ISLAND-2-ISLAND HOPPING

FROM ECUADOR’S MAINLAND TRAVEL BY STANDARD COMMERCIAL PLANE TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AND THEN ONWARD TO ISABELA ISLAND ON A SPECTACULAR INTER-ISLAND FLIGHT:

Fly from Ecuador’s mainland to the Galapagos Islands (Baltra Island) and take a scenic inter-island flight to Isabela Island.* Check in at Scalesia Lodge and eat lunch before heading out on your first afternoon of discovery. Familiarize yourself with the youngest side of the archipelago while exploring the rewarding visitor sites that are the National Park, the wetland lagoons, and the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. Wrap up your day at the stunning white beach of Puerto Villamil before returning to the Lodge for dinner.

*Please note: Inter-island flights limit passengers’ check-in luggage to 10 kg (22 lb). If needed, it is possible to send excess luggage directly to the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, where you will arrive at on DAY 4.

EACH OF THESE DAYS WILL INCLUDE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS, DEPENDING ON THE DAY OF THE WEEK:

After an early breakfast, set out to explore Isabela Island. Depending on the day and availability, guests will take part in one of the following full-day adventures:

Sierra Negra Volcano: Walk along the rim of Galapagos’ largest caldera – one of the largest in the world – and see recent volcanic activity and the resulting fascinating formations. A light snack will be provided along the way and lunch will be served once we get back to the lodge. Wildlife will focus on Darwin’s finches, flycatchers, mockingbirds, and occasionally the Galapagos hawk and rail. Afterwards, we can stroll along the beach at Puerto Villamil or rest in the afternoon.

Tintoreras Islets: After breakfast, we drive down to the wharf of Puerto Villamil and board the bay cruiser to explore the maze of reefs and islets off the shores of Isabela. The visit includes a dry landing and a short walk across volcanic terrain (730 meters/0.5 miles total distance). Wildlife here includes boobies, herons, penguins, marine iguanas and whitetip reef sharks that swim around the nearby lava crevasses. Bring your bathing suit to make the most of the crystalline waters, beckoning you to snorkel in the shallow reefs. Lunch at Scalesia and later in the day, we explore the wetlands of coastal Isabela. Sunsets at Puerto Villamil are spectacular!

The Wall of Tears: This site offers a rare combination of human and natural history. A majestic coastal trail combines two different vegetation segments: the first part consists of mangroves and brackish lagoons (1.3 km/0.8 mi) and then the arid Palo Santo forest that extends all the way until we reach the Wall of Tears (an additional 2.2 km/1.4 mi each way). This trail is mostly a flat and dirt road (pedestrian and bikes only). Wildlife here includes coastal Darwin finches, doves, stilts, ducks, flamingos, herons, and giant tortoises. The afternoon will see us enjoying enchanting sunsets from the beach of Puerto Villamil. Dinner and overnight at Scalesia Lodge.

FLY BACK TO BALTRA ISLAND AND EXPLORE THE HIGHLANDS OF SANTA CRUZ ISLAND:

After breakfast, Scalesia Lodge’s staff will take us back to Puerto Villamil’s airport. A short and beautiful flight brings us back to Baltra. Your guide will lead you across the Itabaca Channel (via ferry) over to Santa Cruz Island. The day’s visits include a brief exploration of Los Gemelos, which is a natural volcanic formation in the upper end of the windward side of the island. Surrounded by a forest of high growing endemic daisies, this area is home to some of the most elusive land birds of Galapagos. After that, we will visit the Tortoise Reserve, along with the impressive and nearby lava tunnels, and then we will enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the highlands. In the afternoon, you will reach Puerto Ayora and take a quick water taxi over to the only pedestrian neighborhood, Punta Estrada, where the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is located. Check-in and relax with the hotel’s beachfront facilities. Dinner is up to you: choose from the hotel’s signature cuisine or one of the many options in town. Overnight at the Finch Bay.

