Upon arrival at San Cristóbal Airport, travellers pass through an airport inspection point to make sure that no foreignplants or animals are introduced to the islands, and to paythe park entrance fee of $100 (unless it has been prepaid).A guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage, andescort you on a short bus ride to the harbour.Cerro Colorado Tortoises Protection and Growing Centre,located approximately 40 minutes by bus from thesoutheast of the island, was built to improve the status ofthe population of the island tortoises. The centre includes alarge corral, a Visitor Centre, breeding centre and an interpretative trail. Along this trail, it is possible to see differentspecies of native and endemic plants as well as birds like theSan Cristóbal mockingbird, yellow warblers, many species ofnches and the Galapagos ycatcher

South Plaza is located at the east of Santa Cruz Island, andforms part of two islands known as Islas Plazas. Despite itssmall size, some of the most interesting and outstandingspecies of the Galapagos are found here. The Plazas landiguanas are smaller than their relatives found on otherislands. There are several hybrid iguanas, a result of crossinga male marine iguana and a female land iguana; they areunique, recognisable at rst glance by their black/grey color,with a land iguana's crest, but face and tail of the marineiguana. The large population of iguanas is due to the presence of tuna, their favourite food. Swallow-tailed gulls nestingin the rugged cliffs are seen along with other seabirds suchas Audubon shearwaters, red-billed tropicbirds, frigate birdsand brown pelicans.Located in the southeastern part of the Galapagos, thisisland was formed from an uplift rather than being froma volcanic origin; which is why it is mostly at. There aresome theories claiming that this could be the oldestisland in the archipelago. Santa Fe is home to a numberof endemic species like the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagossnake, Galapagos mockingbird, rice rats and one of thetwo species of land iguanas on the islands. After disembarking into the beautiful and clear waters, you will be incontact with one of the many sea lion colonies. Alongthe trail, many saltbushes can be seen, as well as giantPrickly pear cactus. There are great possibilities of snorkelling with playful sea lions and tropical sh.

Bottlenose dolphins frequently escort our passage toChampion Islet and you can see them from nearby jumpingthe wakes! Underwater, Galapagos sea lions are playful acrobats that become the number one attraction. There are alsolots of reef sh, and perhaps a green Pacic turtle.An inatable dinghy ride along the shoreline of this isletoffers sightings of lots of seabirds that are endemic to thearchipelago, including Galapagos penguins, blue-footedboobies, magnicent frigate birds and red-billed tropicbirds,swallow-tailed gulls and lava herons.A birdwatchers dream is to get a glimpse of the Charlesmockingbird on top of prickly pear cacti. This mockingbird isa scientic and historic key species, because it put Darwinon track of his theory of ‘adaptive radiation’.The Asylum of Peace Island is of historical interest for guests.This hike goes past a mesmerising cave and visits a fascinating freshwater spring. La Loberia beach is an ideal spot toenjoy the ocean, as well as the playful sea lions that residethere.

Although the great majority of Galapagos visitors comehere to observe and appreciate natural wonders, it is alsointeresting to learn how the protection and conservation ofthe islands are done. The main attractions are the NationalPark information centre, the Van Staelen Exhibition Hall, theBreeding and Rearing Centre for young tortoises, and adultGalapagos tortoises in captivity.The road to the highlands leaves from Bellavista, a smallvillage located a 15-minute drive from Puerto Ayora andpasses through the agricultural zone, near the National Parkboundary, the Miconia Zone, and then goes to the Fern andSedge zone. With clear weather, this area gives you beautifulscenes of rolling hills and extinct volcanic cones coveredwith grass and lush greenery all year round. Here you willvisit the Twin Craters, which are two pit craters, as well as alocal ranch where we can observe the Giant tortoise ofSanta Cruz Island in its natural habitat

“Tintoreras” are small islands in front of the Puerto Villamilcoast. There are herons on the lookout on mangrove branches, as well as Galapagos penguins and sea lions that oftenpop out on the shore. White-tipped reef sharks (in Spanish:Tintoreras) are common in the archipelago and are verycommonly found resting in the shallow waters.In the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Centre you can seehundreds of giant Galapagos tortoises of all sizes. Vulnerablehatchlings are not gigantic at all, even smaller than the size ofyour hand! This project just outside Puerto Villamil wascreated to rescue the endangered populations of Isabela’sboth southernmost volcanoes. From the almost incredibleestimations of 250,000 giant tortoises in the 16th century,by the 1970s there were only about 3,000 individuals remaining. One thing becomes clear on your visit: it’s hard workto save these creatures from extinction by reproduction incaptivity and repopulation. The good news is that theseprogrammes are successful and have already saved severalspecies from extinction so far. By 2015 their number increased to about 32,000 in all the archipelago. Don’t forget tovisit the native botanical garden of this breeding centre. Italso attracts colourful songbirds such as yellow warblers,Darwin’s nches, Galapagos and vermillion ycatchers.Finally there is no greater counterpart to the cumbersometortoises than the graceful American amingos whichfrequently lter the saline waters of the adjacent lagoon forshrimp and algae. They are joined by a handful of species ofaquatic and shore birds, from which some even migratefrom Canada and Alaska.

Moreno Point is located on the north coast of Isabela Islandbetween the volcanos Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul.The trail runs along a solidied lava ow called “Pahohoe”,into a complex of coastal lagoons. Its main attraction areseveral species of birds, which are found around the lakesand mangroves.This is a marine visitor site, so the excursion has no landingpoint. Your zodiac ride starts with a visit to the Marielasislets, home to the largest and most important penguincolony on the Galapagos Islands. The excursion continuesinto the cove, surrounded by red mangrove, where you canadmire their red roots and green leaves. Here, you are ableto observe sea turtles, ightless cormorants, spotted eaglerays, golden rays, brown pelicans and sea lions. Frequentvisitors have been able to see Galapagos hawks soaringoverhead with schools of pompano and dorado sh swimming down below.

A tour along the cliffs will give visitors a good chance to seethe Galapagos penguin, the ightless cormorant and otherseabirds. From the landing dock, it is about a 30-minute hikealong the trail up to the top of the cliff from where you canview Darwin Lake, an uplifted lake saltier than the sea. Youcan also see several volcanoes from this location. Lookcarefully at the grafti on the surrounding cliffs of the cove,done by pirates, whalers and buccaneers in past centuries!Fernandina is the third largest island in the archipelago andhas a single visitor site: Punta Espinoza, located at thenortheastern tip of the island. Here, marine iguanas conglomerate in larger groups than on any other island. They baskaround in the sand, swim near the shore and sometimesblock the way at the landing dock. Among the uniquespecies found here, we can nd the ightless cormorant.

These two small beaches are found to the west of TurtleCove. Their sand is made of decomposed coral, whichmakes it white and soft, and a favourite nesting site for seaturtles. Behind one of the beaches there is a small blackishwater lagoon, where it is occasionally possible to observeamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stiltsand whimbrels. The other beach is longer, but it has two oldbarges that were abandoned during World War II, whenUSA used Baltra Island as a strategic point to protect thePanama Channel.Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crewmembers,the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra Airport,where we will take the shuttle back to the airport.

Itineraries are subject to change.