This eight day tour provides a comprehensive cruise of the Galapagos Islands. Get up and personal with the wildlife, go diving or just sit back and relax in the comfort of the boat.

SPECIAL!! Free return flights to the Galapagos! Also available in the 4 and 5 day cruise options, contact info@chimuadventures.com today!

Day 1: Sunday - Santa Cruz
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (aprox. 2 and half hour
flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our guides and taken to the
Itabaca canal, then cross to the Island of Santa Cruz and travel to Puerto Ayora.

Santa Cruz (Highlands)
One option is to cross the highlands of Santa Cruz. Passengers will observe
the twin pit craters and visit Cerro Chato. You’ll be able to observe the
famous giant tortoises.
Additionally, travelers can walk inside the dormant lava tubes.

Day 2: Monday - Española (Suarez Point)
Dry landing. Visitors will learn about the lava terrain and cross the inactive
lava fields. Besides the sea lion colonies, this is one of the most important
sites for bird watching.

Many species, like the hooded mockingbird and red-billed tropic, can be
spotted and observed closely. Past the nesting grounds you’ll reach the
world’s largest colony of waved albatross.

From May to December their mating rituals are a highlight of the visit.
Later, you’ll visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots 23 m (75 ft) into
the air.

Española (Gardner Bay)
Wet landing on a white coral beach amidst a large colony of sea lions.
This site has no trails, so hiking is not possible.

It’s an open area where you can spot Galapagos hawks, American oyster
catchers, Galapagos doves, hood mockingbirds, 3 species of Darwin
finches, yellow warblers, lava lizards, marine iguanas.

It’s great for swimming and snorkeling, and you can see many Galapagos
marine species like king angelfish, creole fish, damsel fish, parrot fish,
manta rays, white tipped reef sharks.

Day 3: Tuesday - Floreana (Cormorant Point)
Wet landing on a greenish colored beach. Passengers will hike from
black mangrove beds to a lagoon. This large, brackish lagoon holds one of
the largest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island is best known
for its endemic plant life like the Galapagos millwork, passion flower, and
button mangrove.

Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions;
experienced snorkelers can roam around Devils Crown.

Champions
After Cormorant Point, we’ll make dinghy ride along the coast. One hour
tour to observe: blue footed boobies, sea lions, marine iguanas,
swallow-tailed gulls.
Deep water snorkeling, this unforgettable activity lasts an hour approximately
you will be swimming in an aquarium with colorful fishes, tame sharks,
and rays.

Floreana (Post office)
Located on the north side of Floreana Island, the bay is so-named because in
1793, Captain James Colnett installed an empty barrel which served
as an informal post box for sailors who passed through the Galapagos, taking
with them the letters to their destinations.

Today, our visitors continue the tradition by placing unstamped postcards
inside the barrel which reach their destinations for free. It can take weeks,
sometimes months, or sometimes the cards never arrive at all!

A short walk from the famous barrel, you’ll come to a tunnel formed by
lava flows. Down a path you can observe the mocking bird of Galapagos,
some species of Darwin’s finches, yellow Wardle and lava lizards.
After a short trip in the panga, you’ll make a dry landing at Lookout Point
where you enjoy a great view among marine birds.

Day 4: Wednesday - North Seymour
Dry landing. Guests will encounter swallow tailed gulls and sea lions.
This site is a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies and has the
largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird. Travelers will also spot both
iguana species, the marine iguanas and land iguanas, and then hike
around the nesting sites.

Santa Cruz (Dragon Hill)
Wet landing. Visitors walk to a saltwater lagoon which is occasionally
visited by pink flamingos. Then you’ll hike up to Dragon Hill, which offers
a beautiful view of the bay.

This area is a nesting site for numerous reintroduced land iguanas.
There is also a peculiar scalesia tree forest.

Santa Cruz (Venice)
Dinghy ride around the islet along the coast of Santa Cruz. The land iguanas
that live in Venice were protected from the wild dogs that live on the island
of Santa Cruz. In Santa Cruz is possible to observe the vegetation and marine
animals like: spotted eagle rays and golden rays, mullets, white tipped reef
sharks and pacific green sea turtles which rest in the calm waters of the
coves and channels.

Day 5: Thursday - Rábida (Jervis)
Wet landing. The volcano-formed beach is dark red and frequented by
sea lions. It’s considered the geographic center of Galapagos because it has
the most diverse volcanic rocks on the Islands.
You’ll hike to a salt water lagoon, where flamingos can sometimes be
found.

July through September is a good time to observe brown pelicans
nesting in the salty bushes. Boobies and 9 species of Darwin’s finches
can also be observed.
You can take a dinghy ride by the reefs, as well as snorkel.

Santiago (Egas Port)
Wet landing on a dark sand beach. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers
and lava flows. You can observe hunting herons, great blue herons, lava
herons, yellow crowned night herons and oyster catchers.
Passengers will see marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside red
sally light-foot crabs. There is a colony of fur-seals swimming in deep
cool-water pools.
Here you can swim and snorkel and find octopuses, sea horses, star fish.

Day 6: Friday - Fernandina (Espinosa Point)
Dry landing. Visitors will see the biggest marine iguanas mingling with
sally-light foot crabs, as well as flightless cormorants nesting sites,
Galapagos penguins, Galapagos hawks, and sea lions.
Among the flora and volcanic formations observers will spot
brachycereus cactus, and “pa-hoe-hoe” lava and “AA” lava
formations. Numerous mangrove beds extend into the sea.
Isabela (Tagus Cove)

Dry landing on Galapagos’ largest island. Visitors will learn about the
eruption of five volcanoes that formed this island.
The trail leads to Darwin’s salt water lagoon and an excellent view of the
lava fields and volcanic formations.

You’ll take a dinghy to observe marine life. Frequently, Galapagos penguins
can be seen here. Opportunity for snorkeling.

Graffiti believed to have been made by 19th century pirates helps
passengers better appreciate the relationship between the islands and
tourism today.

Day 7: Saturday - Bartolomé

Dry landing. Passengers will see volcanic formations such as lava bombs,
spatter, and cinder cones. After hiking to the summit you can enjoy a
great view of the surrounding islands, including Pinnacle Rock’s eroded
tuff cone.

On the way to the summit, you’ll often see colonies of marine iguanas,
lava lizards, tiquilla and various cacti.

You’ll be able to snorkel and see the Galapagos penguin, sea turtles, and
white tipped sharks from a safe distance.

Santa Cruz (Black Turtle Cove)
Located near Las Bachas beach on the north side of the island. Passengers
will take a dinghy though the mangrove. The motor is turned off to allow
close observation of marine turtles, white tipped reef sharks, spotted
eagle rays, and yellow rays.

Day 8: Sunday - Santa Cruz (Charles Darwin Research Station)
Travelers will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, staffed
with international scientists conducting biological research and
conservation projects. Here you’ll be able to admire the giant tortoises
involved in the breeding program.

Visitors can also admire the prickly-pear cactus forest and many land
birds. Later on, you’ll have some free time to walk around town and shop
for souvenirs.

Disembark at Baltra. Passengers will take a bus to the airport for the flight
back to the mainland via Guayaquil to Quito.

You may also want to consider our four or five day options for this boat.