Grand Majestic


8-day Cruise "B"

(San Cristobal, North Seymour, Santa Cruz, Bartholomew, Santiago, Isabela, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal)

 

Day 1: Monday
San Cristobal Island

In the morning: 

San Cristobal airport arrival

You will arrive at San Cristobal Island in the morning.

After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Grand Majestic staff member and transferred to the yacht. You will be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing.


In the afternoon: 

David Rodriguez Breeding Center “La Galapaguera”

Breeding Center David Rodriguez - “La Galapaguera”, in Cerro Colorado, is a new visitor site in the southeast 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 warblers, finches and mockingbirds. Giant tortoises can be observed on the trails. They live there wild but in a protected area to ensure their survival by sealing them off from introduced predators like pigs and goats.


David Rodriguez Breeding Center “La Galapaguera”, San Cristobal Island
Highlights & Animals:
Giant tortoises, finches, warblers, mockingbirds
Difficulty:
Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking

Day 2: Tuesday
North Seymour and Santa Cruz Islands

In the morning: 

North Seymour

In North Seymour you may see Galapagos sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigate birds which are abundant on this island. North Seymour was formed by a series of submarine lava flows containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.


North Seymour Island
Highlights & Animals:
Land & marine iguanas, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, sea lions; snorkeling: rays, reef sharks, fish, garden eels.
Difficulty:
Moderate/Difficult
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride

In the afternoon: 

Black Turtle Cove

Visit Black Turtle Cove in the northern part of Santa Cruz. This inlet is surrounded by mangroves and is only accessible by dinghy. The shallow cove is a haven for young marine life. Black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of rays are often spotted here.


Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
Highlights & Animals:
Baby hammerhead shark, rays, sea turtles, sea birds.
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
No Landing
Possible Activities:
Dinghy ride

Day 3: Wednesday
Bartholomew and Santiago Islands

In the morning: 

Pinnacle Rock

You will head to Bartholomew Island where the famous Pinnacle Rock is found. Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. We will take a trail of stairs to the summit of the volcano (about 30 or 40 minutes) where you will enjoy one of the best views of the islands! A beautiful beach surrounded by the only vegetation is perfect for snorkeling where you may even see and swim with Galapagos penguins.


Pinnacle Rock, Bartholomew Island
Highlights & Animals:
Pinnacle Rock, panoramic view, moonlike landscape, penguins, pioneer plants, lava cactus; snorkeling: penguins, reef sharks, rays, and great colorful fish.
Difficulty:
Moderate/Difficult
Type of Landing:
Dry & Wet Landings
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride

In the afternoon: 

Egas Port

Egas Port, also known as James Bay, on Santiago Island is home to the curious Galapagos hawks and quick-footed Galapagos lava lizards. The trail leads to the coastline with gorgeous tide pools and grottos full of fauna. Here the Galapagos furseals bathe in the sun. This is also a great snorkeling site.


Egas Port, Santiago Island
Highlights & Animals:
Furseals, Galapagos sea lions, tidal pools and grottos, Galapagos hawks, oyster catchers, marine iguanas, finches; snorkeling: reef sharks, turtles, rays, nice underwater formations.
Difficulty:
Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling

Day 4: Thursday
Isabela Island

In the morning: 

Tagus Cove

You will visit Tagus Cove on Isabela Island which is located across from Fernandina Island, near the Bolivar Channel dividing the two islands. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s, using the area as an anchorage site. Trails winding by Lake Darwin up to a ridge display wonderful views.


Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
Highlights & Animals:
Penguins, flightless cormorants, Darwin Volcano & Lake
Difficulty:
Moderate/Difficult
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking

In the afternoon: 

Urbina Bay

Urbina Bay is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954 causing the land to rise over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. This area is also a great place for snorkeling.


