7-Day Galápagos Island Tour with Santa Cruz and Isabela Wildlife

• Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, transfer to Santa Cruz.
• Seize the morning to visit Rancho Primicias in the island's highlands, where you will be able to see Giant Turtles in their natural habitat.
• Continue to the Lava Tunnels. There are eight lava tubes on Isla Santa Cruz, and the largest lava tubes in the whole of Galápagos are situated here.
• See Los Gemelos (Twin Craters), located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. They are not actual craters caused by impact, but sinkholes created when the volcanic roof of empty magma chambers collapsed due to tectonic shifts and erosion over time. This area is home to bromeliads, orchids, mosses, lichens, and many birds. Here, look out for the famous vermillion flycatcher, eight species of Charles Darwin finches, and short-eared owls.

• After breakfast, hike through a forest of enormous cacti and over rugged lava rock formations to one of the unique swimming holes in the Galápagos Islands. Las Grietas is a series of volcanic crevices formed during the cooling of molten lava. The porous lava stone of the island allows water to filter down from the highlands into Las Grietas, where it mixes with seawater filtering in from the ocean. The resulting azure waters are crystalline and refreshing. Las Grietas is a popular swimming destination for locals and visitors alike. Float blissfully in the cool water or get your adrenaline pumping by jumping from the new wooden platform.
• After lunch, walk to Tortuga Bay, located on Santa Cruz Island, about a 20-minute walk from the main water taxi dock in Puerto Ayora. Tortuga Bay has a preserved beach that is forbidden to swimmers and maintained for wildlife. Many marine iguanas, Galápagos crabs, and birds can be seen along the volcanic rocks. There is a separate cove where you can swim, and it is common to see white-tip reef sharks swimming in groups.

• Transfer to the pier and catch the speedboat to Isabela Island, rich in flora and fauna. It is the largest island in the Galápagos, named after Queen Isabela of Spain. Arrive on Isabela and transfer to the hostel or hotel.
• After checking in, walk around Flamingos Lagoon, an expansive coastal lagoon that serves as one of the primary breeding grounds for flamingos.
• In the afternoon, take ocean kayaks and paddle out to the pier of Isabela, a set of small islets within Isabela Bay. The islets are filled with wildlife and are home to the Galápagos penguin, the only penguin that lives in the equatorial region. You will also see sharks, marine turtles, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and much more wildlife as you explore its many small coves and beaches.

• After breakfast, go to the pier for a 45-minute fibre boat ride to a place where the lava flow meets the ocean's waves to form the stunning tubes and bridges of Los Tunnels. Los Tunnels is a marine paradise for the white-tipped reef shark, manta rays, parrot fish, yellowtail surgeon fish, Galápagos green sea turtle, and the Galápagos sea lion. This site is one of the most spectacular places for snorkelling in Isabela, as the water is shallow, clear, and calm. As soon as you reach the intertidal starting point, you will be free to snorkel through this beautiful site.
• Visit the Wall of Tears, a historical site in Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. It was constructed between 1945 and 1959 by prisoners in the Penal Colony on the island, established by President Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra in 1944, using infrastructure left by the US military after World War II. The wall is about 25 m (65 ft) tall and was the cause of thousands of deaths during its construction. Locals call it the Wall of Tears because it emanates eerie cries and carries a heavy energy.

• Head out early in the morning to Sierra Negra Volcano. It is one of the five volcanoes on Isabela Island and boasts the second-largest volcanic caldera in the world.
• Hike to the rim of the six-mile-wide crater and then trek across an alien landscape of lava fields and fumaroles. Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galápagos, with its last eruption in 2005, although you probably will not see any lava flowing.
• You will have the opportunity to explore thermal vents and other fascinating geological features before stopping for a snack near volcán Chico. The vistas from this spot are among the most breathtaking in Isabela and, on a clear afternoon, offer views of the northern volcanoes on Isabela and Fernandina.

Have a savoury hot lunch at Campo Duro.

• Relax for the day, or join an optional fishing tour if you are an early riser.
• You will head to the eastern side of the Galápagos, known as one of the best fishing areas in the archipelago.
• You can expect to catch striped, blue, and black marlin, depending on the season.
• However, since the water temperature in the Galápagos remains fairly constant all year round, billfish can be found here in almost every month of the year.

• After breakfast, transfer to Isabela Airport for your flight to Baltra.

End of the tour services.