Galapagos North & Central Islands Cruise | Seaman Journey

Today marks the beginning of your journey to the Galapagos Islands. Please note that due to regulations set by the Galapagos Government, a fee of 20 USD must be paid for the migration control card.

Upon arrival in Santa Cruz, passengers are required to pass through an airport inspection point to ensure compliance with regulations prohibiting the introduction of foreign plants or animals to the archipelago. Additionally, at this inspection point, passengers must pay the entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park. As of August 2024, foreign passengers pay $200, while children under 12 years old pay $100.

Later, your guide will meet you and assist with carrying your luggage to the bus. Passengers will then arrive at the Catamaran Seaman Journey via a motorized boat called a panga.

Later today, you'll explore Bartolome Island, located across Sullivan Bay. With an altitude of 114 meters, Bartolome offers stunning panoramic views of the Galapagos Islands' landscape, including volcanic cones, lunar-like craters, lava fields, and the iconic Toba-formed pinnacle eroded by the sea. Vegetation on the island is sparse.

Bartolome Island boasts two picturesque beaches inhabited by marine turtles and a small colony of Galapagos penguins at the base of the pinnacle.

This morning, you'll head to Mosquera Islet, located between North Seymour and Baltra. Despite being one of the smallest islands in the Galápagos, Mosquera Islet's volcanic origin and geological uplift offer a unique landscape with a flat terrain and no visible crater.

Mosquera is known for its stunning color contrast, featuring white sand beaches, turquoise waters, vibrant green vegetation, and jet-black lava rocks. It's a paradise for landscape photography, especially during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset.

In the afternoon, your destination is North Seymour. Unlike volcanic islands, North Seymour is a raised island with a flat terrain dominated by rocky formations. It's home to a large population of magnificent frigatebirds with ample nesting sites. Blue-footed boobies showcase their courtship dances in open areas, while swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges.

Despite the strong surf along the outer shore, you can spot sea lions enjoying the waves and body-surfing on the beach.

Today's excursion takes you to Genovesa Island, specifically to El Barranco, also known as The Cliff. Situated in the southern part of Darwin Bay, El Barranco offers a trail on volcanic rock spanning 1.5 km, allowing for a leisurely two-hour exploration. This area represents the youngest geological region of the island.

The cliff itself, composed of delicate lava formations, has been shaped by natural erosion, creating ideal nesting grounds for Storm Petrels. Here, you'll encounter two petrel species nesting in the lava's crevices and holes. Keep an eye out for the short-eared owl, a primary predator in this ecosystem. The red-footed booby, unique to the outer islands like Genovesa, can also be spotted here, alongside the masked booby. During panga rides along the cliffs, you may glimpse fur sea lions and various seabird species.

In the afternoon, your journey continues to Darwin Bay, formed by the collapsed crater of Genovesa Island below sea level. Upon a wet landing on its pristine white coral sandy beach, birdwatchers will delight in sightings of red-footed boobies, masked boobies, wandering tattlers, lava gulls, and more. As you traverse the trail, ascending gradually to the cliff's edge, you'll witness red-footed boobies nesting in the Mangrove trees below. Keep your eyes peeled for sharp-beaked finches, Galapagos doves, and swallow-tailed gulls. At the trail's end, a breathtaking vista awaits, offering panoramic views of the island and its vibrant avian inhabitants.

Today's journey leads you to Plazas, situated east of Santa Cruz Island and comprising two islets known as Islas Plazas. Despite its modest size, Plazas boasts some of the Galapagos' most fascinating and unique species. Notably, the land iguanas found here are smaller than their counterparts on other islands.

Throughout Plazas, you'll encounter hybrid iguanas, a remarkable result of crossbreeding between male marine iguanas and female land iguanas. These hybrids sport a distinctive black/gray coloration, featuring a land iguana's crest alongside the face and tail of a marine iguana. The island's abundant iguana population owes much to the availability of tunas, their preferred sustenance. Along the rugged cliffs, swallow-tailed gulls nest alongside other seabirds such as Audubon shearwaters, red-billed tropicbirds, frigate birds, and brown pelicans.

Later in the day, you'll venture to Santa Fe, located in the southeastern reaches of the Galapagos. Unlike most islands, Santa Fe emerged from an uplift rather than volcanic activity, resulting in its predominantly flat terrain. Some theories even propose Santa Fe as the archipelago's oldest island. Home to an array of endemic species including the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snake, Galapagos mockingbird, rice rats, and one of the two land iguana species in the region.

Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by the clear, inviting waters and the bustling sea lion colonies. As you traverse the trail, keep an eye out for salt bushes and towering giant prickly pear cacti, a hallmark of island gigantism. Snorkeling opportunities abound, offering encounters with playful sea lions and colorful tropical fish in the surrounding marine environment.

On this final day of your journey, you'll visit the David Rodriguez Land Tortoise Breeding Centre. Established in 2002 by the Galapagos National Park Service, this program focuses on the breeding and conservation of tortoises in captivity. Initially named the Jacinto Gordillo Tortoise Breeding Centre, it was later renamed in 2016 to honor David Rodriguez for his remarkable 39 years of service as a park ranger.

Located in the southeastern region of San Cristobal, approximately 22.5 km from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the David Rodriguez Tortoise Breeding Centre is accessible by land. A scenic 40-minute bus ride near Cerro Colorado brings you to this facility, meticulously designed to simulate the natural habitat conditions of the giant tortoises (Chelonoides chathamensis) native to San Cristóbal Island. Its mission is not only to bolster the population of these iconic creatures but also to contribute to the sustainable tourism development of San Cristóbal.

Following your visit, you'll be escorted to the San Cristobal airport, ensuring you arrive in time for your return flight to the mainland.