Cormorant Itineraries

Cruise A: 8 Days / 7 nights

Saturday - Saturday

Cormorant A

Day 1: Baltra Airport and Santa Cruz Island - Bachas Beach

Upon arrival, our representatives meet you at the airport for the transfer to the Cormorant.

Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

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 Galapagos, 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.

Type of landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy

Day 2: Bartholomew Island and Santiago Island

Bartholomew Island: Pinnacle Rock

Home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, Bartholomew consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one o the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos Penguin.

Type of landing: Dry and Wet
Difficulty: Moderate / Difficult. Walk up to the top of volcano 114 meters, 375 wooden steps

Santiago Island: Sullivan Bay

Located southeast of Santiago Island, Sullivan Bay is of great geological interest. The area is covered by Pahoehoe lava flows combined with A’A lava. It was very active 200 years ago. This flow is geologically very young. The magma formed is flat, but the movement of underground lava, the rapid cooling and other eruptions led to the break in many places. 200 meters around the landing, you can see patterns of vegetation that were burned during the eruption. A visit to this area of black lava is preferable in the afternoon because the temperature is more pleasant and the light is better for photographs.

Day 3: South Plazas Island and Santa Fe Island

South Plazas Island

In the morning, you will head to South Plaza Island. This small island with steep cliffs was formed by rising lava and is now covered by Opuntia cacti. It is also home to one of the largest sea lion colonies as well as colorful yellow and red land iguanas. The most characteristic plant is the Sesuvium. During the rainy season its color is a greenish to yellowish tone and in the dry season (end of June through January) a bright red.

Type of landing: Dry
Difficulty: Moderate

Santa Fe Island

Santa Fe (Barrington) is home to the small picturesque bay and anchorage on the island’s northeast coast. The bay has two visitor trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, and the other spanning from a small beach to a tall prickly pear cactus forest.

Type of Landing: Dry
Difficulty: Moderate

Day 4: San Cristobal Island

Witch Hill

Located on the northern coast, this eroded hill and its surroundings present one of the most picturesque beaches in the Galapagos with its white powdery sand and the abundance of animals. Wildlife includes sea turtles, rays, and various types of Booby Birds. The clear water provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy swimming and snorkeling.

Type of landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy

Pitt Point

Pitt Point, situated on the north-eastern tip of the island, hosts frigatebirds, storm petrels, and all three types of Booby Birds: the Nazca, Blue-footed and Red-footed Boobies. A steep trail goes up a cliff and through a ravine leading visitors to an area with an abundance of birds. This site is also great for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Type of Landing: Wet
Difficulty: Moderate / Difficult

Day 5: San Cristobal

Interpretation Center & Galapaguera

The Interpretation Center was opened in 1998 as a phase of the project “Interpretation and Environment Education Project.” Visitors enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control. The Interpretation Center has an outdoor stadium, audio-visual equipment, and meeting rooms.

Type of landing: Dry
Difficulty: Easy

Kicker Rock

This striking rock formation is located a couple hours off the western shore of San Cristobal. Jutting out of the water, the rocks stand vertically at hundreds of feet above the ocean divided by a small channel. Although there are no landing areas, kayaking and scuba diving allow visitors to spot a variety of marine life.

Type of Landing: No Landing
Difficulty: Easy

Day 6: Espanola Island

Suarez Point

This area is great for spotting Blue-footed Boobies, albatrosses and Nazca Boobies. A beautiful site on the ocean front, the large Waved Albatrosses use the cliff as a launching pad. The famous attraction is the magnificent blowhole, spurting water high into the air. This site presents wonderful photograph opportunities.

Type of landing: Dry
Difficulty: Difficult

Gardner Bay

Gardner Bay, on the eastern side of the island, is the breeding site of nearly all of the world´s 12,000 pairs of Waved Albatrosses. It has an ample white sandy beach with a myriad of sea lions, perfect for relaxing. Its rocky shores make this site a great place for diving and snorkeling.

Type of Landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy

Day 7: Floreana Island

Post Office Bay

In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home.

Type of landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy

Cormorant Point

This site hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts, White-cheeked Pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The “Green Beach” named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the “Four Sand Beach” composed of white coral.

Type of Landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy

Day 8: Santa Cruz

Charles Darwin Station

The Charles Darwin Research Station is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet long. Sub-species of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans, stretching out their heads for a pet. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.

Type of landing: Dry
Difficulty: Easy

Transfer to the Airport

Please keep in mind that on departures days, your morning visit will be early and short since we need to be prepared before heading back toward the airport for your returning flight to Ecuador’s mainland.

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Cruise B: 8 Days / 7 nights

Saturday - Saturday

Cormorant B

Day 1: Baltra Airport and Santa Cruz Island

Upon arrival, our representatives meet you at the airport for the transfer to the Cormorant.

