Galapagos Islands with Pete Oxford Expeditions

Note: this itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the Galapagos National Park Service.

Western Route

Day 1: Guayaquil

After arriving at the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil we will transfer to the hotel for the night (hotel this night is included in the trip cost). Dinner is on your own.

Day 2: Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

After breakfast in our hotel we fly to Baltra Island: the gateway to the Galapagos. On arrival, we immediately transfer to the dock to board the S/S Mary Anne to settle in and for our introductory briefing. Our first activity begins after lunch as we travel across the island of Santa Cruz towards Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Station. We will be making a stop along the way to find wild tortoises where we will come face to face with these 600lb (270kg) prehistoric giants in the lush highlands, a remarkable first encounter! Tonight until the morning of day 8 we eat and overnight aboard our vessel the S/S Mary Anne.

From the archipelago’s largest town of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, we visit the world-renowned Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about the history and science of the islands. Finches are easily photographed in this area as we explore the station. Returning through town we have a chance to shop for souvenirs or continue photographing the juxtaposition of the abundant wildlife in the urban environment.

Day 3: Floreana Island: Punta Cormorant, Devil's Crown, and Post Office Bay

At Punta Cormorant, on Floreana Island, we land on a beach where the sand has a greenish tinge caused by large amounts of a volcanic mineral called olivine. Here sea lions, wading birds and Darwin’s Finches all greet us on arrival. We walk through mangroves and unique vegetation, some of which grows nowhere else in the world but this island, to arrive at a saltwater lagoon where startlingly pink Greater Flamingos nest and feed.

A short repositioning of the S/S Mary Anne and some exhilarating snorkeling off the Devil’s Crown, a sunken cinder cone, is our next highlight. The coral reef in the center is perfect for attracting large schools of fish. Turtles, rays and, with luck, even some hammerhead sharks could be swimming below us on the outside of the crater.
In the afternoon, at the historic Post Office Barrel we can send a few postcards home and, in so doing, maintain a centuries old tradition. In 1793, British navigators placed a large wooden barrel here, to leave messages and mail to be carried by homebound colleagues. The tradition has continued until the present day, with the barrels being replaced when necessary over time. Visiting yachts have added their calling cards too.

Day 4: Floreana Island: Black Beach - Navigation & Whale Watching

Landing at Black Beach on Floreana we learn about the most renowned human history to come out of the islands: the story of Margaret Witmer, the Baroness, the Ritters, lover affairs and murder. Floreana was the first island in the Archipelago to be inhabited, as it has one of the very few fresh water sources. We visit the highland areas of this inhabited island looking for the Floreana-endemic medium tree finch.

In the afternoon we will navigate into the rich waters of the western islands. On the way we have a very high chance of spotting whales and dolphins. With plenty of deck space on the back of our yacht, we can spend the entire time outside birding and looking for marine mammals in comfort.

Day 5: Isabela Island: Punta Moreno & Elizabeth Bay

We now venture into the ‘wilder’ side of the Galapagos for three days, where Galápagos Penguins, cormorants, and marine iguanas flourish! Against an austere backdrop we will explore the region in all its majesty. After anchoring at Punta Morena off Isabela Island we will hike on superb pahoehoe lava flows in search of endemic plants and a brackish lagoon which is home to flamingos and Pintail Ducks, all the while with the backdrop of basaltic volcanoes.

Following the coast of western Isabela Island we will depart the S/S Mary Anne in our pangas (inflatable motor boats) to explore the more hidden regions of a mangrove labyrinth. We will see Galapagos Shearwaters, Brown Noddy Terns, Blue-footed Boobies, Galapagos Penguins and the more uncommon Flightless Cormorants. The quiet waters in the bay are a refuge for young sea lions, turtles and baby sharks. This is also one of the best places to see and photograph golden rays.

Day 6: Isabela Island: Urbina Bay - Fernandina Island: Punta Espinosa

We will begin today with a wet landing onto a black volcanic sand beach of this geologically uplifted area. On a relatively short hike we can usually observe another species of giant tortoise. We will also search for large, yellow, land iguanas and more of the finch species that inspired Charles Darwin. After our walk, we will go for a snorkel in the hopes of being accompanied by a few Galapagos Penguins.

On Fernandina, the world’s largest, most pristine island, we land directly into the heart of Darwin’s "Imps of Darkness," the marine iguana ‘capital’ of the world. As we sit or walk the shoreline, the world’s only truly marine lizard will be strewn at our feet in dense congregations. We will watch the endemic Flightless Cormorants in hopes of observing their courtship ritual all the while being entertained by jovial sea lions. Turning inland, we face a dramatic, and inhospitable vista of lava and pioneer vegetation of the archipelago’s youngest island. This is our favorite snorkeling area, as we will swim with turtles, a myriad of fish species and look for Galapagos Penguins, Flightless Cormorants and marine iguanas feeding underwater.

Day 7: Isabela Island: Tagus Cove & Punta Vicente Roca

At Tagus Cove, a hike leads us to an overview of a flooded crater, Darwin’s Lake, and onward through a stunning volcanic landscape for a true understanding of how the hot lava of the Earth’s core has molded the Galapagos Islands – geologist heaven! Tagus Cove is also an historic hideaway from which pirates would ransack the whaling fleets hunting in the area. Even today graffiti dating back as far as 1836, one year after Darwin’s visit, can be found carved in the rock face.

One of our top snorkeling sites, we take to the deep water in search of penguins, rays, turtles, Flightless Cormorants and a host of fish species, some only found in the western isles. A panga ride along the dramatic cliffs of Ecuador Volcano, straddling the equator, gives us the opportunity to photograph Blue-footed Boobies, Brown Noddy Terns and amazing geological features.

Day 8: Santiago Island: Espumilla Beach, Buccaneer Cove, & Puerto Egas

To the land of pirates and buccaneers! We head first to the golden sands of a turtle nesting beach and on a forested trail into the hinterland where pirates once hunted goats for food. The long, golden sandy beach has a mangrove backdrop and there are several species of Darwin’s Finches at this landing site.

Cruising Buccaneer Cove we see where ships were careened (hauled out and cleaned) back in the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of the largest specimens of palo santo trees we will see are home to friendly Galapagos Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers and Darwin’s Finches.

In Puerto Egas, also on Santiago Island, after a wet landing onto another dark sand volcanic beach we will hike to submerged lava grottos where we will commune with endemic fur seals that consider the grottos home. Along the shoreline, we can watch Sally-lightfoot crabs, herons, oystercatchers, and waders. At low tide, this is an excellent site for tide pooling. After a good long walk we’ll cool off with another great snorkel.

Day 9: North Seymour Island & Baltra Airport - Guayaquil

Following another fantastic snorkel we land on North Seymour Island. Here we will enter the habitat of another kind of pirate: the frigatebird. These birds are known for stealing the meals of smaller birds and frequently even shake boobies in mid-air to force them to regurgitate their prize. We will watch their display as the males show off their bright red pouches to attract the females. On this island we will walk through nesting Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, and frigatebirds all the while encountering more land iguanas and sea lions.

After our visit on North Seymour we head back to the island of Baltra and the airport to fly back to mainland Ecuador for our onward flights home.