Islands Circumnavigation - Naturalist Itinerary

Fly from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island on a 2½-hour flight. Upon landing in the Galapagos, meet naturalist guides and begin exploring the islands right away.

Navigate by panga through Black Turtle Cove, a quiet tidal lagoon surrounded by four species of mangroves. The sheltered waters provide a safe haven for marine life. Spot green sea turtles gliding beneath the surface, along with reef sharks, rays, and herons resting in the trees along the shore.

Santa Fe Island features white sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies. Follow the island’s trail through a cactus forest that provides habitat for the Santa Fe land iguanas, the largest iguanas in the Galapagos. Wildlife here includes the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snakes, native rice rats, a variety of fish species, and one of the archipelago’s four mockingbird species.

The Plaza Islets, located east of Santa Cruz, include North and South Plaza. North Plaza features a cactus forest home to about 300 land iguanas with yellow and red coloring. During the dry season, these iguanas depend on cactus fruits and flowers for food. South Plaza is known for hybrid iguanas—a cross between marine and land iguanas. From the island’s high point, watch for tropicbirds flying overhead. Between June and January, the vegetation shifts from green and yellow to red as Sesuvium edmonstonei plants bloom, creating a striking contrast with the landscape.

The Interpretation Center is packed with fascinating information, providing an excellent overview of the Galapagos' formation, its global importance, as well as the threats it faces and ongoing conservation efforts. Afterward, you’ll hike to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas), where you’ll have excellent views of both species of frigatebirds, along with a stunning panorama of the bay below.

As you approach the shore from the pangas, be immediately awed by the grandeur of the towering cliffs of ‘Cerro Brujo’. Spend time relaxing on the beach alongside sea lions, snorkel from the shore, or take a stroll to a secluded lagoon where you may encounter black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, and white-cheeked pintails.

A brief walk from the beach takes you to the iconic Post Office Barrel, which is said to have been established in 1793 by Captain James Colnett. It remains the oldest active 'post office' in the Pacific. Whalers and fur sealers used to leave addressed letters in the barrel for others heading home to deliver. In keeping with this tradition, modern visitors often take letters to personally deliver them in their own countries.

Upon arrival at Punta Cormorant, a keen observer will notice that olivine, a volcanic crystal, has given the dark beach a delicate green tint. The walk leads you past island-endemic Scalesia plants to a large, shallow lagoon that is often home to a striking group of pink greater flamingos. Then continue through a palo santo tree forest, eventually reaching a powdery white beach that serves as a nesting site for green turtles. As you wade barefoot in the shallow waters, you may spot diamond stingrays and white-tipped reef sharks.

One of the most popular snorkeling spots in the islands, Devil's Crown is an eroded volcanic cone teeming with a rich variety of fish and marine life. You’ll swim alongside large schools of yellow-tailed surgeonfish, salemas, and creolefish, and with some luck, you may even encounter turtles, spotted eagle rays, parrotfish, and hammerhead sharks! The rugged 'crown' serves as a roosting site for boobies, noddies, tropicbirds, and frigatebirds.

Elizabeth Bay is situated on the east coast of Isabela Island and features several islets that can be explored by dinghy. These rocky islets are home to penguins and blue-footed boobies. With its clear waters and rich marine life, the area is an ideal spot for snorkeling, offering views of vibrant fish schools, sea lions, and possibly even sharks.

Urbina Bay is situated at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast, nestled between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. In 1954, a significant uplift occurred here, causing the land to rise more than 16 feet. This geological shift extended the coastline by half a mile, leaving marine life stranded on the newly formed shore. The bay is also an excellent spot for snorkeling.

Begin with a dry landing on Galapagos’ largest island, where you’ll explore the history of its five volcanic eruptions. The trail leads you to Darwin’s saltwater crater lake, offering stunning views of lava fields and volcanic formations. After retracing our steps, you’ll take a dinghy ride along a shoreline teeming with marine life, where you can observe a variety of seabirds, including Blue-footed Boobies, Brown Noddies, terns, Flightless Cormorants, and, depending on the season, a large colony of Galapagos Penguins, which are only 35 cm tall—the only penguin species in the world to live in the tropics. The population of these penguins is around 2,000, most of which inhabit the western part of Isabela, with some further south. You’ll also have the chance to snorkel in deeper waters.

Lastly, you’ll spot graffiti thought to be left by 19th-century pirates, offering a fascinating glimpse into the island’s history.

From Espinosa Point, visitors can enjoy expansive views of Isabela Island across the Bolivar Channel, a region renowned for having some of the richest diversity of endemic marine life in the Galapagos. This area is home to the largest, most primitive-looking marine iguanas, which can be seen alongside sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Fernandina offers an excellent chance to observe flightless cormorants at their nesting sites, as well as Galapagos penguins and the island’s apex predator, the Galapagos hawk. The island’s landscape is primarily covered by Pa-hoe-hoe and AA lava formations, and inland vegetation is sparse, with only a few brachycereus cacti. Along the shore, mangroves can be found.

Wet landing. Egas Port features a black volcanic sand beach, which was visited by Darwin in 1835. The trail begins with volcanic ash (eroded tuff) and continues over rough terrain made up of basaltic volcanic rock. The striking, layered landscape along Santiago's shore is home to a variety of wildlife, including the unusual yellow-crowned night heron, as well as marine creatures like lobsters, starfish, and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally Lightfoot crabs. It’s easy to spot colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in the cool, volcanic rock pools.

Bartholomew, home to the iconic Pinnacle Rock, is an extinct volcano featuring a stunning array of volcanic formations in shades of red, orange, black, and even green. A staircase trail leads to the summit, offering one of the best panoramic views of the islands. The beach is an excellent spot for snorkeling, with a chance to see the Galapagos penguin.

 

Located on the northern shore of Santa Cruz, Las Bachas is a popular swimming beach. One of the few remaining traces of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galapagos, a floating pier, can be spotted here. The area is home to flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black-necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest along the beach.

Note: Itinerary is subjected to change because of management by the Galápagos National Park Service, local weather conditions and other unpredictable natural events.