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GALAPAGOS
Navigable day trips
MONDAY:
NORTH SEYMOUR & BACHAS BEACH
North Seymour Island is a small land mass located an hour away from the Itabaca Channel on the north side of Santa Cruz. This rocky island is home of one the most impressive colonies of different species of animals. While exploring the island you will find Great frigate birds that during courtship they spend hours handing nesting materials to each other. While around you will encounter some blue footed boobies cleaning the ground and transporting some twigs here and there, but never actually construct a nest. The area where the eggs are laid is marked by a ring of white guano.
Heading along the shore, you traverse a wide expanse of sand criss-crossed with marine iguana trails. These reptiles nest here, so be careful where you tread. Some of the island’s finest waves pound a boulder beach on your left; young sea-lions often body-surf here. Looking west, there are good views of the two Daphne islands, Major and Minor.
After a delicious lunch onboard The WINDROSE Board, we will head to Bachas Beach, a beautiful coralline beach. This is the perfect place for practicing snorkeling, swimming or to simply enjoy the white soft sand. Several brackish lagoons only a few steps away from the sea are the feeding grounds of various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
General Information: Activity level (Moderate).
Tour style: Hiking |Snorkeling
Pick up: 7:30 am Departure & Return location: Drop off: 17:00 pm
TUESDAY:
BARTOLOME - CHINESE HAT
Bartolome is a small Galapagos Island located 18 miles northwest from the Itabaca Channel. Arriving in Bartolome you get a one of the most incredible landscapes. The summit trail begins with a dry landing, though sea-lions make the purpose-built dock more exciting. The trail is a dusty walk through volcanic ash. The only vegetation is the “pioneer Tiquilia plant”and greenish Chamaesyce. These are vital in binding the ash that fans down from the hill.
Bartolome is consider one of the best snorkeling sites in the central Galapagos region, a swim at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock and around its base is the most important deep water snorkel with many different species of parrots fishes, marine turtles, sea lions and sometimes Galapagos penguins.
After an exquisite lunch on board the WINDROSE we will head to Chinese Hat, is a very small volcano nearby Santiago Island, surrounded by small spatter cones creating a dramatic landscape. Because of its distinctive shape, Sombrero Chino has fascinated visitors as long as they have been coming to Galapagos. It’s one of the smallest Galapagos Islands but don’t be fooled: it has a unique visitor site with an unforgettable view! Galapagos Penguins and eventually Galapagos hawks are active across this patch of land which is also beautiful for visitors who just come to see and enjoy the scenery. A wet landing in the main beach of the island will give you the opportunity of enjoying the sandy beach where sea lions rest and a variety of wade birds feed on the shore line.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
General Information: Activity level (Moderate).
Tour style: Hiking |Snorkeling
Pick up: 7:30 am Departure & Return location: Drop off: 17:00 pm
WEDNESDAY:
SOUTH PLAZAS & SANTA FE
A dry landing in the middle of South Plaza Island is the starting point for this adventure, this beautiful island is full of both land life and birds: including Swallow-tailed Gulls, Lava Gulls, Frigate birds, Masked boobies, Blue-footed boobies, Pelicans and Red-billed Tropicbirds. It is not really difficult to go by a gull’s nest and see some chicks flapping their wings trying to fly.
Created by lava that tilted up the sea bed, South Plaza Island is countless years old, with its resident wildlife and diverse plant life having progressively taken over the island since it was formed. Visitors to the island will find that its steep , sloped cliff sides are home to an amazing variety of birds, and it is also home of large colonies of sea lions and marine animals.
After a delicious lunch on board the WINDROSE we will head to Santa Fe Island Is. also called Barrington Island after British Admiral Samuel Barrington.
This small island is formed of uplifted, submarine basaltic lava, formed some 4 million years ago. Much of it is a faulted plateau covered with a forest of giant Opuntia cactae. .As you walk through the dense bushes on the short trail, watch out for the Croton bushes, an endemic plant with an indelible stain. The most spectacular plants are the giant prickly pear cactae, unique to Santa Fe (Opuntia echios barringtonensis). The Galapagos dove is common on the trail, as are painted locusts, often pursued by a snake or two. The park monument is often a vantage point to spy a Galapagos hawk. The highlight is the land iguana, a lighter- colored iguana that is endemic from Santa Fe and Santa Fe is also home to a large Sea Lion nursery.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
THURSDAY: SANTA FE & SOUTH PLAZAS
Santa Fe Island is also called Barrington Island after British Admiral Samuel Barrington, is formed of uplifted, submarine basaltic lava, formed a some 4 million years ago. Much of it is a faulted plateau covered with a forest of giant Opuntia cactae. as you walk through the dense bushes on the short trail, watch out for the Croton bushes, an endemic plant with an indelible stain. The most spectacular plants are the giant prickly pear cactae, unique to Santa Fe (Opuntia echios barringtonensis).The Galapagos dove is common on the trail, as are painted locusts, often pursued by a snake or two. The park monument is often a vantage point to spy a Galapagos hawk.
The highlight is the land iguana, a lighter-colored iguana that is endemic to Santa Fe. Santa Fe is also home to a large Sea Lion nursery.
