Galapagos Calipso Cruise

AM: After your arrival at Baltra Airport, the guide will be waiting for you to jump on board the transportation that will take you to the port and with that, a transfer on a boat to your next destination.

PM: Early in the afternoon, you will head to South Plaza Island. This small island with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. You will be able to see the most characteristic plant of the island, which is the Sesuvium. During the rainy season, its color is greenish to a yellowish tone, and in the dry season (end of June through January) a bright red.

• Activity:Arrival, Hiking, Exploring
• Meal:Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Post Office Bay: In the 18th-century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. Baroness Viewing Point: Baroness Viewpoint is a fantastic place to absorb the environment of the Galapagos. Once inhabited by an indulgent baroness and her three lovers, the history of this island is intriguing.

PM: Cormorant Point: You will visit a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts and white-cheeked pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The “Green Beach”, and the “Four Sand Beach”.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Kayaking
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Santa Fe is home to the small picturesque bay and anchorage on the island’s northeast coast. You will hike on two visitor trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other spanning from a small beach to a tall prickly pear cactus forest.

PM: You will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, which is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4 feet long. Subspecies of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity.

• Activity:Hike, Snorkeling, Diving
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: You will visit the Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center was opened in 1998 as a phase of the project “Interpretation and Environment Education Project.” Visitors enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control.

After 4 days of an incredible experience around the Galapagos Islands, you will be transferred by the guide and driver to the San Cristobal Airport, hoping to see you again on another journey.

• Activity:Walking, Exploring, Departure
• Meal:Breakfast
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: After your arrival at Baltra Airport, the guide will be waiting for you to jump on board the transportation that will take you to the port and with that, a transfer on a boat to your next destination.

PM: Witch Hill: Located on the northern coast, you will visit this eroded hill and its surroundings, which present one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos with its white powdery sand and the abundance of animals. Wildlife includes sea turtles, rays, and various types of booby birds. The clear water provides an excellent opportunity for enjoying swimming and snorkeling.

• Activity:Arrival, Hiking, Snorkeling, Kayaking
• Meal:Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Bartolomé: After breakfast, you will visit the home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, this island consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black, and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one of the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos penguin.

PM: Chinese Hat Islet: In the afternoon you will explore this small islet which, is located near the southeast coast of Santiago Island. Its name comes from the distinct shape of the islet’s summit. This is a great location to view many geological formations such as lava tubes and lava flows.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Espinosa Point: No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina Island, and therefore it is one of the world’s most pristine island ecosystems. The volcano “La Cumbre” dominates the landscape with lava fields reaching the ocean. The island’s highlight features the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.

PM: Tagus Cove: This spot is located across from Fernandina Island near the Bolivar Channel dividing the two islands. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s using the area as an anchorage site. You will explore the trails winding by Lake Darwin up to a ridge where it displays wonderful views. Punta Tortuga, just north of Tagus Cove, is another lovely beach you can visit surrounded by mangroves.

• Activity:Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkeling
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: After breakfast, you will visit Urbina Bay, which is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954 causing the land to rise over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. This area is also a great place for snorkeling.

PM: Moreno Point is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. The plethora of birds seen during a dinghy ride along the striking rocky shores or a hike along a path through lava rock leading to tide pools and mangroves create a birdwatcher’s delight. In the tide pools, green sea turtles or white-tip sharks can be spotted.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Birdwatching
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: After breakfast, you will visit North Seymour Island which hosts an abundance of Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigatebirds. The island was formed by a series of submarine lava containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.

After 5 days of visiting different islands and beautiful landscapes, the guide and driver will transfer you to the Baltra Airport for you to return home with great memories, and hope to see you again on another journey.

• Activity:Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkeling
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: At your arrival, you will be picked up by a guide and a driver at San Cristobal Airport and then transfer to the boat, where you will start your journey.

PM: Witch Hill: Located on the northern coast, you will visit this eroded hill and its surroundings, which present one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos with its white powdery sand and abundance of animals. Wildlife includes sea turtles, rays, and various types of booby birds. The clear water provides an excellent opportunity for enjoying swimming and snorkeling.

• Activity:Arrival, Walking
• Meal:Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Bartolomé: After breakfast, you will visit the home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, this island consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black, and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one of the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos penguin.

PM: Chinese Hat: In the afternoon you will explore this small islet which, is located near the southeast coast of Santiago Island. Its name comes from the distinct shape of the islet’s summit. This is a great location to view many geological formations such as lava tubes and lava flows.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Sightseeing
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Espinosa Point: No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina Island, and therefore it is one of the world’s most pristine island ecosystems. The volcano “La Cumbre” dominates the landscape with lava fields reaching the ocean. The island’s highlight features the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.

PM: Tagus Cove: This spot is located across from Fernandina Island near the Bolivar Channel dividing the two islands. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s using the area as an anchorage site. You will explore the trails winding by Lake Darwin up to a ridge where it displays wonderful views. Punta Tortuga, just north of Tagus Cove, is another lovely beach you can visit surrounded by mangroves.

• Activity:Hiking, Exploring, Snorkeling
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: After breakfast, you will visit Urbina Bay, which is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954 causing the land to rise over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. This area is also a great place for snorkeling.

PM: Moreno Point is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. The plethora of birds seen during a dinghy ride along the striking rocky shores or a hike along a path through lava rock leading to tide pools and mangroves create a birdwatcher’s delight. In the tide pools, green sea turtles or white-tip sharks can be spotted.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Exploring
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: After breakfast, you will visit North Seymour Island which hosts an abundance of Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigatebirds. The island was formed by a series of submarine lava containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.

PM: In the afternoon, you will head to South Plaza Island. This small island with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. The most characteristic plant is Sesuvium. During the rainy season, its color is a greenish to a yellowish tone, and in the dry season (end of June through January) a bright red.

