Galapagos Encounter - Archipel I (Itinerary B)

Land Only clients should aim to arrive at the hotel this afternoon/evening.

Free transfers are available for all clients. A local guide will welcome you

to Quito and explain the schedule for the next few days.

Today is free to relax, recover from the flight and explore the fascinating

city of Quito. Quito is the second highest capital in the world, standing at

2850m on the western cordillera of the Andes. It is one of the smaller and

more attractive of the colonial capitals of South America. Because of the

altitude visitors to Quito are advised to take it easy at first.

Morning Fly to Galapagos: Transfer to Quito Airport and fly to Baltra Airport in the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival to the Islands, you will pass through the airport inspection point to make sure that no foreign plant or animals are introduced to the island, and to pay the National Park Entrance Fee. Your guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage and escort you on a short bus ride to the harbour where a dinghy will be waiting to take you to the yacht.



Afternoon Mosquera Islet: Galapagos Sea lions are true beach lovers and Mosquera offers beautiful white coral sand beaches that contrast with the blue water and attract numerous Sea lions. During a beach walk, you can observe numerous species of waders and sanderlings.

*Morning Prince Philip's Steps:* Not only because of its historical English

name (Tower) Genovesa has a royal touch.  Follow in the footsteps of Prince

Philip - Galapagos lover for many years - and visit this favourite birding

spot with the largest breeding colonies of red-footed and Nazca boobies, and

look for a remarkable short-eared owl that hunts on foot!



*Afternoon Darwin Bay:* As one of the outer islands and most exclusive places

on the Galapagos, Genovesa is well worth last night's longer navigation. This

compace site in the heart of its flooded crater shows the extreme varied

coastal ecosystems of the Galapagos in miniature; nearly too much for a

single day. 

*Morning Bartolome:* This tiny volcano islet is just recently born out of

fire. Enter its wild romantic setting of spatter cones and craters, and see

the most famous panorama of the Galapagos/./ 



*Afternoon Sullivan Bay (Santiago):* Sullivan Bay is incomparable to any

other visitor's site; setting foot at the recently solidified lava flow is

like landing on the moon!

*Morning Charles Darwin Research Station:* The most memorable part of the

Charles Darwin Research Station will probably be the successful breeding

centre and its celebrity 'Lonesome George'.



*Afternoon Santa Cruz Highlands:* Santa Cruz offers excellent opportunities

for seeing wild Galapagos giant tortoises, roaming through pastures in the

agricultural zone and in the transition zone of the adjacent El Chato

Tortoise Reserve. 

*Morning Cormorant Point:* Please don't expect flightless cormorants at

Cormorant Point (they live exclusively in West Galapagos). Instead, you may

have the only opportunity in the East to spot Galapagos penguins from the

dinghy, or a flamingo lagoon against the pockmarked backdrop of extinct tuff

cones and scented palo santo bushes.



*Afternoon Post Office Bay:* Bring your postcards and post them in the

peculiar traditional barrel on this historic site that seems to be located at

the end of the world. These might arrive home quicker than you!

*Morning Gardner Bay:* Being one of the crown jewels of the Galapagos,

Espanola gives you the exclusive opportunity to become an eyewitness of

evolution.



*Afternoon Suarez Point:* Espanola's west tip is a true birdwatcher's and

photographer's dream.  Feel as though you're within an exciting nature

documentary and hike a short distance from some of the most colourful Marine

iguanas.

*Morning Pitt Point:* Two wind sculptured tuff cones at Pitt Point constitute

the easternmost end of the Galapagos and were the first sight of land of HMS

Beagle with Darwin aboard.



*Afternoon Witch Hill:* Enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the lovely setting of

Witch Hill's crescent-shaped natural beach of soft powdery sand.

*Morning Lobos Islet (San Cristobal):* The Asylum of Peace hike goes past a

mesmerising cave and visits a fascinating freshwater spring. La Loberia beach

is an ideal spot to enjoy the ocean, as well as the cute Sea lions that live

there.



*Afternoon transfer out to San Cristobal Airport:* Assisted by the naturalist

guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to

San Cristobal, where we will take the airport shuttle. From here we fly to

Guayaquil where it's possible to connect with international flights this

evening from 6pm onwards.