Baltra is a small island, the only of the Galapagos that is not included in the National Park's area. The Americans built Baltra's airport in 1941-1948, using it as their air force base in the Pacific during the Second World War. The airport and harbor are now Ecuadorian military territory. Unfortunately, both of the military presences have left their traces. Even if people always speak about Baltra, the airport's official name is South Seymour, and its air code is GPS. With an essential reduction of energy consumption for lighting and ventilation, rainwater recovery, waste recycling, and more, the new building of 2013 has been promoted as the first ecological airport worldwide.

Las Bachas is a white coral beach in the north of the island of Santa Cruz and a genuinely lovely place to begin your tour. The first visit starts with a wet landing. Wet landing means that you will get your feet wet while exiting the zodiac. Seawater and sand between the toes, what a feeling! The walk along the beach is easy. There are small brackish water lagoons behind the dune where it is possible to observe coastal birds like black-necked stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintail ducks, and, occasionally, flamingos. Important: Take care and do not walk on top of the dunes because it is a favorite nesting site of sea turtles. After the walk, can swim and enjoy the beach.
Activities: Hiking, Swimming

Mosquera is a small sandy island located between North Seymour and Baltra and is the home of one of the more significant sea lion colonies of the Galapagos, with several harems. It is an excellent place o observe their behavior. Depending on the tide, the wet landing is sometimes a little bit difficult. You also may see endemic lava gulls and other coastal birds. Find marine iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs on the lava rocks and, sometimes, even scorpions under the stones. First snorkeling off this week! Fantastic and recommendable, even if you never did it before. Snorkel equipment is included in cruise prices. If you need a wetsuit, you can rent it onboard.
Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

The name Cerro Dragon means Dragon Hill, and it is a very scenic visiting point. The hike passes first a flamingo lagoon behind the beach vegetation and leads through an impressive forest of prickly pear cactus. The following loop trail goes to a small hill where land iguanas live and nest. The view from this little peak over the surrounding landscape is spectacular.
Activities: Hiking

Tagus Cove is a protected cove that was a favorite resting site of early pirates and whalers in the 19th century. They carved and painted their names on the high cliffs of the bay; it is emotive to see this historic testifies. Start with a dry landing, and then the scenic hike leads uphill through the Dry zone vegetation to Darwin Lake, a saltwater crater lake. At the end of the trail, go up to a parasitic spatter cone and have a fantastic view of the Darwin Volcano's lava field. Later, enjoy a fantastic panga ride along the cliffs to look out for Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants. If the water is clear, Tagus Cove is a fascinating snorkeling place to discover many marine invertebrates in the vertical walls if the water is clear.
Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island: This visit to one of the youngest islands of the Galapagos is undoubtedly a highlight of a cruise in Galapagos. The terrain of Fernandina is rocky due to its volcanic nature. It depends on the tide if the dry landing is on the pier in the mangroves or directly on the lava. On the hike in this pleasant marine environment of the Galapagos, find large colonies of marine iguanas. Take care to stay strict on the pathway because the dunes are their nesting areas. On the lava coast, close to the shoreline, are the nesting places of the flightless cormorant, one of the most enigmatic Galapagos birds. Also, watch out for lava lizards, the Galapagos hawk, marine turtles, snakes, and the Galapagos penguins. And, obviously, more Galapagos sea lions. Enjoy the largest groups of the endemic lava cactus that are to find on the lava flow. A short trail inland on a lava field leads to the edge of a large aa lava flow.
Activities: Hiking

Urbina Bay, Isabela Island is another exclusive site! It is an area that was uplifted out of the sea, at the foot of Volcan Alcedo. The wet landing is on a steep beach, which is sometimes a bit difficult because of the high waves. But do it with caution. Along the shore, occasionally, find flightless cormorants and huge marine iguanas. On the trail leading inland, watch out to see the colorful land iguanas. If you are lucky, cross with a Galapagos tortoise along the pathway! Then, have time for snorkeling at this remarkable place.
Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Elizabeth Bay: This afternoon, you do not walk but drive into the protected mangrove cove with the zodiacs. The entrance through a very narrow channel is not always easy, but your experienced crew manages it carefully, and so you find yourselves in the midden of this peaceful lagoon. In the small and far-away little corners, the motor is turned off to noiselessly observe sea turtles. In Elizabeth Bay, find the tallest red mangrove trees of the Galapagos.
Activities: Panga Ride

