Origen of Species tour

4 nights Galapagos + 2 Free nights in Quito

Santa Cruise Giant Tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus)

Witness the second largest volcanic caldron in the world, swimming and snorkeling in full of live lava cracks and pristine beaches, visits will include legendary sites in Floreana and Isabella Islands, Wild Life will include giant tortoises, Flamingos, marine Iguanas, finches, sea lions, white tip sharks and more.

FREE - TWO NIGHTS IN QUITO + 4 TRANSFERS

Galapagos program

1. Baltra - SANTA CRUZ (Playa de los Alemanes - Las Grietas)

2. FLOREANA (Champion - Parte alta (Cueva de los Piratas) - Lobera)

3. ISABELA (Volcan Sierra Negra - Playa)

4. ISABELA (Muro de las Lagrimas - Poza de los Flamingos - Tintoreras)

5. SANTA CRUZ (Estacin Darwin - Baltra)

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01

After a mid morning flight, In Galapagos you will be picked up at Baltra airport and driven to Puerto Ayora, after leaving luggage at hotel, our Naturalist will lead for lunch and later in the afternoon; we will have our fist visit to Las Grietas and Germans beach.

Las Grietas are 4 million years old lava cracks at the Ocean, we will swim inside and along the cracks exploring the channels, after swimming and snorkeling on both visitor sites, we will be back in the hotel for a hot shower and dinner at our restaurant.

Day 02

After Breakfast, we will sail south with direction to Florerana (Charles), we will plan on arriving around 11h00 after a two hours trip. Charles is a 170 square kilometers island, this island if famous for the mysterious tales of the first inhabitants. We will dock at Black Beach and from here we will head to the highlands to visit Pirate?s cave, Ritter?s farm and south Peace shelter. In the surroundings we can find the home of Baroness Wagner de Bousquet. At the center of the Island is found ?cerro las pajas? of straw hill with 680 meters of altitude.
After enjoying the beauty of the highlands, we go back to Puerto Velasco Ibarra to enjoy a good lunch. Now in the afternoon we have a visit to La Lober?a with a sea lion colony where we can snorkel and swim.
At the end of the day, we will take our speed boat again and sail to Isabella, arriving around 6h30. Check in at hotel, diner and relax.

Day 03

After a delicious breakfast, we will begin our visit to Sierra Negra volcano, this can be considered the longest tour of the trip
Sierra Negra volcano is located 22 kilometers north of Puerto Villamil. It has the second largest caldron in the world, with a diameter of 10 kilometers and a deepness of 100 kms. Here you will have three choices to visit.

1.- The Bocanilla

This site is an option to see the caldron of Black Mountain range with no need walk much.
From the whereabouts of Black Mountain range there is a route of 1,5 km to the edge of the crater. The best days to make this visit it is when the cleared sky this, since you will be able to see the totality of this enormous volcanic boiler.

2.-Volcan Chico:

Volcan Chico is located in the northeast part of Black Mountain range. From the whereabouts of the volcano you can rent a horse or go to foot to the Jaboncillo, from where you can descend by a footpath of 1,5 km.
The footpath crosses from humid Pampas, to a lava field with cactus. Just in the end you will see the lava spurts petrified of diverse textures and colors; in addition fumaroles by diverse places that change of site and intensity frequently. If the day is cleared, from you will be able there to see the Perry isthmus, that it is the narrowest part of the island, certain volcanoes of the north of Isabella and other near islands.
For the Vista of this site it is necessary to contract the services of a naturalistic guide of the National Park

3.-Volcan de Azufre

This site this located in the western part of the boiler of Black Mountain range, to arrive until there, you can rent a light truck that will take to you from Villamil Port to the whereabouts of Black Mountain range; from where the horses take themselves to cross 10 km to arriving at Sulfur Volcano.
Once you arrive until edge of the crater of the volcano, you will be able to descend to foot until the fumaroles located to the bottom of the boiler of Black Mountain range.
For such a long trip, we will bring box lunches so we can enjoy the Island and the visit. Later we will be back in Puerto Villamil to relax at the beach

Day 4:

After a delicious breakfast, we will have the following visits:
Tears Wall
Is a historic site in which during 1946 to 1959 Isabella was a prison and people in jail were forced to build this 100 meters long wall, nowadays It is possible to climb its 7 meters of altitude to get a panoramic view of the surroundings. It is also possible to see the bases of the houses that US soldiers made during world war two.

Flamingo Pond

Is a place where we can always see flocks of flamingos, later with the help of some locals we will take a small boat to safely ride to Las Tintoreras, this is a small islet off Isabella. Name comes from a lava crack with shallow and clear water where white tip sharks usually go to rest. Here is a good place to make snorkeling, we might find some sea lions, on a white sand beach and for sure we can see marine iguanas of all ages. This is one of the main reproduction areas.
There are times that we might go to the breathing center of Giant tortoises.

Breathing center of Giant Tortoises

There is a 1200 meter trail that will lead you from Puerto Villamil to breathing center of giant tortoises. This trail go though different environments: lagoons, mangroves, dry forest and lava fields, therefore we will see different plant and animals during the walk.
At the end is the breathing center, here you will see tortoises of different sizes under controlled circumstances with the aim of recovering lost populations in the different islands of Galapagos archipelago. There is a visitor center and a handcraft store where products made by the community are sold.
Late in the afternoon, we head to Santa Cruz for our last night in the Islands, arrival is supposed to be around 6h30, we check in the hotel and leave for our farewell dinner.

Day 5.

Alter breakfast we will visit Charles Darwin center to learn about the conservation projects and control of introduced species. Darwin center also helped in the teaching and training of naturalist guides and scientists that lead visitors through. It holds environmental and educational projects for local population. Center has facilities in Isabella, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. Activities of Darwin center are coordinated by National park service and are a portrait of good practices between private and government sectors to save the environment of the Archipelago.

Research for marine and terrestrial conservation
scientific advice to National park service Galapagos
Environmental education, promoting and supporting local communities and its involvement
Technical advice in creation of policies and laws
Training of local students in conservation through scholarships and volunteers
Support to scientist from all over the World that come to research in this living laboratory of evolution.
After visiting Darwin Center we will transfer our clients to Baltra for the returning flight to mainland. Clients are scheduled to a noon flight.

Program Includes:

-4 night's accommodations in Galapagos at Economy, Tourist or First
-Run of the House Breakfast and Dinner at Hotel
-Guided excursions with naturalist guide
-Lunch during excursion
-Daily guided excursions to 2 sites of interest
-Transportation between the islands
-Transportation to and from the airport in Galapagos
-2 hotel nights in Quito at deluxe hotel
-2 full buffet Breakfast
-2 Hotel / Airport Transfers

Not Included

-Quito / Galapagos / Quito air fare US$ 423
-Galapagos National Park Tax US$ 100 (pay upon arrival)
-Galapagos Transit Card US$ 10 (must get at booking time)
-Beverages, tips and personal expenses