Galapagos Islands

At leisure today, for optional excursions and free time. You can visit the equator and explore the city.

There is a pre-departure meeting today at 6pm in your hotel where you will meet with others travelling on your cruise to the Galapagos Islands.  (B)

An overnight sail brings you to the north eastern outpost of Genovesa. The island is abundantly beautiful with varied landscapes and wonderful wildlife. The dolphins who love to swim around the islands add their own touch of marine magic to a visit here. There is prolific bird life to see and you will discover all three types of booby here, including the rare red-footed booby, as well as frigate birds and lots of smaller tropical species. Follow a steep path, called Prince Phillip's Steps, to reach seabird rookeries where you will find many birds nesting overhead in the cliffs. Whilst on the rocky plain you will visit the only place in the world where you can see storm petrels flying during the daytime - this island is a twitchers paradise! Darwin Bay also offers large colonies of breeding seabirds including frigates. Also the underwater world at Genoveas is one of the most exciting in the islands, grab your snorkelling gear and go searching for manta rays, sharks, turtles, moray eels and of course many brightly coloured fish.

Today you visit Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic hub of the archipelago and is also home to the Charles Darwin Research Station. The station’s visitor centre and museum are essential stops for anyone interested in the archipelago’s natural and human history and keen to learn more about conservation efforts to preserve the unique ecosystems of the Galapagos. It also offers visitors their best chance for close-up encounters with giant tortoises. This was where ‘Lonesome George’, the last of his sub-species lived until he sadly died in 2012. You will see many newborn and young giant turtles which are part of the breeding program to reintroduce them into their natural habitat. Afterwards you take a bus to the Santa Cruz highlands, here the lush humidity seems worlds away from the island’s arid coastal regions. In the interior of Santa Cruz you discover inactive volcanic cones, the rich soil here is home to many crops including miconia bushes and scalesia, a species that has been called ‘the Darwin’s finches of the plant world’. You visit the largest lava tunnels in the Galapagos and observe great local bird life, including the vermilion flycatcher, Galápagos rail, Galapagos dove and paint-billed cake. The highlands are also the natural habitat of the Galapagos tortoise and there's a good chance you may see them here. (BLD)

Fernandian Island is the youngest of the all the islands and has a stark volcanic landscape. Punta Espinosa on the north east tip is a narrow ledge of lava and sand extending from the base of La Cumbre Volcano. Walking along the lava among lava cactus you can encounter marine iguanas and flightless cormorants drying their atrophied wings. On the main island of Isabella explore Bahia Urbina, located at the foot of teh Alcedo and Darwin Volcanos, this is a great place to discover giant tortoises and colourful Land Iguanas.

Go bird spotting today on Daphne Island, masked boobies, finches and frigate birds with their striking red neck pouches. 

You then cruise back to Baltra, where you say goodbye to the amazing Galapagos Islands and take your return flight to Quito. As you will be leaving the boat today, Please remember that if you have enjoyed the services provided by your guide and crew, a tip would be very much appreciated by them. As a guideline you recommend each passenger consider US$10 per day for the crew and US$6 per day for your guide. You can leave tips in envelopes that are placed in your cabin on this last day of your journey. On arrival in Quito you are met and transferred to your hotel for you last night. Hotel – 1 night (B)