Punta Moreno: Early in the morning, start a hike on Punta Moreno's rough lava field. It is a place where you can see all three cactus species: candelabra cactus, prickly pear cactus, and lava cactus. This lava field also has many pioneer plants. The lava field turns out to be fantastic scenery, with oases with brackish water pools with flamingos, common gallinules, white-cheeked pintail ducks, and paint-billed crakes. You also may see the flightless cormorant. The Galapagos surprises never end! Snorkeling at this great place is, once more, unique!
Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Navigation to Puerto Villamil: At approximately 10:30 in the morning, start your longer navigation. It usually takes about 6 hours, and it is a beautiful part of your cruise along the shoreline around the Volcano Cerro Azul. Sometimes, this navigation may be a little bit rough, but it is easier to enjoy on the sun deck to watch out for dolphin schools and whales. Hope to be lucky today too! Just before the dark, arrive in the small harbor of Puerto Villamil. Villamil is the main settlement in the south of Isabela Island. The village has grown up in the last few years but is still small and calm with its scenic beaches and peaceful ambiance.
Activities: Navigation

Today, discover a totally different Galapagos! By bus, go uphill approximately 17 miles/(27.3 km, to arrive close to the caldera of the Vulcan Sierra Negra. You can observe the changes in the different vegetation zones of the volcano. The Sierra Negra (Spanish: Black Mountain) is a massive shield volcano, and it is one of the most active in the Galapagos, with the most recent eruption in June 2018. Often it is a little bit rainy or misty and foggy, but it is therefore why here it is so unexpectedly green. On a hike of about one hour, go to the volcano's rim to appreciate the large caldera measuring 6.2 miles/10 km from North to South and 5.6 miles/9 km from East to West. If the weather allows, it is impressive scenery! You also can see the vast new lava field from the eruption of 2005.
Activities: Hiking

Lagoons of Villamil: In the afternoon, make an excursion to the lagoons of Villamil. Start at the Tortoise Breeding Centre to discover different subspecies of the Galapagos Giant Tortoises and the station's efforts to restore the endangered populations. Take a beautiful trail going from lagoon to lagoon on the walk back to town, watching out for flamingos, common gallinules, white-cheeked pintail ducks, and black-necked stilts. There also is a forest of button mangroves.
Activities: Hiking

Punta Cormorant: The wet landing is on the Green Beach of Punta Cormorant. If the light conditions are the correct ones, the sand shines green due to the high percentage of olivine crystals. It is unique! On the easy walk through the Arid Zone, come to a big saltwater lagoon with flamingos, white-cheeked pintail ducks, black-necked stilts, and, depending on the season, more migratory shorebirds. On a short walk, you find yourselves at the White Flour Sand Beach, named because of the fineness of the sand of white corals. It is a famous nesting beach for marine turtles, so it is crucial not to walk on the dune. Often, you can see many stingrays in shallow water.
Activities: Hiking

Devil's Crown or the Corona del Diablo, a leftover of a volcano looking like a black crown emerging from the sea, is one of the most famous snorkeling places in the Galapagos. The experience is utterly unique, but it is essential to know that this snorkeling place is only for experienced snorkelers due to the strong currents.
Activities: Hiking

After this visit, navigate to Puerto Ayora on the Island of Santa Cruz to arrive there at approx. 5 pm/17:00. Puerto Ayora is a small charming town, the largest in the Galapagos, and the head of tourism with several hotels, bars, restaurants, a hospital, banks, and many small shops. You can go out for a moment and walk around, drink a coffee, or buy souvenirs. During this time, Angelito's staff is busy with the food supply and all the other necessary things to be ready again to continue the cruise.

Daphne Panoramic: Daphne is a tuff cone with little vegetation. This island is famous for the studies by Peter and Rosemary Grant about the Darwin Finches. The perfect literature to read about: The Beak of the Finch, written by Jonathan Weiner. Enjoy panoramic navigation around the small tuff cone, respecting the regulation of distances to avoid the introduction of insects.
Activities: Panoramic navigation

Baltra is a small island, the only of the Galapagos that is not included in the National Park's area. The Americans built Baltra's airport in 1941-1948, using it as their air force base in the Pacific during the Second World. The airport and harbor are now Ecuadorian military territory. Unfortunately, both of the military presences have left back their traces. Even if people always speak about Baltra, the airport's official name is South Seymour, and its air code is GPS. With an essential reduction of energy consumption for lighting and ventilation, rainwater recovery, waste recycling, and more, the new building of 2013 has been promoted as the first ecological airport worldwide.

