Coral I & II Expedition Cruise

A paradise for bird lovers, about 200,00 Red-footed boobies in their nesting site.
Prince Philip´s Steps are named after a visit by the British Monarch in 1964. The 81-foot stairway leads to a narrow stretch of land that opens out onto the plateau surrounding Darwin Bay. After landing at a small sand and coral beach, it is easy to realize why this island is known as “a bird paradise.” Among the bird species found here, the most common are swallow-tailed and lava gulls, mockingbirds, yellow-crowned night herons, lava herons, Galapagos doves, and yellow warblers, which add a dash of color with their bright yellow feathers.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Panga Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Rábida is a relatively small, arid island with steep slopes. Most of the coastline is rocky except for a beach on the northeast side. Several small volcanic craters and the high amount of iron in the lava give the island its distinctive red color and overall appearance. Located at the center of the archipelago, Bartolome is one of the most frequently visited sites of all the islands. The highest point is only 374 ft (114 m) above sea level and it is separated from the island of Santiago by Sullivan Bay.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

After the visit, passengers will be transferred to the airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

• Activity:Wildlife watching, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Although landing is not allowed at Punta Vicente Roca, this visitor site allows for panga rides to observe the abundant wildlife and offers one of the best snorkeling spots in the Archipelago. The snorkeling “route” takes us along the cliffs and offers the not-so-common chance of exploring two shallow underwater caves. The flat jet-black lava of Espinosa Point is a defining feature of its stark and barren landscape. It is also home to the largest colony of the endemic marine iguanas.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

West of Isabela Island, Urbina Bay is located; it is a fascinating area that is the result of a shallow sea bottom uplifted in 1954, which shows a large coral reef that sticks up above sea level. Urbina Bay has a wide variety of plant life, which changes depending on the season. Tagus Cove is located on the Northwestern coast of Isabela. It is a historical site visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, where graffiti has been carved into the rock walls by visitors over the past centuries; this happened just before the Galapagos National Park was established in 1959-1960.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Kayaking, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Volcanic black beach and wonderful landscapes, fur seal grottos, sea lion colonies, herons, hawks, oystercatchers, finches, doves, white-tipped sharks, and sea turtles. We will be able to see the vegetation from arid to humid climate zones, but they have been seriously affected by intensive foraging by introduced goats, now eradicated. This visitor site is located in the southeastern portion of Santiago Island and represents a great important geologic interest; it features extensive lava flows which are believed to have been formed during the last quarter of the 19th century. The area is covered by Pahoehoe lava flows (Pahoehoe which means in Polynesian language “easy to walk”)

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Kayaking, Panga Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.

After the visit, passengers will be transferred to the airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching
• Meal:Breakfast
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

The Charles Darwin Foundation. This tourist site has a route of approximately 1,359 meters. It starts from its first interpretive part in the DPNG information booth and ends in the turtle and land iguana pens. This tiny, low-lying islet, covered in coral sand, is set between the North and South Seymour Islands. It is home to a group of sea lions that come to laze on the soft white sand. It is a good spot to observe shorebirds as well as herons, lava gulls, and boobies.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Panga Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Santa Fe Island is one of the oldest in the Galapagos Islands archipelago. It is thought to be at least four million years old. The island is also sometimes known as Barrington Island and it was named after an admiral called Samuel Barrington. One of the smallest and, depending on the season, most colorful islands. Find sea lion colonies, land, hybrid iguanas, and countless birds soaring by the cliffs. It is an unpopulated island.
These islands are interesting formations without a volcano resulting from an uplift from underwater.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Kayaking, Panga Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Lobos Island is located approximately twenty minutes by boat from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It is a long trail of 850 m/approximately one-half miles, that takes about one hour to walk. There is a small population of blue-footed boobies and common frigate birds that nest in this area. The two species of sea lions that live in the Galapagos can be observed on the Lobos Islands. San Cristobal has a new airport, which provides modern facilities for travelers and the advantage of being a mere 5 minutes from the town center. The execution of this work was provided by the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP), with an investment of approximately $7.4 million USD as part of a macro project of national airports.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching
• Meal:Breakfast
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

It’s located on the northern coast of San Cristobal. Cerro Brujo is an eroding tuff cone that, at several locations, is composed of lava formations. It is a beautiful white sand beach with an impressive volcanic landscape. Great for snorkeling and sunbathing. Pitt Point (Punta Pitt) is located at the east end of San Cristobal Island. The trail includes an olivine beach of 295 ft (90 m) long and a path that climbs to the top of volcanic tuff, through several magnificent viewpoints.
This is probably the only site where the three booby species of the Galapagos can be seen together, as well as two species of frigatebirds and a sea lion colony.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Kayaking, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Punta Suarez is one of only two visitor sites on pristine Española Island, and it’s one of the most memorable walks in all of Galapagos. Punta Suarez features the chance to see the Waved Albatross, an extremely rare endemic species that only makes its home in Española. Located on Española Island, Gardner Bay consists of an extensive beach of whitish coralline sand with several colonies of Galapagos sea lions.
Here, we can also observe the endemic mockingbird of Española, usually in small groups defending their territories.
Snorkeling is recommended, especially around the small semi-submerged tuff cone located in front of the beach.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Kayaking, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

Cormorant Point is on the northern tip of Floreana, and you’ll land on a beach that sits between two volcanic cones. The sand on one of the beaches here has a noticeably olive-green color. This is due to a much higher than usual concentration of olivine crystals in the sand. Champion Islet, named after the whaler Andrew Champion, is a small islet located just offshore Floreana Island in the southern part of the Archipelago. It’s considered one of the most beautiful places in Galapagos for snorkeling.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching, Snorkeling, Dinghy Ride
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

A 45-minute bus ride will take us to the Santa Cruz highlands, located to the northwest of Ayora Port, where we will find a natural reserve with giant land tortoises in their natural habitat. These enormous and slow-moving reptiles are responsible for the island’s name and therefore, approaching them in their humid and forested abode is always an inspiring adventure. They can weigh between 250 and 300 kg and can live up to 200 years. They have few predators; their principal threat has always been men.
We will also visit lava tubes or tunnels, which are the result of the many eruptions that have occurred on the island since its formation.

• Activity:Walking, Wildlife watching
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins