Grand Ocean Spray Galapagos Cruises

Arrive at Baltra in the morning and be met by Grand Ocean Spray’s staff and transferred to the yacht. In the afternoon, visit Chinese Hat. This site offers rare, up close viewing of Galapagos wildlife and well-preserved remnants of fragile volcanic rock that can’t be found in such a unique condition anywhere else. The island is named after the similarity of an Asian type of hat.  Here you can see American Oystercatchers and Galapagos Penguins swimming along the shores.

Begin today on Isabela Island, the largest of all the Galapagos Islands and one of the few populated by humans. Isabela was formed by six different shield volcanoes that erupted continuously, eventually joining together to form one entire land mass. Look for unique wildlife such as the pink iguana and more wild tortoises than on any other island. Explore Vicente Roca Point by dinghy or snorkeling, as there is no landing site. Thanks to outsanding geological formations there is excellent viewing of birds such as blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, gulls, storm petrels and brown noddy terns. Look out for feeding frenzies from animals such as whales, dolphins, sea lions and marine birds diving. At times you may even see fur seals.

This afternoon, explore Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island with a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk. Land iguanas are found on the inner parts of the island near the volcanoes caldera and marine iguanas will nest on the coast during certain times of the year. There is only one visitor site to Fernandina, which may involve a hike or snorkeling opportunity, making the rest of the island unspoiled and in a most natural state. No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina Island and therefore it is one of the world’s most pristine island ecosystems. The volcano La Cumbre dominates the landscape with lava fields reaching the ocean, and the Cromwell Current flows to the west making the cold and nutrient-rich water an ideal habitat for the Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant that nest here.

In the morning, visit Tagus Cove on the upper west part of Isabela Island. Tagus Cove was named after an English war ship that used to pass the islands in the 1800s and was a famous spot for pirates and sailors who inscribed their names and the names of the ship on the volcanic rock. There are many different characteristics of the island such as large volcanic rocks or small little balls of petrified rain. Enjoy a hike along a path that leads to Darwin Lake with a tuff cone.

Spend the afternoon south of Tagus Cove in Urbina Bay, which is an interesting site due to the uplifts of the island caused by volcanic and tectonic activity. When it rose, so did the corals and reefs that were under the surface. You can still see them although they are beginning to deteriorate due to air exposure. Keep an eye out for giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants near the coast.

This morning, visit Elizabeth Bay and experience a series of islets, a lagoon and mangroves. The mangroves provide a great place to observe many birds, and at the lagoon it is possible to see sea turtles resting and feeding. In the afternoon, visit Moreno Point on the southwestern point of Isabela Island. With striking black geological features, it is home to endemic species known only to the barren lava flows found here. Various activities are possible such as a hike, a panga ride to better see various seabirds and geological features, and snorkeling to view the vibrant underwater life.

In the morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, which conducts many different research projects and provides assistance to other researchers and governmental institutions and agencies, especially the Galapagos National Park. The research station also plays a big part in educating the community and public schools in Galapagos. There is also the longtime running giant tortoise restoration program that includes various stages of the giant tortoise from eggs, hatchlings and adults.

This afternoon, walk along a path designed to observe the hills, ferns, volcanoes and rich wildlife, leading up to the Santa Cruz Highlands. This area is home to giant tortoises, mockingbirds, Bahama ducklings, white-cheeked pintails, Darwin finches and many other species. Take a walk along lava tubes that are more than half a mile long, a unique and surreal experience.

This morning, head to South Plaza, one of the smallest islands with a visitor site and home to an incredible amount of diverse flora and fauna. It has a large population of sesuvium plants like the prickly pear cactus tree that is an important source of food for the land iguana. Just a few years ago mice were finally eradicated from the island, helping the population of land iguanas grow healthily once more.

In the afternoon, visit Santa Fe Island, home to the unique Santa Fe land iguana and the only place to find opuntia cactus. Giant tortoises were once native to this island but after the many years of pirates and buccaneers visiting the island and taking the tortoises aboard as food, they became extinct. Large numbers of sea lions can be found on the landing beach and Galapagos hawks can also sometimes be seen.

