Northern Galapagos Islands Cruise - SOLARIS M/Y

Arrival at Seymour Airport on Baltra Island (GPS)

Meet and greet your naturalist guide upon arrival at Seymour Airport on Baltra Island, and be escorted onboard the Solaris Yacht by dinghy. 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. Onboard the luxury Solaris, your captain and crew will toast you with a refreshing welcome drink. Get acquainted with your cabin while lunch is prepared.

Mosquera 

Situated between Baltra and Seymour Islands, this islet is a popular stop on any Galapagos itinerary for its sizable sea lion colony. Observe as they sunbathe or splash in the water, and then enjoy time on Mosquera's white sand beach, keeping your eyes peeled for sightings of sea birds. Formed by a geological uplift, the rocks along this islet's shores commonly see red lava and Sally lightfoot crabs.

Enjoy your first dinner and night on the Solaris.

Darwin Bay 

Set sail to Genovesa Island on the Solaris this morning. North of Santa Cruz Island, you'll reach Darwin Bay by wet landing and disembark on the white coral beach for leisurely strolls along its shoreline. As you reach a nearby mangrove swamp, you'll encounter colonies of frigatebirds, red-footed and masked boobies and yellow warblers, making Darwin Bay a favorite attraction for passionate birdwatchers. Wildlife enthusiasts will also be delighted by the presence of herons, the great terrestrial finch and cactus finch. Following your visit on land, you'll enjoy some time at leisure to swim and snorkel in the shimmering waters of Darwin Bay.

Prince Phillip Steps 

Named after a visit by the Duke of Edinburgh in the 1960s, El Barranco is also fondly recognized as Prince Philip's Steps, a steep and rocky path that leads visitors to a set of rugged cliff faces some 25 meters up to view the island's varied species of sea birds. Despite its daunting appearance, this climb on the eastern stretch of Darwin Bay is made easy with the presence of sturdy wooden handrails. Embark on a walk along the Barranco Path, winding your way past colonies of red-footed and masked boobies high up in the trees, and observing tropical birds, petrels, frigatebirds and finches in their natural habitat. Here, you'll also have the opportunity to spot owls that have found a nesting place in the island's extensive lava fields.

Enjoy dinner and evening on board the Solaris.

South Plaza

Half a pair of Plazas Island off the eastern shores of Santa Cruz, South Plaza is recognized for its outstanding collection of wildlife species despite its small size. While the North Plaza Island is visited for research purposes only, you'll visit the South Plaza Island this morning to see one of the largest sea lion colonies in the Galapagos, which is estimated to be at about 1000. On a hike with your naturalist guide, you'll notice that the land iguanas on South Plaza Island are smaller, primarily due to overpopulation and heavy competition for food sources. You'll also have the opportunity to observe them as they feed on the fruit of the prickly pear cacti as you wind along a rugged cliff where seabirds nest.

Santa Fe 

At an estimated four million years, Santa Fe Island is recognized as one of the oldest in the Galapagos archipelago. With a relatively small land area of 24 sq. km, this island situated between Santa Cruz and San Cristobal boasts a diversity of endemic species - the Santa Fe land iguana, Galapagos Mockingbird and rice rat. Its landscape is unique for their population of the large prickly pear cactus, Opuntia Echios, which feeds Santa Fe's land iguanas. Following a wet landing among a sea lion colony at Barrington Bay, enjoy a swim or snorkel in its shimmering waters as hawks fly overhead, keeping your eyes peeled for rays, tropical fish and marine tortoises.

Enjoy dinner and evening on board the Solaris.

Leon Dormido

Its Spanish name for Kicker Rock, Leon Dormido refers to the shape of this rock which takes on the form of a sleeping lion. An old lava cone now split into two, Leon Dormido is a popular site for Nazca and blue-footed boobies, as well as frigatebirds. End your morning by snorkeling among sea turtles, schools of tropical fish, and spotted eagle rays that glide effortlessly alongside you.

Following your visit to Leon Dormido, transfer to San Cristobal Airport on San Cristobal Island for your return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.