Private Charter - Western Islands Aboard Mary Anne

After arriving at Baltra airport, be greeted by the personnel to then cross the Itabaca channel and reach Santa Cruz Island for your first visit to the Archipelago: The Highlands of Santa Cruz.

Visit El Chato II ranch where it is possible to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. As these animals migrate from the coastal area to the highlands and back. After lunch, head for the S/S Mary Anne to freshen up and then head back to Puerto Ayora for your second visit of the day, the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center. Here, you will see tortoises from different islands. The animals are found in large semi-natural pens for their protection, but also to ensure an easy view for visitors. The pens are divided according to four different stages: eggs, neonates, juveniles (held here until they are mature enough to be "repatriated"), and adults.
Possible activities: Hiking

Afterward, head back to Puerto Ayora, where you will have some time to explore the town and shops by yourself before boarding the S/S Mary Anne at around 5:00 p.m. Once on board, the crew and captain will welcome you, have a short security drill, and enjoy dinner and the briefing for the next day´s activities.

Spend the day on Floreana, the legendary homestead of infamous Baroness Eloise Von Wagner de Bousquet. Wet landing onto the olivine beaches of Punta Cormorant, seek Greater Flamingos on the brackish lagoon on your way to another special beach with the finest sand you’ll set foot on, a sea turtle nesting ground where sharks and rays also visit regularly. End the outing with a short panga ride to snorkel in the Devil’s Crown.
Possible activities: Hiking, Kayak, Panga Ride, Snorkeling

After lunch, visit Post Office Bay (wet landing), where you can drop your postcards in the barrel as the whalers did centuries ago and select cards to hand deliver when you return home.
Possible activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

This morning, visit Sierra Negra Volcano. Enjoy spectacular views from the crater and the volcanoes that surround it. The circumference of the crater is huge, with a diameter of almost 10 km along its widest point. Continue the hike up to the Chico volcano, a secondary crater with an interesting landscape, active fumaroles, and impressive lava formations, as silent witnesses to the island’s geological past.
Possible activities: Hiking

In the afternoon, visit Arnaldo Tupiza´s Tortoise Breeding Center. By the end of the day, visit Isabela ́s Wetlands, which are a group of swamps and lagoons surrounded by mangrove trees. This site is considered one of the best for spotting migratory birds, as a path takes visitors through the wetlands, where is easy to see flamingoes, whimbrels, common stilts, and gallinules.
Possible activities: Hiking

After breakfast, step ashore at Punta Moreno (dry landing) onto a superb pahoehoe lava flow surrounded by giant shield volcanoes, some of which are still active! From here, do a short hike to a lagoon where flamingos are usually present.
Possible activities: Hiking, Panga Ride, Snorkeling

Disembark at Urbina Bay (wet landing) onto a black sand beach, a nesting site for green sea turtles. Take a brief hike inland in search of land iguanas and giant tortoises (seasonal) that migrate to and from the highlands. At the beach, we will admire the remains of a geological uplift exposing coral heads and marine fossils, and if the sea conditions and time are on our side, we will also snorkel in these waters.
Possible activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

Dry landing near Tagus Cove, a historical pirate hideaway where names of countless ships are recorded for posterity on the cliff face. Hike through beautiful Galapagos landscapes to Darwin Lake, a salt‐water crater lagoon surrounded by tuff stone.
Possible activities: Hiking, Kayak, Panga Ride, Snorkeling, Paddle Boarding

Cross the Bolivar Channel to Fernandina Island, one of the world’s most pristine sites, and disembark (dry landing) at Punta Espinosa. Strolling along the shoreline, lookout for flightless cormorants, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos penguins and hawks, sooty‐colored marine iguanas, and bright red‐orange Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Possible activities: Hiking, Panga Ride, Snorkeling

At Puerto Egas (wet landing) disembark on a dark sand volcanic beach with an interesting history of human settlement. Sleepy Galapagos fur seals lounge under arches of lava carved by the ocean and occasionally dip into the crystalline pools, also known as “grottos.” Walk along the shore and observe the abundant marine life.
Possible activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

At Buccaneer Cove take a panga ride around the beautiful coastline. This place got its name because it used to be a refuge for British Buccaneers, which anchored here to collect supplies and clean their ships among other activities. The cove is very scenic with views of the cliffs and a dark beach. Do not forget to look for two unusual rock formations known as ‘the monk’ and ‘elephant rock.’ Head to central Santiago to disembark at Espumilla (wet landing), onto a golden‐colored sand beach, used by green sea turtles as a nesting site. A forest trail takes you through some of the largest specimens of Palo Santo on the islands to observe yellow warblers, the amazing Galapagos flycatcher, and Darwin finches.
Possible activities: Hiking, Kayak, Panga Ride, Snorkeling, Paddle Boarding

Head across to Sullivan Bay (dry landing) in Santiago to walk over a recent lava flow, including very fresh pahoehoe lava formations, lava bubbles containing crystallized minerals, and pioneer plants. Along the shoreline, you may find Galapagos penguins and herons going after small fish.
Possible activities: Hiking, Panga Ride, Snorkeling

Disembark on North Seymour (dry landing), a small uplifted island, walk right up to bird nesting colonies of the two species of frigate birds, blue‐footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls, and experience, depending on the season, spectacular mating ritual displays.
Possible activities: Hiking, Panga Ride, Snorkeling

Mosquera is a small islet located between Baltra and North Seymour Islands and measuring about 160 meters across and 600 meters long. It is home to one of the largest sea lion colonies and is also a haven for shorebirds. Orcas occasionally come to the islet to feed on the sea lions.
Possible activities: Hiking, Snorkeling

After this visit, the ship sails to Baltra where passengers ending their trip disembark, and passengers beginning their cruise join you on board.