After a delicious lunch on board the WINDROSE we will head to South Plaza Island this beautiful island is full of both land life and birds: including Swallow-tailed Gulls, Lava Gulls, Frigate birds, Masked boobies, Blue-footed boobies, Pelicans and Red-billed Tropicbirds. It is not really difficult to go by a gull’s nest and see some chicks flapping their wings trying to fly. Created by lava that tilted up the sea bed, South Plaza Island is countless years old, with its resident wildlife and diverse plant life having progressively taken over the island since it was formed. Visitors to the land will find that its steep, sloped cliff sides are home to an amazing variety of birds, and it is also home of large colonies of sea lions and marine animals.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
FRIDAY: NORTH SEYMOUR & BACHAS
North Seymour Island is a small land mass located an hour away from the Itabaca Channel on the north side of Santa Cruz. This rocky island is home of one the most impressive colonies of different species of animals. While exploring the island you will find Great frigate birds that during courtship they spend hours handing nesting materials to each other. While around you will encounter some blue footed boobies cleaning the ground and transporting some twigs here and there, but never actually construct a nest. The area where the eggs are laid is marked by a ring of white guano.
Heading along the shore, you traverse a wide expanse of sand criss-crossed with marine iguana trails. These reptiles nest here, so be careful where you tread. Some of the island’s finest waves pound a boulder beach on your left; young sea-lions often body-surf here. Looking west, there are good views of the two Daphne islands, Major and Minor.
After a delicious lunch onboard the WINDROSE, we will head to Bachas Beach, a beautiful coralline beach. This is the perfect place for practicing snorkeling, swimming or to simply enjoy the white soft sand. Several brackish lagoons only a few steps away from the sea are the feeding grounds of various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
SATURDAY:
BARTOLOME & SULLIVAN BAY
Bartolome is a small Galapagos Island located 18 miles northwest from the Itabaca Channel. Arriving in Bartolome you get a one of the most incredible landscapes. The summit trail begins with a dry landing, though sea-lions make the purpose-built dock more exciting.
The trail is a dusty walk through volcanic ash. The only vegetation is the “pioneer Tiquilia plant” and greenish Chamaesyce. These are vital in binding the ash that fans down from the hill.
Bartolome is consider one of the best snorkeling sites in the central Galapagos region, a swim at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock and around its base is the most important deep water snorkel with many different species of parrots fishes, marine turtles, sea lions and sometimes Galapagos penguins.
After a delicious lunch on board the WINDROSE we will head to Sullivan Bay, located on the eastern coast of Santiago, Sullivan bay is the most interesting lava field in the Galapagos.
A short walk on lava is a unique chance to experience the volcanic origins of the islands. Pahoehoe and AA lava is the predominant shape in this moon scape. After a land visit you have time to snorkel and enjoy and amazing white sand beach where to observe many different species of fishes, some turtles, sea lions and eventually Galapagos Penguins.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
SUNDAY:
CHINESE HAT & DRAGON HILL
Chinese Hat is a very small volcano nearby Santiago Island, surrounded by small spatter cones creating a dramatic landscape. Because of its distinctive shape, Sombrero Chino has fascinated visitors as long as they have been coming to Galapagos. It’s one of the smallest Galapagos Islands but don’t be fooled: it has a unique visitor site with an unforgettable view! Galapagos Penguins and eventually Galapagos hawks are active across this patch of land which is also beautiful for visitors who just come to see and enjoy the scenery. A wet landing in the main beach of the island will give you the opportunity of enjoying the sandy beach where sea lions rest and a variety of wade birds feed on the shore line. The tranquil waters offer a great snorkeling experience where you will enjoy observing several tropical fish, sea stars and the opportunity of observing penguins under water.
After a wonderful lunch on board the WINDROSE we will head to Dragon Hill, which is one of the few visitor sites directly related to a conservation program of the Charles, Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park. This place was named after the land iguanas, which are considered the Galápagos’ Dragons. The population of land iguanas in this area was restored by efforts of the Galápagos National Park. It took a lot of work for them to rein in control of feral mammals such as dogs, cats, goats and donkeys brought by early Galápagos settlers. Heading inland on the trail, visitors pass two small salt- water lagoons where it is sometimes possible to see flamingos and other shore birds. The trail continues on and circles a small hill near by the highest point on Dragon Hill where visitors can land iguanas and their many burrows on the hillside.
Included: Transportation (Hotel, Yacht, Hotel)
- English speaking Guide
- Lunch on board.
- Snacks during the day
- Snorkeling gear: mask, snorkel and fins.
- Water, coffee and tea
- Towels.
No Included: Extra soft and alcoholic drinks, tips and extra services.
PRICE PER PERSON:
- Luxury class boat USD $395
- Ask for our day Tours in tourist class boats from $150 to $250 USD
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND DAY(S):
Optional full day boat trips from and to other Islands: Española, La Pinta, Floreana or other destinations are available upon request and availability.
PLEASE ASK FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND DESTINATIONS IN GALAPAGOS OR TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP IN MAINLAND ECUADOR.
WHAT TO BRING:
We recommend to bring a small backpack , comfortable walking shoes , sneakers or rubber soles, shorts trousers, t-shirts, long and shorts sleeved shirts , windbreaker, bathing suit, wet suit, dry bag, hat or cap, sun block, sunglasses, binoculars & camera.
