
During this tour you will get to know all the best places to visit on the island Isabela. You will arrive in Quito and then fly via Baltra to Isabela. The flight from Balta to Isabela is operated in a small aircraft which is really a highlight as you will be flying quite low over the Galapagos Islands. This flight takes about 30 minutes. On Isabela you will stay 4 nights and then continue to Santa Cruz to get to know Lonesome George. Then you will return to Quito from where you will depart.
Overview Itinerary | |
Day 01: | Arrival in Quito |
Day 02: | Flight Quito – Baltra – Island Isabela |
Day 03: | Isabela Island – Galapaguera |
Day 04: | Isabela Island – Sierra Negra |
Day 05: | Isabela Island – Cabo Rosa |
Day 06: | Isabela Island – Tintoreras / Island Santa Cruz |
Day 07: | Island Santa Cruz – Charles Darwin Station – Highlands |
Day 08: | Flight to Quito |
Day 09: | international flight |
Detailed Itinerary:
01 Day: Arrival in Quito
We will meet you at the airport in Quito and transfer you to the hotel Mercure Alameda where you will spend the night. -/-/-
02 Day: Flight Quito – Baltra – Isabela Island
In the morning you will drive to the airport and from there catch a flight to the Island of Baltra. By small Cessna it continues to the Island of Isabela (for this flight there are only 10kg of baggage per person allowed). Transfer to Hotel Casa de Marita, where you will be welcomed and you will be shown to your room. The afternoon can be spent according to your own wishes. For example, you can relax on the beautiful beach. B/-/D
NB There are no regular flights on Sundays from Baltra to Isabela. Only a charter would be possible.
03 Day: Laguna Villamil – Centro de Crianza de las Tortugas
In the morning you will go on an excursion to a remote part of the island where flamingos fish in a lagoon. In this marshland you can observe black-necked stilts, herons and Galapagos pintails. Afterwards the trip leads you to the turtle raising station on Isabela, where the staff dutifully tries to sustain potentially endangered species. The following hike takes you through a diversity of flora ending on the beach and finally at the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is at your personal disposal. Overnight at the hotel La Casa de Marita. B/L/D
04 Day: Volcano Sierra Negra – Volcano Chico
By car you will drive a 18 km long route on the flank of the volcano Sierra Negra. You go uphill to the edge of the crater of the volcano Sierra Negra. The volcano is 1500m and the crater with a diameter of ca. 9 kilometers is the second-largest volcano on earth. On the edge of the crater you will walk to the Volcano Chico, which last erupted in 1979. From here you have a good view of the distant volcanoes Alcedo and Wolf. In the afternoon you will head back to Puerto Villamil and Hotel Casa de Marita. B/L/D
05 Day: Cabo Rosa Excursion
This day is totally devoted to the discovery of the under water world. By boat you head off to the most southern point of the island, Cabo Rosa, and there you will make full use of our snorkel gear to observe colorful schools of fish, the coral reefs and various other underwater characters. With a bit of luck, you will also bump into one of the giant creatures of these parts, like mantas or sea turtles. Finally, you head back to Villamil. B/L/D
06. Day: Tintoreras -Isabela / Santa Cruz – Puerto Ayora
In the morning you will do a short boat trip through the harbor basin. On your way to the small island of Las Tintoreras look out for sea lions, pelicans and penguins. Hike through bizarre lava formations and get in touch with the huge iguana colonies. The sandy beach is the home of the local sea lion colony that rest lazily in the shade of the mangroves; the bay is a popular resting place for the white tipped reef shark. Later you will be taken by private boat in approx. 3 hours to Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz, where you will spend the night in Hotel Silberstein. B/L/D
07. Day: Santa Cruz – Charles Darwin Station – Highlands
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, with the largest population of the 4 inhabited islands (approx 15.000). Santa Cruz is also the only island where six different zones of vegetation can be seen: Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia, Miconia, and Pampa Zones. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based here. The station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing centre, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this island will probably be Lonesome George. He is the only survivor of the specific turtle species. The lush greenery of the Santa Cruz highlands is a welcome contrast with the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. Points of interest are the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative visit. The trip to the highlands ends with a visit to the Twin Craters. The vegetation around these is very special and is renowned for its approximate 300 fern species and the many Scalesia trees. Overnight at the hotel Silberstein. B/L/D
08. Day: Santa Cruz Island – Caldera de los Gemelos / Baltra – Quito
In the morning you will visit the highlands and the double crater Caldera de los Gemelos, which is known for its diversity of ca. 300 different fern species and the close by “forest” of sunflowers. After that, you will make a last boat trip to Baltra, to fly back to Quito. A last glance back at the enchanted islands, a unique paradise, which has charmed you with its fantastic nature, is, on a clear day, possible from the plane. You will take you to the hotel Mercure Alameda. B/-/-
09. Day: Return home
After a last day in Quito you will guide you back to the airport and we will say goodbye – till our next meeting! B/-/-
B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / D: Dinner
Prices per Person for 2012:
4-5 participants USD 2,625.- per person
3 participants USD 2,850.- per person
2 participants USD 3,230.- per person
1 participant USD 5,615.-
Single Supplement: USD 460. – per person
Note:
Group prices upon request
Translator on request at additional cost
Included in the price:
All transfers (Bus, Boat) arrival to departure, all activities mentioned in the program, accommodation in the mentioned hotels or hotels of the same category (double room with private bath), all meals mentioned in the program, flight Quito-Galapagos-Quito, flight Baltra – Isabela, bilingual guide (English – Spanish).
Not included in the price:
International flight, beverages, snorkelling equipment, single supplement, national park entrance fees Galapagos USD 100,-, migration card USD 10.- international airport charge Quito (USD 41.-), personal expenses, tips, travel insurance
Note:
The guide or the boat captain can change the itinerary of the Galápagos tour due to security reasons as well as the national park administration due to changed national park rules. Nevertheless the security and the interest of the passengers always have first priority.