North Seymour is a beautiful place to start your tour through the Galapagos, just north of Baltra. It is a flat, uplifted island in the rain shadow of the island of Santa Cruz, and so the vegetation is typically dry in Arid Zone. The dry landing on a small peer is sometimes a bit tricky due to the waves. A dry landing means you will move from the Yacht to the zodiac and onto the island while staying completely dry. The loop trail leads from a small peer along the rocky coast and is full of surprises: sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, sally lightfoot crabs, and marine iguanas, and walk through the nesting area of blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds.
Activities: Hiking
 

Sombrero Chino: Only a 200-meter wide channel separates this small island from the Big Island of Santiago. The shape of the volcanic island looks like a Chinese hat. The scenery is very charming. The wet landing is on a small, white coral beach with many sea lions. Wet landing means you will get your feet and lower parts of your legs wet while exiting the zodiac. The smooth and short trail leads along the coast with very fragile lava. There are a lot of small lava tubes and tiny but very attractive vegetation. Pillow lava is to see on the turning point of the trail. First snorkeling off this week! Fantastic and recommendable, even if you never did it before. Snorkel equipment is included in cruise prices. If you need a wetsuit, you can rent it on board.
​Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Bartolome: With the Pinnacle Rock, a classic beauty, and the most photographed scenery of the Galapagos! The dry landing is on a jetty, and then the summit trail leads to Bartolome's highest point on a wooden footbridge and steps to protect the fragile environment. The view from the top across Bartolome, Santiago with Sullivan Bay, and the surrounding islands is superb! All the secondary cones, lava flows, and lava tubes mimic a moon landscape. In the later afternoon, enjoy a panga ride to look out for the Galapagos penguins; they live and nest in the lava tubes of the rocky shore.
​Activities: Hiking, Panga Ride

The bird island Genovesa is low and flat, the most northern and isolated to visit by cruise ships, and one more of the highlights of the itinerary. The longer navigation is during the night, crossing the equator!

Darwin Bay: The wet landing is on the small white beach of coral sand. The trail follows the shore vegetation of red mangrove, saltbush, and the unique prickly pear cactus that here often grows like a hanging cactus with soft hairy spines. Under the shore vegetation, the swallow-tailed gulls do nest, and in the bushes and trees nest the red-footed boobies and magnificent frigate birds. A few Nazca boobies nest on the ground. The trail leads along small tidepools up to the cliff with a spectacular view over the caldera. By low tide, there are thousands of Galapagos fiddler crabs in the sandy ground. The snorkeling in the blue water of this bay is delicious!
​Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Prince Philip's Steps: The dry landing is at the cliff, and Prince Philip's Steps are the only possibility to climb the steep basaltic cliff. Then, the easy trail leads first through a small nesting colony of masked boobies and then crosses a low and dense forest of palo santo trees where red-footed boobies have their nests. Arriving on the edge of the island, thousands of small petrels fly around! These little birds have their nests in the crevices and tubes of the fragile lava. They are the favorite food of the short-eared owl. Keep your eyes open to find the hunter; not easy; the owls are well camouflaged! On both sides of the trail are big Nazca booby-nesting colonies. End the excursion with a panga ride at the foot of the cliffs.
​Activities: Hiking, Panga Ride

Puerto Egas, Santiago Island: The landmark of Puerto Egas is the large tuff formations of cliffs with relief structures. The wet landing is on a black beach. Here, it is an excellent place to discover shore life. The hike with the intertidal life during the constantly changing tide levels shows an unusual, unique fauna. Often, you can observe lava herons fishing in the isolated tidal pools. You can see Galapagos sea lions, Sally lightfoot crabs, and marine iguanas during the whole walk. Depending on the season, many migrant shorebirds are living on these rich coasts during wintertime. On the turning point of the trail is the Fur Seal Grotto, where the Galapagos fur seals have found an ideal living space in the crevices and caves of the rocky lava coast.
​Activities: Hiking

Rabida: Incredibly unique is the red sand of the beach, contrasting with the saltbush vegetation and the silvery palo santo trees on the slopes. The source of the peculiar red color is the lava that contains a high proportion of ferric oxide. Before the last El Niño, the beach of Rabida had one of the most significant Galapagos sea lion colonies; now, reduced to a small remaining population, they are still recuperating. There is a small lagoon behind the zone of saltbush vegetation, depending on the season, with flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This beautiful beach is another special snorkeling place.
​Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Puerto Ayora is a small charming town, the largest in the Galapagos, and the head of tourism, and offers several hotels, bars, restaurants, a hospital, banks, and many small shops. The airport Baltra is in the north, linked by a road to cross the island.

