Arrive to the Galapagos and transfer to your ship, the Corals. Land in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and visit the San Cristobal Tortoise Breeding and Rearing Center for young tortoises; this place is called “Jacinto Gordillo”, located in the vicinity of Cerro Colorado. Learn about the National Park’s conservation programs and also about an assisted reproduction program that started after the birth of a little turtle in captivity. If there is enough time, visit the port village, have a drink, or shop for arts and crafts and other souvenirs.

Visit Cerro Brujo, an eroding tuff cone that is composed, in several locations, by lava formations, and a beautiful white sand beach which is great for snorkeling and sunbathing. Discover a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen: black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, other sandpiper species, and white-cheeked pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal, and the adjacent coast.

In the afternoon, take a high-intensity hike on rocky terrain. The trail goes through several magnificent viewpoints including an olivine beach of 90 meters long and a path that climbs to the top of a volcanic tuff. This is probably the only site where the three booby species of the Galapagos can be seen together: Nazca, blue-footed, and red-footed, as well as the two species of frigate birds and a sea lion colony. It is also excellent for dinghy rides and snorkeling, where a good range of sea birds can be observed.

Today visit Española, an island of geological interest. Being one of the oldest in the Galapagos, it has a high percentage of endemism because it is also one of the most isolated in the archipelago. This, and the great variety of wildlife found here makes this site one of the most attractive in the Galapagos. Explore volcanic formations and riveting wildlife: large colonies of sea lion and seabirds including Española mockingbird, Nazca boobies, and the spectacular red-billed tropic bird. You can also encounter singular marine iguanas that have a turquoise color with red in the breeding season, lava lizards, and the colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs.

Hike among Nazca and blue-footed boobies, right up to nesting grounds that sometimes overlap the trail. Other birding favorites include Galapagos dove, Galapagos hawk, swallow-tailed gulls, and the world’s largest colony of waved albatross, an unequivocal highlight during mating season (April-December). Admire the island’s dramatic backdrop, featuring the famous “Soplador”, a seaward blowhole that shoots water at some 23 m (75 ft.) in the air.

Land in Gardner Bay, a beautiful white coral sand beach guarded by a colony of sea lions. There are no trails, so you must stay along the shore where you can spot Galapagos hawk, American oystercatcher, Galapagos dove, hood mockingbird, yellow warbler, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and three species of Darwin finches. Swim and snorkel surrounded by a great variety of Galapagos marine wildlife.

This morning visit Champion, a small islet located just offshore Floreana Island. Snorkel or dinghy ride along a nice wall filled with a variety of marine wildlife like the endemic black-striped salema, the blue lobster, long-nose hawkfish, sea horses, coral hawkfish, sea lions, and the famous red-lipped batfish.

Explore Devil’s Crown, considered one of the best sites for snorkeling in the Galapagos; here you can watch sea lions, turtles, sharks, dolphins, and fish diversity. Land on an olivine green sand beach and hike from the black mangrove beds to a brackish lagoon, which usually holds one of the largest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. From the beach you can spot sea turtles, blue-footed boobies plunging into the water, and small reef sharks floating and searching for food along the shoreline. Head back to the olivine beach where you landed and take a swim or snorkel amongst sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions and, on a good day, white-tipped reef sharks.

Land on the north side of Floreana, and walk to the bay of Post Office, named like this because, in 1793, Captain James Colnett installed a wooden barrel which served as an informal post office for sailors passing through who would take letters with them to their destinations. Place unstamped postcards inside the barrel that should reach their destinations for free. It can take weeks, months, even years, not arrive at all, or even arrive before you! Encounter Darwin finches, yellow warbler, and lava lizards. Snorkel with green pacific sea turtles and on the main beach among playful sea lions.

Visit the Charles Darwin Station and Fausto Llerena Breeding Center where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place as part of efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment and where the famous Lonesome George (the last surviving specimen of his species) lived for decades. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest, a variety of Darwin’s finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works providing environmental education to communities and schools within the islands and to tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to visit the town and to shop. Visit the town for great shopping opportunities at its boutiques which sell uniquely designed handcrafts, jewelry, ceramics, T-shirts, and souvenirs. You can also try some food, beer or ice cream with locals.

Walk by a brackish lagoon where feeding flamingoes can be occasionally found. The trail leads across typical dry zone vegetation up to Dragon Hill, an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, offering lovely views of the anchorage and neighboring islands. The forest is home to mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, and Galapagos doves.

In the afternoon land in Bartolome Island and discover a fascinating moonscape formed by different volcanic parasitic cones —lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones —and hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock. Encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies. Enjoy the beach and  snorkel and see (perhaps swim with) Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and white-tipped reef sharks among a great variety of colorful fish. 

Land in Rabida Island and walk through its dark-red sand unique beaches. Rábida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting brown pelicans are found from July through September as are nine species of the famous Darwin’s finches. Take a dinghy ride along cliffs to observe nesting seabirds, and snorkel off the coast where marine life is particularly active.

In the afternoon explore Bachas Beach, a site full of sun, beaches and water, where you can find the remains of barges that sank and had once been used by the United States when they had an airbase on the island of Baltra during World War II. Behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes, and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos.

Discover the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, accessible only by sea where four species of mangrove crowd from the shore out into the lagoon, turtles enjoy swimming in the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface, while fish, rays and small sharks circle below. White-tipped reef sharks can be seen beneath the boat. Sea birds, including pelicans, herons and egrets, all feed in the cove. This cove has been declared as a “Turtle Sanctuary”.

Afterwards, head straight to the airport for your flight back to mainland Ecuador.