Darwin's Triangle Short - 3 Islands

(5 Days / 4 Nights)

Places

Santa Cruz, Floreana, Isabela

Introduction

Discover three of the unique Galapagos volcanic islands: Santa Cruz, Isabela and Floreana, and their splendid places where the wildlife does not know fear of human visitors.

This adventure will involve you in a short program demonstrating Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Well-chosen activities will immerse you in an incredible close encounter with nature.

Get to see Isabela seahorse shape, as a product of the merging of six large volcanoes into a single land mass. On this island, Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, pelicans and sally light foot crabs abound. In Floreana, a sea bird which spends most of its life away from land can be seing, the Galapagos petrel and in the highlands of Santa Cruz admire exuberant flora, lava tunnels, large tortoise populations.

At the end of this adventure, you will leave the islands with special memories of this remote place of exquisite volcanic formations and extraordinary flora and fauna.

In Floreana, a sea bird which spends most of its life away from land can be seing, the Galapagos petrel and in the highlands of Santa Cruz admire exuberant flora, lava tunnels, large tortoise populations.
At the end of this adventure, you will leave the islands with special memories of this remote place of exquisite volcanic formations and extraordinary flora and fauna.

During your vacation in the Galapagos, don't miss the other half! Do a day of scuba diving with your land tour package. If you are not certified, ask about Discover Scuba Diving or our Padi courses to explore the underwater realm and get the very most out of your Galapagos tour !

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Printable Version

Day 1: Quito or Guayaquil - Santa Cruz

Photo By Red Mangrove

AM

Travel from Quito to Santa Cruz Island

You will fly from Quito or Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands, arriving around 11h30 and 13h30, depending of to flight schedule on Baltra Island.

Upon arrival at Baltra airport, the group will travel by bus to the Itabaca Channel, followed by a 5 minute ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island. A private charter bus will take you south to the town of Puerto Ayora and the Red Mangrove Lodge. Here, the group will be greeted by the Naturalist Guides and the tour escorts.

Lunch at Aventura Lodge.

PM

Tour to Garrapatero Beach

Depart to Garrapatero beach, a 25 minutes bus ride to the right spot were an easy trail start to lead you to the beach in only 15 more minutes.

This beautiful white sandy beach is known for its flamingos and finches and a place where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. This is one of Santa Cruzs most peaceful and tranquil settings, the 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of sand that compose El Garrapatero Beach is a tropical paradise.

It is about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) northeast of Puerto Ayora.
Surrounded by beautiful mangrove trees, the beach is home to an incredible array of birds, most notably, flamingos and mockingbirds. You can also find marine iguanas, shrimp, Galapagos penguins, oystercatchers, and patillos amongst the white sands and clear blue water.

There's also a freshwater lake nearby that is home to even more tropical animals, such as herons, grebes, and many of shore birds.

Briefing and Dinner at Aventura lodge.

Overnight at our Lodge

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Day 2: Santa Cruz - Floreana

Photo By Red Mangrove

AM

Breakfast at the Lodge.

This morning the adventure starts with a trip to "Los Gemelos" (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers, a wonderful introduction to the majestic power of the forces of nature and the great biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands. This short, easy hike to each of the twins is swarming with endemic flora and fauna, including a remnant of Scalesia Forest, draped in liverwort, lichens and mosses, where is easy to spot some Darwin finches and perhaps the short eared owls.

After "Los Gemelos", a short bus ride will take us to a 600-acre private reserve where the giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze, and sleep. Sometimes it's a bit muddy here, so before setting out, we will provide a selection of field boots (Wellington boots) to choose from, including large sizes for men.

Walking among the tortoises in wild, will be one of the most treasured moments of your trip. After visiting these prehistoric creatures on their natural habitat, we'll take a 5-minute ride to the entrance of a 450-meter (1350 feet) illuminated lava tunnel. With a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, this is an incredible opportunity see lava stalagmites, stalactites, sulfur, mineral-colored walls, and the rippled floor formed from lava along this unique lava formations.

Return to the Lodge. Lunch will be served at the Aventura Lodge.

PM

After lunch, departure to Floreana. Our navigation will take about 2 hours depending on sea conditions.

Arrival at Floreana Island.

Upon arrival, and before check in, visit La Loberia, a very beautiful location to swim, snorkel, or simply relax watching a colony of sea lions and great scenery. Walk back to the lodge.

Check in at Floreana Lodge.

Dinner at Local Family House, owned by the first Ecuadorians that settled this island. Briefing and overnight at the Lodge.

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Day 3: Floreana - Isabela

Photo By Red Mangrove

AM

Breakfast at a local family's house.

After breakfast, departure in an open-air bus (chiva) to the highlands of Floreana. During the bus ride, of about 40 minutes, your Naturalist Guide will be pointing out the wildlife and filling you in with the colorful history of Floreana's first inhabitants, like Patrick Watkins, the Wittmers, the Baroness, and the Ritters, re-telling the legend of the "Floreana Mystery", which involves the mysterious deaths of several inhabitants, mystery that has never been solved.

