Galapagos Expedition by Ship
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Overview
Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos Islands are host to unimaginably abundant and bizzare wildlife. Sea lions, iguanas, incredibly diverse bird and marine life - all seemingly fearless of man - inhabit this remote part of the world by the millions. Globally unique animal and plant life is literally underfoot, everywhere. Our Galapagos adventure cruise offers opportunities to hike, snorkel and boat amongst the Galapagos' countless deserted islands. The expedition is accompanied by a staff of naturalists and historians, making the adventure cruise an unparalleled educational experience, in addition to lifelong memory.
Itinerary at a Glance
- Our Galapagos adventure cruise begins upon your arrival on the island of Baltra where we board the Polaris.
- Sail to the northwestern corner of Santa Cruz Island during lunch. Take a Zodiac cruise toward the mangrove-flanked channels and the shores of Cerro Dragon, looking for land iguanas, sea lions, sea turtles and many varieties of birds.
- The first full day of your adventure cruise will be spent on the southeastern island of Española. Land at Punta Suarez, one of the richest wildlife locations in the Galapagos, where sea lions and marine iguanas will greet us here as we step ashore. Further along the trail, we will find blue-footed and Nazca boobies, lava lizards, mockingbirds and Darwin's finches, which are unique to Española.
- Explore Gardner Bay with a stroll along a dazzling white beach, followed by swimming or snorkeling in the turquoise shallows.
- Discover Floreana, a peaceful, rolling island dotted with numerous extinct volcanic cones amidst a variety of scrubby vegetation. Its colorful human history goes back almost two centuries and, at times, verges on the bizarre: from marooned whalers to prisoners and colonists, and from a toothless dentist to a self-proclaimed empress.
- Snorkel and swim with the extremely playful sea lions as they twist their bodies into myriad contortions, zip past like torpedoes, even blow bubbles in our faces. For those who'd rather stay dry, glass-bottom boat excursions along the cliff side will be an option.
- Set sail for Isabela, keeping a lookout for dolphins, whales and other marine life that are often spotted in these rich waters. Upon arrival in Isabela, we'll walk the streets of the small town of Puerto Villamil, visit the nearby salt water lagoons, home to flamingos and many species of shore birds, or simply stroll along a beautiful beach before returning to Polaris in time to see the sunset.
- Navigate close to Volcan Ecuador, a spectacular shield volcano on Isabela Island, which is actually bisected by the line of the equator. Wind and sea conditions permitting at Punta Vicente Roca, a panga ride (the local name for our Zodiacs) is a possibility right after breakfast. We may see our first Galapagos penguins here or the flightless cormorants as we explore the shoreline at the base of the steep cliffs of the volcano.
- Sail to Fernandina Island, another imposing volcano rising to nearly 5,000 feet.
- Land at Punta Espinosa; marine iguanas lie basking on the dark lava making for quite an unforgettable sight. Sea lions, penguins, herons and sea turtles are also likely to be seen.
- Puerto Ayora on the southeast corner of Santa Cruz Island is home to some 10,000 inhabitants and is the economic hub of the archipelago. We start the day by landing with our Zodiacs after breakfast at the Galapagos National Park dock and take a walk to the Charles Darwin Research Station.
- Visit a pair of huge pit craters called Los Gemelos, which are surrounded by a forest of ferns and orchids. Small birds such as vermilion flycatchers and several species of Darwin's finches are found here. The woodpecker finches are especially worth looking for.
- Our day at Genovesa, otherwise known as Tower Island, will present another seabird experience. From frigates, red-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls to storm petrels and tropic birds, this low brushy island serves as a beacon to myriad winged ocean wanderers.
- Land on a small coral beach tucked away in the corner of Darwin Bay where after a walk, there will be a chance to swim and snorkel from the landing beach in the nearby shallows.
- Our last full day in the Galapagos will take us back to the central part of the archipelago, where we'll enjoy a combination of activities centered around walking, swimming and snorkeling. As day breaks, we pass Bartolomè, a lovely volcanic islet just off the east coast of Santiago Island. Few plant species can withstand the drought conditions that exist here, thus it is a volcanic moonscape of sooty lava flows where erosion has created graceful lines in the soft volcanic ash. Several gold-tinged beaches bordered by green mangroves add some color to this extremely unusual land.
- Sail along the northern coastline of Santiago Island and past scenic Buccaneer Cover, a one-time pirates' haunt. We'll anchor at Puerto Egas on the southwestern end of James Bay. Here we'll start with snorkeling and swimming from the stark black beach. Walk the indented shoreline, the haunt of coastal birds and marine iguanas where deeply carved sea-level grottoes may be housing sea lions or fur seals.
- Sunrise will see us sailing the calm waters between Santiago and Santa Cruz Islands, heading back for Baltra Island where we began our voyage.
- Board Zodiacs for the short ride to the dock where our Galapagos adventure cruise concludes. Here, a bus will take you to the airport.
- Spend the night at the Hotel Hilton Colón in Quito before a morning flight back to Miami.
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