Odyssey Galapagos Cruise Itinerary B
Duration: 5 days
Islands visited: Baltra, Santa Cruz, Rabida, Sombrero Chino, Genovesa, Bartholome, Santiago
Activities: Wildlife/snorkeling/kayaking/bird watching/walking Price Range: From $3200 – $4000 USD
Start & Finish: Baltra, Ecuador
Tour Code: EGCOB
Pricing
- Double/twin cabin $3200 USD per person sharing
- Single cabin $4000 USD per person
Included
- 4 nights cabin accommodation with private facilities
- All meals, water, coffee and tea
- All shore excursions with an English speaking naturalist guide
- Snorkeling gear and use of kayaks at allowed sites
Not Included
- $100 Galapagos National Park entrance fee
- $20 Transit Control Card
- Airport transfers in Galapagos unless flights booked through us
- Wet suit rentals
- Bottled beverages, alcoholic drinks
- Gratuities
- Cancellation/medical insurance
- Visas
- Items of a personal nature
Itinerary B
Sunday to Thursday 5 days/4 nights (every 15 days)
Day 1 – (Sunday)
AM – Baltra Island: Assistance will be provided upon your arrival by a Galapagos Odyssey representative after passing through immigration and baggage claim. When ready, you will be transferred to the yacht. You will then be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before the welcome briefing and lunch.
PM – Dragon hill, Santa Cruz Island: The visitor site at Dragon Hill is located in northwestern Santa Cruz Island and consists of a trail that leads to a hyper-saline lagoon behind the beach, frequented by flamingos, pintail ducks and other species of birds. This site has been repopulated with land iguanas from Seymour, Isabela and Santa Cruz islands. There is a short walk to the hill, which offers a beautiful view of the bay.
Day 2 – (Monday)
AM – Rábida: This island is unique because the red color of the rocks and sand. The volcanic material in this island is very porous, and external factors such as rain, salt water and sea breeze have acted as oxidizing agents. A short walk along a trail will lead us to a coastal lagoon behind the beach allowing the observation of land birds like finches, doves, yellow warblers and mocking birds. At the lagoon, there is a colony of flamingos as well.
PM – Chinese hat: This is a small islet (1 sq. km) located just off the southeastern tip of Santiago Island. It is a recent volcanic cone, shaped like a Chinese hat when seen from north side. On the west side, can be seen lava formations, formed under the sea and raised upward, hence explaining why coral heads are found on the lava. This is an excellent site for interpretation of geological features such as lava tubes and lava flows. The landscape is covered by sea lion colonies, marine iguanas and Galapagos penguins.
Day 3 – (Tuesday)
AM – Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island: This bay was formed when the crater of the island collapsed below sea level. The wet landing is on a beautiful white coral sandy beach. This is a favorite island for birdwatchers: red footed-booby, masked boobies, wandering tattlers, lava gulls, whimbrels Yellow-crowned, black-crowned and lava herons, with and yellow warblers can be seen in the area.
Continuing on the trail, visitors climb gradually to the edge of the cliff seeing Red-Foots nesting in the Mangrove trees below. Bird watching includes sightings of Sharp-Beaked Finches, Large Cactus and Ground Finches, Galapagos Doves and Swallow-Tailed Gulls. Reaching the end, the trail at the cliff’s edge offers an incredible view of the island and the many birds living there.
PM – El Barranco, Genovesa Island: Located in the southern part of Darwin Bay, El Barranco is also known as Prince Philip’s Steps. You will climb to a plateau that is part of the stretch of land that surrounds Darwin Bay on its eastern side. There is a big population of Masked Boobies and Red-Footed Boobies in the trees. Storm petrels and Short-eared Owls have found in Genovesa lava flows the ideal place for nesting.
Day 4 – (Wednesday)
AM – Bartolomé Island: This volcanic islet is situated across from Santiago Island’s Sullivan Bay. It has an altitude of 114 meters, from where we can observe one of the most beautiful scenes of the Galapagos Islands such as volcanic cones, lunar-like craters, lava fields, and the famous toba formed pinnacle eroded by the sea. There is very little vegetation on this island. It has two breathtaking beaches where marine turtles reside, as well as a very small colony of Galapagos penguins.
PM – The Sullivan Bay: Santiago island, also called James, or San Salvador Island, is located in the west central part of the Galapagos archipelago. It is the fourth largest island in the archipelago (following Isabela, Fernandina and Santa Cruz). Along with some of the large western volcanoes of Isabela and Fernandina, Santiago is also volcanically active, with many young flows and cones to be seen, particularly along the south, west, and east coasts. These may even be seen from the summit of Darwin Volcano and from space. A number of historic eruptions have been reported over the last 2 centuries. Santiago actually consists of two coalesced volcanoes: a typical shield volcano on the northwest end and a low, linear fissure volcano on the southeast end.
Day 5 – (Thursday)
AM – Highlands, Santa Cruz Island: The trail to the highlands leaves Bellavista and passes through the agricultural zone, near the National Park boundary, the Miconia Zone, and then goes to the Fern and Sedge zone. With clear weather (unpredictable) this area affords beautiful scenes of rolling hills and extinct volcanic cones covered with grass and lush greenery all year around.
Transfer to Baltra Airport: Your cruise officially ends. You will be transferred to your scheduled departure from Baltra Airport to the mainland. We hope you will take home fantastic memories of your Odyssey Galapagos Cruise.
Note – Itineraries and activities are subject to change without prior notice depending on weather conditions, water currents, and sea conditions.
