Galápagos Islands | Photography Exploration with Karine Aigner

Upon arrival in Quito, after clearing customs and immigration, you will be met and escorted to your hotel.

After breakfast, and an orientation, explore some of the highlights of Quito. Surrounded by volcanoes, Ecuador's capital is a unique city that boasts one of the largest and best preserved colonial centers in the Americas, earning it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start the day with a visit to the historical city center; while walking its narrow streets, discover Quito's rich history, from pre-Columbian times to the colonial period and the modern-day Republic of Ecuador. Visit La Compañia Church as well as the Church and Convent of San Francisco, the oldest and largest colonial structure in the city. At nearby Plaza Grande, Quito's main square, you'll find the Independence Monument surrounded by important historical buildings, including the Presidential Palace, City Hall, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Archbishop's Palace. Enjoy a lunch featuring traditional recipes. Afterwards, visit TelefériQo Cable Car ride for incredible views and photo opportunities. Afterward enjoy dinner at Chulpi Urbano Restaurant which specializes in elevated traditional Ecuadorian cuisine.

Early this morning, travel to the airport for the flight to Baltra Airport in Galápagos. Lunch will be on your own today. Flight times may make it necessary to have lunch at the airport. Take a short flight to Isabela Island and take a private land transfer to the lodge. Have time to settle in before dinner.

Enjoy a morning visit to the Tintoreras, an islet formed by lava flows located a 10-minute dinghy ride away from Puerto Villamil. The name of this islet comes from the white tip reef sharks, called "Tintoreras" in Spanish, that are frequently seen in this area. Animals that can also be seen in the area include sea lions, marine iguanas, and penguins. This is a perfect place to practice snorkeling. Bird sightings here can include Lava Gull, Blue-footed Booby, and Galápagos Penguin. Return to the hotel by lunch time. In the afternoon, explore Los Humedales, a wetland complex with various trails where the four species of mangroves existing in Galápagos can be found. This Important Bird Area is characterized by solitary beaches, lava tunnels, natural pools, and estuaries where it is possible to see the endemic sub species Galápagos Flamingo, Galápagos Flycatcher, and Black-necked Stilt. Then, visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center, where the National Park is helping breed tortoises in danger of extinction. Some of these giant tortoises have been released by the park and can be found on the trails.

Start the morning with a boat ride to Roca Unión to circumnavigate this offshore pinnacle rock. With some luck, it may be possible to see Nazca and Blue-footed boobies, iguanas, and sea lions perched on the rock, as well as the endemic Flightless Cormorant along the shore. Keep watch for the giant manta rays and, on occasion, dolphins and whales that have been spotted in this area. Los Túneles is a site named by local fishermen where they dive for lobsters in underwater lava tunnels. There are natural lava bridges and arches above the water that were formed by cooling lava after an eruption of Cerro Azul Volcano many years ago. Enjoy the opportunity to snorkel here and take a short walk on the lava rocks. Hopefully, it will also be possible to spot white tipped reef sharks sleeping in caves in a nearby location called Finado.

Fly back to Baltra Island to board the M/C Tip Top II. Attend your first orientation and have a light snack. Navigate by panga boat to Santa Cruz Island and prepare for a wet landing. Then proceed on foot to the flamingo lagoons located behind Playa Las Bachas, a beach that was used by the U.S. Army during World War II. (The name "Bachas" refers to two U.S. barges that were left here.) Before returning to the yacht, enjoy some free time to swim or snorkel from the beach. Attend an evening presentation on the origin and evolution of the Galápagos Islands, and enjoy a welcome cocktail with the entire crew, followed by dinner. Each day there will be a briefing about the next day's activities, and daily opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, and/or kayaking.

Today, explore Genovesa Island, a horseshoe-shaped volcanic caldera with steep cliffs surrounding a beautiful bay. After a short panga boat ride, make a wet landing on Darwin Bay's white-sand beach. Then, follow a short trail along mangroves and tide pools to observe Great Frigatebirds, herons, mockingbirds, Red-footed and Nazca Boobies, shorebirds, turtles, marine iguanas, and more. Look for sea lions and tropical fish as you swim, snorkel, or kayak from the beach before returning to the yacht for lunch. In the afternoon, disembark on a rocky ledge and climb the staircase at Prince Philip's Steps (El Barranco), and then hike less than a mile to see a palo santo forest, walk on hardened lava flows, and observe the interesting lives of the birds here. Search for nesting Red-footed and Nazca Boobies, as well as Great Frigatebirds, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Galápagos Doves, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and the Galápagos Short-eared Owl. When searching for Red-footed Boobies, look up to the trees; unlike other Galápagos booby species, they prefer to do their courtship and build nests above the ground. From May to January, Nazca Boobies can be spotted courting, nesting, and raising their young. Keep an eye out for Galápagos fur seals along the rocky shores during a panga ride. This evening, attend a presentation by your Galápagos naturalist guide.

