East & Central Islands

Fly from Quito or Guayaquil to San Cristobal on a 2.5-hour flight. After landing in the Galapagos, a guide will meet you at the airport and take you on a 10-minute bus ride to the pier, where you will board the Galapagos Legend.

At the Interpretation Center, explore detailed exhibits that explain the islands’ history, geology, and wildlife. Then, hike to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas), where you can see both frigatebird species and take in wide views of the bay below.
Difficulty level: Low / High
Type of terrain: Flat path / Rocky 
Duration: 1 hour hike, 1 hour walk   
Landing: Dry

Visit one of the most remarkable beaches in the Galapagos, a wide stretch of white sand bordered by turquoise water and home to a large colony of sea lions. Look for Hood mockingbirds, found only on this island. You can also snorkel directly from the shore and explore the shallow bay.
Difficulty level: Low
Type of terrain: Sandy
Duration: 1 hour hike, 30 min kayaking, 30 min Glass-bottom boat, 1 hour 45 min beach or deep snorkeling  
Landing: Wet

At Punta Suarez, explore one of the best sites for wildlife viewing. On the oldest island in the archipelago, you have the rare chance to see the endemic wave albatross during its breeding season from April to December. With some luck, you may witness their intricate courtship dance.
Difficulty level: High
Type of terrain: Rocky 
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes hike  
Landing:  Dry

The famous Post Office Barrel. Claimed to have been first set up in 1793 by Captain James Colnett. The system involved whalers and fur sealers who would leave addressed letters in the barrel to be picked up by homeward-bound colleagues. Actually, visitors often take letters and hand-deliver them to their home countries.
Difficulty level: Medium
Type of terrain: Rocky
Duration: 1 hour 15 min hike, 1 hour beach snorkeling  
Landing: Wet

The walk takes you to a large, shallow lagoon, often inhabited by a variable number of shockingly pink greater flamingos. Arrive at a powdery white beach, a nesting area for green turtles. Devil’s Crown is one of the favorite snorkeling sites on the islands..
Difficulty level: Low
Type of terrain: Sandy & flat 
Duration: 1 hour 45 min hike, 45 min glass-bottom or 45 min deep or beach snorkeling    
Landing: Dry

Arriving at a small lava dock, your first encounter is with marine iguanas that blend in perfectly with the dark rock. As you walk past a large prickly pear cactus, you arrive at one end of a long, sickle-shaped beach with Dragon Hill standing in the distance. The walk takes you on a circular path, past a shallow lake where flamingoes frequently come to feed.
Difficulty level: Medium
Type of terrain: Rocky
Duration: 45 min walk, 1 hour 15 min snorkeling  
Landing: Dry

This tiny, low-lying islet, converted into coral sand, is set between the north and south Seymour Islands. It's home to a group of sea lions that come to laze on the soft white sand, and it's an excellent spot to observe shorebirds, herons, lava gulls, and boobies. Snorkeling or diving here, one can often see sharks, rays, and barracudas.
Difficulty level: Low
Type of terrain: Sandy
Duration: 1 ½ hour walk, 1 hour snorkeling, or 1 hour beach time
Landing: Wet

The Pit Craters, geologically speaking, were not directly formed by volcanic action. They were created as a result of the collapse or sinking of surface materials into cracks or manholes. It’s a great place to spot vermilion flycatchers as we walk inside an endemic Scalesia forest. Great opportunity to observe giant tortoises.
Landing: dry

On the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, accessible only by sea, four species of mangrove crowd and form an internal lagoon, turtles visit the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface while fish, rays circle below. White-tipped reef sharks can be seen beneath the boat, plus sea birds, including pelicans, herons, and egrets. This cove has been declared a “turtle sanctuary”.
Difficulty level: Low
Type of terrain: none
Duration: 1 hour dinghy ride  
Landing: None

Be marveled at the variety of sea life that uses the crevices of the lava cliffs for shelter. Red-billed Tropicbirds fly overhead, and a small colony of fur seals may be found near the landing site. You will be dropped off at a steep stairway that begins on rocks at the foot of a path that leads through a seabird colony full of Nazca and Red-footed Boobies.
Difficulty level: Medium
Type of terrain: Rocky - lava
Duration:  1 hour 45 min hike, 30 min kayaking or glass bottom boat, 1 hour deep snorkeling.   
Landing: Dry

From within the flooded caldera of Tower Island, we set foot onto a sandy beach to be greeted by swallow-tailed gulls often said to be the most beautiful gull in the world. In the trail, you can see nesting red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds.
Difficulty level: Medium
Type of terrain: Sandy
Duration: 45 min kayaking, 1 hour 15 min hike, 45 min glass bottom boat, 1 hour deep or beach snorkeling.  
Landing: Wet

Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, and land iguanas are all present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, spend time watching birds like frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters, and, of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds.
Difficulty level: Medium
Type of terrain: Rocky
Duration: 2 hours hike  
Landing: Dry

After a fabulous snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay, you may have enjoyed time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks, and spotted eagle rays. Landing on a sandy beach, spend time watching the abundant sea lions there with you. Begin a walk past a forest of island-endemic giant Opuntia cacti, and we can watch the Santa Fe land Iguana.
Difficulty level: Medium
Type of terrain: Rocky
Duration: 30 min kayaking, 1 hour 45 min hike, 1 hour deep snorkeling, 45 min glass-bottom boat.
Landing: Wet

In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, you have your best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches.
Difficulty Level: Low
Type of terrain: Flat and Muddy
Duration: 1 hour walk / 45 minutes drive
Landing: Dry

After the visit, passengers will be transferred to Baltra airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.