6D/5N The Winged Wonders Journey by M/C Galaxy Sirius  

AM: BALTRA AIRPORT - BEGINNING A NEW ADVENTURE

Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrive at Baltra airport, where a National Park-certified naturalist guide will warmly welcome you to this biodiversity-rich paradise. Your exciting journey in the footsteps of Darwin is about to start!

PM: BLACK TURTLE COVE - A SANCTUARY OF MARINE LIFE (Level: Easy | Activities: Panga Ride)

At Black Turtle Cove, named for the abundant green sea turtles, locally known as "Tortugas Negras," you`re in for a delightful boat tour onboard the dinghies. Your adventure here is a peaceful exploration of shallow channels, small coves, and beautiful mangrove forests surrounding the area.

Reef sharks, sea turtles, and several species of rays inhabit this tranquil sanctuary, which is considered a crucial mating area for turtles and a nursery for various shark species. Look out for herons, pelicans, and boobies who make this their feeding ground, preying on schools of anchovies. There`s no landing at Black Turtle Cove. Still, the rich biodiversity experienced from the boat more than makes up for it, offering up-close encounters with the wonderful marine life of the Galapagos.

Highlights: White-tipped and black-tipped reef sharks, green sea turtles, rays, herons, blue-footed boobies, and mangroves.

AM: SEYMOUR - A BIRDWATCHER`S PARADISE (Trail: 1,4KM | Level: Easy | Activities: Dry landing and hiking)

Seymour Island is a paradise for bird lovers, with large colonies of magnificent and great frigatebirds showcasing their impressive red gular pouches to attract females. Blue-footed boobies nest on the ground and perform their famous courtship dance in the open areas. At the same time, swallow-tailed gulls can often be seen perched on the cliff edges. Land iguanas, their numbers restored through a successful conservation program, are a common sight inland, while their marine cousins bask in the rocks by the sea, not far from playful sea lions that frequently body surf in the waves.

Snorkeling experience: Don`t miss the opportunity to explore the underwater world here; the site offers tremendous diversity and an abundance of sea creatures such as fish, sea lions, sharks, eels, turtles, rays, and many more.

Highlights: Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, magnificent & great frigatebirds, land & marine iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters, and Darwin finches.

PM: MOSQUERA - A SEA LION PLAYGROUND (Trail on the sandy area: 0,6KM | Level: Easy | Activities: Wet landing and hiking)

Mosquera, mostly a barren sandbar with some rocky areas and scattered salt-resistant plants, offers an incredible experience of watching playful sea lion pups surfing the waves and enjoying the tide pools. While strolling along the beach, keep an eye out for the endemic lava gulls often seen flying overhead in search of food.

Snorkeling Experience: Depending on the waves, you can snorkel at the northern tip of the island or one of the small beaches on the sheltered side, offering another chance to observe the vibrant marine life of the Galapagos.

Highlights: Galapagos sea lions, lava gulls, oystercatchers, shorebirds.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

AM: SULLIVAN BAY - A VOLCANIC WONDERLAND (Trail: 2,2KM | Level: Hard | Activites: Dry landing and hiking)

Walking through Sullivan Bay offers an extraordinary journey into the volcanic origins of the Galapagos Islands. Your hike will take you across a perfectly preserved Pahoehoe lava flow, providing endless opportunities to observe the delicate textures of this rare type of lava. While the landscape may appear barren and lifeless at first, a closer look reveals resilient pioneer plants, scurrying lava lizards, and small birds. Along the shore, penguins, pelicans, and oystercatchers add a touch of life to the stark environment.

Snorkeling Experience: Following the hike, you can swim or snorkel from a coral sand beach or the dinghies. The underwater world here starkly contrasts the sparse land, teeming with schools of fish, Galapagos penguins, reef sharks, turtles, and rays.

Highlights: Pahoehoe lava, Galapagos penguins, oystercatchers, Galapagos hawks.

PM: BARTOLOME - ICONIC VIEWS AND PENGUIN ENCOUNTERS (Trail: 1,5KM | Level: Moderate | Activites: Dry landing and hiking)

Bartolome Island is one of the most iconic places in the Galapagos, renowned for its accessible penguin population and the beautiful Pinnacle Rock. The beach nearby the rock is painted with peach-colored sand, adding to the surreal beauty of the landscape. A hike to the island`s summit will offer you panoramic views of lunar-like landscapes dotted with volcanic cones, numerous islands, Sullivan Bay, and, of course, the towering Pinnacle Rock.

Snorkeling Experience: Following the hike, you have the option to swim or snorkel from the beach. This location boasts a well-deserved reputation as one of the best snorkeling spots in the Galapagos, with its clear, calm water and diverse underwater life. This includes penguins, which are surprisingly easy to spot, along with many colorful fish, invertebrates, playful sea lions, turtles, rays, and reef sharks.

Highlights: Galapagos penguins, volcanic landscapes, Pinnacle rock, blue-footed boobies, herons, sea lions, and sharks.

Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)