Private Charter - Northeast & Southeastern Islands

Arrive at Baltra Airport in the Galapagos Islands, where a National Park-certified guide welcomes you to begin your exploration of this unique ecosystem.

Head to North Seymour Island for your first encounter with the Galapagos’ remarkable wildlife. Walk along a trail through low vegetation, observing blue-footed boobies performing their courtship rituals. Spot sea lions resting on the shore and marine iguanas sunbathing nearby. The island hosts large colonies of frigate birds, with males displaying their inflated red throat pouches during mating season.

Birdwatching Experience: Observe the impressive frigate birds and distinctive blue-footed boobies in their environment. This location offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching and capturing stunning photographs.

Highlights: Blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, sea lions, marine iguanas.
Trail: 2 km
Level: Moderate
Activities: Dry landing, hiking

Bartolome Island stands out as a top destination in the Galapagos, known for its approachable penguin colonies and the striking Pinnacle Rock. The nearby beach features soft, peach-colored sand against a backdrop of volcanic scenery. Hike to the summit for sweeping views of volcanic cones, neighboring islands, Sullivan Bay, and the iconic Pinnacle Rock.

Snorkeling Experience: After the hike, you have the option to dive into the calm, clear waters for a snorkeling experience. This area is among the finest in the Galapagos, offering a chance to see penguins, vibrant fish, sea lions, turtles, rays, and reef sharks in their natural habitat.

Highlights: Galapagos penguins, volcanic landscapes, Pinnacle rock, blue-footed boobies, herons, sea lions, and sharks.
Trail: 1.5 km / 0.9 mi
Level: Moderate
Activities: Dry landing and hiking

Explore Sullivan Bay and uncover the volcanic history of the Galapagos Islands. Hike over a well-preserved Pahoehoe lava flow, observing its intricate textures and patterns. Although the terrain seems barren at first glance, closer inspection reveals hardy pioneer plants, quick-moving lava lizards, and small birds. Along the coastline, watch for penguins, pelicans, and oystercatchers adding vibrancy to the rugged setting.

Snorkeling Experience: After the hike, you can swim or snorkel from a coral sand beach or dinghy. The underwater world contrasts the stark land with vibrant marine life, including fish, Galapagos penguins, reef sharks, rays, and turtles.

Highlights: Pahoehoe lava, Galapagos penguins, oystercatchers, Galapagos hawks.
Trail: 2.2 km / 1.4 mi
Level: Hard
Activities: Dry landing and hiking

Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island is a birder's dream come true. When you set foot on the beach, you will be amazed by the spectacle of hundreds of boobies, gulls, and frigatebirds soaring above, nesting in the bushes, or roosting on the sandy terrain. This immersive wildlife trail hosts sea lions and marine iguanas by the sea, and inland you'll encounter night herons, lava and swallow-tailed gulls, Darwin finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, and more.

Snorkeling Experience: Darwin Bay offers a variety of snorkeling locations, from deep waters along the bay's cliffs to shallow waters near the beach. Regardless of where you choose, a colorful variety of fish awaits your visit, with a high chance of spotting sharks, rays, and sea lions.

Highlights: Nesting great frigatebirds, red-footed & Nazca boobies, Galapagos sea lions, lava & swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-crown night herons, Genovesa ground finch, Genovesa cactus finch, Galapagos mockingbirds.
Trail: 1.2 km / 0.7 mi
Level: Hard
Activities: Wet landing and hiking

Located in the southern part of Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island, El Barranco is blessed with cliffs facing the sea made from very fragile, fractured lava. This creates an ideal nesting environment for storm petrels, attracting a significant population of short-eared owls. The trail is dotted with red-footed and Nazca boobies. At the same time, the base of the cliffs provides restful, shaded areas for Galapagos fur seals and numerous seabirds.

Snorkeling Experience: Snorkeling alongside these cliffs is an exhilarating experience, teeming with diverse fish and providing great chances to see sharks, rays, and playful sea lions.

Highlights: Nesting great frigatebirds, red-footed & Nazca boobies, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos fur seals, lava & swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-crown night herons, Genovesa ground finch, Genovesa cactus finch, Galapagos mockingbirds.
Trail: 1.2 km / 0.7 mi
Level: Hard
Activities: Wet landing and hiking

Kicker Rock is a striking formation made of two vertical rocks rising 500 feet from the ocean. The narrow channel between these impressive cliffs serves as a pathway for marine life, creating a stunning backdrop for snorkeling and diving. This is a prime spot to observe a variety of marine species, including sharks, rays, and tropical fish. Kicker Rock is also a significant area for nesting seabirds like frigatebirds and boobies.

Highlights: Endemic plants, exhibition on human history
Trail: 0.2 km / 650 ft
Level: Easy
Activities: Circumnavigation

It's an exquisite spot for walking and enjoying the scenery, with its powdery white sand and turquoise waters. The area is home to a large sea lion colony, and the nearby lagoon often hosts several bird species, including pelicans and blue-footed boobies.

Beach and Snorkeling Experience: Stroll along the white sands of Witch Hill, enjoy close encounters with sea lions, and explore the vibrant underwater world.

Highlights: White sand beach, sea lions, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, snorkeling opportunities.
Trail: 0.5 km / 0.3 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Hiking

Situated on the outskirts of Puerto Baquerizo, the Interpretation Center serves as a rich repository of the history of human presence in the Galapagos Islands. Its exhibitions chronicle the stories of early Spanish explorers up to the present day, highlighting prominent visitors such as Charles Darwin. The displays at this center illustrate the challenges and perils faced by the first settlers as they endeavored to survive in the rugged Galapagos environment.

