It's a wonderful introduction to the majestic power of the forces of nature and the great biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands. Afterward, we will visit a 600-acre private reserve where the giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze and sleep.
Sometimes, it's a bit muddy here, so before we set out, there is a selection of field boots to choose from, including large sizes for men, are available. You will be transported through this tropical environment by truck, and from there you walk through fields to mingle with these gentle giants.
Day 1: Quito or Guayaquil - Santa Cruz
AM
Baltra Airport.
Ferry crossing to Santa Cruz Island (10 min-ride). Arrival at Santa Cruz around 11:30 AM (Depending on your flight schedule).
The adventure will start with a trip to "Los Gemelos" (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers - an awe-inspiring visual reminder of the power of nature.
The short, easy hike to each of the twins is teeming with endemic flora and fauna, including the remaining Scalesia Forest draped in liverwort, large and small tree finches, the adorable Vermillion flycatcher and more. It's a wonderful introduction to the majestic power of the forces of nature and the great biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands.
PM
Lunch will be served in one of the farms.
Afterward, we will visit a 600-acre private reserve where the giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze and sleep. Sometimes, it's a bit muddy here, so before we set out, there is a selection of field boots to choose from, including large sizes for men, are available.
You will be transported through this tropical environment by truck, and from there you walk through fields to mingle with these gentle giants. As prehistoric as these creatures look, wait until you hear what they sound like! After visiting the tortoises, we'll take a 5-minute ride to the entrance of a 450 meter (1350 feet) illuminated lava tunnel.
With a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, this is an incredible opportunity to ramble through the remnants of one of the most powerful forces in nature...lava flows. Stalagmites, stalactites, sulfur and mineral-colored walls and the rippled floor formed from lava can all be experienced in this uniquely Galapagos stroll.
Check-in at Red Mangrove Aventura Lodge.
Dinner at the lodge
A). Discover Puerto Ayora in your own, walk, bike, go shopping or simply relax and enjoy the views from our own deck and at the end of the afternoon, at the privacy of your own room, enjoy a Swedish massage that uses specifically formulated blends of essential oils to sooth mind, body and spirit.
B). Discover Scuba Diving
If you have never experienced scuba diving before, and would like to try it in a safe and professional environment, this is the activity for you. This unforgettable experience will allow you to discover the amazing beauty below the water and go home with great pictures of this unique event.
Your Discover Diving Course begins with a short presentation that teaches you about the basics of diving.
Next we will go to the beach for your first experience breathing underwater. In the shallow waters your instructor will teach you some basic diving skills. Our instructor will ensure you are safe, secure, comfortable and confident at all times.
Next it is onto our dive boat working with the local boat captains to provide an alternate income than fishing. Here you will have your first dive on a shallow reef. During this dive your instructor will act as your personal guide and accompany you as you explore the incredible variety of soft corals and sea life that make the Galapagos one of the top dive destinations in the world.
We will take you out for dinner to a local restaurant, you will be able to capture the essence of Puerto Ayora at night. This is a perfect opportunity to meet and enjoy the culture of the islands.
Depart to the Northern side of the Island of Santa Cruz. El Garrapatero is a wide bay with multiple sandy beaches. Behind the beach is an area with a fresh water lake where you can come across pink flamingos, herons, grebes, stilts and other shore birds.
This is a place to enjoy swimming, snorkeling or simply relaxing.
Around noontime departure to Isabela taking a flight short flight, 25 minutes on board of a Islander Britten Norman, HC-BZF Y HC-BDX.
PM
Check in at Isabela and lunch at the lodge.
Departure to Las Tintoreras and Bay Tour. After lunch we will board a smaller craft to head out across the port, slowing down to view blue-footed boobies and Galapagos penguins sharing the same rocky, sunning space before we turn a bend and dock.
From there we take an intriguing 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. If the tide is low, they are sometimes a mere two feet below the surface.
The views from here are something you may carry with you for the rest of your life! 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 are not likely to ever 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, of course, the mystery of the mangrove below the surface. Don't worry, white-tipped reef sharks are not aggressive, merely fascinating.
We'll have a bit of time to relax and shower before briefing and dinner in the Lodge at 7:00
Breakfast at the lodge
Depart for Sierra Negra Tour
4x4 vehicles will drive us up through the humid highlands to the slopes of Volcan Sierra Negra.
Then we hike to arrive at the caldera of Sierra Negra, the second largest in the world at four miles across. The views are breathtaking! We will relax a bit and have a snack on the edge of the caldera.
For the more hardy of the group, the option exists to walk an especially difficult hour further to Volcan Chico, where fumarole activity is abundant, and again, the views are spectacular. This is not an easy hike, however, as it is mostly across lava fields on slopes.
PM
After returning from Sierra Negra, we will have lunch at Campo Duro.
Campo Duro offers a 'tortoise patronage' program that doesn't involve money changing hands. Guests have the opportunity to become a patron to their chosen tortoise at the reserve merely by choosing a tortoise (they're all numbered), naming their tortoise and then entering a story in the Patron's book such as information on why they chose the name they chose and their contact information.
Then, the Patron invites any and all of their friends to go visit their tortoise and provide them with updates.
Back to the lodge.
From Puerto Villamil will take a just an hour to get to Los Tuneles and what a precious time! In the way, we got to see plenty of marine beautiful wildlife like giant mantas on the surface, sea turtles and more as we sail, behind remains the majestic Sierra Negra Volcano as a witness of this unique adventure.
Start snorkeling and get close encounters with many different types of tropical fish penguins! Only in piece of paradise you are able to snorkel with penguins and tropical fish and sea lions.
PM
Lunch: Late lunch at Isabela lodge
Time to relax and discover Isabela on your own.
At 8:30 departure to Baltra on short flight, 28 minutes on board of a Islander Britten Norman, HC-BZF Y HC-BDX.
Time to explore Puerto Ayora on your own, walk, bike, do some souvenir shopping or simply relax and enjoy at Aventura Lodge
PM
Lunch at the lodge
We depart at 3:00 PM for a guided tour of the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station. After the Darwin Station, there will be some free time to shop for souvenirs or browse the shops along Charles Darwin Avenue.
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