Galapagos Odyssey Circumnavigation

Upon your arrival in San Cristobal, meet your guide and embark on a short bus ride to the harbor.

In the afternoon, visit the Cerro Colorado Tortoises Protection and Growing Center on the south east side of the island. Take the opportunity to learn about San Cristobal's tortoise population, as well as its other fascinating species of native flora and fauna.

Explore Española Island, beginning with a morning in Gardner Bay. The bay is an ideal place for relaxing, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and of course, wildlife watching.

Head to Punta Suarez, a rocky, cliff-laden area known for its spectacular array of rare sea birds and stunning views.

Enjoy the island of Floreana, which boasts one of the best Flamingo lagoons in the Galapagos. Observe these iconic creatures, as well as other species of entertaining shore birds, while exploring the island's distinct beaches: the Green Beach, and the Flour Sand Beach.

In the afternoon, visit Post Office bay, the landing site of the area's first colonists and location of the famous post office barrel. The barrel has served as the island's post office since its installation in the 18th century.

Continue to Baroness Lookout, named for Baroness Eloisa von Wagner. Atop this northern slope, travelers are rewarded with beautiful vistas of the surrounding landscape.

In the morning, set said for Santa Fe island, theorized to be the oldest in the Galapagos. This southeastern island is home to many endemic species and known for its crystal clear waters. Take the time to snorkel with playful sea lions and observe the colorful marine life along Santa Fe's shore.

In the afternoon, sail over to Islas Plazas, just east of Santa Cruz Island. The Plazas, although small, house some of the most interesting and unique wildlife in the Galapagos. View a spectrum of native species including hybrid iguanas, Swallow Tailed Gulls, and Audubon Shearwaters.

Explore North Seymour Island. Seymour is an uplifted island whose landscape differs from its volcanic counterparts, being generally flat and boulder strewn. It provides ideal habitat for magnificent frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions. Wander through the island and along the rocky shore, taking in the spectacular scenery.

Head to Bachas Beach, located on Santa Cruz Island. Made up of decomposed coral, Bachas' soft, white sand provides a perfect nesting site for sea turtles. An adjacent beach was used by the US as a point of protection for the Panama Canal. Two barges can still be seen there, abandoned after WWII.

Visit Mosquera Islet, situated between Baltra and North Seymour. The islet's stunning white sand beach is home to a large population of sea lions, shore birds, and colorful crustaceans. This site is ideal for snorkeling and swimming.

Visit Dragon Hill in the afternoon. Located on the northwest side of Santa Cruz, this site features a trail leading to a hyper-saline lagoon, home to a variety of bird species. Take a short walk up the Hill and soak in the stunning view of the islands and bay below.

Sail for Rabida, a volcanic island made up of porous red rock and sand. Take a walk to the coastal lagoon behind the beach and observe the varied bird life that call Rabida home.

In the afternoon, venture to Chinese hat, a small islet off the southeastern tip of Santiago. Named for its conical shape, the island is a great place to observe interesting volcanic features including lava tubes and flows. Explore the island while taking in the unique landscape and multifarious animal species.

In the morning, embark on a visit to Darwin Bay. A birdwatcher's paradise, the bay was formed when a crater collapsed on Genovesa Island. Climb a gradual trail that takes you to the edge of a cliff overlooking the bay and island below, enjoying the rare bird species of Genovesa along the way.

In the afternoon, explore El Barranco. Climbing up the eastern plateau of Darwin Bay, this area houses a large population of masked and red-footed boobies, storm petrels, and short-eared owls.

In the morning, venture to Bartolomé, an island boasting some of the most beautiful scenery in the archipelago. Bartolomé's landscape consists of a spectrum of features including volcanic cones, lunar-like craters, lava fields, and Toba. Its two breathtaking beaches are home to sea turtles and a rare colony of Galapagos penguins.

In the afternoon, visit Santiago Island, located in the west-central part of the Galapagos. It is still volcanically active, spotted with young lava flows and cones visible from many vantage points, including outerspace!

Get to know Santa Cruz Island, beginning with a tour of the picturesque highlands. Take a trail from Bellavista, through an agricultural area, along the National Park boundary, the Miconia zone, and into the Fern and Sedge zone. On a clear day, enjoy views of rolling hillsides and extinct volcanic cones.

In the afternoon, learn about Galapagos protection and conservation at the Charles Darwin Station. Your understanding of the important conservation efforts taking place across the archipelago will be greatly enhanced by your first-hand experience with the Galapagos' natural wonders and precious wildlife.

In the morning, take a zodiac ride through "Tintoreras," a group of small islands named for the white tipped reef sharks that inhabit the area. View all sorts of wildlife, including the reef sharks that rest in the shallow waters.

Take a trip up the slopes of the Sierra Negra volcano this afternoon. The crater of the Sierra Negra is 5 miles wide, the second widest in the world. Enjoy fantastic views from the crater's rim and continue your hike up to nearby Chico Volcano to see striking lava formations.

Visit Punta Moreno, on the north coast of Isabela Island. Take a trail along a lava flow into a maze of coastal lagoons that provide habitat for a number of mangrove-loving bird species.

In the afternoon, travel via zodiac to Elizabeth Bay. Boat around the Marielas islets, home of the largest penguin colony in the Galapagos. Admire the mangroves, observe sea turtles, flightless cormorants, schools of Dorado fish, among many others.

Explore Punta Espinoza, located on the northeastern tip of Fernandina Island. This site is a mecca for rare wildlife, most notably the flightless comorant and marine iguanas.

In the afternoon, tour the cliffs of Tagus Cove in a zodiac, disembarking for a 30 minute hike to the cliff-top. From here, enjoy views of Darwin Lake, surrounding volcanoes, and cliff-side graffiti written by pirates centuries ago.

Begin your day at Espumilla beach on the northern coast of Santiago. Enjoy the lovely coastline and watch for nesting sea turtles.

In the afternoon, travel to Puerto Egas, also on Santiago. Puerto Egas is a black sand beach on the west side of the island, rich in history and volcanic tuff deposits.

Sail for Isla Lobos, a small island made up of a dry vegetation zone, volcanic rock, and beautiful, sandy shorline. Lobos is also home to a particularly large colony of sea lions.

Depart Lobos for the San Cristobal airport and catch your flight on to Quito or Guayaquil.