North & Central Galapagos Islands in Luxury 10 days

Genovesa is dubbed “Bird Island” - here huge colonies of seabirds create a birdwatcher’s paradise. Take a walk on the sandy beach of Darwin Bay, home to one of the world’s largest red-footed booby nesting colonies. Yellow-crowned night herons feed near tidal lagoons, while hundreds of swallow-tailed gulls nest in the cliffs. Climb “Prince Philip’s Steps”, a steep path named after the Duke of Edinburgh who visited the island in 1965, and see Nazca Boobies nesting on the ground, great frigatebirds with their fiery red sacs, and, if you are lucky, the elusive short-eared owl on a daytime hunt for Storm Petrels, a favourite prey. After a morning walk, we will have a chance to enjoy our first snorkelling excursion and experience the diverse, underwater wonderland that surrounds the island.

We will also have the opportunity to kayak around Darwin Bay — which is actually a flooded caldera —and admire the island’s craggy landscape.

North Seymour is a small island close to Baltra. Two species of frigatebirds nest here; one of which, the magnificent frigatebird, is an opportunistic breeder. At any month of the year we may see males displaying their bright-red pouch to attract females. Galápagos sea lions snooze in the sand and blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance called “sky-pointing”. Marine and land iguanas patrol the beach, while brown pelicans and brown noddies look for food in the shallow coastal waters. We will walk through this spectacular landscape, and afterwards have an opportunity to go snorkelling—perhaps even spotting the impressive whitetip reef shark.

On Sullivan Bay on Santiago, our landing will be on a white sandy beach or directly onto lava.The appearance this lava has is almost like frail rope and since the lava has not moved equally in all places, the design of the surface texture induces one to see different objects and images. We will spend time on the beach, snorkelling and looking out for nesting turtles.  

Rabida is a small picturesque island with red rock cliffs and maroon sand. Here we can see Darwin’s finches, lava lizards and Galápagos mockingbirds. Take a walk along the cliffs where the red rocks, green Palo Santo trees and the blue turquoise sea create landscapes of stunning contrast. Later, swim and maybe snorkel with sea lions, reef sharks, marine iguanas, colourful anemones and parrotfish, or kayak along the picturesque Rabida cliffs.

Sail to Eden Islet for snorkelling, kayaking and Zodiac rides. Eden is a small, eroded tuff cone and an excellent example of the unique geology of the Galápagos. It is home to great blue herons, sea lions, and blue-footed boobies; while the small tidal areas can be a resting place for reef sharks, eagle rays and green turtles.

In the morning, visit the  Galapaguera Cerro Colorado where giant tortoises are bred and conserved. Breeding and rearing endemic animals in captivity is part of a much broader conservation programme aimed at restoring and protecting the Galapagos Islands’ natural biodiversity.

San Cristóbal is one of the oldest islands in Galápagos and the well-eroded landscape of Punta Pitt creates a dramatic landscape. We may see three species of boobies here: red-footed, blue-footed

and Nazca, as well as both the great and magnificent frigatebird. After a wet landing on an olivine beach where sea lions doze, we’ll climb up a ravine to view one of the most scenic panoramas in the archipelago.  

Swim with sea lions from the beach at Gardner Bay and relax on the white sands. Further out you can snorkel with large schools of colourful tropical fish and an occasional manta ray, while a whitetip reef shark drifts on the bottom. Alternatively, experience this from a kayak: paddling through crystal-clear waters while marvelling at the natural wonders all around you.

In the afternoon we will visit Punta Suárez at the western point of Española, the oldest island in the Galápagos. Sheer cliffs provide superb thermals for seabirds. Swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies

and blue-footed boobies can easily be seen. The largest seabird to nest in the islands, the waved albatross, may be seen seasonally from April to December. Galápagos Hawks can also be found, as well as sea lions and colourful marine iguanas.

We will cruise overnight to Santa Cruz, the island with the largest human population. The headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station are located in the small town of Puerto Ayora. The Station is the operative branch of the Charles Darwin Foundation, whose flagship programme is the restoration of Galápagos giant tortoises.

Towards the end of the morning,there will be time to do some sightseeing and shopping in town.

South Plaza is a small island located close to the eastern coast of Santa Cruz. Its main attraction is a colony of Galápagos land iguanas, but the setting is also a highlight — giant prickly pear cactus, the reddish sesuvium plant, a mat-like ground cover, and a large nesting colony of swallow-tailed gulls make this small island an excellent stop. Marine iguanas and Galápagos sea lions are also around.