Galapagos Southern and Central Islands Cruise (B)

Morning: Flight to the Galápagos

Today, you’ll embark on your journey to the Galápagos Islands. Upon arrival in San Cristóbal, you’ll go through an inspection checkpoint at the airport to ensure no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the archipelago. Before entry, travelers must pay the Galápagos migration control card fee ($20 USD) and the Galápagos National Park entrance fee, which, as of September 2024, is $200 for adults and $100 for children under 12. Your guide will greet you at the airport, assist with your luggage, and accompany you to a panga (motorized boat) for a scenic transfer to the Catamaran Seaman Journey.

Afternoon: Gianni Arismendy Environmental Interpretation Center

This center, surrounded by lush gardens with spectacular ocean views, offers insight into the geological and human history of the Galápagos, as well as key conservation efforts. As the oldest natural history museum in the archipelago, it plays a vital role in preserving the unique ecosystem of the islands.

Morning: Punta Pitt

Located at the easternmost point of San Cristóbal Island, Punta Pitt features a 90-meter-long beach and panoramic viewpoints overlooking rugged volcanic landscapes. A 1,400-meter trail leads from Oliviana Beach to the top of a dramatic hill composed of volcanic tuff, offering breathtaking scenery shaped by strong coastal winds.

The beach, covered in lava crystals and seashells, provides a sunbathing haven for sea lions. Here, you can also spot a variety of seabirds, including frigatebirds, pelicans, herons, and seagulls. Punta Pitt is one of the few places in the Galápagos where you can observe all three species of boobies—blue-footed, red-footed, and masked—as well as both species of frigatebirds.

Afternoon: Lobos Island

A short 20-minute boat ride from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Lobos Island is a flat islet famous for its thriving sea lion population. With two picturesque beaches, visitors can snorkel and swim alongside these playful creatures in crystal-clear waters.

The 850-meter trail meanders through coastal vegetation adapted to salty conditions, offering a chance to see blue-footed boobies and nesting frigatebirds up close. The island’s level terrain makes for an easy and enjoyable walk, with wildlife encounters at every turn.

Morning: Gardner Bay

Situated on the northeastern coast of Española Island, Gardner Bay boasts a stunning white sand beach perfect for relaxing, swimming, and kayaking. This area is home to sea lions, marine turtles, and even small white-tip reef sharks, making it an excellent location for wildlife observation.

Bird enthusiasts can spot three species of Darwin’s finches in this region:

• Large-billed cactus finch (Geospiza conirostris)
• Small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa)
• Warbler finch (Certhidea olivacea)

The bay hosts both resident and migratory birds, making it an ideal site for birdwatching.

Afternoon: Suárez Point

This iconic wildlife hotspot is perfect for observing blue-footed boobies, albatrosses, and Nazca boobies. Suárez Point is also famous for its waved albatross colony, where these majestic birds take flight from the cliffside.

A highlight of this visit is the blowhole, a natural formation that shoots seawater 50 to 75 meters into the air, offering a spectacular photo opportunity.

Morning: Cormorant Point & Champion Islet

Cormorant Point is home to one of the most beautiful flamingo lagoons in the Galápagos, located between two volcanic cones. Visitors can also spot common stilts and white-cheeked pintail ducks.

This area features two unique beaches:

• Green Beach – Its distinctive green hue comes from olivine crystals.
• Flour Sand Beach – A bright white coral beach.

After exploring, the tour continues to Champion Islet, a prime snorkeling location where visitors can swim among sea turtles, sea lions, and colorful reef fish.

Afternoon: Post Office Bay

A site rich in maritime history, Post Office Bay features a wooden barrel postbox, originally placed by 18th-century whalers for passing ships to collect and deliver letters. Visitors today continue this tradition by leaving or taking postcards.

This historic site also marks one of the first landing points of early Galápagos settlers. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent relaxing on the pristine beach.

Morning: Fausto Llerena Breeding Center

Located along Charles Darwin Avenue, the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center is a key conservation facility dedicated to protecting and repopulating the Santa Cruz and Española giant tortoise species.

Visitors begin their tour at the Galápagos National Park Service information center, followed by a walk through the Van Straelen Interpretation Center. A specially designed elevated wooden path provides an excellent vantage point to observe different tortoise species, from juveniles to fully grown adults.

The tour concludes at the baby tortoise breeding corral, where conservationists carefully nurture young tortoises before releasing them into their natural habitats.

After this insightful visit, guests will be transferred to Baltra Airport for their return flight to the mainland.