Today’s visit to Espanola Island highlights the southernmost island in the Galapagos, as well as the oldest (at an estimated four million years old). Because it is so far away from the other islands, it has the most endemic species, which provides wonderful opportunities for photography of endemic bird species and awesome landscapes created by millions of years of erosion. On Suarez Point, walk past the only waved albatross breeding site. If you are lucky you might see a young albatross take off for its first flight for up to five years at sea. Older birds stay at sea for months at a time, only coming back to breed. They have the same mate for life and will meet each other every year only here to reproduce. Other species that can be seen are marine iguanas that stay brightly colored year round, Galapagos doves, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds and Darwin finches.

This afternoon, visit one of the best beaches in the Galapagos at Gardner Bay. The white sandy beach is home to a large colony of friendly and playful sea lions. Three different types of finches can be seen. The Espanola mockingbird is very friendly, but probably looking for food. The site is also where green sea turtles will come to nest their eggs between January and March.

In the morning, enjoy the Interpretation Center on San Cristobal Island, which has been open to the public since 1998 and offers extensive information about the history of Galapagos, ecosystems, geology, flora and fauna. Giant tortoises are bred here and roam about in a semi-natural habitat. Within the center are meeting rooms, interpretational panels, auditoriums, exhibits and much more. After this final visit, you will be transferred to San Cristobal Island’s airport in time to catch your flight back to the mainland.

Arrive at San Cristobal in the morning and be met by Grand Ocean Spray’s staff and transferred to the yacht. Take some time to settle into your cabin before lunch and a welcome briefing. In the afternoon, visit Lobos Island, an islet about an hour away from San Cristobal. Blue-footed boobies nest here seasonally, and in recent years frigatebirds have begun to nest here as well. Sea lions are abundant, as are marine iguanas. It is a very calm and tranquil site with beautiful views of Kicker Rock off in the distance. Kicker rock is one of the most extraordinary sites in the Galapagos Islands, made of two eroded volcanic cones that tower over the sea at about 345 feet in the middle of the open water. It is a nesting place of sea birds and a nice spot to take pictures while the vessel circumnavigates around the rock.

This morning, explore Pitt Point on San Cristobal on the easternmost side of the Galapagos Islands. It is also one of the only places that red-footed boobies, blue-footed boobies and Nazca’s can be found all at the same place. The visitor site with formations of old volcanic rock is profoundly unique and the hike to the top of the site provides incredible views of the surrounding area. Later, visit Witch Hill and a popular beach with powdery white sand and turquoise waters, a joy to swim and snorkel in. Spot tropical fish beneath the surface and occasional sea lions may stop by or they’ll be snoozing on the shore. On a dinghy ride, explore the many crevices in the eroding rocks, leaving you awestruck by the sheer power of erosion.

Today, land on a beach and head to Post Office Bay where 18th century whalers once placed a wooden barrel for use as an unofficial mailbox. The custom continues to this day with Galapagos visitors. So, don’t forget your postcards, and don’t be surprised if the postcard arrives to its destination before you even get home!

This afternoon, head to Comorant Point, where two beaches can be visited and flamingoes can be seen wading through brackish lagoons looking for shrimp, food that gives them their bright and vibrant colors. One of the beaches appears green because of olivine crystal. The other is appropriately called Flour Beach for its powdery white color, made from fine pulverized coral. Later you may snorkel near Devil’s Crown, where amazing volcanic structures have been submerged under the water’s surface. Hundreds of different colorful fish species can be found among the coral reefs. Rays, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and sea lions are also common visitors. This is an underwater spectacle that cannot be missed.

This morning’s point of interest is only accessible by boat with a guide: Black Turtle Cove on the north side of Santa Cruz Island is a shallow inlet surrounded by mangroves that provide natural protection for a variety of marine life and attracts the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, search for both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, spotted eagle rays and an occasional hammerhead shark. Watch pelicans and boobies hunt, diving gracefully into the water.