The Galapagos National Park's offices and the Charles Darwin Research Station are in Puerto Ayora.

Visit the Station early in the morning to learn about the significant scientific effort to protect the National Park Galapagos. Especially the raising programs of the different subspecies of giant tortoises are well documented. The Van Straiten Exhibition Hall offers interesting documentation about the Galapagos Islands, illustrated by photos and diagrams. The vegetation on the walk to the Station and back is exuberant green, and Darwin's finches are easy to spot.

After being only on inhabited islands, a short moment of free time offers the opportunity to walk around, drink a coffee, or buy a souvenir. The meeting to go back on board for lunch is at 11:30 at the harbor.

Highland Santa Cruz: The drive up to the highlands takes approximately a half-hour. In this short time, observe the changes between the different vegetation zones, from the Arid zone to the Transition zone, and up to the Scalesia zone, which is also agricultural. Here, the problems of introduced animals and plants are pretty noticeable. On the highest point of the road, the National Park area starts again. In the highlands, visit the Rancho Primicias to enjoy the Galapagos tortoises living here in liberty; these are easy to view on this small farm where they are refreshing in the water pools or taking a snore in the shadow.

Española belongs to the oldest islands of the Galapagos. Because of its geographic isolation, many endemic species are to find the island, making the visit especially attractive. Additionally, Española is the only place worldwide where the endemic waved albatrosses come for breeding from April to December.

Wet landing on Playa Gardner, a splendid, long, white beach of coral sand. For this visit, you do not need shoes. There is no trail, and the open beach offers the opportunity to observe finches and mockingbirds in the saltbush vegetation, as Galapagos sea lions sleeping in the sun. It is an excellent place for swimming and snorkeling from the beach!
​Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Punta Suarez: Loop trail with a smooth, dry landing on a jetty. The walk on stony, rocky ground is longer and more challenging. Even at the first steps of the trail, the colorful Española marine iguana and Galapagos sea lions welcome you. Everywhere the curious Española mockingbird approaches the visitors. The path leads through the nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and waved albatrosses. Also, the big Española lava lizards are to find everywhere.
​Activities: Hiking

The low cliff of the whole south coast is an ideal nesting place for the endemic Galapagos albatross; here, it is the only place in the world where, from April to December, you can see these big, beautiful birds. Then, another resting spot close to a cliff with an incredible landscape offers the observation of all the different marine birds flying along the coast. An albatross during his ungainly landing or the spectacular take-off from the cliff, to start its elegant flight, are fantastic events to witness. The next stop is at the blowhole: the waves push the seawater through a fissure in the cliff, depending on the strongness and tide level, till 80 feet/24m high in the air!

Santa Fe has a large colony of sea lions living in this beautiful bay. After the wet landing on the beach, the trail leads through the dry vegetation of the Arid zone to a beautiful cliff with notably high prickly pear cactus, then back to a second beach. Only very attentive visitors may detect the endemic land iguanas of Santa Fe because their camouflage is perfect, and their territories are quite significant! Those who want can end the morning with snorkeling at this new special place!
​Activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

South Plaza is a small uplifted island with a cliff of 25 meters altitude on the island's southern side. The whole flat, rocky northern coast has a big colony of Galapagos sea lions and, on the East-point, lives a colony of bachelor sea lions. The loop is easy, with a dry landing on a jetty. The prickly pear cactus trees and the vital colony of land iguanas are beautiful. Depending on the season, the sesuvium ground vegetation changes its color from intense green in the rainy season to orange and purple in the dry season.
​Activities: Hiking

Black Turtle Cove: Before breakfast, leave the boat to enjoy a beautiful panga ride into the big, protected mangrove cove. In the far away, small corners, the motor is turned off to row noiselessly and observe the marine turtles: many of them are in this cove during their mating and nesting season from December to February! But even out of season, you can always find some turtles staying back in the mangroves. So early in the morning, there is high activity, and observe golden rays, spotted eagle rays, white-tipped reef sharks, and young Galapagos sharks. After breakfast on board, it is time to say goodbye to the staff and leave the Angelito.
​Activities: Panga Ride

Disembark at the harbor of Baltra. With the bus, drive to the airport for a morning flight back to the continent. The guide takes care until the last minute!