After arrival, when you drive through the lush green highlands of Santa Cruz, depending on the season you could still see the gentle giant tortoises roaming free. Puerto Ayora, around a 45-minute ride from Itabaca, a busy port town with lots of conveniences for visitors who can smell and see the ocean.
Santa Cruz, strategically located has become a must, most travelers visit it al least once. Meanwhile, in Puerto Ayora we can enjoy time wandering around the nice coffee shops and restaurants. The fish market, right on the main street could be a fun stop and a wonderful opportunity to take pictures.
We ́ll visit Tortuga Bay, one of the finest beaches around the entire Galapagos, the walk to the beach itself becomes an adventure. As an option, we also offer a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Giant Tortoise breading Center, where you will learn how the tortoises where saved from going extinct.
An optional day tour to the mysterious island of Floreana, where the first Europeans settle back in the early 1930 ́s. After lunch, at the beach, we go for an amazing snorkel, many times with the playful sea lions, sea turtles, and rays.
What is included in the tour
- Tourguide English/Spanish speaking
- Hotel in Puerto Ayora (3n)
- Breakfast (3 mornings)
- Hike to Tortuga Bay // Half day tour with guide
- Bay Tour by boat// Half day tour with guide
- Transfer in & out to Baltra Airport
What is NOT included in the tour
-
Air Ticket Quito/Guayaquil to San Cristobal/Baltra, Galapagos (can be booked in stage 3)
-
Entrance fees Galapagos National Park 100.00 USD+ TRANSIT CARD 20.00 USD. To be paid upon arrival
-
Any meals/services not mentioned in the inclusions
- Alcohol, soft drinks, beverages, etc.
- Personal expenses like tips, telephone calls, laundry, etc.
- Boat trip to Floreana // Full day, with guide, (can be booked in stage 3)
- The most "modern" part of Galapagos
- Wild land tortes on the way from the airport
- Charles Darwin station, It was here it all began!
- Amazing beaches
DAY 1 Tortuga Bay
When you land in Baltra we will meet you and take you across this little island and take you to the main island of Santa Cruz. The name of the town is Puerto Ayora where we will take you to the hotel of your choice.
PM: We walk the trail to Tortuga Bay, a footpath of cobbled trail through Cacti, Palo Santo, and Matazarno trees. A 45-minute walk is rewarded with a spectacular white sandy beach. In Tortuga Bay beach we can relax at the beach, swim or take a walk to look for the fearless wildlife near the shoreline.
There is a lot to discover. The hike back to the city starts at 16:30, the park closes at 18:00. (Optional boat ride back to town $10 USD). Once back, we relax at the hotel. The evening is free to spend in town.
DAY 2 Open Day Optional Floreana (must book in advance)
AM: After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll meet at the harbor where we’ll embark on a two-hour ferry boat ride to the mysterious Floreana for a day tour. In Floreana, a Chiva bus will pick us up and take us to the highlands. We’ll discover the only freshwater spring in the Galapagos and tell us about its interesting human history.
PM: We return from the highlands for lunch in town. After lunch, La Loberia is our place for snorkeling and/or swimming, sea turtles and sea lions.
Floreana is seeking to assist in the recovery of the island, the Ecological Restoration Project has gone through a process that proposes solutions and changes in our relationship with the environment. It ́s an example to the world of how we can restore places that have been affected by us.
DAY 3 Boat Tour to Bahia Divine
AM: Breakfast at the hotel. Today's schedule includes a little bit of everything when it comes to Galapagos. This excursion in the bay near Puerto Ayora will be nice, easy, and interesting. This relaxing 4-hour tour will take us to different places in the bay of Puerto Ayora. Our first stop 2 miles out will be “La Loberia” where we can find friendly sea lions. We then slowly return to Santa Cruz and embark to make a small hike to Playa de Los Perros where we will find colonies of Marine Iguanas. The last stop will be a short hike to Las Grietas, where we can see finches, shorebirds, and endemic vegetation. At Las Grietas we have a chance to snorkel in the channel of the lava formations, the water here is less salty, a rare thing in the Galapagos. After an interesting visit, we walk back to the boat and get back to Puerto Ayora. The rest of the day is free to enjoy.
DAY 4 Transfer to the mainland
AM: Breakfast at the hotel. We have the morning free depending on the hour of our transport out of the Island. If you continue with speed boat to San Cristobal or Isabela, it will leave at 08:00. The rest of us continues to the airport in Baltra, we will let you know the timing.
Transfers: Book them separately when you make your booking. Transfers from Guayaquil/ Quito include airfare with one checked-in bag.
Info: This program will connect with our San Cristobal and Isabela programs.
On this tour you will stay in the following hotels:
STANDARD
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. Hotel Ninfa Suites 3n
SUPERIOR
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. Hotel Ninfa Suites// Deluxe Suites 3n
Hotel Ninfa Suites (https://hotelninfa.com.ec) or similar
