Discover the
Galapagos Islands on board of a Galapagos Cruise. An incredible variety of
Motor- or Sailing Yachts offer you the opportunity to explore the most
famous Galapagos Islands. Choose your Yacht and enjoy a cruise of 4, 5 or
8 days through the enchanted islands of Galapagos with all the facilities
on board you like. Don´t loose the chance to dive in the most magic
seaworld.
On Galapagos Island and Pacific Coast
the
average temperature is 83 F (28 C) with the hot, rainy season from November to May and the less hot, dry season from June to December. Clothing is the same all the year: light, cotton clothes, long pants and
long-sleeved shirts for the walks, sun hats and sunglasses indispensable.
Isla Baltra (South Seymour)
During W.W.II Baltra was established as a US Air Force Base. Crews stationed at Baltra patrolled the Pacific for enemy submarines, and protected the mouth of the Panama Canal. After the war the facilities were given to
the government of Ecuador. Today the island continues as an official military base.
Until 1986, Baltra was the only airport serving the Galapagos. Now one of two airports, those passengers
arriving on Tame will land here. Upon arrival Galapagos Park Fees (or the receipt of paid Park Fees) is collected at the Kiosk. Arriving visitors are the met by their naturalist-guide or other crewmember holding a sign with
the name of the boat. A short bus ride from the airport is the harbor where the boats wait for passengers to begin their tours.
Bartolome Island
This
Galapagos island is perhaps the most photographed location in the
entire archipielago. You can climb up a wooden staircase to the summit for a
stunning view. You can observe fascinating formations of lava
flows and spatter cones. Many have called this Galapagos island An
open Geology Textbook. Sea lions and penguins can be seen around
Pinnacle Rock.
There is a sandy beach with great swimming and snorkeling. This is one of
those selected locations where seeing penguins in tropical waters can be a
revealing discovery.
Española Island (Hood)
Gardener Bay:
Welcome to paradise beach. Home to a coral white-sand beach with sea lions
and mockingbirds. Swimming and snorkeling at the beach and nearby islets.
Turquoise waters and its hues of green and blue will your camera shooting.
Punta Suarez: Walk on lava rocks along
a trail dotted with nests of blue-footed boobies and Nazca (masked) boobies,
a colony of marine iguanas (endemic to the island), waved albatrosses and a blow hole. There are also sea lions, Galapagos doves and three species of
Darwin's finches.
Isla Fernandina (Narborough Island)
The youngest of the Galapagos Islands, Fernandina is
approximately 700,00 years old. It's location to the west and on the far side of Isabela makes it one of the least visited islands. In 1968 the caldera collapsed dropping 1000 feet in a 2-week period. Eruptions in 1995 occurred from a
smaller volcano located on the southwest co rner of the island. This constant state of volcanic change gives Fernandina its unique feeling. Lacking the
native plants and animals of the other islands visitors obtain the feeling of being at the end of the earth. Fernandina is home to a large colony of Marine Iguanas, Galapagos Penguins and Flightless Cormorants. South
Plaza has one of the largest populations of Land Iguanas in the Galapagos. The Iguanas seem to be everywhere once you land. These larger than average Yellow-Brown Land Iguanas feed on the fruit and pads of the Prickly
Pear Cactus. Years ago visitors would bring oranges ashore to feed the Iguanas. The fruit soon became a favorite and the Iguanas would run to greet new visitors climbing on laps and begging for a taste of their new
favorite treat. The National Park Service has since made bring food on to the islands and feeding birds or animals against Park Rules in order to maintain the natural balance and diet of the island's fauna.
Isla Floreana (Charles Island)
 Located approximately 4 to 5 hours west of Española and equal distance south of Santa Cruz, this island has long been a favorite site of visitors including pirates,
whalers and early settlers.
One of the oldest islands Floreana illustrates the aging process of a volcanic island. Unlike the younger western islands, Floreana's volcano has been long extinct and is
in the advanced stages of erosion. The erosion process gave the island the nutrients and soils need to sustain plant life. The combination of this rich soil and a good water supply have given the highlands of Floreana a
diversified landscaping of native and introduced flora.
Floreana is best known for its colorful history of buccaneers, whalers, convicts, and colonists. In 1793 British whalers established the Post Office Barrel to send letters to and from England. This tradition has continued over the years, and even today visitors may drop off and pick up letters, without stamps, to be carried to far destinations. Punta Cormorant offers two highly
contrasting beaches. The landing beach is of volcanic origin and is composed of olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tinge. At the end of the short trail is a carbonate beach of extremely fine white sand. Formed by the
erosion of coral skeletons, it is a nesting site for green sea turtles .
In the 1930's Floreana was the setting for intrigue and
mystery. A German dentist and his mistress, a young family (the Wittmer family who still live on the island) and a self-styled Baroness with three men came to settle in the island. Shortly after the baroness and her lovers
arrived chaos began. They terrorized the other inhabitants while planning to build a luxury hotel.
