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Galapagos Island - Luxury Land Based Tours
(5 days, 4 nights )

Charles Darwin Centre - El Chato - North Seymour - Isabela Island - Las Tintoreras - Sierra Negra

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Day 1: Quito/Guayaquil - Baltra – Santa Cruz – Charles Darwin Centre (Lunch & dinner)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra. Arrival, reception and transfer to the private lounge at the airport where your luggage will be collected for you. After a refreshing drink, private transfer across the Itabaca Channel in a private yacht before continuing your private transfer to the deluxe 5* Royal Palm Hotel in Santa Cruz.
Check in to your hotel and a wonderful suite complete with private Jacuzzi. A delicious lunch before a private guided visit to the Charles Darwin Centre for an important orientation of the Galapagos Islands. The station is also a tortoise breeding centre, where tortoises of different species are prepared for reintroduction into their natural habitats. The most famous inhabitant is probably Lonesome George, the only survivor of this specific turtle species. Return to your hotel, sopping enroute at El Chato, the giant tortoise wild reserve, where you can see free-roaming giant tortoises placidly grazing in the lush vegetation, and often lying camouflaged, like half submerged boulders. The vegetation is composed of high scalesia, guayabillo (Psidium sp.) and pega pega (Pisonia floribunda) grasses. Return to the Royal Palm for dinner and good company.

Day 2: NorthSeymourIsland(Breakfast, lunch & dinner)
Today an all private, guided visit to the beautiful island of North Seymour. After breakfast at the Royal Palm, transfer to the port where you shall board a private motor yacht for the journey to North Seymour. The journey will take a little over two hours from Santa Cruz. Upon arrival to the island, you are immediately captivated by the abundance of tame wildlife, ranging from sea lions, numerous seabirds to basking marine iguanas. A guided private excursion on foot which will allow you to view land iguanas feeding on cacti, observe the courtship displays of the magnificent frigate bird and witness the indigenous blue-footed booby.
The walk around the island will take around two hours allowing for plenty of opportunity for photography. Upon reaching the other side of this small island you shall rejoin your private yacht. The trip continues to some rocky islets where you will have an option of snorkeling with sea lions and marine iguanas. If lucky, you may even witness sharks and rays. After snorkeling along the coast of the islet, return to the boat for a delicious seafood lunch. Return to Santa Cruz in the late afternoon where you will be privately transferred to your hotel for dinner and accommodation.

Day 3: Puerto Ayora - Puerto Villamil (Breakfast, lunch & dinner)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the 25 minute flight to the island of Isabela, west of Santa Cruz Isabela is one of the youngest islands of the entire Galapagos archipelago and offers a fascinating insight into the volcanic origins of the islands. Once you arrive to Puerto Villamil, the capital of Isabela Island, reception and transfer to La Casa de Marita, a delightful lodge located on the beach. Accommodation in a a suite.
After lunch, an opportunity to take a boat ride out to Las Tintoreras, where you shall see fascinating lava formations and enjoy a visit to the colony of marine iguanas and sea lions. There will also be an opportunity for snorkeling with sea turtles and the "Tintoreras" (white tipped shark). If lucky, we may also see eagle rays, sting rays and golden rays. We shall return to the main island, observing colonies of Humboldt penguins, blue footed boobies, pelicans and frigates along the way. Return to your lodge for dinner and accommodation.

Day 4: Puerto Villamil - Sierra Negra - Small Volcano (Breakfast, boxed lunch & dinner)
After breakfast, we will leave the town by pickup truck and head towards the highlands.
Once in the highlands, we will collect our horses, saddle up and start our horseback riding tour to Sierra Negra and to the Chico Volcano, both of which still active. The Sierra Negra is one of the finest examples of a volcano in the archipelago. It is also the second largest crater in the world after the Ngorongoro crater in Africa, and has an immense caldera, around 10 km. in diameter, and is the oldest on the Island. It last erupted in October 2005. The weather is often clear and good but it can also turn to rain and fog very rapidly so it is recommended to wear long trousers for the horseback riding. During the trip to the volcanoes, the different vegetation of the island will be observed, and once at the Chico Volcano you will be able to see the various types of lava according its age, in addition to “fumaroles” and boiler eyes; and from the northern part of the boiler, we will enjoy excellent views of the Perry’s Isthmus, Elizabeth Bay and even the Alcedo Volcano. We shall enjoy a picnic lunch before returning to Puerto Villamil for your return flight to Baltra and transfer to the Royal Palm hotel for dinner and your final night’s accommodation on the islands.

Day 5: Santa Cruz - Quito(Breakfast)
After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to Quito and your onward connecting flight home.

End of our services.