8 Day | Santa Cruz & Isabela

Visit the highlights of both Santa Cruz Island and Isabela island, while staying in the local villages during this 8-day Galapagos 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, enjoy a fun snorkeling and fishing tour, bike to the tortoise center in Puerto Villamil, 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: Snorkeling and Fishing tour

We head out on the water again today, but this time for a snorkeling/fishing adventure. We will try our luck to catch some fish on our way to one of the snorkeling sites. Fish we may catch are: wahoo, jacks, mahi mahi and various species of tuna. If we are lucky and get some fish, the guide and crew will prepare a rare treat for you, fresh sashimi and a bbq made right on the boat. After some snorkeling and lunch we will head to Playa Escondida, located on the coast of Santa Cruz. This is a beautiful beach is surrounded by red mangroves and also has crystal clear water, an excellent place to snorkel. The boat usually gets back to Puerto Ayora around 15h00 and 16h00, depending on the destinations visited. (B/L)

Day 5: Transfer to Isabela by ferry and Bike tour the Tortoise Breeding Center

In the morning, make your way to the dock to catch your ferry to Isabela that departs at 7am. Upon arrival in Isabela, you will be picked up from the dock and taken to your hotel for check-in. When we are ready, we will hop on our bikes and begin our bike tour that will take us to see flamingos in two different lagoons. We will visit the breeding center to see the various species of land tortoises from early hatchlings through 100 years old. After learning about our Galapagos tortoises, explore the town and finally ending with a refreshing swim and snorkel in Concha de Perla! (B)

Day 6: Snorkelling day trip to Los Tuneles

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)

Day 7: Sierra Negra Volcano

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 fumeroles. This is a 16 km hike and takes approximately 5-6 hours depending upon your rhythm and walking abilities. (B/Box-Lunch)

Day 8: Departure

In the morning you will be taken to the dock to board the ferry back to Santa Cruz (departs at 6am). On arrival in Santa Cruz you will be met by a local representative at the dock who will escort you to your transport service that will take you back to the canal, and then to the airport for your flight back to mainland Ecuador.

**End of services**

• Location: Galapagos Land Tours
• Duration: 8 days / 7 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, go on a fun fishing trip, snorkel in a world renown marine reserve, Tortuga Bay, Cerro Mesa Reserve, bike ride to the tortoise center in Puerto Villamil, Sierra Negra Volcano, snorkel at Los Tuneles, 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