We will go to the airport and there will be one of our personnel to assist the group during the three stages of the process. (Yes, there are some special things that we must do going to Galapagos).

Luggage inspection and the purchase of transit tickets come first- only then we may proceed to get our boarding passes, get to the boarding lounge and then enjoy our 100 minute flight to the magical archipelago .

We will start our adventures right there and then, as we need to cross the island from the northernmost end all the way to the south (Puerto  Ayora). We will take advantage of this ride to visit a farm where tortoises have chosen to live and visit and learn from our naturalist guides about these gentle giants. Then, we will visit one lava tube, an extraordinary formation which is the result of several  eruptions that have created this unbelievable  underground tunnels.

After theses two activities, we continue towards the port to get our fast boat to transfer us to the island of Isabela with enough time to go to the beach and have our first lovely yoga session while enjoying the sunset by the shoreline.

Volcán Sierra Negra, afternoon at the beach (various activities available)

We will have very different adventures today. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. 

Morning:

Today, the adventure involves a long walk whose reward is a landscape that will leave us breathless and without words to describe it.

A bus will take us to the foothills of the Sierra Negra volcano. We will ascend about 5 km towards the crater of the volcano and eventually find ourselves standing at the very edge of one of the largest calderas on the planet.

From this point we continue our walk now downhill towards "Volcán Chico", which is not a different volcano. It is the same Sierra Negra, except Volcán Chico is the site of the most recent eruption. In this place, we are going to admire an overwhelming landscape. On the one hand we are between lava rivers, then from a high viewpoint we can see looking north: Elizabeth Bay, Alcedo Volcano, Darwin Volcano, Ecuador Volcano and a little to the west Fernandina Island with its homonymous volcano. At Volcán Chico site, you can see fumaroles and sulfur flows. This area can only be described as “the land before time”.

After the long walk up and down the volcano, we will have a free afternoon to enjoy the beach, with options to rent a kayak, practice stand-up paddle boarding (maybe even paddle-board yoga) or snorkel.

TINTORERAS ISLET

At Tintoreras Islet, a fabulous walk between the lava flows, they allow us to learn the difference between lava A-A- and lava PAHOIHOI, blue-footed boobies, and penguins are all inhabitants of this islet. The beaches are different colors until you reach some cracks where sea lions and sharks share the space. Our adventure continues with a snorkeling session. Our swimming partners are penguins, sea lions, sea turtles and sharks  Later afternoon by the shore, having a drink on one of the many shoreline wooden bars with a view of the sunset.   

THE WALL OF TEARS  BIKING EXCURSION

We'll rent some bicycles and ride west towards what used to be a penal colony, one of the darkest pages in the history of the archipelago. The ride itself is very entertaining with several activities on the way, like the beach of love,  the tunnel, the estuary and the high view-point.  plus the remnants of the wall itself with its story. 

Morning:

UNDERWATER ADVENTURES

The real and official  name of this area is CABO ROSA, aka Rose Cape. It is the result of a gigantic lava flow from Sierra Negra Volcano as the slow moving lava reaches and collides with the ocean. Underground tunnels and caves were formed, and after  millions of years the erosion has created this amazing place where we enjoy a shallow waters snorkeling session  among tropical  fish,  sea horses, sharks, turtles penguins in the middle of underwater tunnels,  crevasses in the lava flows.   

Only poets have the right words to describe the beauty of this place; the tunnels of Isabela, these incredible lava formations which make an absolutely perfect place for snorkeling.

Afternoon:

Transfer back to Santa CruzAfternoon at the beachWe will arrive at  5:00 enough time to  check-in in our hotel  and take the taxi boat to Punta Estrada and PLAYA DE LOS ALEMANES  until  sunset. 

We will walk to Tortuga Bay. one the most beautiful beaches of the archipelago.

TORTUGA BAY

This day we´re going to have a very beautiful and educational  walk through the coastal vegetation on our way to Tortuga bay, in the company of Darwin finches and Galapagos mockingbirds, and achieve a deeper understanding of the vegetation, winds and currents  affecting  the formation  of the Archipelago .

On this one mile long beach we are going to enjoy a splendid yoga session . 

Afternoon:

In the afternoon we can choose between visiting "Las Grietas ", or “the Crevasses”, 

a natural formation where the rainwater from the highlands meets the ocean, or we can choose to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station.

Learn about the different types of lava and snorkel with penguins.

FULL DAY TRIP TO BARTHOLOMEW ISLAND 

How can I describe this day? Let me tell you that any description as hyperbolic as it might sound to you on first hearing... falls short once you´re there. 

The very top of a volcano emerging from the ocean, a climb up to the top of the hill to have an unhindered 360 degrees view as you walk on red soil that looks more as if you were on another planet.
 

Many islands can be seen on the horizon as we walk up on the ever-changing viewpoints. The top of this island will grant you the most famous photo. Yes!! That one! The one you thought was just a dream. The next activity will eclipse the first.

We are going to have a snorkeling session right next to the PINNACLE ROCK. Yes, that beauty that you saw a few minutes ago from the top, you will be snorkeling right below it. What might you see there? Quite frequently you will see many tropical fish, as well as playful SEA LIONS, PENGUINS, RAYS, and if we're lucky, some WHITE TIP REEF SHARKS or GALAPAGOS SHARKS. Yes, this will be a day to remember forever. 

After the snorkeling, a relaxing time at the golden beach of Bartholomew island

The trip back to Santa Cruz we might come about some surprise guests, But I am not here to spoil the surprises.

A short stroll around to the beach before transferring out. All good things must come to an end. Early wake up for a final stroll around town, just in time to run to the airport. On our way we'll have one final visit: THE TWINS, a pair of magma chambers, thus completing our learning about the volcanic origin of the islands. After this visit we continue our way towards the airport to catch our flight to Guayaquil 

Accommodation Marriott Hotel Guayaquil

We will have one night in Guayaquil to accommodate to your flight arrangements!