Private Charter - Southern Islands Aboard Natural Paradise

You will arrive at San Cristobal Island in the morning. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Natural Paradise staff member and transferred to the yacht. You will be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing.

This striking rock formation is located a couple hours off the western shore of San Cristobal. Jutting out of the water, the rocks stand vertically at hundreds of feet above the ocean divided by a small channel. Although there are no landing areas, circumnavigation and dinghy rides allow visitors to spot a variety of marine life. 
Highlights & Animals: Sharks, tropical fish, turtles, manta rays (occ.), hammerhead sharks, spectacular rock formations; sea birds: blue- footed boobies, Nazca boobies & frigate birds.
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: No Landing
Possible Activities: Circumnavigation

On the northern coast, visit Witch Hill,  you discover an eroded hill and its surrounding landscape, home to one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos. You walk along soft white sand and encounter abundant wildlife, including sea turtles, rays, and several species of booby birds. The crystal-clear waters invite you to swim and snorkel while enjoying the area's rich marine life.
Highlights & Animals: Beautiful rock formations, sea lions, shore birds, finches and mockingbirds; Snorkeling: nice tropical fish, anemones, sponges, coral Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Wet Landing
Possible Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking, paddle board

In the morning, you explore South Plaza Island, a small island with dramatic cliffs formed by uplifted lava. As you walk ashore, you encounter towering Opuntia cacti, one of the largest sea lion colonies in the Galapagos, and striking yellow and red land iguanas. Along the trail, you also see Sesuvium, the island’s most distinctive plant. During the rainy season, it displays green and yellow hues, while in the dry season, from late June through January, it transforms the landscape with its vibrant red color.
Highlights & Animals: Land iguanas, sea lion colony, Audubon’s shearwaters, swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies, amazing landscape with cliffs
Difficulty: Moderate
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Possible Activities: Hiking, dinghy ride, kayaking, paddle board

In the afternoon, you explore Black Turtle Cove on the northern coast of Santa Cruz. Traveling by dinghy through this secluded inlet, you glide past dense mangrove forests that shelter a thriving marine ecosystem. In the shallow, calm waters, you have the chance to spot black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of rays. As a nursery for young marine life, the cove offers an exceptional opportunity to observe the rich biodiversity of the Galapagos.
Highlights & Animals: Baby hammerhead shark, rays, sea turtles, sea birds.
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: No Landing
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride

You will visit Rabida Island (or Jervis) which is one of the most colorful and volcanically varied islands in the archipelago as well as a great snorkeling site. You will start on Rabida’s famous maroon/red sand beach, and after an easy hike, you will arrive to a stunning lookout to enjoy the amazing landscapes. The island is a birdwatcher’s delight. Some species are abundant such as a few varieties of finches, Galapagos vermilion flycatchers, Galapagos hawks and brown pelicans.
Possible Activities: Snorkeling, panga ride & short hike (0.6 miles / 1km)
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing: Wet Landing
Highlights & Animals: Snorkeling: white-cheeked pintail ducks, colorful fish, sea lions, brackish water lagoon, pelicans

You will head to Bartholomew Island where the famous Pinnacle Rock is found. Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. You will take a trail of stairs to the summit of the volcano (about 30 or 40 minutes) where you will enjoy one of the best views of the islands! You will also visit a small, beautiful beach surrounded by the only vegetation found on this barren island. The beach is perfect for snorkeling where you may even see and swim with Galapagos penguins.
Possible Activities: Dinghy ride, snorkeling & hiking (1.2 miles/ 2 km)
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Type of Landing: Dry & Wet Landings
Highlights & Animals: Pinnacle Rock, panoramic view, moonlike landscape, penguins, pioneer plants, lava cactus; snorkeling: penguins, reef sharks, rays, and great colorful fish.

You will visit Sullivan Bay located on the southeast part of Santiago. This place is interesting for its geology because the area is covered by lava flows. This place has elevations in the form of small volcanoes formed by the lava flows. 
Possible Activities: Hiking
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Lava flows, small volcanoes

The visitors’ site at Dragon Hill is located in northwestern Santa Cruz Island and consists of a 1,600 m long trail that runs through three different environments. The beach is very rocky. At high tide it’s a nice place for snorkeling. At this visiting site you can find vegetation of the typical intertidal zone and dry zone.
Possible Activities: Panga ride & short hike
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Frigatebirds, herons, blue-footed boobies, rays, reef sharks

You will visit the Twin Craters located opposite to each other on both sides of the road leading from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. The name is only figurative; not real craters, these formations were created by the collapse of surface material in underground fissures and chambers. The view is breathtaking.
Possible Activities: Walking and scape viewing
Difficulty: Easy
Type of Landing: Dry Landing
Highlights & Animals: Pit craters, Scalesia Forest

After this final visit, you will be transferred to the Baltra airport in time for your flight back to the mainland.