After breakfast, disembark at a dock on South Plaza Island, which is characterized by unique and colorful vegetation. Sesuvium is a bright red succulent plant that carpets the rocks here, and creates vivid photo opportunities against the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. The taller Opuntia cacti provide food and shade for the numerous land iguanas that dig nesting burrows all over the island. Continue walking toward the sea cliffs to view many sea birds such as Red-billed Tropicbirds, Galápagos Shearwaters, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies. Return to the yacht for lunch, and then sail to Santa Fe Island for the chance to see a different species of land iguana, endemic only to this island and recognizable by its paler yellow coloration. After landing on a small beach, walk by scenic cliffs and a forest of Santa Fe opuntia cactus to observe Santa Fe land iguanas, Galápagos Hawks, Darwin's finches, Galápagos Mockingbird, Galápagos racer snakes, and more. Before going back to the boat, spend time at the beach swimming and snorkeling among sea lions.

After breakfast, disembark at a pier at Puerto Ayora and take a bus to the misty highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a visit to the lush, green Scalesia forests surrounding Los Gemelos (The Twins) pit craters. Visit a local farm to have lunch and search for giant tortoises in the wild. Galápagos tortoises are one of the animals that contributed to Charles Darwin's understanding of natural history, and the archipelago was referred to in Spanish as the Islands of the Tortoises on early maps. Later take a walk through impressive lava tunnels. Next, return to Puerto Ayora for time to shop, have a coffee or explore the town. For those who are interested, another option is to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and Fausto Llerena Breeding Center. Learn about the station's important conservation and education work, and see some of the tortoises that are being raised for reintroduction into the wild. Return to the yacht for a naturalist presentation.

Today, explore Floreana Island, one of the few inhabited islands of the Galápagos, with a rich history of human settlement and hardship. Disembark on the beach at Post Office Bay and follow a short trail to its historic mail barrel site. In the 18th century, British whalers placed a wooden barrel here to use as an informal post office, and today, visitors continue the tradition by leaving their own postcards in the barrel. Continue to Baroness Viewpoint, named after the Baroness Eloise von Wagner, who once lived here. Enjoy the beautiful landscape and observe the ruins of her house. Return to the yacht for lunch. In the afternoon, go snorkeling at Champion Islet, considered one of the best snorkeling sites in the islands, and look for tropical fish, moray eels, starfish, sharks, sea turtles, and sea lions. Next, make a wet landing on the green beach at Floreana's Cormorant Point, then walk inland to a brackish lagoon to see American Flamingoes and shorebirds. Continue walking to La Picona, a beautiful white-sand beach that is an important nesting site for Galápagos green turtles. At the start of the year, pregnant turtles come ashore at night to dig nests and lay their eggs; by April and May the hatchlings begin to emerge from the sand and make their perilous journey to sea. Head back to the green beach to enjoy swimming and snorkeling among reef fish and sea lions.

After breakfast, visit Punta Suárez on Española Island to hike along lava beds and scenic cliffs to observe green-and-red marine iguanas, sea lions, lava lizards, and unique colonies of marine birds. From mid-March to December, this is one of the best places in the world to see the Waved Albatross, which nests primarily on this island. These large and graceful flyers start to perform intricate courtship rituals in April, and by May begin nesting. Española is the oldest island in the archipelago, geologically speaking, and is also rich in plant life, with an interesting mix of flora representative of littoral, arid, and transitional zones. After lunch aboard the yacht, disembark at Gardner Bay for a walk on the beach to observe sunbathing sea lions, which inhabit the beach in great quantities during the breeding season. While exploring the beach, keep an eye out for the endemic Española Mockingbird (a carnivorous species) and Darwin's finches. Then, take a scenic panga ride around Osborn Islet and the islets of Gardner to search for more wildlife and enjoy some swimming or snorkeling before heading back to the boat.

Have breakfast onboard, and then prepare for a wet landing at Cerro Brujo, the only site in the Galápagos where it is possible to witness all three booby species nesting together. Walk along the beautiful white-sand beach to observe sea lions, pelicans, gulls, finches, mockingbirds, and boobies. Afterwards, sail around iconic Kicker Rock (León Dormido) and its narrow channel in search of sea birds. The enormous rock formation is the remainder of a vertical tuff cone that has since become a favorite nesting place for Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies and frigatebirds. Marine life is plentiful in the waters surrounding the cliffs, so be on the lookout for sea lions, sharks, turtles, and rays. After lunch on board, explore Isla Lobos and marvel at the Blue-footed Boobies, frigates, sea birds, rays, and sea lions. Optional: time for those who would like to snorkel or go on a panga ride. In the afternoon, disembark at Baquerizo Moreno Port on San Cristóbal Island and visit the Interpretation Center, which tells the story of the geological and human history of the islands and their conservation. Return to the yacht for dinner and a nightly orientation.

Take one last boat ride this morning around Black Turtle Cove, a series of coves and islets surrounded by mangroves, where you can observe white-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and yellow cow-nosed rays. Return to the boat and disembark at the pier to take the bus directly to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Quito. Lunch is on your own at the airport; food options will be available for purchase after passing security. Once in Quito, settle into the hotel then enjoy an afternoon at leisure before attending a farewell dinner at the hotel. If your international flight departs very late this evening/before dawn next morning, please be ready to check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport after the farewell dinner.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.