Our Galapagos Coral Cruise itineraries offer unforgettable experiences, with our weekly departures allowing you to experience 3-, 4-, 7-, and up to 14 –nights tours including: full board, two daily guided excursions with optional activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, dinghy rides and our new feature daily diving tours for license-holding divers.
First day on board and you already wonder how the week is going to be in your adventure through the islands.
AM – Baltra Airport
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island (approx. 2½-hour flight). Arriving in the Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturist guides and taken on a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/Y Coral I or M/Y Coral II.
PM – Charles Darwin Research Station & Fausto Llerena Breeding Center (Santa Cruz Island)
Dry landing. Visit to the Galapagos giant tortoises breeding program, where the famous Lonesome George (last surviving specimen of Pinta Island) lived for decades. The center is conducted by the Galapagos National Park (GNP) staff with the collaboration of scientists from the Charles Darwin Station (CDS). Here, eggs taken from Pinzon, Santiago and Santa Cruz Islands hatch without the danger of introduced species. After artificial incubation; the “galapaguitos” (newborn tortoises) are reared until the age of 5, when they are released in their native habitats, having the capabilities to survive alone. Since the 70s, more than 2000 specimens have returned to their own islands. In addition, the Darwin Station works in several scientific projects, botanical research, providing environmental education to communities, schools within the Islands and tourists. If there is enough time, it is possible to visit Puerto Ayora.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1 ½-hour visit
AM- Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island)
Walk by a brackish lagoon to see flamingos. The trail leads across a typical dry zone vegetation. Keeping up until Dragon Hill, there will be an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, offering lovely views of the anchored boats and neighboring islands. The forest is home to mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, and Galapagos doves.
PM – Bartolome Island
Dry or wet landing. We discover a fascinating landscape formed by different volcanic parasitic cones —lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones — that resembles the moon. Going up to the summit there will be an impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock. We also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies.
Beach time is a great opportunity to do snorkeling and see the famous Galapagos Penguins, sea turtles and White-tipped Reef Sharks among a great variety of colorful fish. For many visitors, this may turn out to be the best snorkeling experience. Crystal clear water is the perfect spot to appreciate the incredible marine life it has to offer.
Due to its geographical location, the lack of vegetation is immediately noticeable however, there are pioneer plants including the endemic Tiquilia nesiotica and Chamaesyce (known as sand mat or spurge in English), lava cactus, and Scalesia bushes.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: trail made of 372 steps.
Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling
AM– Rabida Island
Also known as Jervis Island in English, Rabida is one of the most diverse in terms of volcanic activity as it lies at the very heart of the archipelago’s volcanic origin. In this deep red beach, surrounded by cliffs and steep slopes of volcanic cinder cones it is usual to find nesting colonies of brown pelicans, as well as, nine species of Darwin finches, fur seals, and Nazca boobies.
Snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active and colorful.
PM – Buccaneers Cove / Espumilla Beach ( Santiago Island)
This is an amazing location, featuring the remains of an eroded shoreline that is home to seabirds, fur seals and the playful sea lions. Its different shapes have been made throughout a process caused by erosion of the waves and the wind. Espumilla Beach is a white-sandy beach in James Bay and is a popular place among visitors. There are mangroves and a small palo santo forest that lead to salty-water lagoons that are home to wading birds like flamingos. In the upper dunes are a nesting site for sea turtles. A good place to snorkel to see rays.
AM – Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island)
On the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, accessible only by sea, four species of mangrove crowd form an internal lagoon. Turtles visit the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface, while the fish and rays circle below. White-tipped reef sharks can be seen beneath the boat, plus seabirds including pelicans, herons, and egrets feed from the cove.
This cove has been declared as a “Turtle Sanctuary.”
PM- Baltra Airport
After the visit, passengers will be transferred to the airport to their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.
| A | CENTRAL | 4 days / 3 nights | |
| Sunday - Wednesday | |||
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Flight to / from Baltra: AV1632, departing Quito 7:00 / Guayaquil 8:35, arriving Galapagos 9:45. Return flight: AV1633, departing Galapagos 10:20, arriving Guayaquil 13:10 / Quito 14:50. |
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| DAY | TIME | VISIT | ISLAND | HIGHLIGHTS | TERRAIN | DIFFICULTY LEVEL |
ACTIVITIES | ||||
| TYPE | DIVING | ||||||||||
| SITE | LEVEL | ||||||||||
| SUN | AM | Baltra airport | Baltra | Meet and greet, bus transfer to the port, check-in on board. Transfer to Puerto Ayora. |
- | - | - | Gordon Rocks or Daphne & Mosquera |
- advanced - medium |
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| PM | Fausto Llerena Breeding Center | Santa Cruz | Giant tortoises, Darwin finches, prickly-pear cactus forest, interpretation center | flat | easy |
|
- | - | |||
| MON | AM | Dragon Hill | Santa Cruz | Dry zone vegetation, endemic land iguanas, Darwin finches, mockingbird. | rocky | moderate |
|
- | - | ||
| PM | Bartolome | Bartolome | Landscape, Pinnacle Rock, penguins, blue-footed boobies | 372 steps | moderate |
|
- | - | |||
| TUE | AM | Rabida | Rabida | Incredible landscape, brown pelicans, nesting spot of seabirds, red sand beach. | sandy | easy |
|
- | - | ||
| PM | Buccaneer Cove & Espumilla Beach | Santiago | Eroded shortline home to seabirds, fur seals and sea lions. | sandy | easy |
|
- | - | |||
| WED | AM | Black Turtle Cove | Santa Cruz | Four species of mangrove, declared as a “Turtle Sanctuary”. | water | easy |
|
Seymour & Daphne | medium | ||
| Baltra airport | Baltra |
Check-out, transfer to airport 7-night guests Baltra’ shore. |
- | - | - | ||||||
