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MV Galapagos Legend - Galapagos Islands Cruise (8 days)8 days duration
Fly from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island. You are picked up at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend for your seven-night cruise of this remarkable archipelago.
This afternoon you will visit North Seymour Island, a small 1.9 square km island where you will encounter swallow tailed gulls and sea lions. This site is a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and has the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird. You'll also spot both the marine iguanas and land iguanas. (LD)
Today you visit the second largest and most populated of the islands, Santa Cruz, with its most diverse landscape, vegetation, plant and animal life. You walk to a saltwater lagoon behind the beach, where on occasion many pink flamingos can be observed. This trail leads up to Dragon Hill, which offers a lovely view of the bay. This is a nesting site for reintroduced land iguanas, and there is also a Holy Stick Forest.
From here, it's on to Floreana Island where we do a wet landing on a greenish colored sand beach. You will hike from the black mangrove beds to a large, brackish lagoon, which holds one of the biggest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, Galapagos daisies, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions. (BLD)
Today you will marvel at the beautiful white beach of Espanola Island. You can see the famous blowhole and one of the most varied seabird colonies on the islands. There are blue-footed and Nazca boobies, mockingbirds, sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, rally light foot crabs, Galapagos doves, hawks, swallow-tailed gulls, oyster-catchers and the world's largest colony of waved albatross.
On arrival on San Cristóbal Island, you will visit the San Cristóbal breeding centre and learn about the National Park’s breeding program with the giant tortoises. You'll have the unique opportunity to observe some animals in their natural environment. There will also be time to visit the town and go shopping for souvenirs and arts and crafts. (BLD)
Today, you can choose either a ride in an outboard motorboat to observe the Galapagos fur seal, seabirds and marine wildlife or go snorkeling to see a variety of tropical fish, manta rays or even harmless white-tipped reef sharks.
Later today, you arrive at Bartolome Island and will see volcanic formations like lava bombs, spatter, and cinder cones. After a hike to the summit you’ll be impressed by the view of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock. During the hike to the summit, you will often see colonies of marine iguanas, lava lizards, tiquilla, lava cactus, Scalecia tree and others. You will also be able to snorkel and see the Galapagos penguin, sea turtles, and white tipped sharks from a safe distance. (BLD)
On arrival at Urbina Bay on Isabela Island, you will visit the fossil beach and coral area. Later today, we cruise to Fernandina Island where you will visit the volcanic ash beach and coral area also. Depending on the season you may be able to observe giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants, and there will be time for snorkelling in both locations. (BLD)
On Santiago Island, you can see great blue herons, striated herons, yellow-crowned night herons and American oystercatchers. You will also see marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds alongside red sally light-foot crabs and a colony of fur-seals swimming in pools of cool water. This is where you can swim, snorkel and look for squid, starfish and a variety of colourful tropical fish.
Considered the geographic centre of Galapagos because it has the most diverse volcanic rocks on the Islands, Ravida Island's dark red, volcanic beach is frequented by sea lions. Here you can hike to a salt water lagoon, where flamingos can sometimes be found. From July through September, you can observe brown pelicans nesting in the salty bushes. Boobies and 9 species of Darwin’s finches can also be found. You can also take a dinghy ride by the reefs, as well as snorkel. (BLD)
On Santa Cruz Island, you will be taken to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, a sanctuary for the breeding of giant tortoises and a centre of scientific investigation. Here you will be able to observe the giant tortoises that are part of the reproduction program and the world’s most famous tortoise, Lonesome George, the last surviving specimen of his species. There is also the prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds to admire. Later on, you’ll have some free time to walk around town and shop for souvenirs.
You can trek through the highlands of Santa Cruz and visit Cerro Chato, where you’ll be able to observe the famous giant tortoises in their natural habitat. For a unique experience, you can also walk inside the dormant lava tubes. (BLD)
We cruise to the north side of Santa Cruz Island to visit Bachas Beach. Here you will encounter many sea birds, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and have the opportunity to swim on the white sand beach.
You return to the Galapagos Legend for check-out and transfer to the Baltra Island airport for your return flight to Quito or Guayaquil. (BL) Please note: This 7 night itinerary can begin on Monday or Thursday.
Inca Tours does not own any of the hotels, lodges or service providers utilised in making up the tours. As a result Inca Tours is only acting as an agent for the operators and as such does not accept responsibility for any negligence, omissions, errors or differences in standard experienced by passengers when utilising the operators' products or services. Please Note: for full booking terms and conditions please see the back of our booking form.
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