Guide to the best places to dive in the Galapagos Islands
30/12/2022
Galapagos family vacation, what you need to know to plan your trip
12/02/2023Island to island, around the Galapagos in 15 days
Someone once said that things always happen at sea. Explore its immensity and discover the habitat preferred by fish, turtles, and iguanas. Visiting the Galapagos Islands aboard a first class cruise is an unforgettable experience. Below, we describe what a 15-day Galapagos tour looks like.
Day 1
From the moment you land on Baltra Island to enjoy one of our 15 day Galapagos tours, you feel like time slows down.
Upon arrival, small rafts called Zodiacs will take you to a beautiful Catamaran that blends harmoniously with the sea. The view of Yacht Anahi as you approach onboard the Zodiac becomes more and more impressive and the excitement overflows at the thought of the Galapagos yacht tour that awaits.
In the afternoon, after settling into your comfortable nautical-style cabin and enjoying the delicious Ecuadorian cuisine, you are ready to explore the Galapagos Islands.
Your toes will step on sand made of decomposed coral that is soft and sparkly. The contrast of colors is extraordinary, the peace of both the sky and the sea at Bachas Beach can be felt from every angle. During your visit you’ll be accompanied by sea turtles that nest on the white sand, so be careful where you step!
As you go further into the island, you’ll add several species to the list of wonders to see. The Bachas Beach Lagoon is a landing spot for Galapagos flamingos, black-necked stilts, finches, and more seabirds that live in the surroundings of Santa Cruz Island.
Day 2
One of the things you will enjoy the most about your trip is having a different visiting site on your itinerary every day. In the morning you will arrive at Darwin Bay, south of Genovesa Island. One of the trip highlights will be the beach which is crowded by red and blue footed boobies and several frigate birds flying above the sea as well as swallow-tailed gulls, Darwin’s finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, and many other birds perched on the rocks. Undoubtedly, a paradise for seabirds.
After a hike around the Islands you will return to Yacht Anahi for lunch. The food aboard the cruise is exquisite, every day you will eat different dishes that highlight the essence of ecuadorian cuisine: local aromas, colors, and textures.
In the afternoon Yacht Anahi sails to an impressive cliff off the coast of Genovesa Island. You will arrive at a place called Prince Philip’s Steps where you will walk on a rocky path to reach the highest point of the cliff.
Here, our Galapagos adventure tour becomes more exciting as our guide explains the activities for the afternoon which include panga ride, kayaking, or snorkeling at Prince Philip’s Steps; you decide your next adventure at sea.
Day 3
Today you arrive at Plazas Islands, the surprising thing about this place is the red field that forms in the sand due to its vegetation; the plants that cover the island with colors are called Sesuvium Red and Purple and expand along the coast of the entire island, creating a truly beautiful contrast of vivid colors.
As you walk through the path you will see some strange iguanas nesting between the sand and rocks. Our guide will explain that because the island has so many nutrients, land and marine iguanas crossbreed and give way to a new species.
After lunchtime you will arrive at Santa Fe Island. Here a beautiful bay of turquoise water will welcome you and you will start your walk on picturesque paths that take you to the top of a cliff, a resting place for land iguanas.
On the island’s beach our guide will guide you to the water so you can enjoy several fun activities in the Pacific Ocean, Galapagos snorkeling, panga ride or, if you prefer, you can stay onboard to sunbathe and photograph nature and the landscapes.
If you decide to relax at the bar of Yacht Anahi, you will enjoy an incredible panoramic view and delicious cocktails. The sunset view that will accompany you is the perfect way to end an unforgettable day.
Day 4
Our adventure in Punta Pitt starts early, you will have buffet breakfast on the yacht and then explore the island. The first thing you will see is the beautiful landscape formed by the different textures of the earth. The wind eroded the land to create incredible colored hills.
Punta Pitt is governed by boobies that live in this area thanks to all the nutrients that the island has to offer. Among the variety of birds of this species you will find blue-footed boobies who live in the interior of the island, red-footed boobies that nest on the bushes, and masked boobies that remain near the cliffs. In addition, you will find various species of frigate birds, seagulls, and of course, sea lions and galapagos lava lizards.
After exploring Punta Pitt and eating a delicious lunch onboard, you will sail past one of the most beautiful landscapes you have ever imagined. Galapagos’ Kicker Rock: two gigantic rocks that look like a calm and peaceful sea lion resting in the middle of the ocean. However, the real show is underwater because the rocks also form a canal for different species of the Galapagos Islands to swim calmly underwater.
Kicker Rock, in addition to being a beautiful natural formation, is home to hammerhead sharks, reef fish, sea turtles, manta rays, white tip sharks and more marine species.
