Santa Cruz Eco and Community Adventure – 7 days Wildlife Viewing, Eco Adventure, Local Experiences, Cultural Immersion and Social Responsibility 

‘Immerse yourself in nature and the community.’ Visit the Galapagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most unique and sustainable places on our planet. Observe endemic species such as Galapagos Giant Tortoises, Marine Iguanas, Galapagos Penguins and Darwin Finches in their natural habitats. Explore the diverse landscapes from beaches to the highlands and the cloud forest of Santa Cruz Island to the marine reserve. Savor an eco adventure visiting a crater on an e-bike, snorkel, dive or surf and visit a coffee farm, learn to cook Ecuadorian cuisine and gain an insight into local conservation and animal welfare projects. All this whilst staying with local naturalist guides near one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Tortuga Bay. 

Highlights

· Explore the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve and see endemic wildlife

· Enjoy eco adventures on e-bikes, visit uninhabited islands, dive or 

Immerse yourself in community experiences and learn about conservation/animal welfare   

Day 1 Quito –Baltra – Santa Cruz Highlands Tour - Puerto Ayora Hotel

- Domestic flight Quito Airport to Baltra Airport

Santa Cruz Highlands Tour 

El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve 

We will visit El Chato which is a fantastic place to observe the Galapagos giant tortoises and a variety of birds such as Darwin Finches, Vermillion Flycatchers and Yellow Warblers in their natural habitat and walk inside lava tunnels. We will have our Galapagos Deli sandwich lunch here. 

Galapagos Horse Foundation (GHF)

We will first visit GHF which is based on a farm near Santa Rosa 20 km from Puerto Ayora. It has a mission to ‘to educate the community for the wellbeing of horses, and fair treatment of all animals’. We will see a herd of 15 well cared for, free horses on a beautiful highland farm surrounded by volcanic cones. Claudia Moreno the GHF director who also cares for a 9 rescue dogs and a cat will tell us about the history of horses on the island and their work since 2015 looking after horses as a charity and the Horse Guided Empowerment workshops and the Horse Yoga. 

Orientation Briefing  

After check in at your homestay near the iconic Tortuga Bay, your Naturalist Guide Specialised in the Galapagos will provide you an orientation of both Puerto Ayora and Santa Cruz as well as an awareness of the other inhabited islands.

Accommodation Homestay with naturalist guides including kitchen in Puerto Ayora

Day 2 Santa Cruz – Charles Darwin Research Station – Tortuga Bay (optional Surfing lesson) 

Charles Darwin Research Station and Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Centre (AM)

After breakfast you will visit the Van Straalen Interpretation Centre, Charles Darwin Exhibition Hall and obtain an awareness of important scientific projects such as Galapagos Verde 2050. We will also visit the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding and Rearing Centre which is a long term joint venture between the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park. Originally starting in 1965 to protect the giant tortoise population on Pinzon it now operates across the entire species. 

Tortuga Bay (PM)

After visiting the Galapagos Deli for sandwiches and water, your naturalist guide will join you for a walk to Tortuga Bay, one of the most beautiful, pristine beaches in the world. A 2.5 km long trail from the gatehouse leads to the surfer's beach Playa Brava with its huge waves and strong tide. Walking about 1 km further down the beach you reach a calm bay known as Playa Mansa.  

Close to the mangroves you may spot baby White Tip Sharks. Green Marine Turtles, Brown Pelicans and Great Blue Heron. Large Marine Iguanas that bask on the sand and rocks tend to be a highlight, If you are feeling energetic you can hire kayaks on this beach for $10 per hour per person. 

Surfing lesson (3 hours Optional, supplement and pre-booking required) (PM)

You will have an opportunity to have a surfing lesson with popular local surfing coach Diego on Playa Brava before you return to your homestay. If you are a beginner Diego will take you through how to stand on a board, how to distribute your weight properly, and provide you with safety tips before accompanying you into the water on a long or short board to enjoy riding the waves on this amazing beach.

Accommodation Homestay with naturalist guides including kitchen in Puerto Ayora

Day 3 Santa Cruz - Bartolomé Island or North Seymour (Full Day)

Bartolomé is a volcanic islet just off the east coast of Santiago Island. It is one of the "younger" islands in the Galápagos and with a total land area of just 1.2 km², Bartolomé offers some of the most panoramic views of all the islands including Pinnacle Rock which is one of the two visitor sites we can swim and snorkel at with amazing marine wildlife. Sullivan Bay is another great place to snorkel at. We will take a 45 minute private bus from Puerto Ayora to Santa Cruz Ferry Terminal to board our tour boat with our naturalist guide.

Or

North Seymour is a northern Galapagos island which was formed by the up-lifting of submarine volcanic lavas. Marine fossils found in the archipelago are on these islands. It has an abundance of plant species, birds, marine wildlife as well as land iguanas. We will take a 45 minute

private bus from Puerto Ayora to Santa Cruz Ferry Terminal to board our tour boat with

our naturalist guide.

Or

Diving

Gordon Rocks (Advanced level) (7-8 hours) 

Gordon Rocks is an extinct volcanic crater which is 32m deep , and an exterior wall drop off of about 65m . Surrounding the crater are three exposed rocks and three pinnacles 5-6m below the surface on northern edge of the crater with one larger pinnacle about 21m below the surface in the centre. 

Strong currents at Gordon Rocks attract schools of the famous hammerhead sharks. Other marine life include Black and White black tip reef sharks, sting rays, spotted Eagle rays, snapper and barracuda, manta rays, green sea turtles and sea lions.

