Private Charter - East and South Islands

Start your Galapagos trip at San Cristóbal Island’s local airport, where a certified naturalist meets you upon arrival. Begin exploring this remote environment, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its unique terrain and remarkable wildlife. Step directly into protected habitats shaped by volcanic activity and centuries of isolation.

Travel to nearby Lobos Island, a small outcrop just off San Cristóbal. Watch sea lions gather along the shore and in shallow pools. Hike a short path inland to observe frigatebirds with bright red throat sacs and blue-footed boobies engaged in courtship behavior. Enter the water to snorkel among sea lions, green turtles, and rays in a sheltered area ideal for beginners. Look for colorful reef fish darting between rocks as you move through one of the region’s most accessible marine zones.

Snorkel Experience: Lobos Island’s shallow waters offer a great spot to swim alongside curious sea lions. Look for sea turtles and rays resting on the seafloor, while schools of tropical fish move through rocky areas.

Highlights: Stunning Views, Galapagos sea lions, Magnificent and great frigatebirds, San Cristobal Lava Lizards
Trail: 0.6 km / 0.4 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: hiking

Walk along Gardner Bay, a white coral sand beach with clear, shallow water. The area is home to groups of sea lions resting near the shore. As you move down the beach, observe Española mockingbirds, marine iguanas, and Galápagos hawks in their natural habitat. A guide shares facts about these native species and how they survive in this remote environment.

Snorkeling Experience: Access the water directly from the beach or rocky outcrops. Swim near sea lions, spot reef sharks passing below, and glide over rays resting on the bottom. Identify a variety of reef fish—such as angelfish, parrotfish, damselfish, and surgeonfish—moving through the area.
 
Highlights: Herons, Galapagos mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks, Darwin finches, Marine iguanas, Waved Albatross, Lava lizards
Trail: 0.8 km / 0.5 mi
Level: Difficult
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, panga ride, paddle board, kayak

Follow a rugged trail on Española Island, one of the best places for wildlife viewing in the Galápagos. Sea lions and marine iguanas are the first animals you’ll encounter. Continue hiking to find large groups of seabirds, including Nazca and blue-footed boobies, gulls, and tropicbirds. At the end of the route, reach a nesting area for waved albatross (April to January), the only place in the islands to view this species up close. Watch their takeoffs from cliffs and unique mating displays.
 
Highlights: Stunning Views, Herons, Galapagos mockingbirds, Galapagos hawks, Darwin finches, Marine iguanas, Waved Albatross, Lava lizards
Trail: 1.7 km / 1.1 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Hiking

Punta Cormorant is located in the north of Floreana, and it is known for its large coastal lagoon with American flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, black-necked stilts, and other shorebirds. There is a beautiful white sand beach, which is an important nesting ground for green sea turtles, where we can also see rays and reef sharks. In recent years, a small group of blue footed boobies have started to breed right by the trail. This is also a great trail day to look at endemic plants.

Snorkel Experience: It will be done at Devil’s Crown, a heavily eroded little volcano right by Floreana Island. This is considered by many as one of the best snorkeling sites in the entire archipelago as the current funnels plankton through the Crown, attracting huge schools of snapper, Creole fish, parrot fish, angelfish, reef sharks, sea turtles, rays and a phenomenal amount of marine life.
 
Highlights: Sea turtle nesting site, Galapagos shearwaters, Tropicbirds, Frigatebirds, Finches, Shorebirds
Trail: 1.6 km / 1 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, panga ride

Santa Fe Island, nestled in one of the most stunning bays in the Galapagos, boasts towering prickly-pear cacti and ancient lava formations. Its white-sand beach and turquoise waters are home to a large sea lion colony basking under the sun. As you follow the trail, look for the endemic Santa Fe land iguana and, if lucky, a Galapagos hawk perched atop a cactus scanning for prey. Along the way, Darwin’s finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, and lava lizards are commonly seen, making this hike a true wildlife experience.

Snorkel Experience:  After the hike, snorkel in the bay’s sheltered waters. Swim alongside playful sea lions, reef sharks, and sea turtles. Spot rays and schools of tropical fish, including surgeonfish and parrotfish, for an unforgettable underwater experience.
 
Highlights: Stunning Views, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos hawks, Galapagos doves, Santa Fe land iguanas, Reef sharks
Level: Moderate
Activities: Hiking, snorkeling, panga ride, paddle board, kayak

Of the two twin islands, only South Plazas is open to visitors, while North Plazas remains a scientific research site. Despite its small size, South Plaza is teeming with wildlife. Upon landing, you'll find land iguanas lounging beneath Opuntia cacti, waiting for fallen fruit. A large sea lion colony dominates the shore, where playful pups explore tide pools while massive bulls defend their territory. The trail leads to a dramatic cliffside, offering breathtaking ocean views where frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, and swallow-tailed gulls soar. A blanket of reddish succulents covering the island adds to its striking beauty.
 
Highlights: Stunning Views, Boobies, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos shearwaters, Galapagos land iguanas, Tropicbirds, Pelicans
Trail: 1.4 km / 0.8 mi
Level: Moderate
Activities: Hiking

The Charles Darwin Station is a nonprofit organization that has been working for decades together with the Galapagos National Park to preserve the biodiversity of these unique islands. During this visit, you will learn about the projects that both institutions carry out together to protect the native species and eradicate the invasive ones that are threatening the Galapagos environment. One of the most important and emblematic projects has been reproducing giant tortoises in captivity. The visit is mostly outdoors in a beautiful, dry native forest with giant cactus and many other interesting native plants. It is also a fantastic place to find several endemic Darwin finches, as well as flycatchers and mockingbirds.
 
Highlights: Galapagos giant tortoise and land iguanas breeding program, Galapagos mockingbirds, Darwin finches, Galapagos flycatchers.
Trail: 2 km / 1.2 mi
Level: Easy
Activities: Hiking

Your Galapagos adventure comes to an end. Today, you will be transferred to Baltra Airport, where your National Park naturalist guide will assist you with final details before your flight back to mainland Ecuador. As you bid farewell to this paradise, take with you the unforgettable memories of one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations.