Island Hopping 8 Days 7 Nights

One of the best spots for snorkeling, Kicker Rock or Leon Dormido is an amazing rock formation near San Cristobal Island. This amazing landmark located about an hour and a half to the north east of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Kicker Rock / Leon Dormido is a remnant of a vertical tuff cone formation, rising almost 153 meters (500 feet) from the ocean.

The erosion has given the rock its characteristic shape, which some see as a shoe, hence the name Kicker Rock. Others see it as a sleeping sea lion or Leon Dormido in Spanish. While we snorkel around Kicker Rock we can spot sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, Galapagos sharks, tropical fish and if luck is on our side we can even see hammerhead sharks. Besides enjoying the underwater view, we can usually see blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and frigatebirds on the cliffs as well as sea lions along the shore.

Our guide will be waiting for the passengers at the exit of the main pier of Santa Cruz, to transfer them to the designated hotel in their program and thus be able to check in. After checking into the hotel We proceed to get ready with very comfortable clothes and closed shoes for the walk and plenty of water and then we will move to the upper part of Santa Cruz Island. We will make our first visit to Los Gemelos, which is located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, on the Puerto Ayora-Canal de Itabaca highway. are great depressions of volcanic material, formed by a long process of slow subsidence of the earth, where there are scale trees, ferns, mosses and orchids can be seen. Some species of Galapagos finches and often the beautiful witch bird can be seen here. lava tunnels and a giant tortoise reserve. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes, then we proceed to the car that will be waiting to transfer us to the Hotel as indicated by your itinerary for We proceed with the check-in of the passengers, we board our rooms and we will be ready to receive them.

OPTION 1:

SEYMOURT NORTH This is a flat and rocky island, so it is recommended to use comfortable shoes for the walk. The trail is only 2 kilometers long and the walk takes about an hour and a half. North Seymour is a small island is a small island located to the north of Baltra. The terrain is quite arid and rocky and its vegetation consists mostly of cacti of cactus, palo santo, palo verde, muyuyos and portulaca trees. The island is one of the most beautiful attractions of Galapagos.

Galapagos. It is one of the few places to visit where we can enter the colony of frigate birds, which nest in the bushes near the trails. bushes near the trails, with their inflated red balloons performing their mating courtship. We can also see the also see the famous blue-footed boobies, dancing, courting, incubating their eggs or feeding their chicks. In addition, we will find land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) around the cacti, finches, Galapagos doves, lava herons, zayapas and playful sea lion pups on the shores. Las Bachas is a paradisiacal beach of coral sand and turquoise waters, where you can take a short walk along the shore and visit a lagoon behind the dunes and visit a lagoon behind the dunes where Galapagos flamingos, marine iguanas and a variety of seabirds can be seen marine birds. Here on this beach we can do swimming and snorkeling, where you can see sea turtles and small shark pups can be seen surfing the sea floor.

OPTION 2:

PLAZA SUR: It is a small island of 13 hectares located to the east of Santa Cruz. Its twin, Plaza Norte, is a place reserved reserved only for scientific studies. The channel between the two islets is home to one of the largest colonies of sea lions in the archipelago.

colonies of sea lions in the archipelago. In South Plaza there is an important colony of land iguanas, which are the smallest in the entire archipelago. the smallest in the archipelago. The last census on the island, about land iguanas, reports a population of 350 iguanas. They feed on all kinds of plants, but during the dry season they survive thanks to the fruits and flowers of the opuntia cactus. and flowers of the opuntia cacti, which are very abundant on the islet. From the cliff of the island you can see one of the most colorful birds of the archipelago. birds of the archipelago such as the tropical bird the swallow-tailed gull and flocks of Galapagos puffins.

The island takes its name from the white-fin sharks known as Tintoreras and is considered one of the most fascinating Galapagos species in the same area find: sea lions, marine iguanas, boobies legs blue, crabs, sea turtles, pelicans and Galapagos penguins peculiar. Then we will move to a sea inlet on the island where you can snorkel, the site is ideal for this activity because of the variety of species found.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will hike to the Sierra Negra Volcano located 13 miles from Puerto Villamil. miles from Puerto Villamil, and is the second largest active crater in the world, 6 miles long and 300 feet deep. To get to this incredible view you will travel by bus for 45 minutes to the entrance of the Galapagos National Park, where the tour begins. National Park, where the hike to the Sierra Negra Volcano begins, this hike will take approximately 2 hours. This hike will take approximately 2 hours, it starts at 870 meters of altitude and at the top of the crater will have reached 1040 meters. meters. We will have a box lunch at the top and then head to Volcan Chico to feel the hot earth and different colors of lava. different colors of lava and at the end we will return to the hotel.

VISIT 1: During this day, early in the morning (05h30), we will go to the dock to take the speedboat from Isabela to Puerto Ayora. from Isabela to Puerto Ayora. Upon arrival in Santa Cruz we will have breakfast at a local restaurant.

After a short rest we will start the tour to the Charles Darwin Research Station, where we will find corrals with turtles and tortoises. where we can find corrals with giant Galapagos tortoises among other species more representative of the archipelago. archipelago. We will receive an educational talk about evolution and research carried out at the station for the preservation of the archipelago. the preservation of the archipelago. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

VISIT 2: In the afternoon 2:00 p.m. we will go to Turtle Bay beach where we will have a guided visit to the main attractions of Santa Cruz Island, with a walk of approximately 40 minutes we will arrive to this beach, one of the most beautiful in Galapagos, with white sand, white mangroves and green mangroves.

of the most beautiful beaches in Galapagos with white sand, white mangroves and green mangroves. At the mansa beach, we will be able to swim and enjoy a morning at the beach.

TRANSFER HOTEL / AIRPORT (One way to Baltra), Our transportation will pick you up at the hotel, to transfer you to the Itabaca channel to the Itabaca channel, where you will have to cross by public ferry to Baltra Island, to take the buses of the following airlines that will take you to the airport of the following airlines that will take you to the airport.