Eventually the Baroness, her two lovers and the dentist all turned up missing or dead. There has been much
investigation searching for what really happened on Floreana, but there have never been any hard answers. John Treherne wrote of these people in The Galapagos Affair.
Genovesa Island (Tower)
Darwin Bay: Formed after a caldera
collapse. Its steep cliffs dominate the island. It is called "the bird
island" because it is home to thousands of frigate birds, red footed boobies,
noddy terns, lava gulls, tropic birds, doves, storm petrels and Darwin's
finches. You can enjoy good snorkeling along the amazing cliff sides.
Prince Philip's Steps: Walk on lava rocks. A Palo Santo forest full of
nesting birds. You have a good possibility of seeing the unique Short eared
owl. Nazca boobies, great frigate birds, red footed boobies and flycatchers
are outstanding representatives of the avian life forms on Tower. Enjoy the
amazing sunsets that here really win the prize!
Isla Isabela (Albemarle Island)
Shaped like a sea horse, Isabela is the largest of the the islands in the Galapagos, more than 4 times larger
 than Santa Cruz the next largest. Isabela is 80 miles (100 km) in length and though it is remarkably beautiful it is not one of the most
visited islands in the chain. Its visitor sites are far apart
 making them accessible only to faster boats or
those with longer itineraries.
One of the youngest islands, Isabela is located on the western edge of the archipelago near the Galapagos Hot Spot. At approximately 1 million years old, the island was formed by the
merger of 6 shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf. All of these volcanoes except Ecuador are still active making it one of the most volcanically active places on earth. Visitors cruising
past Elizabeth Bay on the west coast can see evidence of this activity in the fumaroles rising from Volcan Chico on Sierra Negra.
Two of the volcanoes Ecuador and Volcan Wolf lie directly on the Ecuador.
Volcan Wolf is the youngest of Isabela's volcanoes and at 5,600 ft (1707 m) the highest point in the Galapagos.
Isabela is also interesting for its flora and fauna. The young island does not follow the vegetation zones of the
other islands. The relatively new lava fields and surrounding soils have not developed the sufficient nutrients required to support the varied life zones found on other islands. Another obvious difference occurs on Volcan
Wolf and Cerro Azul, these volcanoes loft above the cloud cover and are arid on top.
Isabela's rich animal, bird, and marine life is beyond compare. Isabela is home to more wild tortoises than all
the other islands. Isabela's large size and notable topography created barriers for the slow moving tortoises; apparently the creatures were unable to cross lava flows and other obstacles, causing several different
sub-species of tortoise to develop. Today tortoises roam free in the calderas of Alcedo, Wolf, Cerro Azul, Darwin and Sierra Negra.
Alcedo Tortoises spend most of their life wallowing in the mud at the volcano crater. The mud offers moisture, insulation and protects their exposed flesh from mosquitoes, ticks and other insects. The giant tortoises have a
mediocre heat control system requiring them to seek the coolness of the mud during the heat of the day and the extra insulation during the cool of the night.
When tortoises reach 20 to 25 years of age they become sexually active. Beginning approximately a month b efore the end of the rainy season the tortoises mate, after mating the females set out on a journey to lay their
eggs. Alcedo Females venture down to the sandy shores of Urvina Bay building nests in the sand. The female digs a hole with its hind legs approximately (30cm) deep. Once she is please with the hole she deposits between 2
and 16 eggs then covers them with a layer of mud and urine before starting her journey back up the mountain. Baby tortoise take between 120 - 140 days to hatch usually happening between December and April.
On the west coast of Isabela the nutrient rich Cromwell Current upwelling creating a feeding ground for fish, whales, dolphin and birds. These waters have long been known as the best place to see whales in the Galapagos.
Some 16 species of whales have been identified in the area including humpbacks, sperms, Sei, Minkes and Orcas. During the 19th century whalers hunted in these waters until the giant creatures were near extinction.
The steep cliffs of Tagus Cove bare the names of many of the whaling ships, which hunted in these waters.
Birders will be delighted with the offerings of Isabela. Galapagos Penguins and Flightless Cormorants also feed
from the Cromwell Current upwelling. These endemic birds nest along the coast of Isabela and neighboring Fernandina. The Mangrove Finch, Galapagos Hawk, Brown Pelican, Pink Flamingo and Blue Heron are among
the birds who make their home on Isabela.
On the southern shore of Isabela is Villamil considered the most beautiful spot in the islands, this small town
with a relaxed attitude is Isabela's main town. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of Isabela at one of the small hotels available here.
North Seymour
North of Baltra (South Seymour) is the small islet of North Seymour. The two islands are very similar in appearance both created from Geological Uplift and having typical arid vegetation including Prickly Pear Cacti, Palo Santos Trees and Salt Bushes.
The visitor trail on North Seymour is approximately (2 km) in length cro ssing the inland of the island and
exploring the rocky coast. Along the way the trail passes colonies of Blue-Footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds.
The Magnificent Frigatebird, a large black bird with a long wingspan, and a hooked beak, is extremely fast and has excellent vision.
