Coral II - 4 Day Cruise A

Take a flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra. The flight from Quito to the Galapagos is approximately 2 ½ hours and from Guayaquil approximately 1 ½ hours. Arriving in the Galapagos, passengers are met at the airport by our naturalist guides and driven ten minutes by bus to the pier to board the M/Y Coral I or M/Y Coral II.


PM - Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre - Charles Darwin Station (Santa Cruz Island)

Dry landing. We visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place as part of our efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment and where the famous Lonesome George (the last surviving specimen of his species) lived for decades. The program is conducted by Galapagos National Park staff with the collaboration of scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station. Eggs are brought from the Galapagos Islands of Pinzon, Santiago and Santa Cruz to the station where they are incubated artificially. The “galapaguitos” (little Galapagos) are hatched and reared until the age of 5 years when they are released in their native areas when they are capable of surviving the effects of introduced predators (rats, pigs and dogs). Since 1970, more than 2,000 “galapaguitos” have returned to their native areas. On the visit you can admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and a variety of Darwin’s finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works to provide environmental education to communities, schools within the Islands and tourists who are visiting the Galapagos. If there is enough time, you can visit the town and shop for souvenirs.

Dry landing. We walk past a brackish lagoon where feeding flamingos can occasionally be found. The trail leads across typical dry zone vegetation up to Dragon Hill, an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, and offering scenic views of the anchorage and neighbouring islands. The forest is home to mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers and Galapagos doves.


PM - Bartolomé

Dry or wet landing. Here we discover a fascinating moonscape formed by different volcanic parasitic cones - lava bombs, spatter cones and cinder cones as we hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock. We may also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards and blue-footed boobies.

Beach time is a great opportunity to snorkel and see Galapagos penguins, sea turtles and white-tipped reef sharks as well as a great variety of colourful fish. For many visitors, this may turn out to be the best of snorkelling experiences as the water here is generally clear, without too much surf and full of marine life.

Due to its geographical location, the lack of vegetation is immediately noticeable. Pioneer plants can be seen, so called because they are the first to establish roots on new ground. They include Tiquilia nesiotica (known as gray matplant and which is endemic to the island) and Chamaesyce (known as sand mat or spurge in English), lava cactus and Scalesia bushes. Behind the beach are dunes covered by mangroves.

Wet landing. Dark red sand covers these unique beaches with their incredible landscape. Rábida is considered the epicentre of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting brown pelicans are found from July to September and 9 species of the famous Darwin’s finches can be seen. We take a dinghy ride along the cliffs to observe nesting seabirds and snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.


PM - Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz)

Wet landing. We land on the north side of Santa Cruz. Behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin’s finches, mockingbirds and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times a year each with an average of 70 eggs, but may then spend 3 to 5 years without breeding.

At this beautiful site are the remains of barges that sank many years ago, once the property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. That is why the beach is called “Bachas”, as the word “barges” was hard for the local people to pronounce.

Black Turtle Cove is found on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island and accessible only by sea. Four species of mangrove crowd from the shore out into the lagoon. Here turtles enjoy swimming in the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface while fish, rays and small sharks circle below. White-tipped reef sharks can sometimes be seen beneath the boat. Seabirds including pelicans, herons and egrets all feed in the cove. This cove has been declared a “Turtle Sanctuary”.

After the visit you are transferred to Baltra Airport for your return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.