Die einmalige Flora und Fauna der Inseln gehören zum Weltnaturerbe der UNESCO. Sie werden durch den Nationalpark der Galápagos-Inseln geschützt. Etwa 97% der Fläche der Galapagos Inseln und 99% der sie umgebenden Gewässer stehen dadurch unter strengem Naturschutz.
Mögliche Sehenswürdigkeiten
Seymour
Die etwa zwei Quadratkilometer grosse Insel Seymour Norte befindet sich 1,5 km nördlich der Insel Baltra, welche sinngemäss auch Seymour Sur genannt wird, und ist von dieser durch den Canal del Norte getrennt. Dazwischen, im Canal del Norte, liegt die kleine Islote Moquera. Galapagos Seelöwen, Blaufusstölpel und prächtige Fregattvögel finden sich reichlich auf Seymour Norte. Die Insel wurde von einer Reihe submariner Lavaströme geformt und ist durch ihre trockenen Vegetationszone charakterisiert.
Bartolome
Die Insel Bartolomé ist eine der kleineren und geologisch jüngeren der Galápagos Inseln. Sie liegt leicht östlich von San Salvador (Santiago/James) und hat eine Grösse von 1,2 km². Sie ist nach Leutnant David Ewen Bartholomew von der Royal Navy benannt. Die höchste Erhebung der Insel misst 114 Meter. Besondere Attraktionen sind die Strände, der auf Fotos von Galápagos häufig zu sehende Pinnacle Rock (deutsch Felsnadel, spanisch Pináculo) sowie Galápagos Pinguine und Fischbestände.
Isabela
Isabela ist die grösste der Galápagos Inseln und fast fünfmal so gross wie Santa Cruz. Die Insel nimmt weit mehr als die Hälfte (58%) der Landfläche des gesamten Archipels ein. Den höchsten Punkt bildet mit 1.707 m der Vulkan Wolf. Insgesamt gibt es neben Wolf mit Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador und Sierra Negra noch fünf weitere Vulkane. Die Insel wuchs wahrscheinlich aus sechs zunächst voneinander getrennten Schildvulkanen durch ausströmende Lava zu einer Insel zusammen. Eine unüberwindliche Barriere für die meisten Lebewesen bilden die kahlen Lavafelder und so hat die Evolution allein auf dieser Insel mehrere Unterarten der Galápagos Schildkröte hervorgebracht. Auf Isabela befindet sich mit den Galápagos Pinguinen ausserdem das nördlichste natürliche Vorkommen von Pinguinen.
Plazas
Die etwa 0,2 km² grosse Plaza Sur Insel liegt vor der Ostküste von Santa Cruz und wird von Seelöwen, Meerechsen, Landleguanen sowie zahlreichen Vogelarten besiedelt. Gemeinsam mit der gegenüberliegenden Plaza Norte bildet sie den über den Meeresspiegel ragenden Kraterrand eines Vulkans. Die typischste Pflanze ist die Sesuvium. Während der Regenzeit ist seine Farbe grünlich bis gelbliche, in der Trockenzeit hingegen (Ende Juni bis Januar) leuchtend rot.
Floreana
Ihren offiziellen Namen Floreana verdankt die Insel Juan José Flores dem ersten Präsidenten von Ecuador. Die Vegetation ist auf Floreana zweigeteilt. Auf dem trockenen Sandsaum der Uferregion sind Sonnenwenden und Strandwinden anzutreffen, dazu etliche Arten von Sukkulenten (Kakteen) und Sesuvien (Bodendecker). An den nebelfeuchten Hängen der Kraterreste herrscht üppige Regenwald-Vegetation. In grosser Zahl zu beobachten sind in der Punta Cormorant Flamingos.
Reiseablauf
Während einer Tauchkreuzfahrt werden nur wenige Landgänge angeboten. Gäste die mehr von der einmaligen Natur sehen möchten, sollten vor oder nach der Tauchkreuzfahrt einige Tage für Inselbesuche einplanen. Wir bieten verschiedene Tagestouren mit Hotelaufenthalte in Puerto Ayora an. Die Tagestouren sollten im Voraus gebucht werden, da nur eine gewisse Anzahl von Personen pro Tag die umliegenden, naturgeschützten Inseln besuchen dürfen.
