Itinerary

Day 1: Depart home, arrive Guayaquil. Most flights arrive in the evening and a representative will meet you at the airport to transfer you to your hotel.

Day 2: Along with your ROW Adventures guide, take a morning flight from Guayaquil to San Cristobal, the first of the Galapagos Islands on our trip. This is also our first chance to get in the kayaks and meet some local wildlife. Next we take a catamaran to our beach camp to settle in and enjoy watching sea lions, blue footed boobies and more as the sun sets.

Day 3: Today we will take our kayaks and we will paddle from our camp to Manglecito, it will take 2 to 3 hours depending on the weather conditions. Manglecito is a great place for bird watching. After kayaking we will enjoy some beach time. Afterwards we will continue by boat to Isla Lobos, Kicker Rock and if we have time we will visit Cerro Brujo, this is an amazing day of snorkeling when we see Galapagos and white tipped reef shark, eagle rays and swim with the ever playful sea lions. Late afternoon we will be returning to relax on the beach and enjoy our last night at camp.


Day 4: This morning we take an early morning walk before heading to the airport to fly to the island of Isabela and check into our beachfront hotel. After lunch we spend the afternoon visiting the Tortoise Breeding Center and the marshlands where the mangroves are home to many migratory birds and beautiful pink flamingoes. Enjoy a stroll along the spectacular white sandy beach before dinner.

Day 5: Today we see a very different view of the Galapagos when we drive to the highlands and begin our hike of Isabela’s Sierra Negra. This active volcano last erupted in 2005 and has the second largest caldera in the world with a diameter of approximately six and a half miles. The hike can vary from 8-14 miles and includes viewing the spectacular caldera and incredible lava formations. After the hike enjoy some time on the beach or in town relaxing.

Day 6: In the morning, we will visit Estuary Beach where the fresh water artesian springs flow into the sea providing a perfect opportunity to swim among the magroves. After this we head to Campo Duro half way up the slopes of Sierra Negra where we meet the giant galapagos tortoise some of them are over 120 years old. After lunch in the beautiful organic gardens we head to Tintoreras, a unique volcanic island, home to young marine iguanas and white tipped reef sharks.

Day 7: After an early breakfast we take a two and a half hour boat ride to Santa Cruz Island and check into our waterfront hotel. When we arrive in Puerto Ayora we will immediately set out on a spectacular wildlife tour. A short boat ride, 8 nautical miles northwest of here we land on a sandy beach and take a short hike to view the lounging sea lions and the unique Galapagos marine iguanas basking in the sun on the lava rocks or the succulent Sesubium plant (commonly known as carpet weed). Finally today we take a trip to Tortuga Bay and kayak along the west side of the beach hopefully seeing the sea turtles that give the bay its name!

Day 8: A short 1 hour boat trip takes us to the island of Santa Fe, home of one of the most beautiful coves in all of the Galapagos. Feral goats were eradicated from Santa Fe in 1971 and a number of endemic species have thrived since then including the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snake, rice rats, numerous finches and the Galapagos Mocking bird. We take the opportunity to snorkel here and are often joined by the playful sea lion pups. The fluorescent fish make for great snorkeling as do the submerged rocks where the sea turtles and manta rays hang out.

Day 9: Our last day on the islands takes us to the Galapagos highlands to visit again with perhaps the islands’ most famous resident; the giant Galapagos Tortoise. Weighing up to 500 pounds these gentle giants are scattered all over the islands. In the afternoon we take our flight back to Guayaquil for overnight and a final dinner with the group.

Day 10: Transfer to the airport for your return flight home or continue your travels.

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