Or 

North Seymour (Beginner level) (7-8 hours)

The North Seymour dive site is made up of gradual steps from the island shoreline dropping 8m to a rock reef, before reaching the bottom at 16–18m. Marine life you may see when diving here includes many black and white tip reef sharks, Eagle rays, Manta and Devil rays, Octopus, barracuda, snapper and green sea turtles. 

Accommodation Homestay with naturalist guides including kitchen in Puerto Ayora

Day 4 Local Experiences –Highland Sustainable Farm visit/ Garrapatero Beach and Santa Cruz Microbrewery Tour

Highland Sustainable Farm and Lava Tunnel (2.5 hours) AM/PM (Groups of 2-8 pax)

We will visit a highland farm and learn about their way of life, sugar cane growing and how their life has changed because of the pandemic.  We will also walk through a small, yet picturesque lava tunnel and enjoy a lunch which is sourced 100% from their farm.

Or 

Garrapatero Beach visit (Groups 9-16 pax)

We will visit  Garrapatero Cove and beach with its pristine white sand on the east of the island with our naturalist guide,. We will have our Deli sandwich  lunch here and you can either relax on the beach, swim in the ocean, kayak (not included) or walk a short distance to a brackish lagoon, home of stilts, plovers, pintails and seasonally flamingos.

Santa Cruz Microbrewery tour  (2 hours) PM

Do you love craft beer and want a truly local experience learning about how beer is brewed in the first brewery in Santa Cruz on your visit to our Enchanted Islands? 

Well, you can on our Santa Cruz Microbrewery tour experience. 

Our local experience hosts Marcelo and or Pablito will enthusiastically describe the various processes required to brew the different strength beers and ales sold at the Santa Cruz Brewery in Puerto Ayora. Best of all you will get a chance to taste some of the brews in the beer garden in the Bellavista forest 6kms from Puerto Ayora. 

Accommodation Homestay with naturalist guides including kitchen in Puerto Ayora

Day 5 E-biking to Highland View and Cerro Mesa (option by taxi/ minibus if 9 or more pax)

E-Biking to Highland View & Cerro Mesa Eco Reserve (5-6 hours) (AM/PM)

After breakfast we will collect our e-bikes for today’s biking experience with our naturalist guide.

Highland View 

Situated 10km from Puerto Ayora in the east of the island, Highland View offers some of the most panoramic views on the island especially from 'the magic swings'. It is a privately run coffee and eco farm with hiking trails, amazing fauna, lava tunnels and farm animals.  

Cerro Mesa Eco Reserve

Cerro Mesa is a privately owned eco reserve about 14km from Puerto Ayora and also on the east of the island nestled next to Pikaia Lodge. It has hiking trails to the foot of the largest crater on Santa Cruz Island plus a 3km cycle trail, an abundance of fruit depending on the season such as oranges, grapefruit and guavas and giant tortoises that roam freely. 

Accommodation Homestay with naturalist guides including kitchen in Puerto Ayora

Day 6 Cultural Immersion - Ecuadorian cooking class or Painting Silk purses or visit to a highland Coffee Farm & visit to Pan Animalia Galapagos vet clinic

Farm to Table Ecuadorian cooking class (5 hours) (AM/PM) (2-8 pax)

We will begin the class by visiting a sustainable organic farm in the Santa Cruz highlands with our chef to source fruit, vegetables and herbs and learn about agroecological farming practices on the island. We will then go to our kitchen which is in a restaurant by the Pacific Ocean with stunning views to learn how to cook popular Ecuadorian coastal cuisine such as ceviche and fish in coconut sauce and patacones (made from plantain) before eating what we prepare.

Or

Painting Silk purses (1.5 hours) (AM) (2-8 pax)

Local British artist Sarah will enthrall you with her life story and how she came to live in the Galapagos Islands back in 1989, providing light hearted art therapy whilst you paint one or two silk purses over a glass of wine or a soft drink. During the class, Sarah will give advice and tips about painting, lifestyle suggestions and ideas if you want to continue painting at home i.e., where to look for life inspiration. At the end of the class, you will get to keep the purse(s) you painted and we will return to the Angelique Art Gallery where you can browse Sarah’s work.

Or 

Tantum Coffee Farm tour (2.5 hours) (AM) (2-16 pax)

No visit to Santa Cruz would be complete without visiting a coffee farm. Tantum Coffee Farm is situated in Occidente in the highlands of Santa Cruz and is part of the local experience development program endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism to promote sustainable tourism on the island. The owner will provide a guided tour of his farm providing an insight in to challenges he and other coffee farmers face on the islands with the micro climate and volcanic landscape and how they meet these challenges to produce great organic coffee which we get to taste at the end of the tour. 

And 

Pan Animalia Galapagos Vet Clinic visit (1 hour) (PM) (2- 16 pax)

Pan Animalia Galapagos Foundation is a registered charity both in the Galapagos and the UK that provides professional, free vet care for cats and dogs on the islands via its clinic in Puerto Ayora. During our 1 hour visit to the vet clinic we will gain an insight in to what the clinic offers and an awareness of animal welfare on the islands and its significance to wider conservation efforts here.

Accommodation Homestay with naturalist guides including kitchen in Puerto Ayora

Day 7 Transfer OUT to Baltra by private taxi for domestic flight to Quito/Guayaquil (AM or PM)