5 Tage / 4 Nächte Privat-Rundreise «Highlights Galapagos»
Beispiel eines möglichen Reiseablaufes:
DAY 1. SAN CRISTOBAL
We will pick you upon arrival at San Cristobal Island and bring you to the hotel. Get settled and get ready to enjoy a nice Ecuadorian lunch. Visit Loberia Beach: A beautiful beach with great snorkeling! During the snorkel you may find sea turtles, rays, sea lions and many species of colorful fish. There is also a nice hike (optional) to a cliff where you can see many marine iguanas and birds such as blue footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and frigate birds. After that we go back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Meals included: -/L/D
DAY 2: FLOREANA
Breakfast will be served at 6 AM in your hotel. At around 06:30 you will be picked-up at your hotel to go to the pier to depart at around 7 AM to Floreana. The private boat ride lasts about 2,5 hours. Upon arrival, you visit the highlands, a place called “Peace Asylum” where the first colonists of the islands settled. The guide will tell you about the history of the colonists. During the short hike you will also spot Galapagos giant tortoises. Lunch will be served in the small village. After lunch you will go snorkeling on a beautiful beach nearby the pier. Afterwards you will continue on the boat to Isabella Island (approximately 1,5 hour ride). Isabella is one of the youngest islands which have still moderate volcanic activity (but it’s safe!). It’s a beautiful island with its port located near a clear bay and a long White Sandy beach. Upon arrival you will be picked-up by taxi/bus or chiva and driven to the flamingo lagoon to spot these beautiful animals at sunset. (If time allows, otherwise it will be re-scheduled throughout the stay in Isabella). Transfer to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Meals included: B/L/D
DAY 3: ISABELA
On your 3rd day you must choose upon booking between a Volcano trekking tour (land tour) or Cabo Rosa (water tour. Spaces to Cabo Rosa are very limited, that’s why it has to be booked in advance and is at extra cost). Meals included: B/L/D
Option 1 – VOLCANO HIKE (included in the price)
Early in the morning you will be picked-up by bus/taxi/chiva and driven towards the highlands: You will start a trekking (6 hours!) to the Sierra Negra and Chico volcano. The first stop on the hike is Sierra Negra Volcano which has the second largest active crater in the world: 10 km diameter. You will continue to walk towards Chico Volcano, which is a cone of Sierra Negra. You will walk through moon-like sceneries and have great views of nearby Fernandina Island and the north of the Isabella Island. This will give you an idea of how the islands looked at their creation. After walking back you will be moved by bus/taxi/chiva to a local farm which is also a tortoise reserve where lunch will be served. You will be back in the hotel around 3:30 PM to change to depart for a nice swim and snorkel at Concha de Perla lagoon.
Option 2 – CABO ROSA TUNNELS: THIS OPTION HAS AN EXTRA COST!
If you prefer snorkeling over hiking this is a great opportunity. You can take the excursion to Cabo Rosa tunnels which are located about 1 hour boat ride south from the port. This is an amazing place where the volcanic activities created lava tunnels going under and over sea level. You can spot the penguins, blue footed boobies and you will have great snorkeling too! Food will be provided during the tour. Later on you meet the rest of the group whom went to the hike to swim/snorkel all together at Concha de Perla lagoon. (Depending on availability the tour might also take place in the afternoon which results that the Concha de Perla snorkeling cannot be done with the group).
Day 4: ISABELA-SANTA CRUZ
In the morning you will visit the Tintoreras Islet near the port. There you can spot small Galapagos penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas, and blue footed boobies and often you can even spot white tipped sharks in one of the channels. You will have a short hike and go snorkel nearby. Afterwards you will continue with our private boat to Santa Cruz (2 hours). Upon arrival you will be transferred to the hotel and change to get ready for lunch and the afternoon program. After lunch you will walk to the Tortuga Bay beach to enjoy a last swim into the Galapagos waters and spot a huge iguana colony. The walk to Tortuga Bay is 3 km each way, passing through a giant endemic cactus forest. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 5: BALTRA
In the morning you will reach the airport with a stop to visit a lava tunnel. Sometimes you can spot a Galapagos owl. The guide will accompany you until the airport. Check-in will be done by you. Meals included: B/-/
8 Tage / 7 Nächte Privat-Rundreise «Highlights Galapagos»
Beispiel eines möglichen Reiseablaufes:
Day 1: SAN CRISTOBAL: transfer to the hotel
Get settled and enjoy a nice Ecuadorian lunch. PM: Visit Lobería Beach: A beautiful beach with great snorkeling! During the snorkel you may find sea turtles, rays, sea lions and many species of colorful fish. There is also a nice hike (optional) to a cliff where you can see many birds such as blue footed boobies and frigate birds, fishing during the evening. After that we go back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Meals included: -/L/D
