5 Day Premium Galapagos ​Multisport Tour
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This two island trip offers incredible opportunities for close wildlife encounters as well as time to relax and enjoy the white sand beaches. Santa Cruz and Isabela islands are filled with ideal sites for snorkeling with tropical fish, Galapagos sharks, sea lions and rays! Our naturalist and adventure guides, top of the line adventure gear and beautiful boutique hotels make this one of our most popular Galapagos expeditions.
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DAY 1: EXPLORE AND SNORKEL AT TINTORERAS ISLETS IN ISABELA ISLAND
Arrive to Baltra Airport where our small aircraft will be waiting to take us to Isabela Island. After a short inter-island flight we check into Iguana Crossing, our waterfront hotel in Isabela, and enjoy a delicious lunch. In the afternoon we head out to Las Tintoreras, a set of small islets within Isabela bay, and walk through a seemingly prehistoric landscape of lava rocks and lizards. The islets are home to the Galapagos penguin - the only one that can be found in the northern hemisphere. We snorkel and explore the many small beaches and coves where we encounter sharks, sea lions and sea turtles! At the end of the day, and after a gourmet fusion dinner of local and international flavors, we explore Puerto Villamil, the island´s sleepy beach town. Overnight at Iguana Crossing Galapagos Hotel. (L, D) DAY 2: HIKE SIERRA NEGRA VOLCANO We prepare our daypacks for a walk into a world of recent geological and natural history. We hike through the highlands until we arrive at the rim of Sierra Negra volcano, an active caldera that last erupted in October of 2005. We pass the rim of this colossal 6x5 mile-wide (9x8 km) lava-filled crater and continue our hike into the caldera of Volcan Chico, with incredible lava formations and puffing fumaroles. Take in the endless hues of reds, blacks, oranges, and yellows that make up this otherworldly landscape! Eventually, we return to the coast to enjoy the afternoon on the exotic white sand beaches of this idyllic coastal town. We are delighted again with a gourmet dinner. Overnight at Iguana Crossing Galapagos Hotel. (B, L, D) DAY 3: BIKE, HIKE AND SNORKEL IN ISABELA'S COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS From the calm and beautiful white sand beach we bike through mangroves, a lava tunnel and a shady, wonderful smelling poison apple forest before cutting away from the coastline and entering the territory of hundreds of Galapagos tortoises! Along our ride we spot Isabela´s mangrove finches, American oystercatchers, herons, flamingos and numerous marine iguanas. We continue to the Wall of Tears - a historic site dating back to when Isabela was a penal colony. The prisoners built the wall with lava blocks with no other purpose than to keep themselves distracted from the madness of isolation. In the afternoon, we can walk through a mangrove forest to Concha y Perla Bay, with beautiful clear waters ideal for snorkeling. Overnight at Iguana Crossing Galapagos Hotel. (B, L, D) DAY 4: KAYAK ALONG LAVA WALL CHANNELS AND HIKE THE HIGHLANDS – SANTA CRUZ ISLAND In the morning we go to Santa Cruz Island. Upon arrival we check into our beautiful hotel, the Angermeyer Waterfront Inn and get ready to take our sea kayaks and explore a different landscape, Punta Estrada and Divine Bay on the coastline of Santa Cruz. We paddle into the serene turquoise waters through towering lava channel walls. Below the clear waters, we usually find rays and white-tipped reef sharks. You can also paddle right up to the fearless blue-footed boobies, lava gulls, herons, sally lightfooted crabs, and marine iguanas perched along the cliffs. We return to the Hotel for lunch and dry clothes. In the afternoon, we explore El Chato reserve, in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, which is the natural habitat of the incredible Galapagos Tortoise. We hike in this reserve to learn about these lumbering giants. We also come across highland wildlife such as pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches, and frigate birds bathing in freshwater lakes. We also walk into and explore some amazing volcanic tunnels that were created by hot flowing lava. As we walk in these underground geological formations we revive tales of buccaneers hiding Inca gold. We continue to Los Gemelos, two volcanic craters near the top of the Island. We walk around these deep craters through a beautiful Scalesia forest covered with epiphytes and ferns. In this habitat we may see the short-eared owl, one of the two owls that live in the Islands. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening as you wrap up your adventure in one of the most magical places on earth. Overnight at Angermeyer Waterfront Inn Galapagos Hotel. (B, L, D). DAY 5: CHARLES DARWIN RESERCH STATION VISIT & TRANSFER TO AIRPORT After a nourishing organic breakfast, we enjoy a morning visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and learn about their wonderful conservation and management efforts in the Galapagos Islands. We transfer by vehicle to Baltra Island for our airport connection back to the mainland. (B) |
Highlights
• Snorkel with Galapagos penguins, sharks, rays, and tropical fish. • Mountain bike the Galapagos’ most ecologically-diverse biking route. • Hike to the world’s second largest volcano caldera to see incredible lava formations. • Unbelievable close encounters with Galapagos wildlife during active excursions. • First class adventure and naturalist guides lead you every step of your Galapagos journey. 2016 price per person double in US$: $2532 with 2 people, $2095 with 3, $2023 with 4, $1825 with 5 or more. Single supplement = $505. INCLUDED
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