Day 3: Santiago

AM - James Bay: Home to several species of shore, land and sea birds, today you’ll walk along the coastline in search of American oystercatchers, lava herons, great blue herons as well as bright-red Sally Lightfoot crabs. Towards the end of the walk, you’ll find a beautiful, eroded lava tunnel offering one of the only chances to see the Galápagos fur seal. Weather permitting, this is also a great snorkeling site with juvenile blacktip sharks, stingrays and scorpionfish.

PM - Espumilla Beach: Enjoy a secluded cove with pristine white sand, ideal for leisurely walks, swimming in turquoise waters, and kayaking along a coastline sculpted with dramatic cliffs. Keep your eyes peeled for the abundant wildlife that calls this sacred space home.

Buccaneer Cove: Located on the northwest side of Santiago, Buccaneer Cover is named after the first navigators and pirates, and later whalers, that used the island as an anchorage place to beach their boats while they went looking for food and water. Today, the cove is home to a variety of marine birds and sea lions. The cove is no longer a landing site, but a panga boat ride can be rewarding, with views of pelicans, herons, swallow-tailed gulls, and boobies. Look for two unusual rock formations that have eroded to look like ‘the monk’ and ‘the elephant’.

This is where naturalist Charles Darwin spent the majority of his time in the Galápagos.

Day 4: Fernandina

Fernandina is one of the youngest islands in the archipelago, with more visible lava fields than anywhere else in the Galápagos. Situated across the iconic Bolivar Channel from Isabela Island, lucky explorers may be able to spot whale sharks and sunfish en route.

AM - Espinosa Point: This is one of the most untouched islands in the Galápagos. No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina and the unique landscape was created by lava fields of the volcano La Cumbre. Marine iguanas conglomerate in larger groups than in any other island. They bask around in the sand, swim near the shore and sometimes block the pathways. Among the unique species found here, is the flightless cormorant. A bird that due to the lack of predators had to adjust their way of survival and perfect their skills of finding food in the ocean. Their wings, tails and feet progressively adapted for swimming. To see these birds, is to witness evolution happening right in front of you. Other impressive fauna to look out for include Galápagos hawks, Fernandina snakes, sea lions and lava lizards, making for an exciting experience while walking around the island.

This is also one of the only chances to see marine iguana underwater as they only swim in specific areas at specific times. It’s also a great place to swim with green sea turtles and nocturnal Port Jackson sharks as well as the colorful harlequin tuskfish that only live in the western islands of the archipelago.

PM - Tagus Cove: A short walking trail takes you to the top of the cliff from where you can view Darwin Lake, an uplifted ultra-saline lake saltier than the sea. You can also see several volcanoes from here. Look carefully at the graffiti on the surrounding cliffs of the cove, it has been written by pirates, whalers, and buccaneers in past centuries.

Tagus Cove is the remains of a tuff cone that created a secluded bay with calm waters ideal for panga boat rides and kayaking (weather permitting). Enjoy close encounters with the Galápagos penguin and other iconic sea birds, like the flightless cormorant, Galápagos martin, brown noddy, brown pelican and blue-footed booby. Weather permitting, snorkeling is also a fantastic way to spot sea turtles, ray-finned fish, stingrays and with a little luck, seahorses.

Day 5: Isabela

AM - Elizabeth Bay: Few have the privilege of exploring this secluded bay, teeming with abundant marine life. Cruise by panga boat into the sheltered mangrove lagoon, where the tallest red mangroves in the Galápagos tower overhead. Silence descends as the engines purr to a stop, allowing the bay’s symphony to come alive. Spot graceful sea turtles as they surface for a breath before diving back into the depths. Peek between the gnarled mangrove roots and catch a glimpse of nesting penguins. Stingrays and golden rays glide effortlessly beside your panga boat, while flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and petrels flit amongst the canopies.

PM - Moreno Point: Located on the north coast of the island, this area, although at times rather cold, is ideal for snorkeling boasting schools of chubs creole fish, harlequin tuskfish, penguins and sea turtles. The main attraction of this are the coastal lagoons in the middle of black lava flows where several unique bird species can be found. Walk in the lava flows of Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul, some of the Galápagos’ most active volcanoes, and between the islands’ three cacti species (lava, candelabra and prickly pear). A panga boat ride offers opportunities to see large marine iguanas, Galápagos penguins and flightless cormorants.