Cruising the Galapagos: M/V Natural Paradise

Fly to the Galapagos. Assistance will be provided upon your arrival by a representative after passing through immigration and baggage claim. When ready, you will be transferred to the yacht. You will then be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before the welcome briefing and lunch.

This afternoon you will see Eden island. There is no landing, the main attraction is its incredible marine life with some open water snorkeling, you can expect to spot marine iguanas, reef sharks and sea lions. Ashore a variety of birds can be seen across mangrove and rocks, blue footed boobies, pelicans, lava gulls, striated herons and frigates.

This morning excursion takes you to Vicente Roca Point. The geological formations are simply outstanding and it is a great place to view various bird species such as blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, gulls, storm petrels, and brown noddy terns. Activities here are all done on the water by either dinghy or panga, or snorkeling. On this western part of the island the Cromwell Current provides cold water and many nutrients. Due to this it is possible to see various feeding frenzies of an assortment of animals such as whales, dolphins, sea lions, and marine birds diving. At times it may also be likely to see fur seals.

Your afternoon visit takes you to Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island. This island is the third largest island in the archipelago and has a single visitor site: Punta Espinoza, located at the northeastern tip of the island. Just across Tagus Cove, is a visitor site where some of the unique species of Galapagos can be seen. Marine iguanas conglomerate in larger groups than in any other island. They bask around in the sand, swim near the shore and sometime block the way at the landing dock. Among the unique species found here, is the Flightless Cormorant. A bird that due to the lack of predators, had to adjust their way of survival and improve their skills of finding food in the ocean. Their wings, tails and feet progressively adapted for swimming. To see these birds, is to witness evolution happening right in front of you. Stay within 2m of the cormorants and penguins.

This morning you will visit Isabela Island - Urbina Bay. A bit more south of Tagus Cove is Urbina Bay. This 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. There are chances of seeing giant tortoises, land iguanas, and more flightless cormorants near the coast.

This afternoon you will visit Isabela Island - Moreno Point: On the South Western point of Isabela Island is Moreno Point. 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 sea birds, geological features, and snorkeling to view the vibrant underwater life.

This morning visit Sierra Negra Volcano. This volcano is located on the South of the Island and is one of the oldest of all Isabela's volcanoes. A hike will show different types of vegetation and geological zones and possibly inside the caldera where petrified lava is present. This volcano presents one of the 3 biggest craters in the world.

This afternoon you will visit the Wall of Tears/Wetlands. An interesting visitor site where mangroves and a white sand beach are passed on the way. The "wall" was built by previous prisoners kept on the island as a cruel way to keep them busy. The wall is about 3 meters wide, 100 meters long, and 5-6 meters high. The Wetlands are comprised of lagoons, swamps, and various mangroves that are home to unique bird species.

This morning you will visit Chinese Hat. This is a small islet (1 sq. km) located just off the southeastern tip of Santiago Island. It is a recent volcanic cone, shaped like a Chinese hat when seen from north side. On the west side lava formations may be observed, formed under the sea and raised upward, this is why coral heads are found on the lava. This is an excellent visit for interpretation of geological features such as lava tubes and lava flows. The landscape is covered by sea lion's colonies, marine iguanas and Galapagos penguins.

This afternoon visit Mosquera. It is an Islet located between Baltra and North Seymour. This is a small islet formed by a geological uplift, with a reef of rocks and coral and a great white sand beach, where a population of sea lions can be found. You can also observe several species of shorebirds. Along the rocks are commonly running Red Lava crabs or Sally light-foot crabs.

This morning excursion takes you to Post Office Bay, Floreana Island. A completely human influential site, Post Office Bay is the first official post office created by passing whalers in the 1700's. To this day visitors continue the tradition as many leave addressed messages on post cards in the barrel to be sent by future visitors while picking up post cards left behind by previous visitors to send when they return home. It is a fun exchangeable activity many visitors enjoy.

This afternoon you will visit Punta Cormorant, Champion Islet, Floreana Island. This site offers probably the best Flamingo lagoon in the Galapagos; it is also one of the largest in the islands. It's situated between two tuff lava cones that give the area a special atmosphere. There are various species of shorebirds to observe besides flamingos; the most frequent are common stilts, white-checked pintail ducks and other migratory birds. It is very interesting to see the two distinct beaches: "The Green Beach" (due to its high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the "Flour Sand Beach" which is made up of coral. After our visit of Cormorant Point, we will continue with our yacht to the nearby islet known as Corona del Diablo (Devil's Crown), where we can enjoy some great snorkeling.

This morning you will visit Suarez Point. This is a phenomenal site where you will get to see many of Espanola Island's endemic species. The trail will pass by 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 each year, only here to reproduce. Other species that can be seen are marine iguanas that stay brightly colored year around, Galapagos doves, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds, and Darwin finches.

This afternoon you will visit Gardner Bay, Osborn Islet, Gardner Islet. Visit one of the best beaches in the Galapagos. 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. At one point in time, tourists must have given it water or food, which taught them bad habits. The site is also where green sea turtles will come to nest their eggs between January and March.

This morning you will visit Isla Lobos, San Cristobal. This little island is reach at approx. 1 hour by panga from Port Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Island. The trail will lead across a dry vegetation zone, substrate of volcanic rocks and sandy areas. There is a small population of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds, which nest in this site. At the beach you will see a large colony of sea lions. It is common to see shorebirds.

Then you will be transferred to your scheduled departure from San Cristobal Airport to mainland Ecuador.