ITINERARY AT A GLANCE 8 DAY “ISLAND HOPPING – E1”
Availability: Everyday depending on availability
| DAY 1 | San Cristobal: You will be picked-up at the airport by your private certified guide and he will take you to the hotel. After your lunch with the guide you will visit the Interpretation Center, where the guide will talk to you about the formation, colonization and actual situation of the islands. Then you will follow the trail to the Frigate bird hill, a viewpoint from which you have a beautiful view over the island. You will be able to snorkel the shallow waters of TijeretasBay or Carola beach (according to the tide your guide will take you to the best spot), where you can see sea lions, various tropical fishes, and turtles. Your small hike will finish at Carola beach from where you will go back to the hotel and have evening free. For Dinner, you have several options in town to choose from, eg. BBQ at the Bambu, delicious sea food at the “El Descanso Marinero” or pizzas at the Calypso. Tour with a private guide Meals included: Lunch |
| DAY 2 | San Cristobal: Today we give you the option of going to one of these 2 excursions: (please let us know at booking your preference) Tour 1 – Lobos Island (more hiking): On a 30 min boat ride from the port you arrive on Lobos Island, as it name implies a home to a large sea lion colony. But that’s not the only thing you’ll find while you’ll hike and snorkel at the island on this half day tour. During the hike, you hopefully spot blue footed boobies, marine iguanas and frigate birds, while during snorkeling you can often see the marine iguanas eating, as well as rays and turtles in the sandy bottom that separates Lobos Island from the mainland of San Cristobal. This tour includes a stop at Playa Ochoa. In the early afternoon you be back at the port and have the rest of the afternoon free. Boat tour shared with max 16 people on board Meals included: Breakfast and lunch Tour 2 – Kicker Rock (more snorkeling): You will visit the famous Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido – sleeping Lion), a volcanic formation amid the ocean. There you will be able to snorkel with sharks, rays, turtles and if you are luck also with hammerhead sharks! After lunch on the boat you will go to a beautiful, pristine beach, where you will have time to relax. At afternoon you will be back at the port. The rest of the day is at your leisure. You can watch the sunset on Playa Mann or you can go to Loberia (about $5 each way by taxi). There you can walk the Barranco cliff trail. Shared tour max 12 on board Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
|
| DAY 3 | San Cristobal-Isabela: In the morning we will pick you up at the hotel and accompany you to the airport, where you will do your check-in for the flight to Isabela (estimated elapsed time: 40 min.). This morning you are free: you can visit the flamingo lagoon and “Playa del Amor” (entrance free). After lunch you will visit the Island Tintoreras Islet for a short hike and snorkeling. You can spot penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions and reef sharks, which are resting there in the lava channel. Snorkel then in turquoise water and spot different fishes, sea turtles, rays and penguins. The evening is at your free disposal. You can have a drink at the beach front bar “de Beto”, for sunset, or at the “Casa Rosada”. For dinner we recommend the Coco Surf, the Isabela Grill, but you have several options in town to choose from! Shared plane to Isabela shared boat tour (max 16 on board) in the afternoon Meals included: Breakfast and lunch |
| DAY 4 | Isabela: Sierra Negra Volcano: You walk through spectacular lava landscapes and have views of the northern volcanoes of Isabela and Fernandina. The hike to the Sierra Negra Volcano and Volcano Chico is 16 km long (duration approx. 6 hours), but worth every effort. You see the second largest volcanic crater in the world and explore different vegetation zones. You get a lunch box for the hike. Shared tour max 16 people on the tour Meals included: Breakfast and lunch |
| DAY 5 | Isabela: Cabo Rosa (“Tuneles”): You go by boat to Cabo Rosa (45 min boat ride), where lava has flowed into the ocean and formed beautiful lava tunnels. There you may see penguins, blue-footed boobies and sea turtles. However the Highlight is snorkeling. You have the chance to see sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, rays, seahorses and many tropical fishes. The tour to Cabo Rosa takes about 5 hours. The rest of the day is at leisure. You can enjoy the beautiful beach in Isabela or you can snorkel in the Concha de Perla Lagoon (snorkel equipment in the free time is not included, but can be hired locally). Shared tour max 10 people on board Meals included: Breakfast and lunch |
| DAY 6 | Isabela-Santa Cruz: At 5:30 am we will pick you up at your hotel and accompany you to the pier, where you will take the shared speed boat at 6:00 am to Santa Cruz (approx. 2-hour ride). At the harbor our staff will welcomes you and accompany you for breakfast. After check-in your guide will drive you to a Ranch in the highlands to see giant tortoises in their native environment! After lunch you will stop at Cerro Mesa Reserve, where you can observe a huge crater, a remnant of the time when Santa Cruz was still a volcanic active island. You will continue to Garrapatero Beach where you will have the opportunity to swim. In the evening, you will be free to wander around Santa Cruz. You can choose among a lot of restaurants in town for dinner. The “Kioskos” are a great option as well: every night one street in the center of Puerto Ayora is closed to traffic and restaurants put tables and chairs in the street where you can enjoy a typical meal around locals. We recommend to a walk by night at the pier where you can often spot juvenile sharks swimming! Shared boat to Santa Cruz, and then visits in Santa Cruz with a private guide Meals included: Breakfast and lunch |
| DAY 7 | Uninhabited island: You will participate in a yacht tour to an uninhabited island. That will either be Santa Fé, Plazas, Bartolomé or Seymour. The destination will depend on availability, weekday and program of the National Park. We will let you know immediately which island is available when you book the tour. On Santa Fé and Plazas you can spot endemic land iguanas. Bartolomé is known for beautiful lava sceneries and on Seymour you can see frigate birds, land iguanas and blue-footed boobies. Shared tour max 20 on board Meals included: Breakfast and lunch |
| DAY 8 | Santa Cruz-Baltra airport: If there is enough free time until your transfer to the airport, we suggest that you visit the Charles Darwin Station (entrance free). Your driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the Itabaca Channel, which you will cross on a ferry. For the last part of your trip to the airport you will take the public bus. Your driver will accompany you until the check-in point where your program ends with your return flight to the mainland. Baltra is the only 100% ecological airport in the world! Private transfer to airport Meals included: Breakfast |
PRICES
2021 PRICE PER PERSON
| RATES | 8 DAYS |
| Tourist Class | USD$2,065 |
| Tourist Superior | USD$2,553 |
| First Class | USD$3,624 |