Baltra Island

Baltra Island, also known as South Seymour, is home to one of two airports connecting the Galapagos with mainland Ecuador. During World War II, the United States occupied this area and, because of its flat topography, found it a perfect spot to build an air force base. Saltbush, prickly pear cactuses, and palo santo trees dominate the arid landscape. Though Galapagos land animals are sparse, the grasslands of Baltra do provide a habitat for several species of birds, like small ground finches, noddy terns, and large brown pelicans.

North Seymour Island

This small island will definitely leave a lasting impression with its abundance of wildlife. North Seymour is known for the large colonies of frigatebirds that can be found nesting there. Two species, the magnificent and great frigatebirds, inhabit the island. Watch your step for blue-footed boobies and land iguanas patrolling the area. Along the coastal trail, observe sea lions resting on the sandy beach. If you are lucky, you might see a few sea lion pups along the trail.

Santa Cruz Highlands

With an area of 381 square miles, Santa Cruz is the second-largest island in the Galápagos archipelago and has a maximum altitude of 2,835 feet. Due to the altitude, the highlands of Santa Cruz provide you with a nice break from the ocean and marine life. Admire this unique habitat with Galápagos tortoises, Darwin’s finches, and many other unique animals that call this place home. If you are an avid birdwatcher, the highlands offer a great chance to identify more than eight species of finches, some warblers, and, of course, the elusive vermilion flycatcher.

Charles Darwin Research Station

Learn about the conservation efforts happening throughout the Galapagos at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. At the giant tortoise breeding center, observe baby tortoises from various islands in the archipelago. A special highlight showcased here is the embalmed body of Lonesome George, the last known tortoise species from the island of Pinta. It is also your one and only chance to observe the shell shapes of the different species of giant tortoise located in the various corrals on the site.

Charles Darwin Foundation is a nonprofit organization and the work we carry out depends entirely upon our donors. Additionally, the Charles Darwin Foundation has just renewed its agreement with the Government of Ecuador in July 2016 for 25 more years of science in the archipelago.

Punta Moreno

Take a zodiac ride along the strikingly beautiful rocky coast of Punta Moreno and get fantastic looks at flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, golden rays, and many other shorebirds. Punta Moreno is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. After the zodiac ride, enjoy a walk along a path leading to tide pools and mangroves. During your walk, you will observe the remnants of marine organisms that were stuck to the rocks, including a coral reef that centuries ago was alive and thriving. For bird lovers, this site attracts blue herons, pink flamingos, pelicans, and Darwin’s finches.

Urbina Bay

Urbina Bay is a place of great geological importance for an unusual event that took place there as recently as 1954. A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale caused the coastline to uplift, exposing the ocean floor. Today, Urbina Bay has become an extension of Isabela Island and is filled with abundant plant and animal life. Search for the gentle Galápagos giant tortoises along your walk. Keep an eye out for land iguanas in the underbrush. Farther along the trail, marvel at the exposed coral reef that was once part of the ocean floor many years ago.

Tagus Cove

Historically, Tagus Cove was well known by pirates, buccaneers, and whalers who frequented this part of the archipelago to restock their supplies. Tagus Cove offers many activities from both land and sea. Kayak along the protected coastline and search for Galápagos penguins swimming in the water, flightless cormorants drying their wings, or even blue-footed boobies diving into the water in search of food. Perhaps you will want to slip your fins and mask on and go snorkeling. For the more adventurous, take a hike with spectacular views of a lake set against the backdrop of the sheltered bay. And finally, marvel at the vast and sweeping landscape as you make your way up to the top of the trail.

Punta Espinoza

Located on the northeastern side of Fernandina Island, Punta Espinoza, or spiny point, is the only landing site on Fernandina Island. It is considered one of the most pristine spots on our planet, as no animals have been introduced, keeping its ecosystem intact. Fernandina Island has a unique setting with the highest density of marine iguanas, which are found everywhere along the trail. It is also a great chance to get up-close looks at lava lizards, Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions, hawks, and other interesting marine life.

Puerto Egas

Puerto Egas, located on Santiago Island, carries a rich human history. It was once the most visited island in the Galápagos archipelago, especially with early travelers like buccaneers and whalers. These early explorers came to the island in search of food and water. The renowned naturalist Charles Darwin also visited the island in 1835. The landing site of Puerto Egas is an incredible place to spot wildlife. On your walk along the rocky coastline admire a wide variety of both land birds and shorebirds, such as yellow warblers, herons, and Galápagos flycatchers. As you head toward the grottos, a rocky area with a number of tide pools, keep your eyes open for the elusive Galápagos fur seals. However, mind your step due to the marine iguanas that blend in perfectly with the black lava rocks along the trail.