Spend the afternoon visiting Bartolome Island, home of the famous Pinnacle Rock. A volcano cone formed when magma was expelled by an underwater volcano. The sea cooled the hot lava and as it exploded from contact, the pieces formed together a huge rock made of layers of basalt. There is also a beach where a small population of green sea turtles nest. Galapagos penguins gather and swimming affords beautiful sights of colorful schools of fish and curious sea lions. Of all the islands, this may be the most photographed.

Begin today on Genovesa Island, a horseshoe-shaped island formed by the eruption of a shield volcano with large slopes formed by gradual lava flows. It is known as Bird Island due to the wide variety of birds that can be seen here. The only reptile on the entire island is the marine iguana and it is one of the very few places red-footed boobies gather in one large mass. Later visit Darwin Bay, which is the result of a caldera side collapsing after years of erosion. Look for the commonly seen red-footed boobies, for over 20,000 red-footed boobies are estimated to be living in the trees and bushes of Genovesa.

In the afternoon, explore El Barranco, better known as Prince Phillip’s Steps. This steep and rocky path leads up to a cliff with a marvelous view. There is also a palo santo forest that is home to nesting red-footed boobies, short-eared lava owls, Galapagos storm petrels, Galapagos doves and other birds.

This morning, visit Epumilla Beach and Buccaneer Cove. This cove is known for excellent snorkeling opportunities and was once a refuge for British buccaneers or pirates. The underwater formations are amazing and many different species of fish gather here. Of Santiago Island, Darwin once noted that land iguanas were thriving quite well since there was no place to even pitch a tent. The island was a good source of salt, water and food for whalers and buccaneers passing. There was a salt mine inland that was used to salt fish and tortoise meat. Land iguanas used to populate the island but are now extinct here.

The afternoon visit is to Egas Port, also known as James Bay, on Santiago Island. Enjoy a hike over a dry trail known for being a hangout for curious Galapagos hawks and quick-footed Galapagos lava lizards. The trail leads to the coastline where you will visit the gorgeous tide pools and grottos that are full of fauna. Observe the shy Galapagos fur sea lions and enjoy an opportunity to snorkel at Egas Port beach.

Today visit North Seymour Island, named after English nobleman Lord Hugh Seymour. Formed by uplifted submarine lava, the island is home to a huge colony of approximately 2,500 land iguanas and large populations of sea lions, blue-footed boobies, common noddies and frigatebirds. Along the coast it is possible to see land and marine iguanas and the biggest colony of magnificent frigatebirds.

Spend the afternoon in the Highlands of Santa Cruz, a very interesting site due to the rich wildlife, hills, ferns, volcanoes and lava tubes present. Exploring the lava tubes is a surreal and unique experience. Here you can see all the different agricultural zones that are present in the Galapagos in one place. The variety of birds makes this a bird watcher’s delight.

This morning’s visit is to Mosquera Islet, located between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour. It is a reef of rocks and coral (the result of an uprising) and a great white sand beach. Its narrowest width reaches about 197 feet and has an estimated length of 1,968 feet. In most of the perimeter there is a base of lava rocks, evidence of the lava uprising, except in the southwest side where the landing occurs. This island has one of the largest populations of sea lions. You can also observe several species of shorebirds and there have been occasional reports of orcas feeding on sea lions. After this final, short visit, you will be transferred to Baltra Island’s airport in time to catch your flight back to the mainland.

Arrive at Baltra Island in the morning. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by Ocean Spray staff and transferred to the yacht. Take some time to settle into your cabin before lunch and a welcome briefing. In the afternoon, visit Santa Fe Island, home to the unique Santa Fe land iguana and the only place to find opuntia cactus. Giant tortoises were once native to this island but after the many years of pirates and buccaneers visiting the island and taking the tortoises aboard as food, they became extinct. Large numbers of sea lions can be found on the landing beach and Galapagos hawks can also sometimes be seen.

