8 DAY DISCOVERY ISLAND HOPPING TOUR

Day 1: Arrival to San Cristobal

Welcome to the Galapagos Islands! Upon arrival you will be picked up from San Cristobal airport and you will be transferred to your hotel. San Cristobal is known for its many sea lions; they are literally lying around everywhere! In the afternoon you have free time to discover the island. You can visit the Interpretation Center, where you will learn about the formation and colonization of the islands. Afterwards you can walk the trail to Frigate bird hill, which is a viewpoint from which you have a beautiful view over the island. This small hike ends at Punta Carola beach from where you return to your hotel.

Accommodation: Casa Playa Mann or similar
Meals included: -/-/-

Day 2: Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

Today you will do a snorkeling tour to Kicker Rock, which is a volcanic tuff rock rising at 144 meters above the sea level in the middle of the ocean. It is a beautiful snorkel site, also famous because of its rich marine life. We will go snorkeling at two different sites of Kicker Rock and we can spot many tropical fishes, sea turtles, sea lions, rays, Galapagos sharks, white tip sharks and if lucky: hammerhead sharks! Going around the rock with the boat you can also spot Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies and frigate birds.

Accommodation: Casa Playa Mann or similar
Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/-

Day 3: San Cristobal - Santa Cruz: Visit to the Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel to go to the pier, where you will take a public speedboat to Santa Cruz Island at 7 AM. The boat ride will take about 2 hours and can be bumpy, depending on the weather and time of the year. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel and then it is time to watch the famous giant Galapagos land tortoises in their natural environment and learn how the private ranches protect these special animals and their habitat. You can hear their sounds while they are eating the leaves of the trees. Tortoises of all different ages and sizes are gathering here. The well-known lava tunnels are another amazing experience! Formed by the lava floods of the volcanoes they range from the highlands down to the sea level. The track is collapsed on several spots. Nevertheless a part of the tunnel is intact and gives the observer an impression of their formation. We will also go to Los Gemelos, the twin craters that are actually sink holes surrounded by Scalesia forest. Vermillion flycatchers are often seen here and sometimes you can also see the short eared owl. After lunch we continue to the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about the endangered species and their conservation. You will also see the late Lonesome George, the last known individual of the Pinta Island tortoise, a symbol for conservation efforts worldwide.

Accommodation: Ikala Galapagos Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/-

Day 4: Day Tour to an uninhabited island

Today you will do a day tour to an uninhabited island. That will be either to South Plazas, Santa Fé, Bartolomé or North Seymour. We will let you know after booking which island is available. The destination will depend on availability at time of booking, day of the week, and the program of the National Park as the National Park gives daily itineraries to avoid crowding the islands.

Accommodation: Ikala Galapagos Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/-

Day 5: Santa Cruz - Isabela: Tintoreras Islet

Pick up from your hotel to go to the pier of Santa Cruz, where at 7 AM you will take a public speedboat to Isabela. The boat ride will take about 2.5 hours and can be bumpy, depending on the weather and time of the year. Upon arrival you will be picked up from the pier and taken to your hotel. In the afternoon we will do a boat ride around the Tintoreras Islet, where we can see Galapagos penguins and white-tipped reef sharks. Then we stop at one of the lava platforms and walk across the flat terrain where we can see many marine iguanas and sea lions. After that we will enter the water to go snorkeling with sea turtles and sea lions.

Accommodation: Hotel Isamar
Meals included: Breakfast/-/-

Day 6: Snorkeling at Los Tuneles or Sierra Negra Volcano Hike

On your sixth day you can choose between visiting the Sierra Negra Volcano (hiking tour) or the Cabo Rosa Lava Tunnels (snorkeling tour)!

Option 1 - Sierra Negra Volcano Hike
In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel to start the tour to the Sierra Negra Volcano; it is about a 40 minute drive into the highlands of Isabela. Sierra Negra is one of five volcanoes on Isabela and this volcano has the second largest volcanic crater in the world. During the Sierra Negra Volcano tour you hike to the edge of the crater and then trek across a landscape of lava fields. The Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos, with the last eruption in 2018. Though you won't see any lava flowing, you will have the opportunity to explore thermal vents and other fascinating geologic features. The views from this spot are among the most breathtaking of Isabela and on clear days you can observe the northern volcanoes on Isabela and Fernandina. During this hike you won´t see any animals, the real focus is the geology of the Sierra Negra and Chico volcanoes. Please note this is about a 3-4 hour hike and bring plenty of water, a cap/hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent and a rain jacket/windbreaker.

Option 2 - Cabo Rosa Lava Tunnels
Today we are going to do a snorkeling tour at the Cabo Rosa Lava Tunnels. The tour begins by taking a 45 minute speedboat ride to the western side of Puerto Villamil to one of the most astonishing snorkeling locations in the Galapagos Islands: Los Tuneles. A series of lava flows have created hundreds of arches and tunnels, both above and below the water. The striking geological formations are outdone only by the extraordinary collection of creatures that call this place home. The water is cool and still and an astonishing array of marine life is visible from above as you walk across the lava arches and bridges or from below as you snorkel in this unique habitat. The tour takes about 5 to 6 hours. First we will do a small hike along the lava formations; during the walk it is possible to see rays and sea turtles on the surface and you can observe different species of birds such as: blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and pelicans. Afterwards we go snorkeling; here you can see sea turtles, sharks, rays, seahorses, schools of fish and Galapagos penguins!

The rest of the day is at leisure. You can enjoy the beautiful beach in Isabela or you can visit the Flamingo Lagoon on your own. The Flamingo Lagoon is the largest coastal lagoon found in the Galapagos and is one of the main reproductive sites for the grand majority of flamingos.

Accommodation: Hotel Isamar
Meals included: Breakfast/Box Lunch/-

Day 7: Biking to the Wall of Tears

In the morning you will go by bike, on your own, to the tortoise breeding center, the wetlands and the Wall of Tears, which is the most important historical site of Isabela, located at approx. 8 km from the town. From 1945-1959, a penal colony hosted prisoners who were forced to build this wall, stone by stone, in isolation. Close to the Wall of Tears there is an observation tower where you can enjoy a view over the volcanic landscape of Isabela and its shore. On your way you can stop at Playita del Amor and El Estero, a small beach where you can see mangrove, marine iguanas and blue footed boobies. During your bike ride you might also see giant tortoises in the wild. You can also visit the Tortoise Breeding Center “Arnaldo Tupiza Chamaidan” (USD 10 p.p.) in Puerto Villamil where you can see baby tortoises and learn about the important Galapagos Islands breeding program. The rest of the day you have free time. You can go snorkeling in the Concha de Perla Lagoon, which is located at approx. 15 minutes walking from town. The last part of the walk to this snorkeling site consists of a wooden walkway where sea lions like to take a rest.

Accommodation: Hotel Isamar
Meals included: Breakfast/-/-

Day 8: Isabela - Santa Cruz - Baltra airport

Early morning pick up from your hotel to the pier to take a public speedboat back to Santa Cruz at 6 AM. Upon arrival a driver will pick you up from the pier and you will be transferred to Baltra airport. We first drive by private transportation to the Itabaca channel. A short ferry ride will get you to the other side of the channel. From here we take a shuttle bus to the airport. You will be accompanied until check-in at the airport.

Accommodation: -
Meals included: Breakfast/-/-