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Galapagos Islands Tour Itinerary
DOWNLOAD THIS ITINERARY (pdf) (2008 Sample Itinerary)
Please note that this is a typical itinerary, and actual activities may vary to take advantage of weather conditions, local events, new Galapagos regulations, and to allow serendipity to play a hand in your experience. Accommodations are as outlined in the itinerary, although we reserve the right to change these should the need arise.
DAY 1
Arrival in Ecuador
Upon arrival of your flight in Quito, you will be met by a Boundless Journeys representative and transferred to your hotel. As most flights from the U.S. arrive in Quito late in the evening, we will meet as a group in the morning of Day 2, before our trip to the highlands.
Hotel Swissôtel, Quito
DAY 2
Andean Highlands and the Otavalo Market
Today’s excursion brings us into the volcanic highlands, famous for its haciendas and Otavalo, Ecuador’s famed market town. Here we find all types of indigenous handcrafts, from woven wall-hangings to skillfully embroidered blouses and dresses, and from hand-knitted alpaca sweaters to rustic ceramics and Panama hats. Besides the crafts market, Otavalo has a farmers’ market where we find Andean produce such as potatoes, quinoa, corn, tree tomatoes, and babaco, among many other colorful and interesting foods.
In the afternoon, we find ourselves at a beautifully restored 18th-century hacienda, where we enjoy a fine lunch. Following lunch, we say farewell to our gracious hosts and return to Quito to prepare for our Galapagos adventure. Tonight we toast our upcoming adventure as we dine at a favorite Quito restaurant.
Hotel Swissôtel, Quito
DAYS 3-10
Galapagos Islands Cruise
The next eight days are sure to be memorable as you cruise the Galapagos Islands, visiting many of the same places Charles Darwin did over 150 years ago. Our active itinerary from our private yacht features walks and hikes during shore excursions, and plenty of opportunities for snorkeling and sea kayaking in tranquil coves and lagoons.
Note: The following itinerary is a sample and may be altered due to weather conditions or regulations of the Galapagos National Park.
DAY 3
Morning: Fly to the Galapagos Islands
Following an early breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight to the Galapagos Islands, stopping briefly in the coastal city of Guayaquil. As we approach the islands, the inviting turquoise-blue water surrounding the coast comes into view. We arrive in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the province located on the southwest shore of San Cristóbal, around midday. Your naturalist Galapagos guide will meet us after passing through park inspection, and soon we are departing from shore aboard a zodiac to reach our yacht, which will be home for the next seven nights. The captain and crew are there to greet us and show us to our cabins as well as give us a tour of the vessel.
Afternoon: Isla Lobos & Kicker Rock
We hoist anchor and our journey through the Galapagos Islands begins. Heading northeast, up the coast from Wreck Bay and Puerto Baquerizo, a cruise of eight nautical miles brings us to Isla Lobos in less than an hour. Isla Lobos is a small, volcanic island formed by ancient lavaflows. This little island is full of life and lives up to its nickname of “Sea Lion Island” with its large population of frolicking and barking sea lions. It’s also home to a large colony of marine iguanas and a seasonal nesting site for blue-footed boobiesand magnificent frigate birds.
To end the day we travel to nearby Leon Dormido, also known as Kicker Rock. This spectacular formation rises 500 feet out of the Pacific; its once huge cone has been sculpted into the form of a sleeping lion by the action of waves. From another angle, a split in its towering vertical walls creates the impression of a colossal tablet set beside a great chisel, piercing the sea and ready for etching.
This evening, as with all the others during our expedition cruise, we dine on fresh local specialties prepared by our crew. Depending on the weather we may choose to dine on deck beneath stars and warm breezes, or in the dining room of our deluxe yacht.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 4
Morning: Tower Island—Darwin Bay Beach
Tower Island is a collapsed volcano and our yacht sails directly into its large breached caldera to anchor at the foot of the steep crater walls. Tower Island attracts vast numbers of pelagic seabirds that come here to nest and breed: great frigate birds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and storm petrels. We hike a trail that leads from a coral beach, past tidal lagoons where lava gulls and yellow-crowned night herons are seen, then along the low shrubs populated by frigates and boobies, and eventually to a cliff edge where seabirds soar.
Afternoon: Tower Island—Prince Philip’s Steps
A second trail, called Prince Philip’s Steps, leads to an open area for masked boobies, frigates, and red-footed boobies. At the end of this trail are thousands of band-rumped storm petrels at the cliff’s edge, where they nest in crevices. Short-eared owls can sometimes be seen here, hunting the storm petrels during daylight hours.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 5
Morning: Fernandina Island—Punta Espinosa
Fernandina is the youngest and most active volcano in the Galapagos, with eruptions taking place every few years. The flat lava of Punta Espinosa offers a stark and seemingly barren landscape, but closer inspection reveals flightless cormorants building their nests on the point, sea lions sprawling on the beach or playing in the tide pools, and marine iguanas dotting the sand.
