies, royal frigate, rays, penguins, lobsters, sea snakes, a variety of birds, among other species. Hot box lunch will be served aboard. At the end of the magic journey travelers will take a comfort speed boat to get their cozy hotel.

It is recommended to wear wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea cold because it falls under 20ºC on September to December and it is up of 27ºC on January to August.

A luscious lunch will alive our guest explore spirit in order to keep adventuring the last wildlife paradise, so they will take a ferry from Isabela to Santa Cruz Island at 2:00 pm. The navigation trip will take approximately 2 hours.

PM: The sunny afternoon and the friendly Puerto Ayora city population will welcome to the travelers at their attractive and touristic destination. So, visitors can explore the Puerto Ayora pier where is common to enjoy watching sea lions resting on the pier and city park chairs, another beautiful place is the fisher market which is a small-scale fishier market, so the excursionist can see the biggest lobsters and different kind of fishes ready to take to the different city restaurants, and the adventurers can walk on the whole Charles Darwin Avenue getting memories at the local shopping.

DAY 6: AM: Biking: Love Tunnels - Craft Coffee & Distelery – PM: Garrapatero Beach

AM: Just 3 minutes away from the Eco-Hotel Twin Lodge Galapagos Hotel (in fact, the only hotel builds up over the lava tube in all Puerto Ayora), our guests will spot a huge underground Love Tunnel/Tube, unique tube named Tuneles del Amor in Bellavista. The tubes were formed during the Galápagos volcano eruption period when cooler outer parts of lava flows hardened into thick rock walls, providing insulation to keep a flow going inside; eventually the flow subsided, leaving long empty tunnels easily big enough to walk down. It is easy to walk down but it is important to know tunnels characteristics and its history, so this kind of knowledge is going to be share by naturalist tour guide. Next, Craft coffee and craft distillery is going to be our adventurers spot which is another niche waiting to become a part of travelers Galápagos trip experience. Commonly named El Trapiche is another paradisiacal place set up 1.8 miles away from the Eco-Hotel. Coffee production in the Galápagos is uncommon because coffee beans grow an at altitude. The enchanted islands are strategically located where the cold Humbold and Cromwell currents converge with the warm equatorial currents. These, combined with its rich volcanic soils, allows for coffee plants to grow at only 300-400 meters.

In Ecuador mainland Ecuadorian coffee has certainly been a rise in the popularity, thanks in large part to its high quality, perfect flavours, earthy tones and the efforts being made to make it a sustainable product. Galápagos Islands are protected as National Park so there is no a lot of extensions of coffee plantations so its production is at artisan level and coffee producers have organic coffee plantations, so they are not harmful to birds and other animals. When you visit this craft coffee place you will learn starting from coffee grow system, caring system, harvest, dry, and roasting. The journey to the “Trapiche” (Craft Distillery) farm also will permit to see how an artisanal sugar cane mill works. Excursionist will also be able to taste the different products manufactured from sugar cane, fresh sugarcane juice, panela (unrefined sugar), and sugar liquor.

PM: The warm sand turquoise waters at Garrapatero Beach welcome our guests to one of the best places to relax on Santa Cruz Island. Onece our adventures arrive at the entrance to the beach they will enjoy a short, 15 minutes walking that reveal all of the mesmerizing, natural beauty of Garrapatero. This spot is amazing to share time with the family because travelers will find natural picnic areas where they can relax or refresh during hot days. The peaceful beach will make adventurers´ Galápagos journey trip a magical experience with its crystalline waters, surrounded by endemic plants and flowers, and if our guests are lucky they can swim next to sea lions, and marine iguanas. They can also rent kayak in order to have sea adventure experience.

DAY 7: Full Day Tour Pinzón OR Santa Fe Island (snorkeling – speed boat) (subject to availability)

The continental breakfast is going to give enough vitality in order to journey the Pinzón Island which is waiting for our guests with the largest richness of marine wildlife. So, our adventurers will snorkel as much they can at Penguin Bay where they can see and swim next to the sea lions, marine turtles, reef sharks, rays, variety of fish and sometimes even the Penguins. Speed boat captain will take to practice fish caught sport, so any fish caught are served as fresh sushimi. Then travelers will disembark at La Fe or Palmitas Bay in order to enjoy swimming or relaxing on the white sand beach. The succulent hot lunch will be served in the deeply cabin boat.

