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Scalesia Lodge 5-day/4-night "Amazing Isabela Island Tour": Scalesia Galapagos Lodge is nestled in the center of 16 hectares (40 acres) of property in the middle of a magical forest with a spectacular view of the coast of Isabela Island and the Pacific Ocean. The lodge is about 20 minutes from the town of Puerto Villamil, itself is complete with its white-sand beaches, is consistently considered one of the most beautiful sites in the Galapagos Islands. Located just behind the town are several brackish lagoons, where can usually be seen pink flamingos, common stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintails, and gallinules. On this 5-day/4-night Galapagos tour based at the Scalesia Lodge, you will a visit to a breeding center of the archipelago’s emblematic giant tortoises, trek to the Chico and Sierra Negra volcanoes, visit the bio-diverse mangroves of the wetlands, explore lava tunnels and experience much more.
The following detailed itinerary is just an example of a tour that can be designed by any guest(s) at Scalesia Lodge after selecting from the number of excursions offered.
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Upon your arrival in the Galapagos Islands (at the Baltra Island airport), you will be driven to the town of Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island, to board a speed boat to the town of Puerto Villamil, on Isabela Island. From there you will be driven to the Scalesia Lodge. The rest of the afternoon will be on your own to enjoy the lodge.
AM: In the morning, we will take a short boat trip across the harbor of Isabela Island. After passing sea lions and pelicans that bathe in the sun on the fishing boats there, we will reach Tintoreras Islet, where we will take an easy walk through the bizarre lava landscape with its huge colonies of marine iguanas. A colony of sea lions is also located here, and it’s common to see Whitetip reef sharks resting in the water near the shore. These sharks are called “tintoreras” in Spanish, giving the island its name.
PM: After lunch, we will visit Los Humedales, the wetlands of Isabela Island. With some luck, you will be able to see pink flamingos in the lagoons. We will also enter lava tunnels, which are quite popular among the marine iguanas here. You will also visit the Turtle breeding center where the National park is breeding turtles in danger of extinction. Some of these giant turtles have been released by the park and can be found on the trails.
We will then hike through the wetlands to the Centro de Crianza Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. On the way, we will pass brackish water lagoons where flamingos can sometimes be seen. At the breeding station, you can get up “close and personal” to some of the giant tortoise species from Isabela Island. Overnight at Scalesia Lodge.
AM: This morning we will go to Los Túneles (“The Tunnels”), an area of naturally occurring underwater stone tunnels located about an hour from the town of Puerto Villamil. Here, you can watch huge manta rays and turtles. In the background, you should be able to spot the Sierra Negra Volcano, looming like a tower above the island. At Los Túneles, you will have a chance to go snorkeling with Galapagos penguins and tropical fish.
PM: After returning to Scalesia Lodge for lunch, this afternoon you'll have free time to enjoy magical Puerto Villamil Beach.
AM: Today we will drive to the highlands of Isabela Island and start hiking up to the edge of the Sierra Negra Volcano’s crater. The volcano — reaching a height of around 1,500 meters and having an outer diameter of approximately nine kilometers (over 5 miles) — is the second largest caldera in the world. We will hike along the cone to a resting place in the northeast. From the Sierra Negra Volcano, you will be able to see the Chico Volcano, which is about 90 minutes away on foot and known for its moon-like volcanic lava landscape. From the Sierra Negra Volcano, we will continue walking to the active crater of Chico Volcano. Through this fascinating lava landscape, we will reach the edge of the crater, where you can watch the fumaroles in its interior and have a wonderful view of Elizabeth Bay. From this Galapagos crater, you will also be able to spot the volcanoes on the north part of the island: the Alcedo, Darwin, and Wolf volcanoes.
PM: After returning to Scalesia Lodge for lunch, this afternoon we will tour Sucre´s Cave, located 14Km from Villamil Port in the island's agricultural area. Enjoy a short walk to appreciate the typical vegetation and endemic plants. We will then continue to the Mango Lookout Point, where you'll have panoramic views of southern Isabela and the agricultural area. This is also a place for observing finches, the birds that were so important in the development of Darwin's theory of evolution.
AM: You will be awakened early to return to Puerto Ayora and then to Baltra Island. Once on Baltra, you will take your flight back to Quito.
(NOTE: Itineraries subject to change without notice. The sequence of visits might be altered depending on
the arrival of flights to Baltra or Isabela, weather conditions, or other unexpected circumstances beyond the lodge’s control.)
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