Infinity


5-day Cruise "A"

(Santa Cruz, Floreana, Española, San Cristobal)

 

Day 1: Friday
Santa Cruz Island

In the morning: 

Baltra Airport Arrival

Morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra, Galapagos Islands. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Infinity staff member and brought into a private bus to start your adventure in Galapagos.

Please note: Your first excursion in the Galapagos will be after being picked up at the airport upon arrival to the islands, before boarding the cruise. It is essential for you to arrive in the Galapagos wearing comfortable clothes, good closed-toe shoes suitable for an excursion, a long-brimmed hat, sun lotion, sunglasses, and to ensure you have your camera handy.


In the afternoon: 

El Chato

Located about 22 km from Puerto Ayora, the El Chato Reserve is divided into two areas: Caseta and Chato. Visitors typically begin their visit near the highland town of Santa Rosa. The Caseta route offers a more rugged path, while Chato is more accessible. The reserve is an excellent place to observe giant tortoises roaming freely during the dry season, along with other native wildlife like short-eared owls, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, Galapagos rails, and paint-billed crakes.


El Chato, Santa Cruz Island
Highlights & Animals:
Giant tortoises, finches, Galapagos rails
Difficulty:
Easy/Moderate
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking

Day 2: Saturday
Santa Cruz Island

In the morning: 

Dragon Hill

Situated on Santa Cruz Island, Dragon Hill is one of the newest visitor sites accessible to tourists in the Galapagos Islands. One of the lengthier Galapagos walking trails will lead visitors along a beach and up a trail to the lagoon lookout where bright flamingos, pintail ducks, and land iguanas can be spotted.


Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz Island
Highlights & Animals:
Land iguana nesting spot, Galapagos flamingos, common stilts, palo santo trees and cacti forest
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling

In the afternoon: 

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

Day 3: Sunday
Floreana Island

In the morning: 

Post Office Bay

You will land on a beach and head to a spot where 18th century whalers placed a wooden barrel used as an unofficial mail box. The custom continues to this day with Galapagos visitors. So, don’t forget your postcards, and don’t be surprised if the post card arrives to its destination before you even get home!


Post Office Bay, Floreana Island
Highlights & Animals:
Post office barrel, nice sandy beach
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling

In the afternoon: 

Cormorant Point

Cormorant Point hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts and white-cheeked pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The Green Beach is named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the Flour Sand Beach is composed of white coral.


Cormorant Point, Floreana Island
Highlights & Animals:
Flamingoes, green-colored beach
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking

Or: 

Devil’s Crown

You will have a chance to snorkel around Devil’s Crown which is the rocky remains of an offshore volcano sticking out of the water. This is a great location to spot a wide range of marine creatures.


Devil’s Crown, Floreana Island
Highlights & Animals:
Large array or marine species
Difficulty:
Moderate/Difficult
Type of Landing:
No Landing
Possible Activities:
Snorkeling

Day 4: Monday
Española Island

In the morning: 

Suarez Point

On the trail to Suarez Point you will have the chance to spot blue-footed boobies, albatrosses, and Nazca boobies. This island is the breeding site of nearly all of the world’s 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses. You will also visit a beautiful site on the ocean front where there is a cliff that the large albatrosses use as a launching pad! You will have the chance to see the famous blowhole that spurts sea water into the air. The landscape is great for photography.


Suarez Point, Española Island
Highlights & Animals:
Hood mockingbirds, Nazca boobies, waved albatrosses (approximately from the last week of April until the last week of January), red-billed tropicbirds, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, blowhole, amazing landscape and maybe blue-footed boobies.
Difficulty:
Difficult
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking

In the afternoon: 

Gardner Bay, Gardner Islet & Osborn Islet

This excursion takes you to the spectacular Gardner Bay. After landing, you can walk across a lovely white-sand beach amongst a busy sea lion colony or dive into the water to swim with sea lion pups. You may also see curious mockingbirds on the beach.


Gardner Bay, Gardner Islet & Osborn Islet, Española Island
Highlights & Animals:
White sandy beach, sea lions, mockingbirds; snorkeling: colorful fish, sea lion nursery
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Wet Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking, snorkeling, dinghy ride, kayaking

Day 5: Tuesday
San Cristobal Island

In the morning: 

Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center

This site is part of an environment project. The tour of this center will explore the natural history of the islands including human interaction and conservation efforts. The Museum of Natural History explains the volcanic origin of the archipelago, ocean currents, climate, and the arrival of endemic species. The Human History exhibit chronologically describes significant events such as discovery and colonization of the islands.


Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center, San Cristobal Island
Highlights & Animals:
Great exhibits about the archipelago’s natural history
Difficulty:
Easy
Type of Landing:
Dry Landing
Possible Activities:
Hiking

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.


5-day Galapagos Cruise Itinerary "A"

Itinerary Map