• Activity:Hiking, Exploring
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Post Office Bay: In the 18th-century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. You will visit this traditional location where the tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.

PM: Cormorant Point: This site hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts and white-cheeked pintails can also be seen. The beaches you will visit on this island are distinct and unique: The “Green Beach” is named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” is composed of white coral.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Exploring
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Santa Fe Island: After breakfast, you will explore the home to the small picturesque bay and anchorage on the island’s northeast coast. The bay has two visitor trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other spanning from a small beach to a tall prickly pear cactus forest.

PM: In the afternoon, you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz, which is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4 feet long. Subspecies of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.

• Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Kayaking
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: In the morning, you will visit the Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center opened in 1998 as a phase of the project “Interpretation and Environment Education Project.” Visitors enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control.

After 8 days of beautiful adventures and exciting experiences, you will be transferred to the San Cristobal Airport by the guide and driver, hoping to see you again on another journey.

• Activity:Walking, Exploring, Departure
• Meal:Breakfast

AM: At your arrival, you will be picked up by a guide and a driver at San Cristobal Airport and then transfer to the boat, where you will start your journey.

PM: Lobos Island: One of the many islets that pepper the archipelago, this one is named for the mass amounts of sea lions that invade the area. Often used as a check-out dive site, Lobos Island is a sweet dive filled with starfish, rays, various fish, turtles, eagle rays, and sometimes marine iguanas. The sea lions here welcome you to Galapagos with friendly underwater games of “hide and seek”, tag, and “pull the fin!”

• Activity:Arrival, Exploring
• Meal:Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Santa Cruz Island: Carrión Point creates a sheltered lagoon with beautiful, turquoise water. During this visit, you can snorkel and see a variety of fish, rays, and perhaps the harmless white-tip reef sharks. The point is on the north coast of Santa Cruz Island at the entrance of the Channel of Itabaca.

PM: In the afternoon, you will visit North Seymour Island which hosts an abundance of Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigatebirds. The island was formed by a series of submarine lava containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.

• Activity:Hiking, Diving, Exploring
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM/PM: Wolf Island is located in the extreme northern part of the archipelago. There are no land visits to this island, and it is only visited by live-aboard dive ships. This is a dive site only for experienced divers. The surge is heavy, currents can be quite strong, and visibility is often limited. Some very impressive and large animals such as whale sharks, hammerheads, and dolphins are spotted here.

• Activity:Diving, Exploring, Snorkeling
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Darwin’s Arch: This is an impressive 15 M (50 ft) lava arch. A fast descent in current, where you will then grab onto the rocks below and basically be a spectator to the stuff blowing past. Whale sharks and schools of hammerheads and dolphins play in the waters. Accessible only by dive liveaboards, Darwin Island is an underwater Disneyland.

PM: El Arenal: El Arenal is an underwater sloping sand “driveway” of Darwin’s Arch teeming with amazing marine life. Stick with your expert guide who can show you the safest and best routes in the currents.

• Activity:Hiking, Exploring, Diving
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Diving
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Darwin’s Arch / El Arenal: Often coined “the best dive site in the world”, Isla Darwin is an underwater circus with stars like whale sharks, hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, pods of dolphins, and a few killer whales and tiger sharks making guest appearances. This is the most famous dive site in the Galapagos Islands and is recognized as one of the best dive sites in the world.

PM: Wolf Island: On this dive, you will visit La Banana, Shark Bay Point, and Anchor Bay. This is a dive site only for experienced divers. The surge is heavy, currents can be quite strong, and visibility is often limited. Some very impressive and large animals such as whale sharks, hammerheads, and dolphins are spotted here.

• Activity:Hiking, Diving, Snorkeling
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Isabela: Coka Port (Jan-May): Not only is the topography of this site distinct and fascinating but so is the marine life! The “usual” sea turtles and sea lions swim along with you and the Chevron barracuda, yellow fin tuna, marbled rays, Mobula rays, snappers, and more. Fernandina: Cape Douglas (Jun-Dec): Fur sea lions and Galapagos sea lions mingle with the snacking marine iguanas and “zoom-past-you” penguins. Experience required: Advanced open water and a minimum of 40 logged dives.

PM: Cape Marshall (Jan-May): A near-vertical wall of volcanic rock that plummets to the bottom of the sea, this dive site boasts the big stuff: manta rays, hammerheads, sunfish (Mola mola), and sometimes huge schools of the endemic Salema. Vicente Roca Point (Jun-Dec): This drift wall dive will bring you up close and personal to a long list of invertebrates including sponges and flatworms. Keep your eyes peeled for the endemic camotillo and the occasional Port Jackson shark!

• Activity:Hiking, Exploring, Diving
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

AM: Cousins Rocks: Just one of the many islets that help form the archipelago, this dive has a great deal to offer the advanced diver. With sloping rock plate formations and a wall that drops farther than the eye can see, divers will come across hidden sea horses and octopi, Galapagos black coral, frogfish, hammerheads, and Galapagos sharks!

PM: El Chato reserve is divided into two areas: Caseta and Chato. The trail begins at Santa Rosa (13.7 miles / 22 km) from Puerto Ayora, with the Caseta route being the more challenging. The reserve allows visitors to observe giant tortoises in the wild during the dry season and is also a good place to spot short-eared owls, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, Galapagos rails, and paint-billed crakes. The Charles Darwin Research Station is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4 feet long. Subspecies of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity.

• Activity:Hiking, Exploring, Diving
• Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Double or Single Cabins

After breakfast and 8 days full of diving activities, hikes, and explorations, you will be transferred to the San Cristobal Airport by the guide and driver hoping to see you again on your next journey.

• Activity:Departure
• Meal:Breakfast