ENJOY 2 OF THESE 4 FULL-DAY YACHT EXPLORATIONS (DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY AND THE DAY OF THE WEEK):

FULL-DAY ISLAND YACHT EXPLORATIONS:

• North Seymour. Start the day with the Finch Bay’s generous buffet breakfast, featuring local and international favorites, before leaving for Itabaca Channel, which sits 42 km (26 mi) away on the north shore of Santa Cruz. Here, you’ll board the Finch Bay’s Sea Lion Yacht. Your day will include a dry landing and a 1.5 km/1 mi walk over a mixture of sand and rounded boulders. Experience a live biology lesson with land and marine iguanas, Nazca- and blue-footed boobies, frigates, sea lions and fur seals. The other highlight here is Las Bachas, a stunning white beach with dreamy and small brackish lagoons, which are home to various waders, such as plovers, stilts and flamingos. You will have the chance to swim and/or snorkel here.
• Santa Fe. After the Finch Bay’s generous buffet breakfast, we will board the Sea Lion Yacht, which will be waiting for us just minutes away from the hotel at Academy Bay. The yacht cruises over to Santa Fe, an impressive volcanic island 17 nautical miles away from Puerto Ayora. After a wet landing on a fantastic white and sandy beach that’s filled with basking sea lions, we will walk along rocky terrain to find the island’s highlight: the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, patiently waiting under the enormous and giant cacti for falling fruits and pads. Other species you can expect to see on this day are pelicans, boobies and the archipelago’s top predator, the Galapagos hawk. Return to the yacht and enjoy one of the best Galapagos snorkeling sites. After that, we’ll have lunch aboard the Sea Lion Yacht. Upon the cruise back to Puerto Ayora, we will scan the sea surface for pelagic birds and whales.
• Bartolome. Start the day with the Finch Bay’s generous buffet breakfast, featuring local and international favorites, before leaving for Itabaca Channel, 42 km (26 mi) away on the north shore of Santa Cruz, which is where we will board the Finch Bay’s Sea Lion Yacht. A 21-nautical mile sailing stretch is well worth its length, as dolphins or whales are often seen in these waters. A dry landing marks the start of our 1.5 km/1 mi walk. Much of the trail is over a wooden boardwalk and up a staircase that consists of 366 steps. There are several observation platforms on the way up to the summit of Bartolome (150 meters/490 feet above sea level). Once up top, you will get to enjoy one of the Galapagos’ most famous views: the tilted Pinnacle Rock, the golden beach of Bartolome and the impressive lava fields of Santiago Island. Upon descending back to the coast, you will have a chance to scan the volcanic shore, in search of flashy Sally Lightfoot crabs and Galapagos penguins, before enjoying a soothing dip at the beach. Lunch aboard the Sea Lion Yacht and a brief exploration of nearby Sullivan Bay will be done before sailing back to the Itabaca Channel and then your drive back to the hotel.
• South Plaza. After breakfast, you will board the Sea Lion Yacht (depending on the day, it might be moored in Itabaca Channel or in Academy Bay). This day includes 2 highlights: One of them will involve snorkeling/swimming over at beautiful Punta Carrion while the other, which sits just, 8 nautical miles away, is South Plaza Island. This second site impresses visitors with the vast volume of amazing wildlife that greets them right upon arrival: dozens of frolicking sea lion pups, patrolling alpha male sea lions, basking marine and land iguanas, stunning red crabs and various Darwin finches. The trail is over 1.5 km/1 mi long, and consists of walking along and over rounded boulders.
• Santa Cruz Coastal Exploration + Charles Darwin Research Station and Tortoise Breeding Facilities: After breakfast, we leave for Tortuga Bay, a white-sanded paradise which was won as Ecuador’s best beach. We will walk from Puerto Ayora’s western border, 2 km/1.3 mi along a fairly flat and straight paved path, where we’ll get to explore and understand more about the arid zone’s deciduous forest and its inhabitants. Upon arriving at the beach, we’ll first walk along Playa Brava: a stunning 1 km/0.5 mi long snow-white beach and a seasonal nesting site for green sea turtles. A few minutes later, we reach Playa Mansa, a secluded natural mangrove cove, with clear and tranquil waters that are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, paddling on tandem kayaks, or simply enjoying the scenery from the shade of a mangrove.* For the afternoon, the grand finale includes strolling around the Charles Darwin Research Station, where the highlight is the conservation program involving the iconic giant tortoises.

*Please note: The return trip from Tortuga Bay will be made in one of two ways, depending on the tide forecast for that particular day. If the tide forecast shows that it is possible, the group will make their return trip by boat. If it is not, the group will take a 45-minute guided walk back to the entrance gate of the beach and then board a bus that will take them to the main pier in Puerto Ayora. This decision will be made at the guide’s discretion.

On each of these days, you will return to the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel to enjoy the sunset from its beachfront terraces, lounge or swimming pool. Dinner is up to you: choose the hotel’s signature cuisine or one of the many options in town. Overnight at the Finch Bay.

TRANSFER OUT TO BALTRA AIRPORT:

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Baltra Island and the airport, assisted by our hotel staff.

