Monserrat 8 Days B

Day 1 – San Cristobal Island
AM: Arrival in airport and transfer to the boat. Briefing on board about the boat and the island.
PM: At the information centre La Galapaguera in the highlands you will learn about the giant tortoise breeding programme established by the National Park. You can see giant land tortoises living in a semi-natural habitat and also learn about their origin, evolution and the threats from introduced animals.}

Day 2 – San Cristobal Island
AM: One of the first sites visited by Charles Darwin, Cerro Brujo is a beautiful white-sand beach where brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and marine iguanas can all be found. An onshore version of nearby Kicker Rocks, Cerro Brujo is a very striking, eroded tuff cone. There is also fantastic snorkeling in the turquoise waters.
PM: León Dormido is a small, distinctive island that comprises two rocks which jut out of the ocean and is home to a large colony of sea birds. Kicker Rock is an excellent dive site where you could see many reef fish as well as hammerhead and Galápagos sharks. Sightings of large rays and turtles are common but not guaranteed.

Day 3 – Española Island
AM: Suárez Point is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Española Island mockingbirds, Galápagos doves and Galápagos hawks. Several types of reptiles, including the marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island.
PM: Gardner Bay has a magnificent beach with turquoise waters. Around the small islets nearby, snorkellers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. The bay is also frequented by a transient colony of sea lions which like to swim with you. Birds, like the endemic Hood-mockingbird and different species of Darwin finches, are omnipresent.

Day 4 – Floreana Island
AM: Noted for the volcanic green olivine crystals found in the beach, Cormorant Point offers a trail overlooking a saltwater lagoon that is a favourite of flamingos. Beyond the lagoon the trail leads to a magnificent white-sand beach. Green sea turtles lay their eggs in the sands here during the night and their tracks leading to and from the sea mark the beach.
PM­: The best known site on Floreana is Post Office Bay, a white-sand beach where in the past sailors used to leave and receive their letters in a barrel. The tradition continues – leave your postcard in the barrel and see how long it takes to be delivered, and at the same time if there is a postcard with an address close to your home, please take it with you. 

Day 5 – Santa Cruz Island & Santiago Island
AM:The highlands are located in the northern part of the island and can reach elevations up to 1500 meters. On a journey into the higher elevations of Santa Cruz you will experience all seven different vegetation zones. The vegetation here is abundant and lush and the weather moist.
PM: The Sullivan Bay lava field has a variety of interesting patterns made by the shapes and textures of trees that once existed there and hornitos caused when pockets of gas or water trapped under the lava exploded. The low-lying mollugo and the lava cactus are the only plants that have managed to take root in this harsh environment. On the shoreline black and white oystercatchers can be seen fishing for crabs and molluscs in the tide pools.

Day 6 – Bartholomew Island & Santa Cruz Island
AM: Bartholomew is the most photographed island in the Archipelago, and its pictures are the most shown next to Galapagos’ name. In fact, a walk through an unusual lava landscape, and then up some wooden stairs, will take you to the top, from where the view is more spectacular than what the images suggest.
PM: Located on the north shore of Santa Cruz, Las Bachas is a swimming beach. One of the few remnants of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galápagos, a floating pier, can be seen here. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest off the beach.

Day 7 – Santa Cruz Island
AM: The Dragon Hill (Cerro Dragon) visitors’ site was established by the Galápagos Islands National Park administration. A hypersalinic (saltier than the ocean) lagoon behind the beach is often frequented by flamingos, common stilts, pintail ducks and other species of birds. There is a short walk to the hill, which has rewarding views of the bay and a nesting site of land iguanas.
PM: Black Turtle Cove is located on the north side of the island and is only accessible by boat and with a guide. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cownose rays, spotted eagle rays, and an occasional hammerhead shark. Pelicans and Boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water.

Day 8 – Santa Cruz Island
AM: Transfer to the Airport.

Departure	Arrival
Thursday 2nd of January 2025	Thursday 9th of January 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 16th of January 2025	Thursday 23rd of January 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 30th of January 2025	Thursday 6th of February 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 13th of February 2025	Thursday 20th of February 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 27th of February 2025	Thursday 6th of March 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 13th of March 2025	Thursday 20th of March 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 27th of March 2025	Thursday 3rd of April 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 10th of April 2025	Thursday 17th of April 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 24th of April 2025	Thursday 1st of May 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 8th of May 2025	Thursday 15th of May 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 22nd of May 2025	Thursday 29th of May 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 5th of June 2025	Thursday 12th of June 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 19th of June 2025	Thursday 26th of June 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 3rd of July 2025	Thursday 10th of July 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 17th of July 2025	Thursday 24th of July 2025	[request availability]
Thursday 31st of July 2025	Thursday 7th of August 2025	[request availability]
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Thursday 28th of August 2025	Thursday 4th of September 2025	[request availability]
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Thursday 25th of September 2025	Thursday 2nd of October 2025	[request availability]
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Thursday 29th of January 2026	Thursday 5th of February 2026	[request availability]
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