Southern Islands II

Morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra, Galapagos Islands. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Galapagos Angel staff member and brought into a private bus to start your adventure in Galapagos.

*The first excursion takes place right after the airport pick-up upon arriving at the islands, so it is advisable to travel with appropriate clothing and footwear for walking.

Accessible by bus from Puerto Ayora, the highlands of Santa Cruz are a deep green which contrasts beautifully with the dry, lower part of the islands. The predominant vegetation in the highlands are Scalesia trees which create a lush green forest. The lava tunnels, over half a mile long, are underground, and walking through them is a unique, surreal experience. Lunch is served at this location.

Possible Activities: Hiking (1.5 miles / 2 ½ km)
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Lava tunnels, Finches, wild tortoises, tortoise nesting site.

This excursion takes you to the spectacular Gardner Bay. After landing, you can walk across a lovely white-sand beach amongst a busy sea lion colony or dive into the water to swim with sea lion pups. You may also see curious mockingbirds on the beach.

Possible Activities: Snorkeling, panga ride, a short hike (0.6 miles / 1km), and Kayaking
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Wet Landing
Highlights & Animals: White sandy beach, sea lions, mockingbirds; snorkeling: colorful fish, sea lion nursery.

On the trail to Suarez Point, spotting blue-footed boobies, albatrosses, and Nazca boobies becomes possible. This island serves as the breeding site for almost all of the world's 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses. Additionally, visit a picturesque oceanfront location featuring a cliff that the large albatrosses utilize as a launching pad. Witnessing the renowned blowhole, which spouts seawater into the air, becomes an option. The landscape offers excellent photography opportunities.

Possible Activities: Hike (1.9 miles / 3 km)
Difficulty: Difficult
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Hood mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, waved albatrosses (approximately from the last week of April until the last week of January), red-billed tropicbirds, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, blowholes, amazing landscapes, and maybe blue-footed boobies.

Santa Fe Island (Barrington) is home to the small picturesque bay and anchorage on the island’s northeast coast. The bay has two visitor trails: one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other spanning from a small beach to a tall prickly pear cactus forest.

Possible Activities: Hiking (5 miles / 8 km)
Difficulty: Moderate
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Land iguanas, giant Opuntia cacti

This small island with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. The most characteristic plant is the Sesuvium. During the rainy season, its color is a greenish to yellowish tone, and in the dry season (end of June through January) a bright red.

Possible Activities: Hike (1.5 miles / 2 ½ km)
Difficulty: Moderate
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Land iguanas, sea lion colony, Audubon’s shearwaters, swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies, amazing landscape with cliffs

Visit Black Turtle Cove in the northern part of Santa Cruz. This inlet is surrounded by mangroves and is only accessible by dinghy. The shallow cove is a haven for young marine life. Black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of rays are often spotted here

Possible Activities: Dinghy ride
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: No Landing
Highlights & Animals: Baby hammerhead shark, rays, sea turtles, sea birds

Bachas Beach is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz and is a beach for swimming. One of the few remnants of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galapagos, a floating pier, can be seen here. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black-necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest on the beach.

Possible Activities: Hiking
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Wet Landing
Highlights & Animals: World War II remnants. Sally
 

Situated on Santa Cruz Island, Dragon Hill is one of the newest visitor sites accessible to tourists in the Galapagos Islands. One of the lengthier Galapagos walking trails will lead visitors along a beach and up a trail to the lagoon lookout where bright flamingos, pintail ducks, and land iguanas can be spotted.

Possible Activities: Panga ride & short hike
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Land iguana nesting spot, Galapagos flamingos, common stilts, palo santo trees and cacti forest

After this final visit, transfer to the Baltra airport in time for your flight back to the mainland.