Galapagos Multisport with SUP Boarding - Itinerary
Day 1: Mainland - Santa Cruz
AM
Baltra Airport.
Ferry crossing to Santa Cruz Island (10-minute ride). Arrive in Santa Cruz around 11:30 AM (depending on your flight schedule).
The adventure will start with a short visit to "Los Gemelos" (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers - a breathtaking visual reminder of the power of nature. After the collapsed lava chambers we go on to visit another incredible lava phenomenon, a lava tunnel whose ceiling is up to 20 feet high in places. We take the time to wander through the tunnel and again witness the power of the volcanic activity that created these islands. Stalagmites, stalactites, sulfur, mineral-colored walls, and the rippled floor formed from lava can be seen on this unique Galapagos stroll.
PM
In the afternoon we stop for lunch at a local restaurant on a farm. Once we are refreshed the next adventure begins. With our guide we will collect our bikes and ride from el Chato Farm to the town of Puerto Ayora - This is a 12 mile ride, all downhill, our pick up will follow, ready to offer assistance and carrying refreshments and snacks
After that, check in at Aventura Lodge; time to discover Puerto Ayora on your own before the dinner at the lodge.
Day 2: Santa Cruz - Floreana
AM
After a delicious breakfast we head to Academy Bay for a kayak adventure. We will spend a leisurely 4 hours kayaking through Franklin Bay to Punta Estrada. We end our kayak trip in a beautiful lagoon where we can snorkel and see white tip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, manta rays, and colorful tropical fish and spend time relaxing on the beach. After this we head back to the lodge for lunch.
PM
After lunch we depart for Floreana, the boat ride will take around two hours.
On arrival we will visit Black Beach (named for the black volcanic sand) to enjoy a swim, snorkel, or some down time. Later we can enjoy the unique scenery of Floreana on a short walk to La Loberia to see the basking sea lions on the sand and turtles swimming in the crystal clear waters. A short walk along the coastline takes us back to the beach front cabins and we settle and freshen up before enjoying a welcome drink then heading to dinner. Our dinner reservations are at a local restaurant where we will enjoy Galapagueña food and the warm hospitality of one of the first families to arrive on Floreana. The family is always happy to share their stories about the mysteries of the island.
Day 3: Exploring the Shores of Floreana
AM
After an island breakfast with our newly made friends we take time to discover the amazing wildlife around the town. Have your camera ready as this is a fantastic opportunity to take great pictures and capture the beauty of Floreana enjoying the co-existence of the islands human and wild inhabitants. We then gather for a relaxing lunch before continuing our explorations.
PM
Once we are all done with lunch we take a panga ride around the shores of Floreana, this will allow as a wonderful opportunity to view the island and its ever changing coastline from the ocean. We will end our boat ride with another chance to snorkel and swim with the marine inhabitants of the island.
Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 4: Florena's Highlands, Isabela
AM
After our last breakfast on Floreana, we will depart in an open-air bus for our tour of the highlands of Floreana during the bumpy ride your guide will fill you in on the history of this, the first settled island in the Galapagos.
We leave our transport and start our walk by going to see the Asilo de la Paz (Peace Asylum), home of a natural spring that attracted pirates, whalers, and later settlers to Floreana because it was one of the very few year-round sources of fresh water in the Galapagos.
The Cueva de los Piratas (Pirate's Cave) is quite literally where pirates carved temporary shelter out of soft stone. It is also where one of the original settlers, Margret Wittmer, gave birth to a son, Rolf, who is still living. Some have jokingly referred to it as the "Stonehenge" of Floreana because of its interesting shapes.
Cerro Pajas (Bird Hill) truly lives up to its name, with a multitude of Floreana finches. It also offers spectacular views of the island and the sea below. Here we will visit a tortoise reserve working to protect and reintroduce the native species of Floreana. This makes for a great photo opportunity and the chance to see firsthand the conservation work of the National Park and island inhabitants in action to preserve the integrity of the Galapagos.
We will hear from our Naturalist Guide the animal, plant and human history of the island and particularly the colorful history of Floreana's first inhabitants, like the Baroness, and the legend of the "Floreana Mystery", which involves the mysterious deaths of several island inhabitants, which to this day remain unsolved.
We end our tour of the highlands by taking a 3 mile walk down to the town. On the way we pass through ever changing landscapes - a highlight is the lemon and oranges trees that decorate both sides of the roads, if you are lucky to be there in fruit season take one and enjoy the fantastic flavor!
Once back in town we board our boat to take the 2 hour crossing to Isabela.
We arrive on Isabela between 12:30 and 1:00 PM. This port is a feast for the eyes, with stunning green and turquoise water so clear you can see turtles, sea lions, and penguins as though looking through glass. Our transport will be waiting to take us the short drive to the Red Mangrove Isabela Lodge.