Day 2: SAN CRISTOBAL Kicker Rock (León Dormido)
It is a volcanic tuff rock rising at 144 meters above the sea level. A beautiful snorkel site famous because of its rich marine life. You can spot there many tropical fish, sea turtles, sea lions, rays, Galapagos sharks, white tipped sharks and, if lucky, hammerhead sharks! Going around the rock with the boat you can spot masked boobies, blue footed boobies and frigate birds. Lunch will be served on board and then we navigate back to port around 2 PM. The rest of the afternoon is free until dinner. You can use it for shopping or go and visit the Interpretation Center (free entrance), tijeretas, Playa Carola and Playa Mann. You meet for dinner with the whole group where the guide will give you the details for the next day. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 3: FLOREANA
Breakfast at 6AM, at 06:30 we meet at the pier and at 7AM we depart for Floreana. The ride last 2h30. Upon the arrival, we will snorkel at Loberia beach and then visit the highlands, a place called “Peace Asylum” where the first colonists of the islands settled. The guide will tell you about the history of the colonists. We will also spot Galapagos giant tortoises on the way. Lunch will be served in the small village of Velasco Ibarra. Afterwards we will continue to Isabella island –1h30m ride. Isabella is a beautiful island with port is located near a clear bay and a long white sand beach. At arrival the bus will pick us up and we will reach the flamingo lagoon to spot these beautiful animals at sunset. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 4: ISABELA: Options: by land or by sea
Cabo Rosa (with a supplement, look at the Price section) (best season December–May)
Isabella is the biggest island but only a really small part of it can be visited, the rest is entirely protected by the National Park and visits are forbidden.
Option 1 – VOLCANO HIKE: Early in the morning we will reach by bus the highlands: we will begin a trekking (6 hours!) to the Sierra Negra and Chico volcano. Sierra Negra has the second largest active crater in the world: 10km round. We will continue to Chico volcano, which is a cone of Sierra Negra. We will walk through moon-like sceneries and have great views of nearby Fernandina Island and the north of the island. This gives us an idea of how the islands looked at their creation. Lunch will be served in a local farm which is also a tortoise reserve. We will be back around 3:30PM and we will end the day with a nice swim and snorkel at Concha de Perla lagoon.
Option 2 – CABO ROSA TUNNELS: THIS OPTION HAS AN EXTRA COST. If you are okay with another boat ride (1 hour each way) you can take the excursion to Cabo Rosa tunnels. This is an amazing place where the volcano activity created lava tunnels going under and over the sea level. We can spot penguins, blue footed boobies, and we will have great snorkeling too! Back to port at around 2PM, late lunch and then meet the other group at around 3:30PM to swim/snorkel at Concha de Perla lagoon.
Why is this tour not included? Because you will go apart from the rest of the group that will go to the volcano. Not everybody wants to ride a boat every day and people also like a full land day so we opt for the volcano as the main guided excursion. So you pay for the boat tour to the Tunnels and go with another group of people. You’ll meet with your group again for the afternoon excursion to Concha de Perla. Cabo Rosa is a great excursion but limited to 10 people per boat so we cannot include it for our 16 people group. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 5: ISABELA-SANTA CRUZ
In the morning we will have a great kayak ride in the bay. There will be single or double kayaks (mainly double kayaks) and it will be an easy ride. Kayak is the perfect way to observe the small penguins, the turtles, the rays as you go silently on the water. Back to port and at around 11h30 departure to Santa Cruz by boat. Arrival at 2PM, lunch and hike the Tortuga Bay beach to enjoy a last swim into the Galapagos waters and spot a huge iguana colony. The walk to Tortuga Bay is 3km each way, passing through a giant endemic cactus and sandalwood forest. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 6: UNINHABITED ISLAND
To complete the tour, you will visit some uninhabited islands such as Bartholomew, Seymour, Plazas or Santa Fe. Each one has its own character and species (Seymour–Plazas–Santa Fe has endemic species of land iguanas, Bartholomew has penguins and amazing views). Note that you will be traveling with another people/guide than you were on the tour, as those day tours have strict restrictions and just a few boats have the permit therefore we have to work with them. The tour consist in reaching the Itabaca channel by bus (except for Santa Fe which is South), and then board a yacht to navigate to the island. Hike and snorkel, lunch on board. We are usually return at around 5PM to the hotel. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 7: UNINHABITED ISLAND
Today we will visit another island: different to the previous day of course. Hike and snorkel, back to port at around 5PM. Meals included: B/L/D
Day 8: BALTRA
In the morning we will reach the airport passing by a lava tunnel that we will visit going entirely through it. We can spot there sometime an owl. Meals included: B/-/