Yacht La Pinta continued
Punta Espinoza (
This morning brings you to the youngest island, Fernandina. Disembark (dry landing) for a one-mile walk. Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with lots of wildlife. Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their space with sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorant. Lunch on board.
Punta Moreno (
Punta Moreno has a low-lying rocky shoreline surrounded by black and red mangrove lagoons, and abundant shore birds. It offers close views of volcanoes Alcedo, Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul. It has a desolate and pristine landscape of impressively immense black lava flows and an extraordinary and unusual arid-zone vegetation.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.
Sunday
Post
There may be the possibility to snorkel from the pangas around Champion Islet or a ride on the glass-bottom boat. Return on board and navigate to Post Office Bay. Wet landing at the historic barrel that served as a post office, to learn about the human side of the islands, its early inhabitants and the adventures of pirates and whalers. Lunch on board.
Punta Cormorant (
Disembark at Punta Cormorant (wet landing) for an easy walk to see the flamingos that inhabit a brackish-water lagoon, and other birds like ducks, stilts, sandpipers, etc. Return to the beach and possibility to swim; there is great snorkelling at this site or kayak from the beach.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner
Monday
Rabida
Morning disembarkation at
Las Bachas (
The sand at Las Bachas is made of powdered coral, which makes it white and soft, and a favorite site for nesting sea turtles. The Sally Lightfoot crabs are abundant on the lava rocks along the water's edge. Flamingoes, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and whimbrels can be observed.
Next day’s expedition plan and Welcome cocktail.
Tuesday
Highlands of
After breakfast, disembark (dry landing) to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, an Scalesia forest and the twin pit craters geology formation, Los Gemelos. From December to mid-April a visit to see the giant tortoises in the wild may be included, if weather conditions are good. Lunch at one of the farms in the highlands.
Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens, an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds. Then a stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora before embarking on La Pinta.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.
Wednesday
Sullivan Bay (James Island)
Sullivan Bay is on the east coast of Santiago just across Bartolome Island. You land on a white coral sand beach and begin our walk over lava that flowed less than 100 years ago. This is the perfect place to see and feel the volcanic origin of Galapagos. This site is most interesting for the geography of the lava flows, the intricate squiggles, cracks, and designs of the liquid lava as it solidified. After 110 years, life is starting to return to the flows, with occasional tufts of grass and cactus growing in the cracks. Optional panga ride, Glass-bottom boat or snorkelling is possible. Lunch on board.
Puerto Egas (James Island)
Wet landing for a mid-length walk. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows. This is a great opportunity to see land and marine birds. At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds and there is a colony of Galápagos fur seals. Opportunity for snorkelling and swimming from the beach.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.
Thursday
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal (Chatham) Island)
Disembark at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This small attractive port is the provincial capital of the Galápagos Islands (population 4,000), along a crescent-shaped bay. Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, located in a natural setting, where visitors can obtain information that will help them understand more the natural history of the Galápagos, with a great emphasis on human history and conservation. Later this morning visit the breeding center for tortoises (La Galapaguera) at Cerro Colorado, including a 45-minute bus ride. Seeing the semi-saddle back shape of the tortoises can be a great way to understand adaptation to dry-tropical environments. The rewarding fauna of this island may not only be the giant tortoises, since many island-specific endemics are found here. It includes mockingbirds, lava lizards, and the vermilion flycatchers. Return to Yacht LA PINTA for lunch.
Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)
In the afternoon, A dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers will bring us to Cerro Brujo for a wet landing at a white coraline beach . The beach is a great open walking area, with rewarding bird watching. There are seabirds like blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigate birds, and some shore birds. Also, look for Galapagos sea lions. Highlights ashore include the Chatham (San Cristobal) Mockingbird, Chatham Lava Lizard; both species are endemic to this island, and seen nowhere else in Galapagos. We may also spot Yellow Warblers, Galapagos flycatchers.These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos.
Farewell cocktail and departure briefing.
Friday
Baltra Island
After breakfast, departure to the port and airport to take the flight back to the continent.
Note:
Dry landing: passengers step from the dinghy onto rocks or a dock.
Wet landing: as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, passengers step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.
