6 Day | Santa Cruz & Isabela

Visit the highlights of both Santa Cruz Island and Isabela Island, while staying in the local villages on this 6-day Galapagos land tour. Visit the highlands of Santa Cruz where you will walk amongst giant tortoises, go on day excursion to an uninhabited islands to see wildlife up close, hike up to Sierra Negra Volcano for a spectacular view, and enjoy many snorkeling opportunities where you will swim with sea lions, large schools or fish, rays, and much more!

Day 1: Arrival on Santa Cruz and visit Los Gemelos and El Manzanillo Tortoise Reserve

Arrival at Baltra airport where you will be met by your local guide. Transfer over the island stopping at Los Gemelos sink holes, and then continue on to El Manzanillo Tortoise Reserve for lunch. Depending on the time, either before or after lunch you will spend some time walking the trails of this reserve, and you will have the opportunity to see many giant tortoises. In the late afternoon, continue on to Puerto Ayora and check into your hotel. Evening free to explore and try one of the many local restaurants. (L)

Day 2: Tour to one of the uninhabited islands

In the morning you will make your way to the main dock to join your tour to one of the uninhabited islands. Transfer over land to the canal where you will board the motor yacht and then head out to one of the many uninhabited islands surrounding Santa Cruz. Depending on the day of the week, will determine what island you visit. Among the islands you can visit are: North Seymour, Bartolome, South Plazas, Santa Fe. This is also the best way to get up close and personal with the wildlife as you will be away from populated areas. You may also get to swim with a few sea lions! (B/L)

Day 3: Cerro Mesa Reserve and Tortuga Bay

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and driver to the highlands to visit Cerro Mesa Reserve, where you will be awarded with wonderful views of Santa Cruz Island. Here there are few trail options to explore, one leading down to the bottom of a crater. Afterwards visit a trapiche farm where local caña liquor is produced, learn about the process from start to finish, and sample some yourself! From here continue on to have lunch a local restaurant in the highlands. In the afternoon return to Puerto Ayora. You will still have some time to visit Tortuga Bay Beach on your own. Walk 2.5km on a paved path through national park arriving at a beautiful white sand beach, where (depending on the season) sea turtles make their nest under the cover of darkness. This is also a great place to bring some snorkel gear or a boogie board and enjoy the ocean. If you walk to the end of the beach you will arrive at a marine iguana nesting area. (B/L)

Day 4: Arrival on Isabela / Land visit and snorkelling at Tintoreras

You will have to be at the dock at 6:30am to board the ferry to Isabela Island. Upon arrival to the Isabella dock you will be met by your local representative and taken to your hotel to check in. After you are settled, you will visit Islote Tintoreras. This island is a unique and fragile environment formed of A’A lava and home to an abundance of wildlife. Your visit begins with a short boat ride to Tintoreras. It is an easy, one-hour walk on a sandy path, observing marine iguanas, sea birds, sea lions and white tipped reef sharks resting in a shallow crevice, which you will view from the land. There will be a boat ride looking for penguins, birds and other marine life. Your snorkeling adventure will be determined by the tide. Your captain and guide will take you to either La Calera or Loberia Chica. Some of the marine creatures to be observed are marine turtles, rays and colorful reef fish, starfish, and look for octopus! (B)

Day 5: Hiking Volcano Sierra Negra and Volcan Chico OR Los Tuneles

OPTION 1: This tour begins with a 40-minute drive from Puerto Villamil town. Then you will begin your hike. During the first hour, the trail goes gently uphill until we reach the second largest volcanic crater in the world, which is 6 miles wide. Continuing our trek along a landscape of lava flows and then down through the moon-like environment until we reach Volcan Chico where we will view the active fumaroles. This is a 16 km hike and takes approximately 5-6 hours depending upon your rhythm and walking abilities.Before ending our day, we will stop at Conca de Perla for a refreshing swim! (B/Box-lunch)

OPTION 2: This excursion starts with a 45-minute boat ride to Roca Union where we will circumnavigate this pinnacle rock in the middle of the ocean. We will see Nazca boobies, if we are lucky, blue-footed boobies, iguanas and sea lions perched on the rock. From here we continue our journey keeping our eye out for giant manta rays. On occasion, dolphins and whales have been spotted in this area. The Tunnels is a site named by local fisherman where they go diving for lobsters in tunnels formed by lava flows under the sea. There are natural lava bridges and arches above the water that were formed by cooling lava after an eruption of Volcano Cerro Azul many years ago. You will have the opportunity to snorkel here and take a short walk on the lava rocks. The marine life is amazing. Hopefully you will see white tipped reef sharks sleeping in caves in a nearby location called Finado. (B/Box-lunch) **Please note there is an extra cost for the Tuneles option. 

Day 6: Transfer to airport or ferry

After breakfast you will check out of your hotel and be transferred to either the airport or the ferry dock for you departure from Isabela Island. (B)

**End of services**

• Location: Galapagos Land Tours
• Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
• Start / End: Baltra (Santa Cruz) / Puerto Villamil (Isabela)
• Activities: Wildlife viewing, walking, hiking, snorkeling, fishing, bike riding, boat rides
• Highlights: Los Gemelos, Tortoise Reserve, visit an uninhabited island, snorkel in a world renown marine reserve, Tortuga Bay, Cerro Mesa Reserve, Sierra Negra Volcano, snorkel at Tintoreras, and more!
• Season: All year
• Included: Accommodation in double rooms, all transfers mentioned in program, all excursions and activities mentioned in itinerary, snorkeling gear on days where there is snorkeling, meals mentioned in program
• Not Included: Flights to and from Galapagos, Galapagos National Park entrance fee, Migratory card fee, any extra beverages on board (anything in a bottle), wetsuit rental, tips, personal expenses