North Eastern Galapagos Islands | EcoGalaxy

In the morning you will take a flight from Quito/Guayaquil to the Galapagos. At the airport you will be met by our representative who will take you to the ship for your welcome drink and introduction.

In the afternoon you will head for Lobos Island. Here, we can walk, swim and snorkel among the seals, frigate birds, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the small endemic Galapagos snake. You may also take an optional panga ride.

*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 and snorkeling.

In the morning you will make a visit to Santa Fe. Located 60m above sea level, this island is one of the most unique in the Galapagos. It has an incredible bay with turquoise water, protected by a natural barrier of rocks. You will see colonies of seals, while hawks fly overhead. This island is home to one of two species of land iguanas found in the Galapagos. Their main food source is the leaves and fruit of the large, thick cacti found here. Crabs, nocturnal herons, marine iguanas, mockingbirds and land doves are frequently seen. The bay is an excellent place to swim and snorkel, marine tortoises, rays, sea lions and tropical fish can all be seen in the pristine waters.

This afternoon, visit South plazas, a small islet packed with an impressive amount of wildlife. Right after you land you will see Galapagos land iguanas waiting under prickly-pear cactus feed on their fruits. A large colony of sea lions will give you the opportunity to see playful pups enjoying the tide pools, but also large grumpy males defending their territories. The trail will take you to a cliff where you can observe many sea birds, such as frigatebirds, red-billed tropicbirds, boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and pelicans. A reddish succulent vegetation with scattered cactus covers most of the islands like a carpet, giving this island a unique personality.

Seymour was formed by the lifting of volcanic marine lava. Marine fossils dating back to the Pleistocene period are found on this island. In 1932, Captain Alan Hancock and his crew took malnourished land iguanas from Baltra Island to North Seymour Island so that the iguanas could live in better conditions. In 1934, colonists verified that the iguanas were in good condition. The vegetation of North Seymour is bushy and is host to nesting Real Frigate birds of the Galapagos.

In the afternoon you will head for Mosquera Islet. This islet is located between Baltra Island and North Seymour. Here it is likely to fine one of the largest sea lion colonies in the Galapagos. It is also possible to observe several species of bird.

This morning visit Genovesa island, a favorite location for birdwatchers as it is home of a very large colony of seabirds. From the minute you set foot at the beach you will be amazed by the noise of hundreds of boobies, gulls and frigatebirds flying over your heads, perched in the bushes or nesting on the sandy terrain. The trail is an ultimate wildlife experience as there are animals everywhere; sea lions and marine iguanas near the sea; night herons, lava & swallow tailed gulls, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds and many more species inland.

In the afternoon, explore El Barranco which is located in the southern part of Darwin Bay at Genovesa Island. The cliffs face the sea are made of very fragile fractured lava, making it the ideal place for storm petrel to build their colonies, which attracts an important population of short-eared owls preying of the nesting birds. Red footed and Nazca boobies are abundant along the trail. At the base of the cliffs you can see Galapagos fur seals resting in shaded areas, as well as several species of seabirds.

In the morning you will embark on a journey through the lush highland forests, where you’ll have the unique opportunity to observe Galapagos Giant Tortoises in their natural habitat. This is one of the best locations in the Galapagos to encounter these gentle giants—some weighing over 300 kg (600 pounds)—as they graze peacefully and rest in freshwater ponds. The highlands are also a haven for a rich variety of bird species rarely seen in the lowlands, including tree, woodpecker, and vegetarian finches, as well as flycatchers and several species of water birds.

After this activity you will be transferred to the airport where you will board your departure flight from the Galapagos.