Galapagos 2024-06: Wildlife & Photography Adventures

Arrive in Quito at any time. Our representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to our hotel.

Today we will drive east through Papallacta Pass at nearly 13,000ft where we have seen Andean Condors on occasion. Continuing east we will arrive at Guango Lodge to enjoy Hummingbirds in their gardens and at their feeders. Incredible photo opportunities abound as we try to capture images of these wonderful creatures. We will have lunch at the lodge and enjoy a walk along the river before we return to Quito for dinner.

Early flight to Baltra, in the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival meet our naturalist guide who will assist with the transfer to our yacht, the Solaris.

The national park charges a visitor fee of $100 USD, payable on arrival, which funds Park maintenance and supervision in the Galapagos, as well as ecological study, conservation and infrastructure development in Ecuador’s other National Parks. Entry fees and the funds they generate for the National Park System are among measures taken by the Ecuadorian government to protect its natural heritage.

Our first excursion, after lunch, will be to the highlands of Santa Cruz to enjoy the amazing Giant Tortoises in the wild. Here we will also explore the beautiful Scalesia Daisy Tree Forest to seek many of the endemic finches.

North Seymour Island, flat and rocky, is littered with Blue-footed Booby nests, and these birds can often be seen doing their comical courtship dance! In the surrounding saltbush we can find nesting Great and Magnificent Frigatebirds, males often with their bright red throat pouches inflated.

After a bird ID class and/or photo workshop on board the yacht, we will explore Mosquera, a tiny spit of land perfect for practicing what we learned as boobies and frigates fly by while shorebirds, sally lightfoot crabs and sea lions line the beach and rocks.

Land at Genovesa Island, an old imploded volcano, to observe the massive colonies of Frigate Birds, Boobies and other seabirds as well as striking volcanic cliffs rising from the ocean.

Well to the north of the main Galapagos Island group, Genovesa is the shape of a horseshoe given it’s volcanic history. The island has a volcanic caldera whose wall has collapsed, forming the Great Darwin Bay, surrounded by cliffs. Lake Arcturus, filled with salt water, lies in the centre, and sediment within this crater lake is less than 6,000 years old. Our first excursion in Darwin Bay provides us some fantastic snorkeling opportunities within the a partially eroded crater.

In the afternoon there will be an excursion to “El Barranco,” otherwise known as Prince Phillip’s Steps, on the southern tip of the island. This is an extraordinary path that leads through a seabird colony full of life, up to cliffs that are 75ft high. At the top, the trail continues inland, passing more seabird colonies in a thin palo santo forest. Storm-petrels nest here and can sometimes be seen avoiding their chief predator, Short-eared Owls.

This island is also known as Bird Island, because of the large and varied bird colonies which nest here, and the whole ecology is made of birds and marine iguanas, no mammal. There are an abundance of frigatebirds and it is the best place to see Red-footed Boobies in the Galapagos.

One of the smallest islands in the Galapagos, South Plaza has one of the largest populations of Land Iguanas. A large colony of noisy sea lions has its prime habitat on these smooth rocks. Walk along a path through a cactus forest and view a combination of dry and coastal vegetation. The small cactus forest is populated by land iguanas, which can be seen sunning themselves or feeding on opuntia pads and fruits. Swallow-tailed gulls, which nest on the rugged southern cliffs, are usually seen, along with Red-billed Tropicbirds and Galapagos Shearwaters. During the garua season you can see the sesuvium turn bright colors of red, orange and yellow, like an Autumn day in New England.

In the afternoon, we’ll explore Santa Fé, a fairly small and dry island. Also called Barrington, Santa Fé Island is well-known as a great place for watching (and swimming with) sea lions. Santa Fé was formed from an uplift (rather than a volcano) giving the island a relatively flat surface rather than the typical conical shape of the other islands. Introduced goats were eradicated in 1971, and Santa Fe is now home to a number of endemic species, which have bounced back from the outside threat, including: Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, Galapagos Rice Rat, Galapagos Mockingbird and a variety of finches.

Hiking towards the cliffs along the island’s northern shore you can view the forest of giant Prickly Pear Cactus. A member of the cactus family their name comes from the pear shaped fruit the plant produces. Santa Fe is home to an endemic Land Iguana. Once back at the beach there is normally plenty of free time to snorkel back in the lagoon. Playful sea lions pups and bright-colored fish make for fascinating company.

