Darwin's Land and Sea Adventure

(6 Days / 5 Nights)

Places

Santa Cruz, Isabela, Baltra

Introduction

DARWIN'S LAND AND SEA ADVENTURE. This package is for the novice to intermediate diver who gets to experience up to eight dives and enjoys all the land excursions the Darwin's Triangle has to offer.

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Day 1: Santa Cruz

Photo By Red Mangrove

Activity: Arrival, beach and bay tour Santa Cruz

Route: Mainland Ecuador - Santa Cruz

Description:

AM

Mid-Day: Ferry crossing to Santa Cruz Island (10 min-ride). Check-in Aventura Lodge. Lunch

PM

Tour to Garrapatero Beach

Depart to Garrapatero beach, a 25 minutes bus ride to the right spot were an easy trail start to lead you to the beach in only 15 more minutes.

This beautiful white sandy beach is known for its flamingos and finches and a place where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

This is one of Santa Cruz's most peaceful and tranquil settings, the 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of sand that compose El Garrapatero Beach is a tropical paradise. It is about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) northeast of Puerto Ayora.

Surrounded by beautiful mangrove trees, the beach is home to an incredible array of birds, most notably, flamingos and mockingbirds.
You can also find marine iguanas, shrimp, Galapagos penguins, oystercatchers, and patillos amongst the white sands and clear blue water.

There's also a freshwater lake nearby that is home to even more tropical animals, such as herons, grebes, and many of shore birds.

Briefing and Dinner at Aventura lodge.

Overnight at Aventura Lodge

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Day 2: Santa Cruz

Photo By Red Mangrove

Activity: Diving, Charles Darwin Research Station.

Route: Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz

Description:

AM
Diving in Santa Cruz. with opportunities to see Eagle Rays, Manta Rays, Hammerheads, White-Tipped Reef Sharks, Galapagos Shark, Stingrays, Marbled Rays, Tiger Snake Eels, Moray Eels, Garden Eels, Sea Stars, Sea Turtles, Jacks, Blue and Gold Snappers, Flag Cabrilla, Creolefish, King Angelfish, Barracuda, Heiroglyphic Hawkfish, Frogfish, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, Spotfin Burrfish, Scorpionfish, Cardinalfish, Nudibranch and more!

PM
Darwin center Enjoy a fascinating guided tour of the Charles Darwin Research Station. Founded in 1964 with the purpose of studying and preserving the natural wonder that is Galapagos. The station is supported by over 100 scientists and researchers from around the world, instrumental in the conservation efforts of the islands.

The Charles Darwin Research Station is also home to Lonesome George, also known as the worldâs rarest creature. He was discovered in 1971 on Pinta island and is the very last of his kind. Learn more about Lonesome George and much more fascinating natural history at this amazing center.

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Day 3: Santa Cruz-Isabela

Photo By Red Mangrove

Activity: Dive. Transfer Isabela, Beach and Bay Tour Isabela

Route: Santa Cruz - Isabela

Description:

AM
Diving in Santa Cruz. with opportunities to see Eagle Rays, Manta Rays, Hammerheads, White-Tipped Reef Sharks, Galapagos Shark, Stingrays, Marbled Rays, Tiger Snake Eels, Moray Eels, Garden Eels, Sea Stars, Sea Turtles, Jacks, Blue and Gold Snappers, Flag Cabrilla, Creolefish, King Angelfish, Barracuda, Heiroglyphic Hawkfish, Frogfish, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, Spotfin Burrfish, Scorpionfish, Cardinalfish, Nudibranch and more! Return by 1PM for transfer to Isabela Isabela Las Tintoreras and Bay Tour.

Walk through a jagged 'AA' lava field, passing abundant colonies of marine iguanas, to see a small canal full of resting white-tipped reef sharks. The black, treacherous lava field, the emerald green sea, the forest green mangrove and the cloud capped volcanoes of Isla Isabela is the sort of afternoon backdrop you will not soon forget.

Once you return to the dock, you can snorkel this warm, shallow bay surrounded by mangrove, for an opportunity to see white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, penguins and more. Relax, Dinner 7:00 PM

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Day 4: Isabela

Photo By Red Mangrove

Activity: Diving and visit to Cerro Orchilla and Wall of Tears.

Route: Isabela - Isabela

Description:

AM

After breakfast you will depart for Isla Tortuga for 2 dives where you will have a chance to see Mantas, Stingrays, Sea Turtles, White-Tipped Reef Sharks, Hammerheads, King Angelfish, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, Barberfish, Blue-Chin Parrotfish, Bumphead Parrotfish, Galapagos Groupers, Galapagos Sheephead, Harlequin Wrasse, Grey Grunts, Tuna, Barracuda, Corals, Tubes and more. Possibility of Sunfish and Orcas.

PM

We begin with a drive out of town along the most beautiful, white sand, palm-lined beach in the whole of the Galapagos, Long Beach. This travel magazine cover stretches on for 3 kilometers before we hit the National Park and begin with a stop to walk up the stairs for astounding vistas from the top of Cerro Orchilla. As you drive down the road, you will very likely see the largest of the Galapagos marine iguanas sunning by the side of the road. And don't be surprised if you have to wait for a Galapagos tortoise to cross the road in front of you. You will visit the Muro de Las Lagrimas (Wall of Tears), which was built with backbreaking effort by prisoners of a local penal colony by carrying jagged volcanic rock long distances.

The path to the Wall of Tears is abundant with lava lizards. The males are larger and striped and the females red-throated. If you visit during breeding season, be careful not to step on or disturb the many nests along this trail. They appear as holes that a gopher might have dug, but in fact are nests.

Birds are also incredibly abundant and your Naturalist Guide will assist you with identification. Isabela has more tortoises in the wild than any other island with several sub-species, since lava fields created a barrier that limited their mobility to freely roam.

On your way back to town, you will visit the Interpretation Center, a breeding center for the giant Galapagos Tortoises and the only place to view the rare, remaining flat-backed (so-called 'tabletop' shells) Galapagos tortoises, many of which still bear the scars of volcanic activity from Sierra Negra.

Dinner in the Lodge at 7:00 PM.

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Day 5: Isabela

Photo By Red Mangrove

Activity: Diving and free afternoon to relax

Route: Isabela - Isabela

Description:

AM

Diving in 4 Hermanos, this is a series of 4 islands and islets where you can have a chance to see Manta Rays, Sea Horses, Lobster, Nudibranch, Sea Cucumber, Octopus, Sea Horse, White-Tipped Reef Shark, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, Peruvian Surgeonfish, Wrasse, Sea Turtles, Tuna, Panamic Horse Conch, Tiger Snake Eel, Sea Stars and so much more.

PM

Free afternoon to enjoy the white sandy beach or explore downtown Isabela, Puerto Villamil, and take in some of the unique island culture and flavor.

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Day 6: Isabela-Baltra-Continent

Photo By Flickr

Activity: Departure

Route: Isabela - Baltra

Description:

Wake up for early departure by boat to Santa Cruz then a short drive to the airport at Baltra, Breakfast. Transfer Hotel to Airport.

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