Western Galapagos Islands Cruise - ARCHIPEL I M/C

Arrival at Seymour Airport on Baltra Island

Meet and greet your naturalist guide upon arrival at Seymour Airport on Baltra Island. Before leaving the airport, you'll pass an inspection point where your Transit Control Card will be stamped. Be sure to store this with your travel documents as you'll need to show it again when you depart the Galapagos Islands. If you haven't already, you'll also pay the Galapagos National Park entrance fee of 100 USD here. You'll then be escorted on board the Galaxy where your captain and crew will welcome you.

Highlands

After lunch this afternoon, you'll visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz where you'll trek with your naturalist guide to see the Twin Craters and visit a local ranch to observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat. If the weather permits, you'll also be able to view the stunning scenery of extinct volcanic cones carpeted with lush greenery. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, long pants, a hat, and sunblock.

Evening onboard Archipel M/C. 

Las Tintoreras

A group of islets just off the shores of Puerto Villamil, Las Tintoreras is the Spanish name for white tipped reef sharks, which can be commonly spotted resting in the calm and clear turquoise waters. As you walk along the nature trail with your guide, keep your eyes peeled for Galapagos penguins and sea lions along the mangrove lined shoreline, as well as colonies of marine iguanas and lava lizards that like to bask in the sun.

Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Centre

Visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center situated just outside Puerto Villamil, where endangered Galapagos giant tortoises live in captivity. See five different endemic subspecies and how they're cared for to ensure their survival in the wilderness on the Galapagos Islands. Walk the manicured botanical garden that surrounds this breeding center and observe the colorful Yellow Warblers, Darwin’s finches and Galapagos and vermilion flycatchers that make this garden their home. In an adjacent saltwater lagoon, watch for American flamingos as they hunt for shrimp and algae.

Evening onboard Archipel M/C. 

Moreno Point

Visit Moreno Point on the western shores of Isabela Island this morning and explore the tidal lagoons and extensive lava fields, keeping your eyes peeled for sightings of herons, frigatebirds and green turtles. Take in the shrub dotted landscape of Moreno Point, where candelabra cacti reach impressive heights of up to seven meters, towering above surrounding mangrove bushes and saltwater lagoons fringed with sea grass. Along the pristine shoreline, keep your eyes peeled for marine iguanas and brown pelicans. Then discover a striking panoramic view of the Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul and La Cumbre - the three most active volcanoes in the Galapagos.

Elizabeth Bay

Made up of a collection of small islets, coastal mangrove forests and rocky reefs, Isabela Island is a sanctuary for wildlife and the premiere breeding site for Galapagos penguins. View a variety of wildlife on your visit to Red Mangrove Cove, ranging from brown pelicans to spotted eagle rays and sea lions.

Evening onboard Archipel M/C. 

Tagus Cove

This morning, the Archipel I will cross the Bolivar Channel and reach Tagus Cove on the northwestern shores of Isabela Island. This site was historically frequented by pirates who left their mark by carving the names of their ships onto the cliff faces that surround the cove. Following a 3 km trail with your guide, reach Darwin Lake, a saltwater lagoon reaching nine meters in depth contained within a tuff cone. The cliff faces of Tagus Cove provide a number of nesting sites for sea and coastal birds, and from the inflatable dinghy, you'll have the opportunity to see flightless cormorants, storm petrels and flocks of blue-footed boobies and brown pelicans.

Punta Espinoza

As the third-largest island in the Galapagos, Fernandina is also the youngest. Visit Espinoza Point, home to the flightless cormorant and recognized for its large colonies of marine iguanas. Free of any introduced species, Fernandina is one of the world's most pristine islands, and despite its barren landscape, the lava cacti thrive here, against a dramatic backdrop of Volcán La Cumbre. Tread with care between January and June, during the nesting period of the marine iguana.

Evening onboard Archipel M/C. 

Bachas Beach

Arrive at Santa Cruz Island on the Archipel I on your final morning and visit the dazzling white sand Bachas Beach on its northern shores. This beach earned its name after World War II when the American army abandoned their barges on the beach. Unable to pronounce "barge" in the English language, "bachas" is the result of a mispronunciation, resulting in the name of the beach. Stroll the pristine coastline where its sands meet the turquoise bay, and orange Sally Lightfoot crabs scurry between the rocks at your feet. Reach a brackish lagoon on your walk, where white-cheeked pintails and hunting herons wade in the water and catch a glimpse of the American flamingos that inhabit this island. From your naturalist guide, learn about the role Bachas Beach plays as one of the island's main sea turtle nesting sites.

Transfer to Seymour Airport on Baltra Island

Your visit to Bachas Beach concludes this five days Western Galapagos Islands cruise on the Archipel I. Your guide and friendly crew members will transfer you to Seymour Airport on Baltra Island for your onward journey, and accompany you to the check-in counters and departure hall.