The M/Y Galaxy 8 days – A

BALTRA ISLAND – SANTA CRUZ: HIGHLANDS

-Arrive Baltra airport.
-Reception at airport.
-Transfer IN.
-Welcome on board Galaxy Cruise.
-Welcome drink and lunch.

Arrive to Baltra Island. This island is known to be inhabited by militaries only. On this island is located one of our mains Galapagos airports. Once you arrive your guide will be waiting for you. Transfer to Santa Cruz Island, we cross the Itabaca Chanel (from airport to this place is around 15 minutes), after this we take our private bus to Puerto Ayora.
Once we arrive to Puerto Ayora, we will go direct to Galaxy Yacht: cabin accommodation and take lunch. After lunch, our first visit is HIGHLANDS OF SANTA CRUZ,where we have a trekking and we will find the giant tortoises in their natural habitat, this is a natural spectacular. For this visit, we recommend good walking shoes, long pants, a raincoat, a hat, and sunblock.  Return to Puerto Ayora.  In the evening, there will be a welcome cocktail and the formal presentation of the crew by our captain.  There will also be a briefing for the following day. Dinner.

ISABELA ISLAND

ELIZABETH BAY: This is one of the island’s breeding sites for penguins. Located on the west coast of Isabela, Elizabeth Point is a marine visitor site. Visit Red Mangrove Cove: Brown pelicans, flightless cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays and sea lions are often seen. Lunch.

URBINA BAY: this place is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano between Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove. Wet landing. Trail length is around 3.20 Km; during this walk, we can observe land iguanas, hawks, and tortoises.  It is also possible to see red and blue lobsters.  Dinner.

SANTIAGO ISLAND

EGAS PORT: Here we find a beautiful black sand beach; to the south of the beach is the Pan de Azucar Volcano, whose volcanic deposits have contributed to the formation of the black sand beach.  The crater of this volcano contains a saltwater lake that dries up during hot weather.  Between 1928 and 1930, explorations to develop a salt mine were carried out, but it was decided that a mine was not feasible.

The workers’ use of endemic woods also damaged the environment and the development was scrapped.  Descent to the salt mine is not allowed.

Return to Galaxy. Lunch

SANTIAGO ISLAND: ESPUMILLA BEACH & BOUCANIER COVE: The main attractions include Palo Santo Wood, the beach, and the stunning landscape; the beach is a very important site for tortoises because they use this place for nesting.

Once time, the pigs were the main predatory of tortoise’s eggs; pigs were eradicated with the creation of Isabela Project.

RABIDA ISLAND – CHINESE HAT

RABIDA ISLAND: The visitor site, located on the east coast of Rabida Island, consists of a red sand beach, a coastal lagoon behind the beach, and a loop trail of approximately 1.1 km length.

The red color of the rocks and sand on the beach is due to the interaction of the very porous volcanic material with environmental factors.  Rain, salt water and the sea breeze, act as oxidizing agents, creating the red color.  The scenery, arid zone vegetation and the presence of native and endemic species, add to the beauty of this island. Lunch.

CHINESE HAT: A small islet located near the south-east coast of Santiago. It’s shaped like a Chinese hat when seen from afar. It is an island consisting of a cone type “Splatter” (lava ejected as drops and falls close to where it came from, which forms an inclined cone) that forms the summit and many lava tubes that go down to the coast.

On the west side you can see pillow-type lava formations, which are an indicator that the flows were formed under the sea and have been raised upward, which is why coral heads are found on the lava. This visit provides an excellent opportunity for the interpretation of geological features such as lava tubes and lava flows.

The trail is 700 m (round trip) and the minimum time it takes this trek is 30 minutes.