Galapagos: Treasure of Galapagos | 5 Days

TREASURE 5 day itinerary B

*Galapagos excursions are subject to change without prior notice. Changes in plans may arise due to weather conditions, National Park regulations, or other unforeseen circumstances

Fly from Quito or Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands. Arrival at San Cristobal Airport and transfer in.

Colorado Hill
Colorado Hill Tortoises Protection and Growing Center, located at 40 minutes approximately by bus to the south east of the island. This center was built to improve the status of the population of the island tortoises. The center includes a large corral, a Visitors center, breeding center and an interpretative trail. Along this trail is possible to see different species of native and endemic plants as well birds as the San Cristobal Mockingbird, Yellow Warblers, and many species of finches and the Galapagos flycatcher.

Gardner Bay
On the northeast coast of Española Island, Gardner Bay is a wonderful place to cool off in the turquoise water and admire the myriad of colorful reef fish. You will also have the opportunity to snorkel with turtles or enjoy the proximity of playful sea lions. The white-sand beach is also an important breeding ground for green turtles, and its main attraction is the colony of Galapagos sea lions.

Suarez Point
This rocky area is home to the most impressive and diverse seabirds in the archipelago. The Galápagos albatross returns to Española every year for the season. This allows visitors to admire their impressive courtship rituals. Blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, Galapagos gulls, and red-billed tropicbirds are also native to this island. Along the southern coast, huge ocean waves crash against basalt cliffs, forming a spectacular blowhole where water sprays
meters high into the air with spectacular views of soaring birds.

Post Office Bay - Baroness Lookout
Historically, this site is the location of a wooden barrel that was placed in the 18th century by the crew of a whaling ship. The letters found inside the barrel would be picked up and delivered by sailors returning home. There was no postage fee, and, surprisingly, this mailbox and its honor system are still in use today. Although the letters are no longer important messages from sailors to their loved ones, thousands of them are left by tourists nowadays and many of them still make it to their destination. Apart from being the Post Office Barrel, this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists. It is said that Baroness Eloisa von Wagner loved this place and spent several hours watching the horizon. Within walking distance (30 m) are the ruins of what is known as her house. You can also relax on the beach, where you might spot not only Galapagos sea lions, green turtles, and golden rays, but also Galapagos penguins. This is the only place in the southeastern archipelago where penguins reside.

Cormorant Point - Champion Islet
This site offers probably the best Flamingo lagoon in the Galapagos; it is also one of the largest in the islands. It’s situated between two tuff lava cones that give the area a special atmosphere. There are various species of shorebirds to observe besides flamingos; the most
frequent are common stilts, white-checked pintail ducks and other migratory birds. It is very interesting to see the two distinct beaches: “The Green Beach” (due to its high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the “Flour Sand Beach” which is made up of coral.

Barrington Bay
Located in the southeastern part of the Galapagos, this island was formed from an uplift instead than a volcanic origin, this is why is mostly flat. There are some theories which assure this could be the oldest island in the Archipelago. Santa Fe is the home of a number
of endemic species like the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos snake, Galapagos mockingbird, rice rats and one of the two species of lands Iguanas of the islands. After disembarkation in the beautiful and clear waters you will be in contact with one of the many sea lion colonies. Along the trail many salt bushes can be seen as well giant Prickly pear cactus, gigantism is a characteristic of oceanic islands.

El Chato Reserve
Santa Cruz also offers excellent opportunities for viewing wild tortoises, both roaming through pastures in the agricultural zone and in the Tortoise Reserve, which is accessible from Santa Rosa or Salasaca. Several farms serve food and allow visitors to explore their
grounds in search of tortoises.
Descending through the agricultural zone into the Transition Zone where the Tortoise Reserve is located, the introduced vegetation of the farmlands is replaced by native vegetation. The pond at El Chato is surrounded by forest where short-eared owls, Darwin’s finches, Vermilion Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, Galapagos Rails, and Paint-billed Crakes can be seen. As the visitor walks into the forests overgrown with lichens, ferns, and other epiphytes, it is time to listen carefully for the sound of heavy footsteps and the sound of shrubs being slowly crushed as the tortoises make their way through the
brush.

Twin Carters
The Twin Craters are found on either side of the road leading to Puerto Ayora. These impressive formations are not really volcanic craters and were formed by magma domes, which hardened on the outside while the lava continued flowing inside, leaving huge and
empty magma chambers that eventually collapsed, leaving two large holes. The craters lie within a lush scalesia cloud forest, a high-altitude plant species that are endemic to the Galapagos. This area is also home to the carpenter finch, which uses tools to search
for food. There may also be opportunities to see the vermillion flycatcher, a small red-breasted bird.

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crewmembers, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra Airport, where we will take the shuttle back to the airport.