Galápagos — South & East Islands (Yolita)

Arrive at anytime. Arrival transfer included. There are no planned activities, so check into the hotel and enjoy the city. A representative will greet you at the hotel and brief the group on the various aspects of the tour.

Take an early flight to the Galapagos Islands. In the afternoon, visit North Seymour Island to look out for blue-footed boobies.

Plane

Mariscal Sucre International Airport – Seymour Airport 2h

Flights from Quito to Baltra depart between 6:40am and 9:40am depending on the day of the week. These will arrive into the Galapagos between 9:30am and 12:30pm with a short refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will generally arrive at the boat in time for lunch on Day 2 before the afternoon activity.

North Seymour Island Visit

North Seymour Afternoon

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). Depending on the season, see blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks.

Yolita

North Seymour – San Cristobal Island

Yolita is an attractive 16-passenger ship boasting surprisingly spacious cabins for its size, and the large upper deck allows you to soak up as much of the Ecuadorian sun as you need.

Travel to the dramatic Kicker Rock in the morning to witness the steep vertical stone walls rising from the ocean. Continue to Cerro Brujo on San Cristobal to observe sea lions, marine iguanas, and seabirds along the beach. In the afternoon, head to Isla Lobos known for its friendly sea lions. Here, there will be an opportunity to snorkel if you choose.

Cerro Brujo Visit

Cerro Brujo 1h-3h Afternoon

Visit Cerro Brujo to explore its coastline, and look for wildlife on the beach, in the water, and in the air. Learn about the human and natural history of the area from the Galapagos CEO/Naturalist Guide.

Snorkelling (Isla Lobos)

Isla Lobos

Snorkel the waters of peaceful Isla Lobos, amid the families of sea lions and their inquisitive pups looking to play. Spot nesting frigatebirds and the famous blue-footed boobies resting on the shore. Be sure to bring your camera to catch some snaps at this prime wildlife watching haven.

Isla Lobos Visit

Isla LobosAfternoon

Explore this tiny island for great wildlife encounters. Either by foot or by panga, view the sea and shore birds nesting and feeding. Spot a small colony of blue-footed boobies as well as two species of sea lions.

Yolita

San Cristobal Island – Espanola Island

Yolita is an attractive 16-passenger ship boasting surprisingly spacious cabins for its size, and the large upper deck allows you to soak up as much of the Ecuadorian sun as you need.

Sail in to Gardner Bay, an excellent swimming and snorkelling site. Head to Punta Suarez on Espanola Island. The southernmost island in the Galapagos archipelago is home to several wildlife species, including nazca and blue-footed boobies. A hike to the top of the cliff makes for spectacular photo opportunities.

Punta Suarez on the western side of Espanola Island (also called Hood) is spectacular.
Follow the trail through a rookery and learn the geological history of the island from the naturalist, including its dramatic volcanic features, climate, flora, and fauna.

Gardner Bay Visit

Bahia Gardner 1h-3h Morning

Visit Gardner Bay's magnificent white sandy beach and spectacular landscapes. This incredible place is home to sea lions, hood mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, waved albatross, red-billed tropic birds, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, and blue-footed boobies. Be sure to explore the beautiful turquoise water and its incredible sea life.

Snorkelling (Gardner Bay)

Espanola Island 45m-1h

Strap on your snorkel and if conditions allow, see an abundance of sea life including; young sea lions and large schools of surprisingly big tropical fish, including yellow-tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, and bump-head parrot fish.

Punta Suarez Excursion

Punta Suarez Afternoon

Head to Punta Suarez on Espanola Island, the southernmost island in the Galapagos archipelago and home to several wildlife species. Hike to the top of the cliff for spectacular photo opportunities, and explore the island's untamed natural beauty.

Yolita

Espanola Island – Santa Fe Island

Yolita is an attractive 16-passenger ship boasting surprisingly spacious cabins for its size, and the large upper deck allows you to soak up as much of the Ecuadorian sun as you need.

Visit Santa Fe island for a chance to mingle with the iguanas. Continue to South Plaza for some great bird watching opportunities. Here, you will also have the opportunity to snorkel should you choose.

Santa Fe Island Visit

Santa Fe IslandMorning

Visit Santa Fe for amazing wildlife watching and snorkelling opportunities. Hike towards the cliffs along the island's northern shore to view the forest of giant prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), which is home to endemic land iguanas. It is also one of the best locations to see sea turtles, sea lions, and maybe even get a glimpse of a whitetip reef shark from the panga.

South Plaza Island Visit

South Plaza Afternoon

Visit South Plaza, one of the smallest islands in the Galapagos, which has one of the largest populations of land iguanas. Walk along a path through a cactus forest and view a combination of dry and coastal vegetation on this lively island, home to a wide range of fauna, including incredible birdlife. Spot red-billed tropicbirds and indigenous swallow-tailed gulls resting on the cliffs, and sea lions playing in the waters.

Yolita

Santa Fe Island – Santa Cruz Island

Yolita is an attractive 16-passenger ship boasting surprisingly spacious cabins for its size, and the large upper deck allows you to soak up as much of the Ecuadorian sun as you need.

In the morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Center and spend some time wandering through town before flying back to Quito. Enjoy an evening in Quito.

Fausto Llerena Breeding Center & Charles Darwin Research Station Visit

Puerto Ayora 45m Morning

Visit Fausto Llerena Breeding Center a great place to observe many species of tortoises. Brought back from the brink of extinction, see the famous Galapagos tortoise up close – a corral houses adult tortoises, and a nursery cares for the young until around age three when their shells have hardened.

This area also houses the Charles Darwin Research Station, a scientific organization initiated in 1964, which works to preserve the Galapagos' ecosystem through the conservation efforts of scientists, researchers, and volunteers. While the offices themselves are not open to visitors, the research station provides a study location for international scientists and environmental education for the local community.

Depart at any time.

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations.