CASA NATURA LODGE

GTCN – 111-GALAPAGOS ISLANDS HOTEL BASED PROGRAM
CASA NATURA GALAPAGOS LODGE – ISLAND HOPPING
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND – FOUR DAYS / THREE NIGHTS

Daily Departures

HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1: Arrival in Baltra and Santa Cruz Island. Visit the Highlands and a Giant Tortoise Reserve (L)
DAY 2: Day cruise to one of the following islands: North Seymour, Plazas Island or Santa Fe Islands (B/L/D)
DAY 3: Day tour Santa Cruz Island Bay Tour (B/L)
DAY 4: Departure Santa Cruz Island for Baltra Airport for your flight to Quito or Guayaquil or your next destination. (B/-/-)

GTCN – 111-GALAPAGOS ISLANDS HOTEL BASED PROGRAM
CASA NATURA GALAPAGOS LODGE – ISLAND HOPPING
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND – FOUR DAYS / THREE NIGHTS

Daily Departures

ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN BALTRA AND SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

Arrive to Baltra Airport. Reception and transfer. Ferry crossing to Santa Cruz Island (10 min-ride). Arrive to Santa Cruz Island. Stop in highlands of Santa Cruz where you will visit a Giant Tortoise Reserve for an easy hike to observe to Giant Tortoises in their natural habitat. Transfer to Casa Natura Galapagos Lodge and check in. In the afternoon visit to The Charles Darwin Research Station where you’ll learn by first hand, the conservation and research efforts in the Galapagos Islands. See the tortoise hatchlings and breeding programs which are saving several races of tortoises from extinction. Also, the opportunity to see the giant Galapagos tortoises.
Overnight at Casa Natura Galapagos Lodge in Santa Cruz Island.
Meals: Lunch

DAY 2: DAY CRUISE TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ISLANDS

NORTH SEYMOUR, PLAZAS ISLAND OR SANTA FE ISLANDS
Breakfast. Transfer to the pier to take boat for a shared daily tour to North Seymour, Plazas Island, or Santa Fe islands (according to availability). In the afternoon transfer back to the lodge.
Overnight at Casa Natura Galapagos Lodge in Santa Cruz Island.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch during the cruise

DAY CRUISE TOURS INCLUDES: Land and marine transportation, Bilingual naturalist guide, Lunch on board
NOT INCLUDED: Snorkel equipment. Tips and gratuities to guide and crew

FULL DAY NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
Around 08:00 we will picked up by the hotel. Transfer to Itabaca Chanel where we’ll board the boat. After 45 minutes sailing (approx.) we land at North Seymour Island. This, is a wonderful island to hike. In this island we´ll find Palo Santo (incense stick) tress, and also might see blue footed boobies in breeding colonies making its courtship dance (depend of the season), swallowed tail gull sitting in the cliffs and admire large number of frigate birds in their nests. One of the best attractions in the Galapagos Islands is watch the frigate birds with their enormous red pouches hanging up from their necks. In other part of the island we may see sea lions playing and surfing in the waves.
Seymour is mostly arid and flat, and has simple vegetation like palo santo, cactus, salt bushes and others. The trail of the National Park is circular and has 2 kilometers long, crosses the interior of the island and takes us to explore the rocky coast. Also this trail will take us to some of the largest colonies of sea birds in the Galapagos Islands. After the visit we will go to Bachas Beach for swimming and snorkeling. We´ll go back to the boat for lunch and sailing back to Santa Cruz.

FULL DAY SOUTH PLAZAS ISLAND
Around 08:00 we will picked up by the hotel. Transfer to Itabaca Chanel where we’ll board the boat. After 1 ½ hours sailing (aprox.) we land to South Plazas Island.
This island is located at the east of Santa Cruz and is the partner of North Plaza, there are two islets separate by a small channel of turquoise water that contrast with the a red natural carpet (sesuvium) and cactus.
When we arrive to the island, will be greeted by a Galapagos sea lions court. During the visit we´ll probably see a variety of sea birds fishing and flying really close to the cliff. We also find two different kinds of iguanas, the land iguana with their yellow-brown color eating cactus and the marine iguana having a sunbath. The second part of the tour is Carrión Point, where we can enjoy a unique experience doing snorkel. We might found white tip reef shark, different kinds of reef fishes and if we are lucky some marine turtles and sea lions. We´ll go back to the boat for lunch and sailing back to Santa Cruz.

FULL DAY SANTA FE ISLAND
Around 08h00 we will picked up by the hotel. Transfer to the pier where we’ll board the boat. After 2 hours sailing (approx.) the yacht will arrive to Santa Fe Island.
A short 300 meter trail takes us to one of the tallest stands of Opuntia Cactus in the island. From this point we can look out for endemic land iguanas, sea lions in white sand beach resting waiting for pictures. Crabs, nocturnal herons, marine iguanas, mockingbirds and Galapagos doves are often seen in Santa Fe island.After the hike will make snorkeling in the bay where tranquil turquoise waters make it one of the best places to admire the fauna of the Galapagos. After lunch on board the yacht we will go back to Puerto Ayora.

DAY 3: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND BAY TOUR

After breakfast at Casa Natura Galapagos Lodge, we´ll take the boat for a visit to Santa Cruz Island´s bay. The tour takes around 3 hours and a half. Starting from the main pier of Puerto Ayora, the boat will take us to “Lobería” where you will encounter a large seal colony and enjoy snorkeling not far from this amazing mammals. It is a very special place to see a variety of colorful fish. We´ll also visit Punta Estrada, Sharks´Channel, Playa de los Perros, and Grietas. During the visit we may find species like white tip Sharks, sea tortoises, marine iguanas, crabs, pelicans, and some other marine birds. At the end of the excursion, we´ll getting back to the pier. Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at Casa Natura Galapagos Lodge in Santa Cruz Island.
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4: DEPART GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Breakfast at Casa Natura and transfer our either to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland (Quito or Guayaquil) or to a cruise program departing from Santa Cruz Island.
Meals: Breakfast