At 450m high, we reach "Asilo de la Paz" (Peace Asylum), just behind Cerro las Pajas (Straw Hill) in the agricultural area of the island. The main attractions are of an historic type: one is the cave of pirates and the other is the freshwater spring. The two sites are located at the base of the hill, where is still possible to find the endemic Scalesia (Scalesia pedunculata), as well as a good number of Galapagos Petrel nests (Pterodroma phaeopygia), once at a border of extinction due to the predation of cats and rats, introduced to the island when Ecuador took possession of the archipelago in 1832. At present, and thanks to the GNP efforts and a special conservation project, the success of Galapagos petrel (local name: pata pegada) hatchlings reaches 98%.

The cave of the pirates has its history since it was the home of the first settlers of the island, while the spring found in Asilo de la Paz provides water to the entire population of Floreana (130 people approx).

Also, near Asilo de la Paz, the National Park Service built a special enclosure where you can see some Galapagos tortoises (from various islands) held in captivity for educational and scientific purposes.

Back to town in time for our trip to Isabela, at around 11H00. Our navigation will take about 2 hours depending on sea conditions.

PM

Arrival at Isabela Island between 12H30 to 13H00.

We will check into the Red Mangrove Lodge and have a hot, wholesome lunch.

After lunch, departure to "Las Tintoreras" and Bay Tour. At the main dock, we will board a smaller craft to head out across the port, slowing down to view blue-footed boobies and Galapagos penguins sharing the same rocky sunbathing space, before turning a bend and docking.

From there, we take an intriguing walk through a jagged lava field, passing abundant colonies of marine iguanas and sea lions, to see a small canal of shallow waters, full of resting white-tipped reef sharks.

The views from here are something you will take with you for the rest of your life! The black, treacherous lava field, the emerald green sea, the green mangroves, and the cloud-capped volcanoes of Isla Isabela create an afternoon backdrop you are not likely to ever forget.

Once you finish the walk, you can snorkel in this warm, shallow bay surrounded by mangroves, for an opportunity to see white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, and, of course, the mystery of the mangrove below the surface. Don't worry; white-tipped reef sharks are not aggressive, but merely fascinating.

Once we return to the lodge, we'll have a bit of time to relax and shower before briefing and dinner.
Overnight at our Lodge.

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Day 4: Isabela - Santa Cruz

Photo By Red Mangrove

AM

Breakfast at the lodge.

Departure to the "Humedales" (Wetlands) Tour. We begin with a drive out of town along the beautiful white sand palm lined beach of Vilamill, one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Galapagos. This beach, straight from the cover of a travel magazine, stretches on for 3 kilometers before the National Park boundaries, where we will walk up the trail to the summit of Cerro Orchilla, for an astounding view from the top.

Then, we will visit the "Muro de las Lagrimas" (Wall of Tears), a unique construction built by the backbreaking labor of prisoners of a penal colony centuries earlier.

On the path to the Wall of Tears you will see many lava lizards, endemic an native flora, Darwin finches and perhaps, if you are lucky, some young Galapagos tortoises, released after been born at the breeding center Arnaldo Tupiza in Isabela, as part of the rearing program of giant tortoises held by the National Park.

Lunch at Isabela Lodge.

PM

13H00. Depart to Santa Cruz. Our navigation will take about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on sea conditions.

Arrival and check in at Santa Cruz Lodge.

Then, enjoy a guided tour to the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station where you can learn about one of the most successful reptile breeding programs in the world and perhaps, meet the most famous giant tortoise: Lonesome George, also known as the worlds rarest creature. Discovered in 1971 on Pinta Island, he is the very last of his kind.

Founded in 1964 the Charles Darwin Research Station is supported by over 100 scientists and researchers from around the world, with the unique purpose to study, support and instrument the conservation efforts of the islands.

Dinner and overnight at Red Mangrove Lodge.

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Day 5 : Santa Cruz - Quito or Guayaquil

Photo By Red Mangrove

AM

Breakfast at the Lodge.

Depart for your transfer to the airport of Baltra, on time for your flight back to the mainland.

Transport and guide included from the hotel to the airport.

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Important Notes:

Rates include:

10% Service Charge as per Ecuadorian Law.
All Meals mentioned on the programs.
Soft drinks during meals.
Excursions with a Freelance English speaking Naturalist guide, provided by the Galapagos National Park.
Free internet wireless service while in Santa Cruz and Isabela.
When in Puerto Ayora free use of bikes.
25% discount for children under 10 years old.
All snorkeling gear.
All diving equipment except dive computers which can be rented separately.

Rates do not include:

Air ticket to /from Galapagos (Inquire with us about flight schedules and prices)
Entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park ($100 International visitors)
Control Visitor Card ($10)
Personal expenses
Alcoholic Beverages
Gratuities

Darwin's Triangle Short - 3 Islands

(5 Days / 4 Nights)

Day 1: Quito or Guayaquil - Santa Cruz

Day 2: Santa Cruz - Floreana

Day 3: Floreana - Isabela

Day 4: Isabela - Santa Cruz

Day 5 : Santa Cruz - Quito or Guayaquil

Important Notes:

About Us

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Why Choose a land-based Program

Before Your Trip

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