If you would like to learn more about this fascinating experience, please be sure to check out our blog on the topic!

• Airfare (international and domestic) to/from Galapagos and airport taxes (subject to change without prior notice)
• Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($100 USD, subject to change without prior notice)
• Transit control card fee ($20 USD, subject to change without prior notice)
• Alcoholic beverages, gratuities/tips, laundry or valet services, and any additional items
• Optional activities with extra cost: kayaking, mountain biking, diving, and surfing
• Travel insurance
• Laundry service
• Any item not mentioned previously

• 1 small backpack
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Sneakers (trainers) with rubber soles
• Shorts
• Long pants
• T-shirts
• Long and short sleeved shirts
• Wind breaker
• Bathing suit (+wetsuit for snorkelling in colder months, April-December)
• Hat or cap
• Sunblock and repellent
• Sunglasses
• Binoculars
• Camera & video recorder
• Any medicine you may be taking
• Book/Notebook
• Flashlight (torch) and batteries
• Sandals for wet landings
• Plastic bags to protect cameras, binoculars, film, etc. from rain

• Upgrades to Finch Bay Suite are available for an additional fee of $500 per person, per program.
• The island visited on the day tour will depend on the itinerary approved by the Galapagos National Park Service.
• All rates are subject to change without prior notice.
• Galapagos Itineraries are subject to change due to weather conditions, logistical reasons, guests’ safety, or Galapagos National Park regulations.
• The sequence of visits might be altered depending on the arrival time of flights to Baltra or Isabela Islands, as well as: yacht availability, National Park requirements, weather conditions, and/or other unexpected circumstances due to force majeur.

VALIDITY: JANUARY 01 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2019. RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE (RRP) PER PERSON QUOTED IN U.S. DOLLARS BASED ON DOUBLE ACCOMMODATION IN FINCH BAY ROOM.

If necessary, please separate luggage for the first 3 nights at Scalesia Lodge, since the inter-island flight luggage restriction is half the weight permitted by regular commercial flights to Galapagos:

• FLIGHTS TO GALAPAGOS: 23 kg (50 lb) for checked bags, 8 kg (17 lb) for carry-on
• INTER-ISLAND FLIGHTS: 9 kg (20 lb) is the weight allowed for checked bags (airline allows an additional 5 lb/2.2 kg per passenger for an added US$2.00 per pound/0.4 kilograms). 2.3 kg (5 lb) per passenger is the weight allowance for carry-on bags.

Upon arrival in Baltra, Scalesia Lodge staff will collect your luggage (if necessary) to transfer any excess weight to the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel. On DAY 4, upon checking in, you will find this luggage waiting for you in your room.

• Guests can bring a reasonable amount of clothing and personal effects on the airplane from the Ecuadorian mainland without charge. Baggage is handled in accordance with the airlines’ regulations and tariffs. Baggage exceeding these limitations is subject to the charges as set forth by the individual airline operators. Airlines are strict with baggage limitations. The current limits are 23 kilograms (50.6 pounds) for checked items, 8 kilograms (17 pounds) for hand luggage and 1 personal item (handbag, camera bag, laptop, etc.)
• All baggage must be securely packed, and be properly, clearly labeled. Liquid, fragile, perishable and/or other items that are not packed as such will be transported at the guests’ own risk.
• The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is not responsible for loss or damage to baggage and/or any other personal item during air travel.
• The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel is not responsible for baggage stored in shore-side facilities.
• Under no circumstances may dangerous items (including but not limited to: explosives, firearms, combustible or illegal substances) be taken into the hotel.
• We recommend that you keep important travel documents (passport, visa, Galapagos transit control card), important medication and/or valuables on you at all times. These items are the full responsibility of the guest at all times.
• The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel shall not be responsible for the loss of, or damage of, any aforementioned personal items.
• The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel reserves the right to charge for the return of personal items left at the hotel.

Local authorities manage the quarantine system of the Galapagos National Park in order to reduce the possibility of foreign species invading the archipelago. All cargo and luggage that arrives to Galapagos National Park or that is transferred from one island to another must be inspected. All aircrafts are disinfected with Permethrin before landing. To preserve human health and the native species of the Galapagos Islands, the following products may not be transferred to Galapagos: fresh vegetables and fruits, animal products and or their derivatives, dairy products, other live animals, pathological samples, dry coffee beans, genetically modified organisms, forest species or their disseminative parts, grass and its disseminative parts, fresh flowers, medicinal plants and their disseminative parts, banana tree leaves, micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, etc.) soil and sand, and animal vaccines.