Level: Easy
Activities: Dry Landing and hiking

Lobos island is a small islet separated from San Cristobal by a narrow channel, forming a sheltered bay where sea lion pups play in tidal pools. Despite its small size, the island is surprisingly packed with wildlife, especially with “lobos marinos”, the Spanish name for sea lions. Groups of sea lions will welcome you at the landing spot, but as you walk a few steps inland, male frigatebirds displaying their inflated red balloons will be perched on the bushes and trees. A small colony of blue footed boobies, which often nest right on the trail, will give you the opportunity to observe their famous courtship dance.

Highlights: Galapagos sea lions, marine Iguanas, magnificent & great frigatebirds, blue-footed Boobies, and San Cristobal Lava Lizards.
Trail: 0.6km / 0.4 mi
Activities: Dry Landing and hiking

Embrace the morning at Suarez Point. This rocky trail presents a natural gallery of the Galapagos islands, brimming with an awe-inspiring array of fauna. Upon landing, you'll be greeted by sea lions and marine iguanas, your first hosts in this nature carnival. As you venture further, you'll encounter a mosaic of seabird colonies - from the striking Nazca and blue-footed boobies to the elegant gulls and tropicbirds. The pinnacle of this journey brings you face-to-face with the waved albatross, the island's largest bird (present from April to January). This majestic creature, exclusive to Española, will captivate you with its powerful flight and intricate courtship display.

Highlights: Sea lions, Waved Albatross, Galapagos hawks, Española mockingbirds, Darwin finches, marine iguanas, Nazca & Blue-footed Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Swallow-tailed gulls, herons, lava lizards, herons.
Trail: 1.7 km / 1.1 mi
Level: Hard
Activities: Dry Landing and hiking

Transition into the afternoon with a thrilling adventure to Gardner Bay, a pristine piece of paradise in the Galapagos archipelago. Sugar-white coral sands merge with crystal-clear turquoise waters, creating a tropical oasis. Watch as the beach becomes a theater, starring sun-basking sea lions in a playful performance. This idyllic setting invites you to stroll along the coast, immersing yourself in an enlightening experience as you delve into the biology of the endemic fauna - from the melodious Española mockingbird and the unique marine iguanas to the regal Galapagos hawks.

Snorkeling Experience: Submerge beneath the azure waves to witness a spectacular performance choreographed by marine life. Swim alongside playful sea lions, graceful reef sharks, and gliding rays. Discover an array of fish, including vivid Angelfish, charismatic Parrotfish, dynamic Damselfish, and the ever-busy Surgeonfish coloring the underwater landscape.

Highlights: Coral sand beach, sea lions, Galapagos hawks, Española mockingbirds, Darwin finches, marine iguanas.
Trail: 0.8 km / 0.5 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Wet Landing and hiking

 

Shift your expedition northwards to Punta Cormorant, renowned for its expansive coastal lagoon teeming with American flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, black-necked stilts, and other shorebirds. This natural haven also features a pristine white sand beach, a crucial nesting ground for green sea turtles, and a newly established breeding ground for blue-footed boobies near the trail. Amidst this vibrant wildlife, also take the opportunity to admire the island's unique flora.

Highlights: American flamingo, blue-footed booby, frigatebirds, tropicbirds, Galapagos shearwaters, sea lions, sea turtle nesting site, finches, shorebirds, coral-sand beach.
Trail: 1.6 km / 1 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Wet landing and hiking

This locale is imbued with tales from the late 1920s and '30s involving German settlers, a baroness, unsolved mysteries, and captivating intrigue. The bay was a historic anchoring point for whalers, who journeyed to the highlands for freshwater and tortoises. A mail system over two centuries old was established as a hub for visiting vessels centered around a barrel near the beach. This system endures today, offering a unique opportunity to send postcards from this remote part of the world. Apart from its rich history, Post Office Bay presents natural attractions such as a scenic beach, a lava tunnel, and sea tours that can unveil sea lions, green sea turtles, shorebirds, small sharks, and, if luck permits, Galapagos penguins.

Snorkeling Experience: Delve beneath the waves right from the beach, opening up a mesmerizing world of sea turtles, rays, and a diverse plethora of fish. Keep your fingers crossed for a special appearance by the elusive Galapagos penguin.

Highlights: Sea Lions, sea turtles, finches, shorebirds, marine iguanas, and penguins.
Trail: 0.7 km / 0.4 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Wet landing and hiking

Kickstart your day with a profound encounter at the Charles Darwin Station, a dedicated non-profit working hand-in-hand with the Galapagos National Park to safeguard the archipelago's unique biodiversity. This visit provides insights into the collaborative efforts of these institutions to shield native species and combat the invasive ones threatening the delicate balance of the Galapagos ecosystem. One of their emblematic endeavors includes the captive breeding of giant tortoises, an integral part of the conservation strategy. Amidst the educational venture, enjoy the setting of an outdoor native dry forest adorned with towering cacti and a rich array of fascinating endemic flora. This is an ideal spot to discover various endemic Darwin finches, as well as vivacious flycatchers and melodious mockingbirds.

As the day winds down, prepare for your return to the mainland of Ecuador. Reflect on the extraordinary experiences and memories created as you journey back. The return trip is a time to relax and ponder the unique ecosystems and incredible wildlife you've encountered, leaving the enchanted islands behind but taking a piece of their magic.

This concludes your remarkable journey through the Galapagos, filled with awe-inspiring encounters with nature's wonders, leaving you with a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance of the planet's ecosystems.

Highlights: Galapagos giant tortoise & land iguanas breeding program, Darwin finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers.
Level: Easy
Activities: Dry landing and hiking