Today’s visit to Espanola Island places you on the southernmost island in the Galapagos, as well as the oldest (at an estimated four million years old). Because it is so far away from the other islands, it has the most endemic species, which provides wonderful opportunities for photography of endemic bird species and awesome landscapes created by millions of years of erosion. On Suarez Point you may walk past the only waved albatross breeding site. If you are lucky you might see a young albatross take off for its first flight for up to five years at sea. Older birds stay at sea for months at a time, only coming back to breed. They have the same mate for life and will meet each other every year only here to reproduce. Other species that can be seen are marine iguanas that stay brightly colored year round, Galapagos doves, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds and Darwin finches.

This afternoon, visit one of the best beaches in the Galapagos at Gardner Bay. The white sandy beach is home to a large colony of friendly and playful sea lions. Three different types of finches can be seen. The Espanola mockingbird is very friendly, but probably looking for food. The site is also where green sea turtles will come to nest their eggs between January and March.

In the morning visit the Interpretation Center or Galapaguera on San Cristobal Island. The Interpretation Center was donated by the Spanish government and inaugurated by the Prince of Spain in 1998. This center focuses on the interaction between humans and the process of the “natural history laboratory,” demonstrating that a harmonious relation between human beings and nature is possible. Cerro Colorado (Galapaguera) is a new visitor site in the northeast part of San Cristobal Island and can now be reached in roughly one hour by road from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. On the trees and shrubs surrounding the site, you may see land birds like warbler, finches and mockingbirds, and on the trails, giant tortoises. They live there wild but in a protected area to assure their survival by sealing them off from introduced predators, like pigs and goats.

In the afternoon, visit Lobos Island, an islet about an hour away from San Cristobal. Blue-footed boobies nest here seasonally, and in recent years frigatebirds have begun to nest here as well. Sea lions are abundant, as are marine iguanas. It is a very calm and tranquil site with beautiful views of Kicker Rock off in the distance. Kicker rock is one of the most extraordinary sites in the Galapagos Islands, made of two eroded volcanic cones that tower over the sea at about 345 feet in the middle of the open water. It is a nesting place of sea birds and a nice spot to take pictures while the vessel circumnavigates around the rock.

This morning, explore Pitt Point on San Cristobal on the easternmost side of the Galapagos Islands. It is also one of the only places that red-footed boobies, blue-footed boobies and Nazca’s can be found all at the same place. The visitor site with formations of old volcanic rock is profoundly unique and the hike to the top of the site provides incredible views of the surrounding area. Later, visit Witch Hill and a popular beach with powdery white sand and turquiose waters that are a joy to swim and snorkel in. Spot tropical fish beneath the surface and occasional sea lions may stop by to swim with you or you’ll find them snoozing on the shore. On a dinghy ride you can explore the many crevices in the eroding rocks, leaving you awestruck by the sheer power of erosion.

Today, land on a beach and head to Post Office Bay where 18th century whalers once placed a wooden barrel for use as an unofficial mailbox. The custom continues to this day with Galapagos visitors. So, don’t forget your postcards, and don’t be surprised if the postcard arrives to its destination before you even get home!

This afternoon, head to Comorant Point, where two beaches can be visited and flamingoes can be seen wading through brackish lagoons looking for shrimp, food that gives them their bright and vibrant colors. One of the beaches appears green because of olivine crystal. The other is appropriately called Flour Beach for its powdery white color, made from fine pulverized coral. Later you may snorkel near Devil’s Crown, where amazing volcanic structures have been submerged under the water’s surface. Hundreds of different colorful fish species can be found among the coral reefs. Rays, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and sea lions are also common visitors. This is an underwater spectacle that cannot be missed.

This morning’s point of interest is only accessible by boat with a guide: Black Turtle Cove on the north side of Santa Cruz Island is a shallow inlet surrounded by mangroves that provide natural protection for a variety of marine life and attracts the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, spotted eagle rays and an occasional hammerhead shark. Watch pelicans and boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water. After a morning dinghy ride here you’ll be transferred to Baltra Island’s airport in time to catch your flight back to the mainland.

