Galapagos, sea lions and turtles in 7 days

Upon arrival at the airport on San Cristobal, immediately go to the Galapagos immigration area where you'll show  your passport and pay your USD 100 Galapagos National Park fee. This payment must be made in cash. The park officials will then inspect your carry-on luggage to ensure that you have not inadvertently brought any prohibited plant or animal products.

Welcome by your tour guide and transfer to the hotel. Afterwards, visit to the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, located in a scenic setting, where visitors can obtain information that will help them understand more about the natural history of the Galápagos, with emphasis on human history and conservation. 

In the afternoon there will be plenty of opportunities to swim and snorkel on the northern side of the bay, a perfect spot to relax and contemplate the wonderful and unique history of these islands. Dinner and accommodation in hotel. Lunch and dinner included. 

Morning visit to the coffee plantation El Cafetal to learn how coffee is produced, from the plant to the cup, followed by a mid-morning sample.

Continue to the Galapaguera, a project to introduce the local endemic giant tortoise back into the wild.

After lunch walk from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno through the typical dry forest of this area to the beach “la Loberia” where you can observe sea iguanas and swim with the local sea lion colony. If you wish, you can also snorkel. Dinner and accommodation in hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. 

Trip to Lobos Islet, seasonal nesting location for the blue footed booby, a main attraction of the islands. Their courtship ritual really is quite impressive, with the gathering and passing of twigs for the nest that will never be built. The basalt island outcrop is actually named for the numerous sea lions that frequent the island.

Lobos Islet is located 1 hour across a small channel up the coast from Wreck Bay and Puerto Baquerizo, north of San Cristobal Island (also known as Chatham Island). One hour hike over the island and snorkelling with sea lions along the coastline.

Afterwards return to San Cristobal and visit to the massive tower of rock called Leon Dormido or Kicker Rock, rising out of the deep-blue ocean. Here you can also go snorkelling and often see some of the bigger inhabitants of the ocean such as sharks, rays and giant turtles.

Finally, you'll visit Cerro Brujo, a fascinating volcanic crater-shaped landscape situated around the north coast of San Cristobal. Relax on the beach or go snorkelling. Dinner and accommodation in hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. 

Morning transfer by a public lancha (small speedboat) to Santa Cruz island and on to Puerto Ayora, a little harbour popular with sailors as well as with sea lions and pelicans.

After lunch, visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, which is also a tortoise breeding and rearing centre, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction into their natural habitats. After the visit you can explore the quaint village with its little shops and fish market. Accommodation in hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. 

Morning walk to the harbour and half day trip in a small boat through Academy bay. During the trip you can view underwater species along the island.

Visit to the “Lovers Channel”, the beach “Playa de los Perros” and the bay “Bahia de Franklin”. A little walk leads you to “Las Grietas”, a natural basin between high rocky walls. After lunch,free time to explore this paradise. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. 

Morning visit the highlands and the double crater Caldera de los Gemelos, which is known for its diversity of around 300 different fern species and close by “forest” of sunflowers. Exploring the highlands of Santa Cruz you pass by different vegetation zones, from the dry lower region full of cacti to the Scalesia forests in the humid highlands.

In the highlands you will walk through one of the labyrinth-like lava tunnels; some of them are up to 2km in length. Walk in the natural habitat of the giant tortoises, and onto the Chato lagoon, often full of frigate birds and other seabirds.

Return to Puerto Ayora for lunch and then continuation to Tortuga Bay to spot several species of Darwin’s finches. The west cove offers a nice snorkelling and swimming area, a great spot for relaxing. The white sandy beach is considered by many to be the nicest in the archipelago. Its name comes from the sea turtles that come here to lay their eggs, year after year. Other species to be found, include pelicans, flamingos and marine iguanas. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. 

In the morning you will cross the highlands of Santa Cruz and the canal of Itabaca to reach the airport at Baltra where you will catch your flight back to the mainland. End of tour.