Another wild place is Santa Fe Island -or “Barrington Island” in English- in order to enjoy the last paradise wildlife, its location is southeast of Santa Cruz island, approximately 1-hour ride by speed boat. The island shows white sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies thought the island path. A short trekking takes to our guests to one of the teeming forest of opuntia cactus in la island to look out for land iguanas. This island is the habitat for number of species, including the Galápagos hawk, Galápagos snakes, rice rats (one of the few endemic Galápagos rodents), a variety of finches and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago, and of course it is also home of the blue footed boobies, frigate birds, Galápagos gulls and home of the Santa Fe land or marine iguanas (the largest in the islands). Ending the pleasant trail adventurers will plunge into the salty sea and snorkel in the company of sealions, lion fish and green turtles. Travelers will enjoy their hot lunch aboard and they will return to Puerto Ayora pier approximately 4:30pm.

It is recommended to wear wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea cold because it falls under 20ºC on September to December and it is up of 27ºC on January to August.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We will advise on availability and arrange your trip as best possible.

DAY 8: Yacht Excursion North Seymour OR Bartolomé OR Plaza Islands (subject to availability)

The journey starts with 40 minutes ride by bus from the hotel until the Itabaca Chanel. Then, a comfortable yacht is going to pick up until North Seymour Island, where the adventurers will be wondering with the unique wildlife flora and fauna on natural state. The tour consists

approximately two- and half-hour trail where guests can shoot the best pictures. It is common to observe the largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds, swallow tailed gull, blue-footed boobies, and land iguanas, as well as sea lions and marine iguanas along the coast. The trip will take to travelers to be amazed in Mosquera, this small, flat, and sandy islet offers to the adventurers the perfect lion behavior. It is also possible to observe lava gulls, coastal birds, and Sally lightfoot crabs. While enjoy the hot lunch in the deeply cabins of the yacht, passengers will be taking to the Bachas Beach. The beach is paradisiacal place to take relaxing walk, swim and enjoy the sun. Snorkeling time will wonder with colorful reef fish, various rays, white tip reef sharks, and green turtles. The trip takes until the Chanel, then a bus transport back to the hotel.

Bartolomé Island is another incredible natural wealth of teeming Galápagos wildlife where our guests will be amazed with the dramatic views of the island, so it is a fantastic spot to take personal and group pictures and it is a jewel-toned setting for charismatic penguins, skittering crabs and marine iguanas. At the sandy cove the adventurers will start to snorkel with the speedy Galápagos penguins. Also, hundreds of colorful reef fish, sea turtles and rays are surrounding the island. At the Pinnacle Rock our excursionist will have the best place to snorkel and to take photograph to the endemic penguins and the rock looks out across pale beaches and blue-green water, their colors offset by the coal-black lava flow at Sullivan Bay. A hot lunch and refreshments are provided on the deeply boat cabin. At the end of the journey the boat will come back until Santa Cruz after to take the bus until the most comfortable and environmentally friendly hotel.

The third island which can be preferred to explored by our guests is South Plaza Island. This magic place consists two islets (north and south) located east coast of Santa Cruz Island. In order to wonder this island adventurers will be ride 40 minutes by bus from the comfortable hotel, followed by 1-hour boat ride. On the northern part of the islet, excursionist begin the journey a fantastic cactus forest where sometimes it is difficult trekking due to the amount of yellow and red land iguanas stretched along the rocky ground, during the dry season they survive on fruits and flowers of the opuntia cacti. Our guests will be amazed with the wild hybrid iguanas (sea and land) and colony of sea lions while trail forward a cliff top walk where swallow-tailed gulls and tropicbirds nest. It is a heaven of the red billed tropic birds, magnificent frigates, pelicans, and Audubon´s shearwaters, so they can shoot the best wildest photography. Adventurers will enjoy the lunch aboard before returning to Punta Carrión near the Itabaca Channel, where it is a beautiful place to snorkel next to the sea lions and white tip reef sharks.

