ARCHIPEL I ROUTE A5

ITINERARY A5 / 5D – 4N

Our adventurous 4 nights route runs around the largest island of Isabela. Explore the untouched western end of Galapagos, which has just been born out of fire and the lush highlands. Nutrient rich ocean upwellings are a magnet to all kinds of marine and birdlife. It’s true that accessing this remote, less-frequented region demands longer navigation (mainly overnight), but our stable catamaran enables you to witness Survival of the Fittest, without experiencing it.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Virgin Fernandina & isolated west coast of Isabela make you eye-witness of evolution.
  • Pioneer species colonize barren lava fields
  • Flightless cormorants, largest marine iguanas and penguins near the equator
  • Unique tidal channel with whitetip reef sharks & rays

navigation-hours
±34h
hikes galapagos
±7x
dinghy-ride
±2x
snorkelling galapagos islands
±5x
difficulty
Easy Moderate
High chance of spotting

American Flamingo
American Flamingo Galapagos

Flightless Cormorant
flightless cormorant galapagos islands

Galapagos Penguin
galapagos penguin

Galapagos Giant Tortoise
galapagos giant tortoise giant turtle

Marine Iguana
iguana marine

Whitetip reef Shark
whitetip reef shark galapagos
Legend

Arrival

Snorkeling

snorkeling galapagos islands

Hike

Kayak

kayak galapagos islands

Dinghy Ride

panga ride galapagos islands

Departure

VISITORS SITES MAP

DAY 1 / THURSDAY

AM: Arrival at Baltra Airport

PM: CC Fausto Llerena

DAY 2 / FRIDAY

AM: Moreno Point (Isabela) panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

PM: Urbina Bay  snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 3 / SATURDAY

AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina) snorkeling galapagos islands

PM: Vicente Roca Point panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 4 / SUNDAY

AM: Puerto Egas (Santiago) kayak galapagos islands snorkeling galapagos islands

PM: Rabida  kayak galapagos islands panga ride galapagos islands snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 5 / MONDAY

AM: Black Turtle Cove  kayak galapagos islands panga ride galapagos islands snorkeling galapagos islands
Transfer out to Baltra Airport

ISLANDS OVERVIEW & ACTIVITIES

ITINERARY A5

Thursday

AM: Arrival at Baltra Airport

Arrival at Baltra Airport and transfer in. You will have to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee and your luggage will be inspected.

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
PM: CC Fausto Llerena

A tour at Fausto Llerena Breeding Center you can see the tortoises of Española Island, ending in the tortoise exhibit corral. Tortoises of this corral are accustomed to humans; it is an excellent spot to be photographed with them!

Activities: 

Difficulty: Easy

el chato reserve Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador

Friday

AM: Moreno Point (Isabela)

Fresh, promising greens of pioneer vegetation contrast strongly with the dead, pitch-black lava flow that once reached the ocean at Moreno Point.

Activities:  panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Moderated

moreno point Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
PM: Urbina Bay

On Isabela nature seems to hunt for the largest. The exceptional coastal plain at Urbina Bay attracts prehistoric giants in the wild, such as the largest land iguanas.

Activities:  snorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy

urbina-bay-galapagos

Saturday

AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina)

At Fernandina, you will find some of the most bizarre animal species, products of natural selection. Among them is the flightless cormorant, which after thousands of years isolated here lost the ability to fly and turned its wings into fins.

Activities:  snorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Tagus Cove Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
PM: Vicente Roca Point (Isabela)

We will enter a dark cave below a spectacular arch, accompanied by the roaring echoes of the waves. The calmer waters inside are well-protected and are a great place for snorkelling amongst various species of sharks, penguins, seahorses and the giant mola-mola.

Activities:  panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Espinoza point Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador

Sunday

AM: Puerto Egas (Santiago)

Puerto Egas is historical, and the favourite site on Santiago for wildlife lovers; and it’s even the best place in the archipelago to observe Galapagos fur seals.

Activities:  snorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Moderated

Puerto Egas Santiago Islands
PM: Rabida

Upon landing at this remarkable red beach, you will usually be greeted by a large bachelor colony of Galapagos sea lions.

Activities:  kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Rabida Galapagos Islands

Monday

AM: Black Turtle Cove

Black Turtle Cove: At 08:30 AM your last adventure takes place en route to the airport, exploring Black Turtle Cove from the dinghy. The quiet lagoon and surrounding mangrove forest enable the observation of sea turtles and sharks. The visit ends at 09:00 with the disembarking at Baltra airport.

Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy

caleta-tortuga-negra
Transfer out to Baltra Airport

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.

We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
DAY 1

Thursday

AM: Arrival at Baltra Airport

Arrival at Baltra Airport and transfer in. You will have to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee and your luggage will be inspected.

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
PM: CC Fausto Llerena

A tour at Fausto Llerena Breeding Center you can see the tortoises of Española Island, ending in the tortoise exhibit corral. Tortoises of this corral are accustomed to humans; it is an excellent spot to be photographed with them!

Activities: 

Difficulty: Easy

el chato reserve Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
DAY 2

Friday

AM: Moreno Point (Isabela)

Fresh, promising greens of pioneer vegetation contrast strongly with the dead, pitch-black lava flow that once reached the ocean at Moreno Point.

Activities:  panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Moderated

moreno point Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
PM: Urbina Bay

On Isabela nature seems to hunt for the largest. The exceptional coastal plain at Urbina Bay attracts prehistoric giants in the wild, such as the largest land iguanas.

Activities:  snorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy

urbina-bay-galapagos
DAY 3

Saturday

AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina)

At Fernandina, you will find some of the most bizarre animal species, products of natural selection. Among them is the flightless cormorant, which after thousands of years isolated here lost the ability to fly and turned its wings into fins.

Activities:  snorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Tagus Cove Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
PM: Vicente Roca Point (Isabela)

We will enter a dark cave below a spectacular arch, accompanied by the roaring echoes of the waves. The calmer waters inside are well-protected and are a great place for snorkelling amongst various species of sharks, penguins, seahorses and the giant mola-mola.

Activities:  panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Espinoza point Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador
DAY 4

Sunday

AM: Puerto Egas (Santiago)

Puerto Egas is historical, and the favourite site on Santiago for wildlife lovers; and it’s even the best place in the archipelago to observe Galapagos fur seals.

Activities:  snorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Moderated

Puerto Egas Santiago Islands
PM: Rabida

Upon landing at this remarkable red beach, you will usually be greeted by a large bachelor colony of Galapagos sea lions.

Activities:  kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Rabida Galapagos Islands
DAY 5

Monday

AM: Black Turtle Cove

Black Turtle Cove: At 08:30 AM your last adventure takes place en route to the airport, exploring Black Turtle Cove from the dinghy. The quiet lagoon and surrounding mangrove forest enable the observation of sea turtles and sharks. The visit ends at 09:00 with the disembarking at Baltra airport.

Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

Difficulty: Easy

caleta-tortuga-negra
Transfer out to Baltra Airport

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.

We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

Activities:

Difficulty: – –

Archipel ATC Cruises Galapagos Islands Ecuador