Afternoon: Isabela Island—Punta Vicente Roca
Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos Islands, is shaped a bit like a sea horse facing toward the west. Located at the ‘mouth’ of the sea horse, which forms the northern part of the island, is Punta Vicente Roca. The entire area of Punta Vicente Roca lies on the flank of 2,600’ Volcano Ecuador. Half of Volcano Ecuador slid into the ocean, leaving a spectacular cutaway view of the caldera. Here, remnants of the ancient volcano form two beautiful coves, with a bay well protected from the ocean swells. The spot is an ideal anchorage from which to take panga rides along the volcanic cliffs or explore a partially sunken cave at the water’s edge. Masked and blue-footed boobies perch along the cliffs, while flightless cormorants inhabit the shoreline. The upwelling of cold-water currents in this part of the Galapagos gives rise to an abundance of marine life which, in combination with the protection of the coves, make Punta Vicente Roca one of the archipelago’s most sought after snorkeling and dive spots.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 6
Morning: Santiago Island—James Bay
Santiago has several sites to visit at the western end of James Bay. Puerto Egas with its black sand beaches was the site of a small salt-mining industry in the 1960s, and a hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to sight inland birds such as finches, doves, and hawks. A walk down the rugged shoreline, especially at low tide, will reveal many marine species, such as iguanas basking on the rocks and sea lions lazing in the tide pools. At the end of the trail, there is a series of grottoes, where fur seals and night herons are found resting on shady ledges. Just north of James Bay is Buccaneer Cove, a particularly scenic area of steep cliffs and dark beaches.
Afternoon: Bartolomé Island
Bartolomé is a small island that has beautiful white sand beaches, luxuriant green mangroves and a colony of penguins. Here we enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and a climb to the summit of the island for one of the most breathtaking views in all the Galapagos. From the summit, we have the best view of the often photographed Pinnacle Rock.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 7
Morning: Santa Cruz Island—Puerto Ayora Town and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Santa Cruz is the only inhabited island we will visit during our Galapagos cruise. Puerto Ayora, with a population of about 10,000, is the location of the Charles Darwin Research Station, world famous for its tortoise breeding programs. The station has also become very important for its research and education about conservation and resource management in the Galapagos archipelago and its surrounding marine reserve.
Afternoon: Santa Cruz Island—Highlands
After touring the station, we journey by bus into the highlands, to Los Gemelos, two deep craters situated in the Scalesia forest inhabited by a variety of interesting bird life. The lush greenery of the Santa Cruz highlands is in definite contrast with the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands we have previously visited. We walk through giant lava tubes, and visit the tortoise reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 8
Afternoon: Floreana—Devil's Crown - Punta Cormorant - Post Office Bay
Punta Cormorant offers two highly contrasting beaches; the landing beach is of volcanic origin and is composed of olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tinge. At the end of the short trail is a carbonate beach of very fine white sand, formed by the erosion of coral skeletons; it is a nesting site for green sea turtles. Between these two beaches is a salt lagoon frequented by flamingoes, pintails, stilts, and other wading birds. An old eroded volcanic cone called Devil's Crown is a popular roosting site for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans, and frigates and it is not uncommon to see red-billed tropicbirds in rocky crevices. The center of the crown is an outstanding snorkeling spot full of sea lions and colorful fish.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 9
Morning: Hood Island—Punta Suarez
Punta Suarez is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds, there are the curious and bold Hood Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks. Several types of reptiles, including the brilliantly colored marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island. When heavy swells are running, Punta Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting 30 yards into the air.
Afternoon: Hood Island—Gardner Bay
One of the oldest of the islands, Hood is small and flat with no visible volcanic crater or vent. Gardner Bay is on the eastern shore and has a magnificent beach. This beach is frequented by a transient colony of sea lions, and is a major nesting site for marine turtles. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. On a trail leading to the western tip of the island you'll pass the only nesting sites in the Galapagos of the waved albatross, huge birds with a six-foot wingspan. They nest here from April to December and represent the majority of the world’s population of this species.
The Parranda, Galapagos Islands
DAY 10
San Cristobal Island — Interpretation Center; Departure for Quito
San Cristobal is the easternmost island in the Galapagos; and on its southwestern side is the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the province of Galapagos. Here we may have time to visit a newly opened interpretation center focusing on the anthropology of the islands, or spend a leisurely morning in town before our return flight to Quito.
Upon arrival at the Quito airport you may choose to connect with flights home, or spend an additional night in this fascinating city.