Frigatebirds are known for the large red pouch on their necks. During mating season the males thrown back their heads, inflate the pouch (sometimes to the size of a soccer ball), and shake trying to capture the attention of female Frigates.
Boobies and Frigates share an interesting relationship. Sharing the same nesting area on North Seymour Blue- Footed Boobies nest on the ground making their nests from the twigs of the Palo Santos Trees, while the Magnificent Frigatebird nests just above them in the saltbushes.
Blue- Footed Boobies are great at fishing. Hunting off-shore, the boobies dive from mid air into the sea in order to catch fish. Successful, they return to the island with
their prize to feed their young. Frigatebirds named for the warships once used by pirates are the pirates of Galapagos birds. In contrast to the Booby, Frigates are poor fishers. Their bodies produce very little oil for their
wings and they are not waterproof. Unable to spend time in the water fishing they must rely on food stolen from other birds to feed themselves and their young. When a Booby or Red-Billed Tropicbird returns from a successful
fishing trip the Frigatebird will swoop down and molest the bird until it drops its catch. The Frigate then plucks the food from the air, feeding itself and its young from the stolen loot. Frigatebirds on North Seymour rely on the
fishing success of the Blue-Footed Booby for their survival.
Returning to the coast Daphne Major and Minor can be spotted off in the distance and body surfing Sea Lions
play closer to shore. Along the shoreline Marine Iguanas, White Coral and Black Lava Rocks complete the visit to North Seymour.
Islas Plazas
The Plazas Islands are twin islands located off the east coast of Santa Cruz. North Plaza is closed due to scientific research and South Plaza is the visitor site. Both islands were formed by geological uplift. The islands tilt to the north. The island's southern portion having a greater degree of uplift contain cliffs
with spectacular views .
Visiting South Plaza begins with a dry landing. The rocky trail circumnavigates the island displaying the
combination of dry and coastal vegetation zone.
South Plaza has one of the largest populations of Land Iguanas in the Galapagos. The Iguanas seem to be everywhere once you land. These larger than average
Yellow-Brown Land Iguanas feed on the fruit and pads of the Prickly Pear Cactus. Years ago visitors would bring oranges ashore to feed the Iguanas. The fruit soon became a favorite and the Iguanas would run to greet new
visitors climbing on laps and begging for a taste of their new favorite treat. The National Park Service has since made bring food on to the islands and feeding birds or animals against Park Rules in order to maintain the
natural balance and diet of the island's fauna.
Santa
Cruz Island
Academy Bay: (Puerto Ayora): The Finch Bay Hotel is located here, as
well as the Charles Darwin Research Station. Giant tortoises are seen here
and seasonally in the highlands where they graze on the pastures of local
farms. Up in the highlands, the Pit Craters (Los Gemelos) is an
outstanding area for birdwatching and observation of flora of the highlands.
It is up here where amazing encounters with woodpecker finches have
occurred. Moist conditions keep this epiphyte laden environment with
fresh green look. You can visit the town of Puerto Ayora.
Isla Santa Fe (Barrington Island)
Home to one of the most beautiful coves in all the Galapagos,
Santa Fe is located in the southeastern part of Galapagos, 2 1/2 hours from Santa Cruz and 3 hours from San Cristobal . Santa Fe was formed from an uplift
(rather than a volcano) giving the island a relatively flat surface rather than the typical conical shape of the other islands.
Goats were eradicated in 1971, and Santa Fe is home to a number of endemic species, which have bounced back
from the outside threat. They include the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, Rice Rats, a variety of Finches and the Galapagos Mockingbird.
Visits to Santa Fe begin with a panga ride across the
lovely turquoise lagoon. Once ashore there are two trails starting from the same point, offering very different experiences.
Isla San Cristobal (Chatham Island)
San Cristobal or Chatham the easternmost island of Galapagos is also one of the oldest. Eroded volcanic p eaks in the northern part of the island and rich vegetation in the southern portion characterize the island.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the principal town is the provincial capital and the second largest settlement area in the islands.
Home to one of the Galapagos Islands' two airports many visitors
will begin and end their tour here. With a relatively good infrastructure including hotels, restaurants, buses, taxis and visitor information it is one of the easiest islands for people interested in exploring the islands on their own.
An easy walk from town Frigatebird Hill offers a fantastic vista. San Cristobal's highlands are sprinkled with farms, the island's first settlement El Progresso and El Junco, the only freshwater lake in Galapagos.
Red-Footed, Blue-Footed and Masked Boobies make their home on the eastern side of the island at Punta Pitt. A two-hour hike down shore from Punta Pitt wild tortoises can be seen at La Galapaguera.
Cruise to spectacular Kicker Rock, or Leon Dormido, the jagged remains of an old tuff cone whose flanks are covered with seabirds.
Santiago Island (James)
James Bay: An easy stroll,
observing Darwin's finches and the Galapagos hawk. Near the shores, you can
experience excellent birding too. Easily more than ten species of
migrants can be recorded here. Great location for spotting those rare
avian visitors that will use Galapagos as their stepping stone on their
arduous sea voyage. The black lava rock formations are spectacular too.
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