To end the unbeatable adventures of the day, you will arrive at Lobos Island, a small and quiet islet separated from San Cristóbal, where colonies of sea lions live, sunbathe on the beach, and play on the shores of the island.
Day 5
On day five of your Galapagos adventure tour you will arrive in San Cristobal Island to visit the Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Center located in Cerro Colorado. In the peaceful trail you will walk very closely to Galapagos giant tortoises while your guide will provide information about the species of tortoises that live there. After visiting these slow friends you will go to the San Cristobal Environmental Interpretation Center.
Here you will learn a lot about the history of the Galapagos Islands, the theories about their formation, the adaptability of endemic species and the arrival of the first humans in the archipelago. You will walk to Cerro Tijeretas or also known as Frigate Bird Hill where you will see several frigate birds nest on the top.
Among the most beautiful things about the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center are the viewpoints. In one of them there is an American cannon that was used in World War II and another has a spectacular panoramic view of the north of the Island.
At night, you can leave the boat and drink a cocktail in any bar on the island, dance to tropical music, and return to Yacht Anahi after a fun night in San Cristobal Island.
Day 6
On day six of the itinerary you will discover a paradise for ornithologists. From the first moment you set foot on Punta Suarez, you understand the mystery of this place and you will find feathers and hear whistles from the seabirds that live here.
We arrive at Española Island, the place that inspired the innovative theories and research of Charles Darwin on evolution and adaptation of species. Your guide will explain how this magical island has its own endemic species of flora and fauna such as the Mockingbird of Española, a bird that has a different beak compared to other birds of the same family or the lava lizard, native to Española Island that, unlike others, has red markings on its back.
During your trip around Española Island you will discover unique species in the world like the Galápagos waved albatross. This place is special in the world because an abundance of animals come here to reproduce because of the favorable climatic conditions and the protection of the Galapagos reserve.
In the afternoon you will arrive at Gardner Bay, a natural paradise with a beach ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Here you will continue exploring the wildlife. On the beach you will find a colony of very playful sea lions; and with some luck, you will be able to spot the Galapagos hawks. During your visit you should remain attentive to spot groups of Darwin’s finches, Galapagos mockingbirds, and sea turtles. In summary, Gardner Bay is magical, beautiful, and welcoming.
Day 7
On the 7th day of your trip you will arrive at Punta Cormorán, an incredible place where you will observe the famous flamingos in Galapagos.
To reach your next point of visit you sail north of Floreana Island. The first thing you will notice here is the green beach that contrasts with the beautiful scenery. The tonality of the beach is due to olivine crystals that you will find in the sand, a product of volcanic activity.
Upon reaching the Punto Cormorán Lagoon you will find the pink flamingos that bathe and feed in the water along with other birds such as royal calves and white-tailed ducks.
After returning to the yacht it’s time to practice one of the guests’ favorite activities: Galapagos snorkeling. Every time you dive into the sea, you enjoy a completely new experience. Devil’s Crown is a fantastic place and consists of an eroded volcanic crater that is submerged in the Pacific Ocean. Its rock walls supported on the surface simulate a great crown where you will find many fish, sharks, and turtles among other species.
The marine life of Devil’s Crown is made up of coral reefs: the perfect habitat for beautiful and colorful Galapagos fish.
In the afternoon you’ll visit Post Office Bay, a fascinating place where an old mail system and letter exchange station from the 18th century worked. In a wooden barrel placed by the crew members of a whaling ship letters were sent and received by sailors who crossed this island.
Day 8
You will start your day on the coast of Santa Cruz Island and you arrive in Puerto Ayora, the largest population in the Galapagos Islands. The tour begins with a visit to the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center, where you will learn about the great and admirable work of those who take care of the wild species of this center and where they carry out research to combat the extinction of endemic species such as the Galapagos tortoises and marine iguanas. Here, the young offspring of the giant tortoises complete an incubation program and then continue on their way to freedom.
To end the day you will be able to relax in the Jacuzzi in the upper deck of Yacht Anahi, share your experiences about everything you have learned with your fellow travelers, and talk about the commitments you could make to support the environment and reduce your impact on the lives of all creatures that live in the Galapagos Islands and the planet.
Day 9
Today you will arrive at Isabela Island to visit some small islets known as Las Tintoreras. Disembark in a bay where you will see several marine species that rest and play while you take the opportunity to photograph them in their natural environment.Sea turtles, Galapagos penguins, sea lions, manta rays, and white tip sharks, all within view of your camera.
Then you will sail to Puerto Villamil to hike to the highlands where you will visit the Sierra Negra Volcano, one of the largest craters in the world.
