Itinerary A 8 days

Arrival at Baltra airport no later than 11:00 am. Transfer to Santa Cruz Island with the CEO to visit the highlands before arriving in Puerto Ayora and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Board the boat in the late afternoon. After arriving in Baltra, visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a special opportunity to see the islands' most famous reptile: the giant tortoises in their wild habitat. What a privilege to see an endangered species roaming in this lush environment! Vegetation in the area includes the Scalesia Forest (an endemic giant daisy tree) and birds such as the Vermilion Flycatcher will delight with their scarlet feathers against an emerald green forest. Look for Darwin's finches, particularly the famous woodpecker finch. Then visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center and the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn first-hand about conservation and research efforts on the islands. There, you will see several subspecies of adult tortoises, many hatchlings and learn about the repatriation programs that are saving several subspecies of tortoises and iguanas from extinction.

Visit the Santa Cruz highlands
Head to the verdant Santa Cruz Highlands. This is a perfect place to walk the grounds and see giant tortoises in their natural environment, before savoring an included lunch.

Visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center & Charles Darwin Research Station
Visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, a great place to observe many species of tortoises and land iguanas in captivity. Rescued from the brink of extinction, see the famous Galapagos tortoise up close: a pen houses adult tortoises and a nursery cares for the hatchlings until they are about three years old, when their shells have hardened. This area also houses the Charles Darwin Research Station, a scientific organization started in 1964, which works to preserve the Galapagos ecosystem through the conservation efforts of scientists, researchers and volunteers. While the offices themselves are not open to visitors, the research station provides a place of study for international scientists and environmental education for the local community.

Enjoy the day on Española Island, one of the oldest in the archipelago. Visit the white sandy beach of Gardner Bay and the bird colonies of Punta Suárez. Take guided walks to observe wildlife and have free time for swimming or snorkelling. Spend part of the day visiting spectacular Gardner Bay. Walk across a lovely white sand beach amongst a busy sea lion colony and nesting sea turtles (seasonal). Later, take some time exploring the Punta Suárez visitor site, on the north-western corner of the island. Here, birds are everywhere—underfoot, on the trail, overhead, diving into the sea, taking off from cliffs, sitting quietly, and if the timing is right, engaging in ritual mating dances or hatching eggs. As the panga driver guides us in through the surf to the landing, sea lions are often seen “hanging 10” on the waves. A great tangle of marine iguanas, stretched out in the sun on the beach, are usually present when we arrive.

Gardner Bay Visit
Visit Gardner Bay's magnificent white sandy beach and spectacular landscapes. This incredible place is home to sea lions, hood mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, waved albatross, red-billed tropic birds, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, and blue-footed boobies. Be sure to explore the beautiful turquoise water and its incredible sea life.

 Snorkelling (Gardner Bay)
Strap on your snorkel and if conditions allow, see an abundance of sea life including; young sea lions and large schools of surprisingly big tropical fish, including yellow-tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, and bump-head parrot fish.

Punta Suárez Visit
Visit Punta Suárez, one of most rich wildlife landing sites in the Galápagos. Be greeted by surfing young sea lions on arrival. Head to the trail to find many species of nesting sea birds, and, if lucky, see the waved albatross. Follow the path up to a cliff for great views over the ocean, and watch sea birds gliding in the wind.