Galapagos Habitat 4-Night Itinerary

AM: In the morning, you will fly from Quito or Guayaquil (on the Ecuadorian mainland) to Baltra Island, which is the heart of the Galapagos archipelago and the main point of entry to this natural paradise. Upon your arrival at the airport, you will need to pay the national park entry fee, which goes to protecting both the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve.  A member of the Surtrek team will then welcome you and accompany you on a short bus ride to Itabaca Channel, whose clear blue waters divide Baltra Island from Santa Cruz Island. During your five-minute crossing, keep your eyes on the water and you’re likely to spot sharks, sea lions and sea turtles. Once on Santa Cruz, you’ll travel south across the island to your hotel. During the 45-minute drive, you’ll experience a variety of microclimates, observing the change from the desert environment in the lowlands to tropical forests in the Highlands. Then, as we near the southern coast, the climate becomes drier and hotter until we arrive at the Galapagos Habitat Eco-Luxury Hotel in Puerto Ayora, the main town on the island. Before lunch, you can relax on the hotel’s deck and watch the sea lions and marine iguanas.

PM: After lunch, we will head to one of the most visited spots in the islands. Located on Santa Cruz Island, the Charles Darwin Research Station is primarily an international scientific research station situated on the outskirts of Puerto Ayora. You will be taken to its visitor center to learn about the geology, climate, natural history and the conservation of the Galapagos Islands. However, the highlight of your visit here will undoubtedly be the research facility’s Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center, which breeds giant tortoises. These enormous and slow-moving reptiles can live up to 150- 200 years and weigh between 250 and 300 kg. Approaching them in their humid and forested spaces is always an inspiring adventure. For decades, the Fausto Center was home to “Lonesome George,” who finally died in 2012 as the last of his particular species. The tortoises you will see here are accustomed to humans, so it’s an excellent spot for visitors to take photographs with them.

AM: This morning you will be picked up at the hotel and taken to Itabaca Channel, where you will embark on a ship to sail to a neighboring island and beach not visited the previous day. The site you will visit depends on different factors such as National Park Regulations, weather, and tides. The options are as follows:

Mondays and Fridays (North Seymour Island): Should we travel to North Seymour Island today, after a dry landing we will take a short walk along its coast, where you will encounter Swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions and Cliff crabs. This part of Seymour Island is also known for being a major nesting site for Blue-footed boobies and one of the largest colonies of Magnificent frigatebirds (a species different from the Great frigatebird). As you enjoy this relaxing hike around various nesting sites, you can also spot both of the endemic species of iguanas: marine iguanas and land iguanas. 

Tuesdays (Bartolome Island): This island possesses a fascinating moonscape formed by various volcanic formations — including lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones — as we hike to the island’s summit for striking views of the surrounding islands, Sullivan Bay and the towering Pinnacle Rock. As the beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some of the finest snorkeling in the islands, you can discover a marvelous underwater world here and have a good chance of finding sea turtles gliding gently alongside you. On the rocks beneath Pinnacle Rock, it’s quite possible to spot some of the quick-as-an-arrow Galapagos penguins; at around 25 centimeters tall, these are members of the second smallest species of penguin in the world.  Likewise, you’re likely to see harmless Whitetip reef sharks sunning in these waters. For many visitors, this may turn out to be the best of snorkeling experiences, as the water here is generally clear, without too much surf and full of marine life.

Sundays (Santa Cruz Island): This island's lush landscape is a welcome contrast to the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. On the way to the highlands are, we will cross through different vegetation zones – from the dry lower region full of cactuses to the scalesia woods in the Highlands.  There one can find two small agricultural communities that grow the famous organic Galapagos coffee. While in the Highlands, you will have the option of visiting one of two tortoise-breeding centers: El Chato or Rancho Las Primicias. At either site, approaching these enormous and slow-moving reptiles is always an inspiring adventure. The El Chato tortoise reserve was founded in 1964 to allow visitors to observe the island’s huge Galapagos turtles and White herons in their natural habitat. You will also be able to walk through nearby underground lava tunnels formed during volcanic eruptions. As the outside of the lava hardened, the inside continued to flow to the ocean, creating these tunnels. Alternatively, Rancho Primicias is a great place to see about ten to fifteen Galapagos giant tortoises in the wild. In addition to being able to view the ocean from this location in the Highlands, you can walk through a lava cave that was formed by a volcanic eruption.   

PM: Late in the afternoon, we will return to the lodge, where you can enjoy swimming, simply relaxing before dinner, or discovering more of Santa Cruz Island on your own.

AM: On this final morning in the islands, we will drive out to the Santa Cruz Highlands and see the twin “Los Gemelos” craters, which will be explained by your naturalist guide. These craters are surrounded by scalesia forest, where also live Ruby tyrants and small and large Tree finches. 

Concluding this amazing experience in the Galapagos Islands, after breakfast at the Galapagos Habitat Eco-Luxury Hotel you will be transferred to the Baltra Island airport for your return flight to the Ecuadorian mainland. Enjoy your last look back at the “enchanted islands,” a unique paradise with inspiring natural wonders.