PM
After lunch, we will take a smaller boat to head out across the port, the slower speed of this boat means we can take in the magical scene of blue-footed boobies and Galapagos penguins sharing the same rocky sunbathing space, before heading to our next stop - Tintoreras. Once we dock we take a fascinating walk through a jagged lava field, passing abundant colonies of basking marine iguanas, to see a small canal full of resting white-tipped reef sharks that enjoy the warmth of the sun before heading out to hunt at night.
If the tide is low, they are sometimes a mere two feet below the surface.
The views from Tintoreras are images that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. The black treacherous lava field, the emerald green sea, the forest green mangrove, and the cloud-capped volcanoes of Isla Isabela create an afternoon backdrop that is unforgettable.
On returning to the dock, we have another opportunity to snorkel in this warm, shallow bay surrounded by mangroves, and frequented by white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, penguins, and, of course, the incredible root formation of the mangrove below the surface. Don't worry, white-tipped reef sharks are not aggressive, merely fascinating.
We take our boat back to the port and meet with our vehicle to transfer to Campo Duro. Campo Duro is a beautiful and organic farm. The campground offers 5 comfy tents built on platforms, each accomodating two people. A couple of the tents are perched above Campo Duro's Galapagos Tortoise reserve; a hedge rimmed 2.5 acres (1 hectare) where youngsters from Isabela's successful breeding center get their first taste of the "wild". Campo Duro is a comfortable, whimsical otherworldly paradise perfect for family outings and anyone adventurous enough to sleep (and shower) under the stars in a world that gives you a peek inside what the earth looked like in the middle of the ocean millions of years ago.
Dinner and overnight at Campo Duro.
Day 5: Hike Sierra Negra Volcano in Isabela
AM
After a hearty breakfast at the camp we departure for our Volcano tour. Our local transport will take us up through the humid highlands to the slopes of Volcan Sierra Negra. This is our chance to hike to the caldera (crater) of Sierra Negra. At 4 miles across, it is the second largest active caldera in the world. The views across the caldera are breathtaking and we take time to relax and enjoy a snack and cold drink before we take the more challenging hike into Volcan Chico. Volcan Chico is a recent lava flow where fumaroles activity is abundant. The views at the end of our hike in are spectacular and you can see both sides of the island. This is not an easy hike, however, because it is mostly across sloping lava fields.
Once we return to the base there is an option to bike downhill from Campo Duro to the Lodge, it is a 4 mile ride approximately, with stunning views of the town, lava fields, nature, birds, etc.
PM
We get back to the lodge for a late lunch then enjoy some downtime on the beach, in the town or relaxing on the deck of the lodge.
Dinner at Isabela Lodge
Day 6: Stand up paddling on Isabela
AM
After a good night's sleep and delicious breakfast we depart the lodge for the most unique experience on the islands - Stand up Paddling! It is easy to learn, feels like walking on the water, and is a fun way to explore the Galapagos Islands tropical waters. Hot tip -- don't forget polarized sunglasses to improve the viewing in the water! This is the perfect activity for those wanting to get out and experience the famous wildlife of the archipelago while getting some exercise, pursuing fun activities, and learning a new sport.
PM
We get back to the lodge for a late lunch then enjoy some downtime on the beach, in the town or relaxing on the deck of the lodge.
Dinner at Isabela Lodge
Day 7: Isabela - Santa Cruz
AM
After an early breakfast we will start our bike ride to visit the Muro de las Lagrimas, Cerro Orchilla, and Humedales. Riding out of town we cycle along the most beautiful, white sand, palm lined beach in all of the Galapagos, Long Beach.
This beach, straight from the cover of a travel magazine, stretches for miles before we enter the National Park, when we reach the trail we have astounding views from the top of Cerro Orchilla.
The "Muro de Las Lagrimas" (Wall of Tears), a unique construction built on the backbreaking labor of prisoners of a centuries old penal colony. On the path to the Wall of Tears we see an abundance of lava lizards-the males are larger and striped and the females red-throated.
We cycle back to the lodge to join our transport and head, once more, to the beautiful port of Isabela to board our boat for the transfer to Santa Cruz.
PM
We arrive at the port and take the short ride to check into the Aventura Lodge and enjoy a relaxing lunch overlooking the port.
Later in the afternoon we have the option of joining our guide for a tour of the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station. Alternatively take time to enjoy a stroll into the beautiful town of Puerto Ayora and shop for souvenirs or browse the shops along Charles Darwin Avenue.
We enjoy our last dinner at the Lodge
Day 8 : Santa Cruz - Quito or Guayaquil
AM
After an early breakfast we depart for the airport – we always allow 3 hours before designated flight time so we can get to the airport 1.5 hours before takeoff. |
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