Buccaneer Cove

Buccaneer Cove is a very scenic visitor site at the northwestern tip of Santiago Island. This area of the Galapagos archipelago was frequented by pirates and whalers as the name suggests. It is not possible any landing here, so you will snorkel exploring the area or during a dinghy ride. Some famous rocks emerge from the sea. They are called after what they look like, so there is the bishop rock and the elephant rock. You can observe different sea birds like blue-footed boobies and pelicans. It is also possible to go kayaking.

Espumilla Beach

Playa Espumilla is situated on the northwestern coast of Santiago Island in James Bay. Its coffee-colored beach provides an excellent opportunity to stroll along the coast and admire the bird diversity. Marvel at blue-footed boobies plunge diving for food. Observe American oyster catchers wading along the shoreline in search of small crustaceans. And perhaps, if you are lucky, a curious juvenile hawk will take refuge on the branch of a mangrove tree to get a better look at its visitors. Finally, keep a lookout for fast-moving ghost crabs scuttling along the beach to their burrows.

Rabida Island

The red island of Rabida offers its visitors a unique geological landscape. As you walk the red sandy beach, observe the large colony of sea lions that inhabit it. Take a short hike through Palo Santa forests and endemic cacti to a scenic vantage point with spectacular views of the island and the beach below. Look for flamingos and other wader birds near the brackish water lagoon just behind the beach. Partake in a wonderful snorkeling experience in search of white-tipped reef sharks, rays, sea lions, and many other species in the refreshing waters off the coast.

Sullivan Bay

Travel back in time and see what the earth might have looked like millions of years ago. Sullivan Bay, located on the southeast of Santiago Island, is a great place for any admirer of geology. Here you can see some amazing lava formations and the volcanic landscape created by long-cooled lava flows from 1897. As you walk over this black and barren landscape, admire the different textures and shapes of the hardened lava underneath your feet. Many of the islands in the Galápagos started off as barren and desolate lands just like Sullivan Bay, only to be slowly transformed into places filled with abundant flora and fauna.

El Barranco

El Barranco, or Prince Philip Steps, presents a great chance to observe an array of different bird species. The round trip for this hike takes approximately two hours. From the clifftops, you can admire the large numbers of marine birds that come to nest and breed, especially red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and Nazca boobies. But keep your eyes open for the well-camouflaged short-eared owl. These birds can occasionally be spotted near shrubs out in the open lava flow fields, where they wait for storm petrels to emerge from their burrows before attacking them for a tasty meal.

Darwin Bay

Situated towards the northeast of the archipelago, Genovesa, or Tower Island, presents a paradise for enthusiastic ornithologists and photographers alike. It is no wonder that locals call this area a bird paradise—over 200,000 red-footed boobies nest here because of the proximity of the island to their feeding sites. During a short stroll on the white sandy beach, you can observe these pelagic birds, along with colonies of magnificent frigatebirds, great frigatebirds and Nazca boobies. The only reptile found here is the marine iguana, which is considered the smallest species of iguana in the Galapagos. Overall, this location provides excellent photographic opportunities with the multitudes of birds scattered across the whole island.

Daphne Major Island

Although you cannot land on Daphne Major, this island can be appreciated much better by circumnavigating around it. This is a central island, situated in the north of the Santa Cruz Island and to the west of the Baltra Airport. This island has a rocky structure and features two craters in the center, which makes its formation a tuff cone. Daphne’s big claim to fame is as location for the Pulitzer Prize winning book: The beak of the Finch. The humble Darwin Finch that lives on Daphne Major has been studied for over 40 years, and played an interesting role in scientific breakthroughs.

Baltra Island (Departure)

After spending your pleasant days in Galapagos and you are returning to Guayaquil or Quito from Baltra, you must take into account certain recommendations. If your trip was aboard a yacht and on the same day that your trip ends, you return to the mainland, the company in charge of your cruise will normally provide and makes the bus service's arrangements to go to the Itabaca Channel, then cross by ferry to Baltra and finally, by bus go to the airport of Baltra Island. This whole journey takes at least a couple of hours, so you must coordinate with your naturalist guide the departure time from Puerto Ayora. In case your trip ends in Baltra, the trip to the airport is much faster (approximately 15 minutes) than from Puerto Ayora. You must disembark at Aeolian Bay and wait for a bus to the airport. The Naturalist Guide of your yacht will give you the corresponding indications. Be clear that the bus you take on Baltra Island counts USD $ 5.00 per person.