First class cruise aboard Treasure of Galapagos

Morning

Baltra Island Airport, Baltra

Today you fly to the magical Galapagos Islands! At the departures hall of the Quito airport, you must reach the Galapagos Government Council counter, to purchase the Transit Control Card ($20 per person, must be kept safe during the trip as it has to be presented again upon return). Then your luggage will be inspected to make sure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced on the islands. Next you will catch the flight to Baltra island, and upon landing there, authorities will collect the Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($200 per adult, $100 per child), unless it has been prepaid. A guide holding an Oniric Cruises sign will meet you, help you collect your luggage, and escort you on a short bus ride to the harbour, and board the Treasure cruise. After a warm welcome, cabins will be assigned and lunch served.

Morning

Santa Cruz Island, El Eden Islet, Santa Cruz

This morning we will disembark to this appropriately named islet. On its coast you will observe land iguanas and sea lions soaking up the sun, as well as seabirds feeding in the nearby mangrove forests. It is a perfect location for swimming activities, as the clear and calm waters will allow you to snorkel along tropical fish, rays, and two species of sharks. Alternatively, a kayak ride would be a memorable experience.

Morning

Isabela Island, Tintorera, Isabela

Morning

Isabela Island, Punta Moreno, Isabela

During the night we navigated to the northwest coast of Isabela, where two huge volcanoes are found, the Sierra Negra and the Cerro Azul. In between these two is located our visit point, Punta Moreno. There, we will follow a trail that runs along a solidified black lava flow until we reach a complex of tidal lagoons, where sharks and marine turtles are often seen. Several species of birds can also be visible, including flamingos, which are found around the lakes and mangroves.

Morning

Fernandina Island, Punta Espinoza, Fernandina

After breakfast you will disembark to Fernandina, the Galapagos’ westernmost and youngest island (less than one million years old). It is so remote and pristine that has only 1 visitor site, Espinoza Point, where you will find some of the most bizarre animal species, products of natural selection. Among them is the flightless cormorant, a bird which had to adjust its way of survival after arriving at the Galapagos Islands and being isolated here for thousands of years. It had to learn how to find food in the ocean, so its wings slowly lost the ability to fly and now work as fins. You are witnessing evolution! The endemic marine iguanas can also be found conglomerated in the thousands, one over another to maintain their body heat, when they are not swimming near the shore or blocking your way at the landing dock.

Morning

Santiago Island, Puerto Egas, Santiago

Puerto Egas is a beach located on the west side of Santiago Island. Volcanic tuff deposits have favoured the formation of this special black sand beach. The site is called Puerto Egas because at the beginning of the previous century, there was an attempt by a man named Hector Egas to extract the salt of the lagoons. The enterprise failed but it left traces of the infrastructure amidst the island’s wilderness. During a walk along the beach you can observe many species of waders and sanderlings. Among the rocks, red crabs are waiting to play hide and seek while you try to get the perfect picture. If you are lucky, you may even find yellow-crowned night herons or even a red-footed booby.

Morning

Santa Cruz Island, Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz

Your last visit is to Bachas. Two conjunct beaches, with soft white sand that makes it a favourite nesting site for sea turtles. There is a small brackish water lagoon behind the first beach, where occasionally it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels. The second beach is longer, and it has two old barges that were abandoned during the Second W orld War, when the USA used this Island as a strategic point to protect the Panama Channel.