Galapagos Islands Journey with Berg Adventures International – 4-day Luxury Cruise Itinerary

Day 1 – Flight to Quito, Ecuador. Welcome at the airport by BAI staff and transfer to your hotel.

Day 2 – Quito sightseeing with a possible visit to Otavalo Market.

Day 3 – Flight to Galapagos and transfer to the Finch Bay Eco Hotel, our hotel at Punta Estrada on Santa Cruz Island. Award-winning luxury hotel in a private location surrounded by mangroves with its own large pool and private beach. All the rooms are equipped with air conditioning.

Day 4 – Rest day to enjoy the hotel and explore Puerto Ayora.  At the nearby Charles Darwin Research Station we can learn about on-going research in the islands and on-going conservation efforts We can also take a short hike to the beach at Bahia Tortuga. One of the world’s most beautiful white beaches, its isolated location is only accessible by foot.

Day 5 – Transfer to our boat. With the Athala as our home and base of operations for the coming days, our schedule will be both full and relaxing. Each Galapagos Journey has its own delights and surprises. The schedule below is typical, but we are not limited to these locations and we will make the most of our time depending on our interests, the suggestions of our naturalists, and the conditions we find during the season of our visit.

Day 6 – Sail north toward Santiago Island, stopping in the morning at a wild little island called Chinese Hat because of its shape. The snorkeling here is fantastic, and we’re likely to see Galapagos penguins.

In the afternoon we will dock at Puerto Egas in James Bay on the west side of Santiago Island. The black sand beaches are home to fur seals, marine iguanas, and turtles. Exploring the tide pools is an excellent way for us to learn more about the Galapagos ecology. The bay also conjures up the suggestion of castaways, for in the 1960s visitors sometimes encountered an unkempt man who claimed he was waiting for his boss to return with the funds to reopen a salt mine, one of the few commercial enterprises ever attempted in the Galapagos.

Day 7 – We make a morning visit to Bahia Sullivan and walk through an extensive pahoehoe (ropey) lava field formed by volcanic eruptions no more than century ago. It is a glimpse of earliest life in the Galapagos, as plants are already beginning to put down roots in cracks in the lava.

Our afternoon takes us to Bartolome Island and one of the Galapagos’ most famous landmarks,Pinnacle Rock. Climbing to the top rewards us with panoramic views of lava formations and volcanic peaks. The austere landscape is made all the more interesting by the small Galapagos penguins, the only penguin species found north of the Equator.

Day 8 – During a morning at Las Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island, we will be in the company of marine iguanas, hermit crabs, flamingos, and great blue herons as we enjoy our final hours in the Galapagos. The return flight to the mainland brings us to the cool highlands of Quito and our first-class hotel where we can begin savoring the memories of our Galapagos Journey that will be with us forever.

Day 9 – Depart for home.