Urbina Bay, Isabela Island
Highlights & Animals:
Land iguanas (the biggest in the Galapagos), hawks, coral reef, giant tortoises; snorkeling: turtles, rays, tropical fish
Difficulty:
Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling

Day 5: Friday
Fernandina and Isabela Islands

In the morning: 

Espinoza Point

Crossing the Bolivar Channel that divides Isabela and Fernandina Islands, you will land at Espinoza Point, and after walking past a colony of marine iguanas and a group of sea lions, you will reach the island’s highlight: the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area also provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.


Espinoza Point, Fernandina Island
Highlights & Animals:
Flightless cormorant, marine iguanas, ‘a‘ā lava, sea lions, penguins, active volcano “La Cumbre”.
Difficulty:
Moderate
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride

In the afternoon: 

Vicente Roca Point

Comprised of two separate coves, Vicente Roca Point is a large bay with spectacular sea life. Keep an eye out for seahorses, sea turtles, and the strange yet fascinating Mola mola (or sun fish) while you snorkel.


Vicente Roca Point, Isabela Island
Highlights & Animals:
Penguins, blue-footed boobies, terns, Nazca boobies, two types of sea lions. Sea turtles, rays and puffer fish.
Difficulty:
Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing:
No Landing
Possible Activities:
Snorkeling, dinghy ride

Day 6: Saturday
Santiago Island

In the morning: 

Buccaneer Cove

Buccaneer Cove is a testament to the fact that Santiago Island was once a refuge for British buccaneers. These pirates would anchor in the protected bay to make repairs and stock up on tortoise meat among other things. The steep cliffs, where hundreds of seabirds perch in front of the dark red sand beach, are a magnificent site.


Buccaneer Cove, Santiago Island
Highlights & Animals:
Sea birds, historical site, snorkeling and rock formations
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
No Landing
Possible Activities:
Snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking

Afterwards: 

Espumilla Beach

In Espumilla Beach marine iguanas lounge and the Sally Lightfoot crabs attract the hunting herons performing the dance of predator and prey right before your eyes. Snorkeling is highly recommended as you could come face to face with an octopus, moray eel, shark and a variety of other species of tropical fish.


Espumilla Beach, Santiago Island
Highlights & Animals:
Snorkeling
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking

In the afternoon: 

Sullivan Bay

You will visit Sullivan Bay located on the southeast part of Santiago. This place is interesting for its geology because the area is covered by lava flows. This place has elevations in the form of small volcanoes formed by the lava flows.


Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island
Highlights & Animals:
Lava flows, small volcanoes
Difficulty:
Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride

Day 7: Sunday
Santa Cruz Island

In the morning: 

Bachas Beach

Bachas Beach is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz and is a beach for swimming. One of the few remnants of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galapagos, a floating pier, can be seen here. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black-necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest on the beach.


Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island
Highlights & Animals:
World War II remnants. Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, whimbrels, sea turtles.
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling

In the afternoon: 

Fausto Llerena Breeding Center

You will visit “Fausto Llerena” Tortoise Breeding Center in Puerto Ayora, where giant tortoises are bred in captivity. This is home to tortoises ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet long adults. Subspecies of the giant tortoises interact with one another, and many of the older tortoises are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity. The babies are kept until they are about four years-old and strong enough to survive on their own.


Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, Santa Cruz Island
Highlights & Animals:
Giant tortoises, finches, Galapagos rails
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking

Day 8: Monday
San Cristobal Island

In the morning: 

Kicker Rock

This striking rock formation is located a couple hours off the western shore of San Cristobal. Jutting out of the water, the rocks stand vertically at hundreds of feet above the ocean divided by a small channel. Although there are no landing areas, circumnavigation allow visitors to spot a variety of marine life.


Kicker Rock, San Cristobal Island
Highlights & Animals:
Sharks, tropical fish, turtles, manta rays (occ.), hammerhead sharks, spectacular rock formations; sea birds: blue- footed boobies, Nazca boobies & frigate birds.
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
No Landing
Possible Activities:
Circumnavigation

Afterwards: 

San Cristobal airport departure

After this final visit, you will be transferred to the San Cristobal airport in time for your flight back to the mainland.


8-day Galapagos Cruise Itinerary "B"

Itinerary Map