Finally you will arrive at Los Humedales where you can photograph a great variety of birds that walk along the trails such as lava gulls, boobies and Galapagos flamingos. In the afternoon you can take a walk through the small town of Puerto Villamil and buy some souvenirs to take home.
Day 10
Today you wake up in Punta Moreno. An unusual, but quite striking trail located between the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes in Isabela Island. Here you will enjoy a beautiful volcanic landscape and have the best panoramic view of the three most active volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands.
After enjoying the beautiful volcanic landscape that Punta Moreno offers, you will return to the yacht to recover energy and eat a delicious lunch with authentic Ecuadorian flavors. Later, after a well-deserved rest, you will start an excursion to Elizabeth Bay, an expedition in the middle of red mangroves that are full of life.
Here, sea turtles, flightless cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays, brown pelicans, and sea lions coexist in harmony, while your curious eyes explore this show of nature. Likewise, underwater, you can discover Dorado and Pámpano fish.
At the end, after a whole day of bonding and coexistence with marine and terrestrial life, you will return to the yacht to have dinner and rest while you imagine the next island you will visit.
Day 11
The first visiting point you will arrive at is Urbina Bay, a quiet sea bay from where you can see the top of the Alcedo volcano. The water of this beach is ideal for marine photography. When submerging you will be able to capture green turtles, cat sharks, and flightless cormorants with your camera; while pelicans, blue footed boobies and Galapagos penguins remain on the surface.
After a delicious lunch you will arrive at Tagus Cove, a beautiful hidden cove where pirates and whalers of the last century wrote their names on the rocks to mark their passage through this place. In this cove you will kayak in the Pacific Ocean and visit a strange saltwater lake that, although it is not inhabited by any fish due to its salinity, brings a lot of beauty to the landscape.
Day 12
After a delicious breakfast you will disembark on Fernandina Island, specifically at Punta Espinosa pier. Although this place seems like a desolate landscape, Fernandina Island is home to the largest population of marine iguanas that silently share their territory with Galapagos penguins and Sally Lightfoot crabs that stand out in this landscape of lava rocks and sand. Here you can snorkel with amazing seahorses.
After recovering your strength with a delicious lunch, you will arrive at Punta Vicente Roca, an island formed by the remains of an ancient volcano; here you will snorkel and swim alongside marine iguanas and large colonies of sea turtles.
Something amazing that will happen during your navigation will be to cross the equatorial line that divides the planet into the Southern and Northern hemispheres; when crossing the equator line you will make a toast with the crew on board and your fellow travelers.
Day 13
Another day will arrive and with it a new adventure, this time in Puerto Egas, located on the west side of James Bay; on a special and striking beach due to its opaque black sand.
You will start your hike on this peculiar coast. Taking advantage of the low tide you will observe countless marine species; sea lions that groom each other, marine iguanas posing on the rocks to soak up the sun’s rays, various birds flying around the island, and more fauna that you will discover along the way.
Another of the attractions of Puerto Egas beach is the possibility of snorkeling, a fun activity where you will see a lot of life under the surface of the water.
In the afternoon, Rabida Island will open its doors for you and you will be able to see a new ecosystem that is known because of how various external factors such as volcanic material, soil, sea breeze, salt water, and rain act as oxidizing agents and create a beautiful red sand beach.
Day 14
On day 14, your Galapagos Islands tour starts quite early and you will be able to watch the sunrise in the Chinese Hat Canal, a small islet located southeast of Santiago. The landscape of this location is formed by lava that splashes from the volcano and lava channels that go down to the coast and form cones that simulate a brimmed hat. Here sea lions and iguanas share their island with you so that you can enjoy it while you walk on paths that will take you to the bay.
Swimming in the ocean, close to so much marine fauna is certainly an indescribable experience, Galapagos sharks, manta rays, fish, white tip sharks, and black tip sharks; all coexisting in peace in these islands that are their home.
To continue your journey, you will arrive at Bartolome Islands where you will have the opportunity to snorkel in an area where, despite the cold water, marine life is abundant. Here you will swim between rocks where the lava formed natural tunnels and you will be able to immerse yourself among schools of fish that give color to the scene and are the true protagonists of the experience.
Day 15
Finally, on the last day of your Galapagos Islands tour, you will visit North Seymour, an island located north of Baltra Island. Here, the cliffs are home to swallow-tailed gulls that nest and coexist peacefully. This site is full of life and you will have to wait a couple of minutes for the marine iguanas to move to be able to cross the paths of the Island.
Baltra Island is the place where this beautiful tour will end. At the airport you will say goodbye to your travel companions and your guide. The experience of enjoying a different beach and landscape every day will certainly make you eager to return to explore the Islands that enchant anyone who visits them.
To enjoy an unforgettable experience like this, aboard the Yacht Anahi, explore our list of itineraries
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