Eastern Islands 6 Day Galapagos Cruise | EcoGalaxy

In the morning you will take an arrival flight from either Quito/Guayaquil to Baltra Island, Galapagos. At the airport you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your vessel for a welcome lunch and introduction to the crew.

After lunch you will make your way to Bachas Beach. This beautiful beach is located in the northern part of Santa Cruz Island; the beach is one km long. The site was named during WWII (World War II) when the American army left two barges on the beach. The early colonists couldn’t pronounce barges correctly, so they called the area “Bachas”.

In the morning you will arrive at Sullivan Bay. all roads and the island are composed of lava flows that are still virtually without erosion, covering an extensive area, including lava pahoehhoe or cords, hornitos, and mollugo, which grows in the lava.

In the afternoon you will arrive at Bartolome Island. Activities on this island include: walking, swimming, snorkelling and photography. We will follow a path to the top (114m) where we can observe pioneering plants, such as tiquilia, chamaesyce, and scalesia. The island has been formed by cones, and lava pipes where lava once flowed. Following the wet landing at the beach, we will take a path through mangrove swamps and sand dune vegetation, to the south beach. At the north beach, guests can enjoy swimming and snorkelling. From the top of Bartolome, we will be able to see the islands of Santiago, Rabida and Isabela. You will also have the opportunity to see Galapagos penguins at Pinnacle Rock.

In the morning you will visit the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands have a unique natural spectacle, witnessing Galapagos tortoise in their natural habitat. As you trek the carious tracks of the island you have the unique opportunity.

After this activity you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Located in the main port on Santa Cruz Island; we will take a private bus to the entrance of the breeding center where we will see tortoises and land iguanas in captivity. This center is the main breeding site on the islands. Animals that were in danger of extinction on various islands are maintained here in captivity. Thanks to the dedicated work of several institutions, some species are being saved. This is where Lonesome George lived, the famous last survivor of the species of giant tortoise found on Pinta Island.

In the morning you will arrive at Punta Cormorant. This point is located on western Floreana Island, and it is famous for its dark green beach (due to the large quantity of olivine crystals).You can see many marine invertebrates here, as well as sea lions, sea iguanas, frigate birds and pelicans.

Your second visit of the day will be spent at Devil's Crown. Enjoy a panga ride around a small island, a satellite islet of Floreana Island. Here, we will find a group of rocks that resemble a crown due to the constant erosion caused by the sea. It is one of the better places to snorkel (shallow diving) in and around the crown.

In the afternoon you will visit Post Office Bay. Description: Mail Bay is located on the north side of Floreana Island. Captain James Colnett installed an empty barrel to be used as a post office for the whaling fleets that stopped at the Galapagos Islands. The tradition continues in the Galapagos where travellers leave post in the barrel, or perhaps even taking mail themselves to carry letters to locations they may live in or travel near.

In the morning you will arrive at Suarez Point. There is no color more amazing and outstanding in this tropical desert island than that of the blue-foot boobies. These birds have an impressive form of “greeting,” and it is a real thrill to see their mating dance. The blue-footed booby can be seen on several islands, as nesting grounds and food are located along several coastal locations. The albatross, an aristocratic bird weighing up to four kilograms, can be observed here. This is one of the largest birds of the islands, with approximately 12,000 couples nesting on Espanola Island and a smaller number nesting on Silver Island, near mainland Ecuador. This species is considered endemic to this island. During our walk, we will observe these fantastic birds while taking in the beautiful landscapes offered by this island. It is important to note that albatrosses will not be seen between January and March (non- breeding season). We will also see colonies of marine iguanas, zayapas, masked boobies, finches, Espanola mockingbirds, and seagulls endemic to the islands. Our walk will be along lava rock, where we will be able to see lava tubes.

*Due to species protection, access to the island may be restricted. In such cases, we can still enjoy the surrounding areas through a panga ride

In the afternoon you will make your way to Gardner Bay. The sea lion is one of the animals that receives a lot of attention from visitors in the Galapagos: they are curious and playful, but at times aggressive; they are nice and loving, but also lazy. We are going to find many of them relaxing on the beach enjoying the sun in Gardner Bay. In addition to observing these fascinating animals, we will be able to swim with sea lions, sea turtles, a diversity of tropical fish, marine iguanas, etc. while snorkelling.

In the morning you will visit the San Cristobal Interpretation Centre. This modern and sophisticated architectural space was designed for the natural interpretation of the Galapagos. You will learn about the volcanic formation of the islands, evolution of species, the history of human settlement, and complex systems and management models.

In the afternoon you will be transferred to the airport where you will board your departure flight from the Galapagos.