Galapagos Cruises - Samba Yacht Day By Day Itinerary
Sample cruise itinerary
Day 1
Tuesday: Mainland Ecuador - Galapagos Baltra airport - North Seymour Island
Departure from Quito at 11a.m. or Guayaquil at 12:30. Arrival at Baltra airport at 1:30p.m. Transfer by our guide to the yacht. Snack and orientation while traveling to nearby North Seymour Island. Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours shore visit to observe sea lions, blue footed-boobies, magnificent frigate birds and, if time permits, snorkeling.
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Day 2
Wednesday: Plazas Islands - Charles Darwin Station
Morning: Plaza Islands, large sea lion colonies, land iguanas, opuntia cacti, swallow-tailed gulls, and red-billed tropic birds, etc. Duration of land visit 2-3 hours. Possibly snorkeling. Afternoon: Puerto Ayora: Charles Darwin Research Station and walk through town (souvenir shopping if desired) 3 hours.
BLD
Day 3
Thursday: Punta Suarez - Gardner Bay (Española Island)
Morning: Punta Suarez: Large colonies of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, marine iguanas, albatrosses, swallow-tailed gulls, 3-4 hours. Afternoon: Gardner Bay (Hood Island). Snorkeling at beach and panga ride 21/2 hours.
BLD
Day 4
Friday: Floreana Island - Punta Cormorant / Devils Crown - Post Office Bay
Morning: Punta Cormorant (Floreana) Visit of a lagoon, where we find flamingoes and other birds, beautiful white sand beach where sea turtles nest, snorkeling at Devil's crown. 3 hours. Afternoon: Post Office Bay (Floreana). Short visit to the historic Post Office Barrel. Early departure to the island Isabela looking for whales and dolphins while we travel.
BLD
Day 5
Saturday: Isabela Island - Punta Moreno - Elizabeth Bay
Morning: Punta Moreno (Isabela) 3 hours walk, lava fields, flamingo lagoons, some cormorants and penguins. Afternoon: Bahia Elizabeth: Panga ride, penguins, cormorants, sea turtles, quiet mangrove lagoons. 3 hours.
BLD
Day 6
Sunday: Isabela Island: Urbina Bay - Fernandina Island: Punta Espinoza
Morning: Urbina Bay: Relatively long walk to see land iguanas and marine iguanas, variety of native and endemic plants, remains of raised seabed exposing corral heads and other marine fossils.
Nesting cormorants and sometimes a few Galapagos Tortoises in their natural habitat. 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Afternoon: Punta Espinosa (Fernandina Island). Large colonies of marine iguanas, flightless cormorants nesting, penguins, baby sea lions, snorkeling. 2 hours.
BLD
Day 7
Monday: Santiago Island: Puerto Egas (James Bay) - Barthomew Island
Morning: Puerto Egas (Santiago). Coastal walk exploring the great variety of tidal marine life, Galápagos fur seals. Swimming and snorkeling - 3 hours. Afternoon: Bartholomew: Walk to get panoramic view of Bartholomew and it's famous Pinnacle Rock. Swimming and snorkeling. Possibility to see more penguins. 3 hours.
BLD
Day 8
Tuesday: Black Turtle Cove
Morning: Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) - you will get to know the Galapagos green sea turtles that really are green, not black as in the name of the location.
Return to Baltra in time for flight to mainland Ecuador with lunch on airplane. Flight departure at 1p.m., arrival at 3:30p.m. in Guayaquil and 4:45p.m. in Quito.
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Notes
*This is the normal itinerary approved by the Galápagos National Park. The time spent at each place will depend on the variety of wildlife present, weather conditions etc. and decided by the guide and captain on board. These tours are subject to alteration in case of changes by the authorities of the Galápagos National Park and acts of providence!
*Three meals a day (BLD Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) are included in the tour – breakfast before the land visit, lunch after the first excursion and dinner at night.
