Galapagos Darwin's Odyssey 7 day | Tribute

Upon your arrival at Baltra Airport, a smooth transfer awaits you. A local guide will be there to welcome you, assist with luggage collection, and accompany you on a brief bus ride to the harbor. Once there, you'll step aboard the yacht. After meeting the crew and captain, your cabins will be assigned, and you can relish your first onboard lunch.

Later, explore the highlands in Santa Cruz Island. This area offers fantastic opportunities to observe wild Galapagos giant tortoises as they roam through pastures in the agricultural zone and the transition zone of the adjacent El Chato Tortoise Reserve.

As you slept, we sailed to Isabela, the archipelago's largest and youngest island. Your first stop is Tintoreras, an islet famous for its colony of large marine iguanas. Enjoy excellent snorkeling in a unique tidal channel, swimming alongside sea lions, turtles, marine iguanas, stingrays, and the only tropical penguin in the world.

Later, explore Sierra Negra volcano. Pack essentials for a 16 km hike, witnessing dramatic geological and ecological contrasts. Board a chiva-ride from Puerto Villamil, passing through lava flows, cacti, a flamingo lagoon, and lush highlands with five distinct vegetation zones.

This afternoon's visit starts from the exotic beaches near the only urban population of Isabela, Puerto Villamil, and continues into dense mangrove forests. From the main dirt road, several side trails diverge and invite you to explore them, leading to intimate sites with dreamy brackish pools visited by amazingly tame song birds.

Overnight, we sailed to the northwest coast of Isabela, home to the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes. Our first stop is Punta Moreno, where a trail along a solidified black lava flow leads to tidal lagoons. These waters may reveal sharks and marine turtles, while flamingos grace the lakes and mangroves. This excursion offers a perfect blend of coastal species sightings and a hike through stunning landscapes.

Later, explore Espinoza Point, Fernandina’s sole terrestrial visitors site and a haven for unique animal species shaped by natural selection. The emblematic flightless cormorant, a 'holy grail of evolution,' resides exclusively in the remote west of Galapagos. While losing its ability to fly, it transformed into an agile marine hunter. Enjoy almost otherworldly views with the dominating cone of Volcán La Cumbre as a spectacular backdrop. The narrow headland you walk along is the end of a lava tongue that reached the coast and solidified upon contact with the water.

This morning's adventure kicks off with a dinghy ride along the island's cliffs, offering a great chance to spot the endemic Galapagos penguin, the only one in the tropics. After docking, enjoy a 30-minute hike to the cliff's top for an observation point of the iconic Darwin Lake, adorned with graffiti from pirates, whalers, and buccaneers from past centuries. Return to the coast, where you can opt for a kayak to explore the paradisiacal coastal environment.

During lunch, we sailed across the Bolivar Channel for a final visit to Isabela island. Entering a dark cave below a spectacular arch, the roaring echoes of waves accompany you. Just around the corner, the collapsed amphitheatre of the Ecuador volcano offers an impressive view. The calmer coves' waters are well-protected and a great spot for snorkeling amongst various species, including sharks, penguins, puffer fish, and even seahorses!

The volcanic islet of Bartolomé, one of the youngest in the archipelago, recently emerged from the fire, offering wild landscapes and breathtaking panoramas. While seemingly deserted, it presents some of the archipelago's best views. To savor the postcard-perfect scene of "Pinnacle Bay," climb the stairs to the island's summit viewpoint at 114 meters (375 feet).

Enter a dramatic world of nearby (though extinguished) spatter cones, craters, and lightweight lava droplets, evidence of fiery fountains. The summit trail showcases pioneer vegetation, like lava cactus, struggling to take root in the bare virgin lava fields.

In the afternoon, Sullivan Bay welcomes you like a moon landing, with desolate, sprawling fields that appear extraterrestrial, making it a favorite among photographers and geologists. The last eruption occurred in 1897, covering the bay with smooth, undulating Pahoehoe lava flows.

The nearby beach offers clear, shallow waters for snorkeling, while deeper waters host generous marine life, including Galapagos penguins on the rocks. Pacific green turtles, whitetip reef sharks, Galapagos sea lions, and rays are likely to make appearances, creating a captivating underwater spectacle.

Dragon Hill is home to two unique species not commonly found throughout the islands: Galapagos land iguanas and American flamingos. As you climb the hill adorned with giant opuntia cacti, observe these animals feeding and breeding in their natural habitat.

This picturesque spot offers breathtaking panoramas over the bay and towards a fascinating steep volcanic spout of red lava overseeing the area. Dragon Hill's popularity stems from its scenic saline lagoons behind the beach, attracting an abundance of seabirds with minerals, algae, and shrimp.

In the afternoon, our tour takes us to Seymour, an uplifted (non-volcanic) island, characterized by its generally flat terrain and scattered boulders. It provides excellent nesting sites for a sizable population of magnificent frigate birds. Witness blue-footed boobies performing their courtship dance in more open areas, while swallow-tailed gulls gracefully perch on cliff edges. Despite the powerful surf pounding the outer shore, sea lions haul out onto the beach, indulging in bodysurfing activities.

Your final destination is Bachas, featuring two contiguous beaches with soft white sand, making it a preferred nesting site for sea turtles. Adjacent to the first beach is a small brackish water lagoon, occasionally offering glimpses of flamingos and other coastal birds, including black-necked stilts and whimbrels. The second beach is lengthier and hosts two abandoned barges from the Second World War era, when the USA strategically utilized this island to safeguard the Panama Channel.

Following this visit, you will be transferred from Baltra to the dock in Puerto Ayora.