This group of 13 major islands and dozens of smaller islets and rocks, all the result of volcanic activity, certainly appear to be out of this world. For nature lovers, the perfection is even greater, birds and more birds, playful sea lions, exotic plant life, volcanoes and haunting land seascape.

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY: QUITO – GALAPAGOSISLANDS

Early in the morning you will have to be at the National airport in order to catch your Galapagos flight, at the airport our representative will be there to assist you. At your arrival you will have to pay the Galapagos National Park entrance fee (US$ 200 cash per person). Outside, your guide will be
waiting for you in order to transfer you to your hotel.

After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, you will depart to the Highlands of San Cristobal Island in order to visit El Junco lagoon that is a crater lake of an extinct volcano rather than a lagoon and it is the only fresh water spring in the Galapagos Islands. The fresh water attracts both
Magnificent and Great Frigatebirds that come in to drink.

Watching the frigatebirds shear over the water surface is quite a spectacular sight. Other waterbirds that we can expect to see here include the endemic subspecies of White-cheeked Pintail, Common Gallinule and possibly some migrant waders. Darwin finches that we will be looking for in the highlands include the Small Tree Finch and the Woodpecker Finch. The endemic and Endangered San Cristobal Mockingbird is our most important target on this island but the species is usually not too difficult to find at lower elevations. The rare Galapagos Rail has been reported from the highlands of San Cristobal but we will need some luck to find it here. Return to Puerto Baquerizo, diner and overnight.

HOTEL LOS ALGARROBOS, is located in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, just 100 m from Playa Mann Beach. It is a simple hotel with good services, it offers single, double, triple, quadruple rooms with private bathroom, hot/cold water, air conditioner, Cable TV, Wifi. Tourist

CASA OPUNTIA is located in a beautiful water front property in San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. The hotel has been recently refurbished and named after the endemic "Opuntia" cacti featured in the gardens of the Mediterranean style property. Casa Opuntia features ample air-conditioned rooms, exclusive social areas, swimming pool, Jacuzzi and a gourmet waterfront restaurant service and bar. Tourist Superior

SEASIDE HOTEL, is a modern, clean-designed villa with 10 rooms, located next to Playa Mann beach and a couple hundred meters away from Centro de Interpretation, from which you can get to many tourist attractions like Tijeretas or Punta Carola. All rooms offer TV and a mini-bar, airconditioner, private bathroom equipped with a shower and fresh towels. Also you have restaurant service and an outdoor swimming pool. First Class

DAY 2: THURSDAY: ESPAÑOLA ISLAND: PTA. SUAREZ – GARDNER ISLET BY ESPAÑOLA

After an early breakfast you will depart to Española Island. In the morning you will visit Pta. Suarez, this is a rocky point of land that sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in Galapagos. Along its southern shore, steep cliffs rise up from the sea, for a spectacular view of soaring birds and the famous blowhole. A noisy colony of Sea Lions and curious mockingbirds (Hood Mockingbird) greet you as you land on their beach. You will meet a multitude of Blue-footed Boobies, Masked boobies, Albatross, Red billed Tropic Birds, Galapagos Shearwater, Phaloropes, Storm Petrels, Large Cactus Finch, Galapagos Hawk and endemic Marine iguanas with unique traces of red and green soak up the heat from the sun. Lunch on board and in the afternoon, you will visit Gardner Islet (Española), great place for snorkeling, where it is possible to see fascinating creatures including snake eels, marble rays, diamond rays, Galapagos pufferfish, plenty of red-lipped batfish and occasional hammerhead. In the afternoon you will return to San Cristobal to diner and overnight.

DAY 3: FRIDAY: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: PUNTA PITT

After breakfast you will take a speed boat in order to travel to Punta Pitt located at the north of San Cristobal Island. Punta Pitt is a combination of eroded volcanic cones and scarcely populated by endemic vegetation on the islands, this environment provides protection and warmth for species like sea lions, lava lizards, marine iguanas, frigates, pelicans and boobies. Punta Pitt is one of the two only places on the Galapagos islands where you can see three species of boobies nesting in the same area, red, blue and Nazca boobies. On the beach you can see dozens of sea lions, frigates, pelicans, herons and lava gulls flying over the site. If you get lucky you might get to see the rare Galápagos Petrel at sea. Return to San Cristobal to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

This day it is possible to see Storm Petrels, Shearwaters, Phalaropes, Lava Gull, Lava Heron, Gray Blue Heron, Nazca Boobies, Blue Footed Boobies, Red Footed Boobies, Peregrine Falcon (M), Galápagos petrel, Great Frigate Bird, Magnificent Frigate Bird, Chatham Mockingbird, Small Ground Finch, Dark Billed Cuckoo, Large Ground Finch, Large Cactus finch and others.

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