It is recommended to wear wetsuit in order to neutralize the sea cold because it falls under 20ºC on September to December and it is up of 27ºC on January to August.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We will advise on availability and arrange your trip as best possible.

DAY 9: FREE: Tortuga Bay Beach (self-guide) (OPTIONAL)

Tortuga Bay Beach is stunning sand beach, located a healthy 40 minutes walking among the giant cacti forest before being rewarded with a magnificent view of this jaw-dropping slice of coast. The beach is ranked among the world´s top beaches over the course of recent years. This wide stretch of open, immaculate beach is, simply put, spectacular. Adventures can opt to head down the entire stretch of Tortuga Bay, they will be treated to a second and smaller secluded beach at the end that`s surrounded by mangroves and, occasionally, curious marine iguanas, sea lions, and tropical birds. Never, the naturalist guide is going to leave to our guests alone, he is always ready to take care, explain, and answer any questions about this gorgeous place.

The sunny afternoon and the friendly Puerto Ayora city population will always welcome to the travelers at their attractive and touristic destination. 

So, visitors can explore the Puerto Ayora pier where is common to enjoy watching sea lions resting on the pier and city park chairs, another beautiful place is the fisher market which is a small-scale fishier market, so the excursionist can see the biggest lobsters and different kind of fishes ready to take to the different city restaurants, and the adventurers can walk on the whole Charles Darwin Avenue getting memories at the local shopping.

After the gourmet dinner the comfort or tourist class hotel will amaze to our guests making their rest a pleasant experience surrounded by the mist tropical forest of the volcanic highland.

DAY 10: “The Twins” (Los Gemelos) Excursion - Transfer out (hotel – Baltra Airport)

Often mistaken for volcanic craters, Los Gemelos – or “The Twins” in English – are actually sinkholes. When the volcanoes on the islands were still active, lava flows would roll down the hills to get to the sea. So, the lava run at different speeds under the ground for several days becoming big lava tunnels and magma chambers. The outer lava cools faster than the middle and starts to dry, allowing for the formation of lava walls that enclose the hotter lava within. These geological formations remain underground for thousands of years until their roofs collapse due to erosion, which is the case with Los Gemelos.

After this amazing excursion, our guests are going to keep with their transfer out until the Airport by private transportation. Our adventurers will be assisted whole the time until the check in-point at Baltra Airport where hotel stay island hopping tour ends.

PAYMMENT POLICY

â–ª In order to confirm the tour space, you have pay USD 100,00 (no refundable)

â–ª The group of passengers have to complete 100% of payments 45 days before trip, there isn´t exception

CANCEL POLICY

â–ª 60 to 45 days before trip USD 100 deposit is not going to be refundable

â–ª 44 to 30 days before trip Fine 50% of program cost

29 until the last day of trip Fine % of program cost 100

IMPORTANT NOTE:

â–ª Tour prices are subject to changes with no previous information.

â–ª A minimum of 2 persons is needed to operate this program.

â–ª Free under 2-year-old kids; discount 10% until 5-year-old; 6+ year old kids’ normal rate.

â–ª There is not discount for retirees.

â–ª The tour is subject to the hotel room space; it means if the hotel is full the tour agency is going to take passengers to the different same category hotel.

â–ª The prices are according to the double/triple/quadruple room.

â–ª In order to confirm the tour reservation, you need to deposit USD 100 per each passenger (no refundable).

â–ª In order to avoid disappointment, it is best to reserve your fly ticket ahead of time.

â–ª The itineraries are subject to changes and modifications without previous announcement, depending on the climate conditions, Galápagos

National Park permits, operational reasons or passenger security.

â–ª The described species in the program can be encountered during the tours but it is not guaranteed that always will be encountered as it

depends on natural factors, climate, seasons, and marine currents.

â–ª Always take with you sun cream, repellent, non-slip shoes, water proof jacket, hat, camera and cash