Arrive at Baltra airport in the morning, where you’re met by Ocean Spray’s guides and transferred to the yacht. Take some time to settle into your cabin before lunch and a welcome briefing. In the afternoon, visit Chinese Hat, a small island located in the central area of Galapagos just off the southeastern tip of Santiago Island. It is named after its unique cone hat shape, formed from volcanic activity many years ago. The visit offers rare, up-close viewing of Galapagos wildlife and well-preserved remnants of fragile volcanic rock that can’t be found in such a unique condition anywhere else. The islet is home to a colony of sea lions on the white coral sand beach.

Begin today on Isabela Island, the largest of all the Galapagos Islands and one of the few populated by humans. Isabela was formed by six different shield volcanoes that erupted continuously, eventually joining together to form an entire land mass. Look for unique wildlife such as the pink iguana and more wild tortoises than on any other island. Explore Vicente Roca Point by dinghy or snorkeling, as there is no landing site. Thanks to outstanding geological formations there is excellent viewing of birds such as blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, gulls, storm petrels and brown noddy terns. Look out for feeding frenzies from animals such as whales, dolphins, sea lions and marine birds diving. At times you may even see fur seals.

This afternoon, explore Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island with a great opportunity to see the Galapagos Hawk. Land iguanas are found on the inner parts of the island near the volcanoes caldera and marine iguanas will nest on the coast during certain times of the year. There is only one visitor site to Fernandina, which may involve a hike or snorkeling opportunity, making the rest of the island unspoiled and in a most natural state. No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina Island and therefore it is one of the world’s most pristine island ecosystems. The volcano La Cumbre dominates the landscape with lava fields reaching the ocean, and the Cromwell Current flows to the west making the cold and nutrient-rich water an ideal habitat for the Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant that nest here.

In the morning, visit Tagus Cove on the upper west part of Isabela Island, named after an English war ship that used to pass the islands in the 1800s. This was a famous spot for many pirates and sailors who have left their names and the names of the ship inscribed on the volcanic rock. There are many different characteristics of the island from various volcanic activities such as large volcanic rocks or small little balls of petrified rain. Enjoy a hike along a path that leads to Darwin Lake with a tuff cone.

Spend the afternoon a bit south of Tagus Cove in Urbina Bay, which is an interesting site due to the uplifts of the island caused by volcanic and tectonic activity. When it rose, so did the corals and reefs that were under the surface. You can still see them although they are beginning to deteriorate due to air exposure. Keep an eye out for giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants near the coast.

This morning takes you to Elizabeth Bay, where you can experience a series of islets, a lagoon and mangroves. The mangroves provide a great place to observe many birds and at the lagoon it is possible to see sea turtles resting and feeding. In the afternoon, visit Moreno Point on the southwestern point of Isabela Island. With striking black geological features, it is home to endemic species known only to the barren lava flows found here. Various activities are possible such as a hike, a panga ride to better see various seabirds and geological features, and snorkeling to view the vibrant underwater life.

In the morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, which conducts many different research projects and provides assistance to other researchers and governmental institutions and agencies, especially the Galapagos National Park. The research station also plays a big part in educating the community and public schools in Galapagos. There is also the longtime running Giant Tortoise restoration program that includes various stages of the giant tortoise from eggs, hatchlings and adults.

This afternoon, walk along a path made to observe the hills, ferns, volcanoes and rich wildlife, leading you up to the Santa Cruz Highlands. This area is home to giant tortoises, mockingbirds, Bahama ducklings, white-cheeked pintails, Darwin finches and many other species. Take a walk along lava tubes that are more than half a mile long, a unique and surreal experience.

This morning, head to South Plaza, one of the smallest islands with a visitor site and home to an incredible amount of diverse flora and fauna. It has a large population of sesuvium plants like the prickly pear cactus tree that is an important source of food for the land iguana. Just a few years ago mice were finally eradicated from the island, helping the population of land iguanas grow healthily once more. After this final visit, transfer to Baltra Island’s airport in time to catch your flight back to the mainland.