GALAPAGOS: SANTA CRUZ

ECU-51 / 5-day Galapagos trip

OVERVIEW

Galapagos Island Hopping: Land-based Galapagos tour, which means that you sleep on a hotel on Santa Cruz, the main Island at Galapagos, and from there do day-tours to visit the attractions. A lot of the visits on a land based program are the same as during the cruise, except the visits to the more remote islands.
For travellers wanting more flexibility (or maybe having a tighter budget) this is a perfect way of exploring Galapagos and the tour includes as much and even more than the cruises.

Highlights:

Giant tortoises at Santa Cruz
Day tour to Bartolome Island (uninhabited island)
Santa Cruz

Day 1	Arrival to Galapagos & Tour to the Highlands
Day 2	Santa Cruz
Day 3	Excursion in Yacht to the Bartolome Island
Day 4	Santa Cruz
Day 5	Departure

Important: In order to guarantee the day-tour to Bartolome, we may have to change the order of days 2, 3 & 4.

ITINERARY

Day 1	Arrival to Galapagos & Tour to the Highlands The tour starts with morning flight to Galapagos (Baltra Island). At arrival, meeting with the guide who will be waiting for you at the arrival lounge. First visit is to the highlands of Santa Cruz, where we will experience the strange and impressive phenomenon of the “Twins” (Spanish: Gemellos), two very deep depressions in the forested highlands. Later we visit a farm neighboring the national park. The farm “Rancho Primicias” attracts the wild giant tortoises with its green grass, and therefore this site is the best place to spot one of these amazing creatures that have given Galapagos its name. Lunch at the farm. Afterwards, transfer tohotel en Puerto Ayora. Included meals: Lunch
Day 2	Santa Cruz Today we recommend a selfguided tour to the Darwin Center or an optional tour to Seymore or Plaza South (see optional tours separately). Another option is a Self-guided tour to the Tortuga Bay just 20 min walk from the town. Perfect place to practice snorkelling, Kayac or just to enjoy the beach. Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3	Excursion to the Bartolomé Island Full day excursion to Bartolome Island (uninhabited island). Early in the morning, transfer to Baltra to start our first navigable tour to Bartolomé. Bartolomé is a small island located next to Santiago Island. One of the Islands´ principal attractions is the “pinnacle rock” In order to see it properly will make a medium level hike for around and hour. In this excursion you will learn from the volcanic landscape of the island and see different species such as: lava lizard or cacti, once we reach the top will have a magnificent view of the Pinnacle rock in contrast with the volcanic landscape blended with the turquoise waters of the surrounding beaches. After the excursion we will proceed to do snorkeling in one of the coral beaches of the areas where if we are lucky we will see: Marine turtles, sea lions, multicolor fish and penguins. Lunch will be on board. In the afternoon return to Santa Cruz. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4	Santa Cruz Today we recommend a selfguided tour to the Darwin Center or an optional tour to Seymore or Plaza South (see optional tours separately). Another option is a Self-guided tour to the Tortuga Bay just 20 min walk from the town. Perfect place to practice snorkelling, Kayac or just to enjoy the beach. Included meals: Breakfast
Day 5	Departure End of Galapagos tour. Morning transfer to Baltra airport. Flight to Guayaquil and international connection in the afternoon. Included meals: Breakfast

Important: In order to guarantee the day-tour to Bartolome, we may have to change the order of days 2, 3 & 4.

OPTIONAL TOURS

OPTIONAL TOURS FROM SANTA CRUZ

Excursion to North Seymour Island and Bachas
Full day excursion to North Seymore and Bachas (uninhabited island)
Enjoy a tour to North Seymour, a 1.9 km² island located northbound from Baltra. The main fauna species of this island are Land Iguanas, the Magnificent Frigate bird with their incredible scarlet regular pouch, blue-footed boobies and their particular courtship dance and sea lions surfing across the waves. Lunch on board. After lunch we will do snorkeling in Bachas where you will be able to discover tones of different fish species and also swim with sea lions. Return to Santa Cruz.
Included meals: lunch

To request prices, please click on the BOOK TRIP bottom on the right sidebar and fill the information.

Excursion to the Bartolomé Island
Full day excursion to Bartolome Island (uninhabited island).
Early in the morning, transfer to Baltra to start our first navigable tour to Bartolomé. Bartolomé is a small island located next to Santiago Island. One of the Islands´ principal attractions is the “pinnacle rock” In order to see it properly will make a medium level hike for around and hour. In this excursion you will learn from the volcanic landscape of the island and see different species such as: lava lizard or cacti, once we reach the top will have a magnificent view of the Pinnacle rock in contrast with the volcanic landscape blended with the turquoise waters of the surrounding beaches. After the excursion we will proceed to do snorkeling in one of the coral beaches of the areas where if we are lucky we will see: Marine turtles, sea lions, multicolor fish and penguins. Lunch will be on board in the afternoon we will return to Santa Cruz.
Included meals: Lunch

To request prices, please click on the BOOK TRIP bottom on the right sidebar and fill the information.

Excursion to South Plaza Island
South Plazas is situated on the east coast of Santa Cruz Island, it`s formed from uplifted marine lava and is one of the smallest island on the archipelago. This Island despite its size has a lot of concentration of wildlife. We will disembark in a small dock frequently occupied by sea lions. After this we will continue through a small forest of prickly pear cacti with their yellow flowers where could be lots of land iguanas waiting for their fruits and flowers fall of to the ground, to get finally up to the cliff, where you can often see a shoal of the endemic yellow-tailed mullet. The cliff is an excellent to view swallow-tailed gulls, tropic bird, frigate birds, pelicans, at the eastern end of the island bull sea lions congregate there to rest after losing their territory and recover energy and try to be again the beach master. Return to Santa Cruz.
Included meals: Lunch

To request prices, please click on the BOOK TRIP bottom on the right sidebar and fill the information.

PRICING

ECU-51 – To request prices, please click on the BOOK TRIP bottom on the right sidebar and fill the information.

INCLUDED

All transfers
Guided visit to Rancho Primicias & Twin Craters
Excursion on yacht to Bartolome island (max 16 pax per guide)
Entrance fees during tours
Meals as described in the itinerary
Hotels according to “hotel list” (the availability will be confirmed at the moment of the booking)

NOT INCLUDED