We will pass by Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), which is a magnificent rock in the middle of the sea, set in a shape resembling a sleeping lion (or for the not-so-creative, a shoe. Hence the english name Kicker Rock). The rock rises nearly 500ft above the ocean surface and is divided into two parts by a narrow channel navigable by small vessels. We also visit Cerro Brujo, where there is a chance to go hiking, swimming and snorkeling. The sandy beach is home to Sally Lightfoot Crabs, Brown Pelicans, Blue-footed Boobies and many sea lions.

The town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal is the capital and administrative centre of the Galapagos Islands. From here, in the afternoon, we will visit a newer site near Cerro Colorado where we can find the San Cristobal variety of saddlebacked Giant Tortoises.

At Gardner Bay on Española Island (also called Hood Island) we’ll walk along one of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago. Sea lions and bird life will keep us very occupied, but there will also be the opportunity to go snorkeling.

Punta Suarez on the western side of Española is spectacular: gargantuan waves break on jagged cliffs and large bird colonies thickly populate the interior of the island; there is a distinct feel of desolate wilderness here. The Waved Albatross is seen here from April to December during its mating/nesting season. This bird leaves land between January and March each year to make its annual odyssey far out to sea. Amazingly, Española is the nesting site to virtually the entire world population of this species, with more than 12,000 pairs residing here. Large numbers of Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies are also found here, Red-billed Tropic Birds dash madly through the air, and both Marine Iguanas and sea lions are common. A huge blowhole, where the surf is forced through a natural rock formation spouting seawater 50 or more feet into the air, adds to the island’s impression of untamed beauty.

Make our way to Punta Cormorant on the northern part of Floreana. The landing is on a beach of greenish sand, colored by olivine crystals, volcanic-derived silicates of magnesium and iron. The trail leads to a lake normally inhabited by flamingos and other shore birds and continues to a beach of fine white sand particles known as “Flour Beach”, an important nesting site for turtles. Around the point, Devil’s Crown derives its name from the broken remains of a partially submerged volcanic cone. This is a perfect spot to go snorkeling from the boat, as the waters are home to a multitude of colorful fish and sea lions. Please make sure you are a comfortable swimmer, however, as despite the protection from the open sea provided by the “crown,” the water here can be rough and the currents strong.

Later in the afternoon we stop at Post Office Bay. A barrel was placed here in the late 18th century by English whaling vessels to be used as a post office. Passing ships would stop to leave mail for loved ones, collecting at the same time any mail destined for ports on their itineraries. Today the box is used mainly by tourists, who may drop off and pick up unstamped letters to be carried to far destinations. The remains of a Norwegian canning factory are the only evidence of the Island’s history prior to its designation as a protected area.

The history of Floreana Island (also called Charles) has gradually evolved to reach near mythic proportions. The story begins when a baroness and her two lovers, a German doctor and his mistress, and a German couple and their young son all came to settle on this land. Their dalliances and disasters, shrouded in mystery, were chronicled in John Treherne’s book The Galapagos Affair. Descendants of the German family, the Wittmers, still live on the island in the small community of Puerto Velasco Ibarra. Mrs. Margaret Wittmer has also written a booked entitled “Floreana.”

Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island offers striking lava formations. Very few plants have managed to survive on this island due to the harsh environment and relatively new lava floe, about 110 years old.

Bartolomé Island has two main areas of interest. A hike to the summit of the island provides a clear perspective of the islands’ not-too-distant volcanic origins, and the panoramic view is one of the best among the islands. From here are visible the double-sided beach of Bartolomé directly below, the volcanic tower rising out of the water next to it, and Santiago in the distance. After the summit hike, stop at the beach to relax in semi-tropical tranquility. There is great snorkeling among the submerged volcanic rock and around the base of the tower. A short hike to the beach on the opposite side is worth the minimal effort. It is not unusual to see sharks in these shallow waters.

Early morning we’ll visit Black Turtle Cove, a nursery area for not only Green Turtles but many sharks and rays as well. We will motor through the mangroves enjoying views of many birds as well. After our visit we will disembark at Baltra and transfer to the airport for our flight back to Quito.

In Quito we will have our final evening meal together .

Departures throughout the day…