Welcome to the Galapagos!
Today you will be meeting other travellers arriving from Quito at Baltra Airport. Please be at the airport by 09.30am. The guide cannot wait for you so you need to make sure that you are there on time.
Once you have met up with the rest of the group, a 10 minute transfer will bring you to the Daphne which will be anchored in Baltra.
Once on board, you’ll be assigned a cabin, meet the crew and get to know your fellow travellers over a delicious lunch. Sail from Baltra to Las Bachas (approximately 30 minutes; 4 nautical miles). The lush sands of Las Bachas, on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, are a nesting site for the Pacific green turtle. Marine iguanas are also commonly spotted. The sand here, made of decomposed coral, is particularly white and soft. The rocks make for excellent snorkelling and are populated by Sally Lightfoot crabs which are plentiful on the island. A saltwater lagoon just near the beach is home to flamingo and whimbrel – you might also see a great blue heron. Remnants of a floating pier, a testimony to the US presence in the Galapagos during World War II, can also be seen.
PLEASE NOTE:
If you are not spending any extra time on the islands, we recommend that you book these flights:
Day 1: Flight AV1632 from Quito to Isla Baltra
Day 8: Flight AV1633 from Isla Baltra to Quito
If you are arriving to the islands earlier and spending extra time here, you will need to make your own way from Isla Baltra (airport) to Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora) for your accommodation, please see instructions below.
Walk out of the arrivals hall and look out for the buses leaving Canal.
From here you take the bus to the Canal (Itabaca Channel) the journey is approximately 10 minutes (USD5). There will also be buses to Muelle, which should be avoided as they will not take you to the Channel.
Once at the Itabaca Channel you have to cross by ferry, again the journey is approximately 10 minutes and about 1 USD per person to the other side (the northern side of the Santa Cruz)
From here you have two options:
Public bus – they only depart when they are full and you might have to wait for a while (3 USD per person) – 50 min ride
Taxi – the cost is approximately 20 USD for the whole taxi and you reach Puerto Ayora within 45 min.
To make your own way back to the airport to meet the group on day 1, you will need to follow the above instructions in reverse. Please allow a minimum of 1 ½ hours to get back to the airport. If you are not there by the meeting time, the guide, and therefore the boat, will leave without you. Boats in the Galapagos need to adhere to strict departure times from the ports.
Accommodation
M/Y Daphne (1 night)
Included Activities
Isla Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach Walk (1 hour) - Wet Landing
Meals Included
Lunch
Dinner