Santa Cruz Island: Twin Craters & Highlands

Here at the Highlands, you can walk along a path, observing the hills, ferns, volcanoes, and rich wildlife. This area is home to giant tortoises, forest, mockingbirds, Bahama ducklings, White-cheeked Pintail ducklings, Darwin finches, and many other species. You will come upon the underground lava tubes, which are more than one kilometer (half a mile) long. Local guides are will provide information and flashlights. Walking through the lava tubes is a unique and surreal experience.

Type of landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy

Day 2: Isabella Island

Tintoreras or Sierra Negra

The Tintoreras Islet, located a short distance from Puerto Villamil, is home to a great variety of wildlife. Its turquoise, crystalline waters are inhabited by white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos Penguins, marine turtles and sea lions. One of its beaches, surrounded by mangroves is one of the few sites where marine iguanas can reproduce successfully.

Type of landing: Panga
Difficulty: Easy

Tortoise Breeding Center & Wetlands Complex

The Wetlands of Isabela Island are located just outside of Puerto Villamil. The Wetlands consist of lagoons, swamps, and mangroves and are home to a variety of unique bird species such as Common Stilts, Whimbrels, White-Cheeked Pintails, and Gallinules. The Wetlands can be visited on foot via a path that winds through the swamps.

Type of Landing: Dry
Difficulty: Easy

Day 3: Isabela Island

Moreno Point

Moreno Point is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. The plethora of birds seen during a dinghy ride along the striking rocky shores or a hike along path through lava rock leading to tide pools and mangroves create a birdwatcher’s delight. In the tide pools green sea turtles or white-tip sharks can be spotted.

Type of landing: Dry
Difficulty: Moderate / Difficult

Elisabeth Bay

Elizabeth Bay is located on the east coast of Isabela Island. The bay contains many islets, which can be visited by dinghy. Penguins and Blue-footed Boobies can be spotted on the rocky islets. With an abundance of marine life and clear water, the area is perfect for snorkeling and viewing schools of colorful fish, sea lions, and perhaps even sharks.

Type of Landing: No landing
Difficulty: Easy

Day 4: Fernandina Island and Isabella Island

Mangle Point

A visit to Mangle Point allows visitors to witness the amazing views and wildlife on the Coast of Fernandina Island. This is a small inlet on Fernandina’s coast where you can snorkel to your hearts delight and watch playful sea lions,

Type of landing: No landing
Difficulty: Easy

Urbina Bay

Urbina Bay is located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast, between Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954, causing the land to rise over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out, leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. This area is also a great place for snorkeling.

Type of Landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

Day 5: Fernandina Island and Isabella Island

Espinosa Point

No foreign species have ever invaded Fernandina Island and therefore it is one of the world's most pristine island ecosystems. The volcano “La Cumbre” dominates the landspace with lava fields reaching the ocean. The island´s highlight features the Flightless Cormorant nesting site. This area provides a great opportunity to see the Galapagos Hawk.

Type of landing: Dry and slippery at low tide
Difficulty: Moderate

Vicente Roca Point

The largest in the archipelago, this seahorse-shaped island is also one of the youngest and most volcanically active. The morning visit is to Vicente Roca Point. Comprised of two separate coves, this site is a large bay with spectacular sea life. Keep an eye out for seahorses, sea turtles, and the strange yet fascinating Mola-mola (sunfish).

Type of Landing: No Landing
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

Day 6: Marchena Island

Black Beach

Black beach is one of the most unique locations to visit in the Galapagos Islands. Its name came from the black eroded basaltic sand which derived from the Galapagos basaltic shield of volcanoes. Around Black Beach you may see Bottle-Nosed dolphins playfully splashing about and it may be possible to see Marine iguanas diving for algae growing on the lava beds below the serene, calm, blue waters. Marchena Island is also very mysterious. As legend holds two bodies washed up many years ago and were naturally mummified on the island and to this day nobody knows how they came to their untimely fate!.

Type of landing: None
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

Mejia Point

Here you’ll find one of the best snorkeling sites located in the Galapagos Islands. You can marvel in wonder at the amazing way our world first began by finding the rolling lava beds perfectly preserved below the surface. This island has never been inhibited by humans so the flora and fauna is abundant and can be seen from afar. The calm, deep, blue water is perfect for viewing a variety of fish, sting-rays, and sea turtles in the rugged marine territory.

Type of Landing: None
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

Day 7: Genovesa Island

El Barranco

Also known as Prince Phillip's Steps, El Barranco’s steep, rocky paths leads up to a high cliff-face. A marvelous view can be appreciated from here. This site is also home to Palo Santo vegetation as well as Red-footed Boobies, Short-eared Lava Owls, Galapagos Swallows, and Galapagos Doves.

Type of landing: Dry, difficult landing
Difficulty: Moderate

Darwin Bay

This white-sand coral beach heads a half mile trail (.75km) that winds through mangroves filled with land birds. Nazca Boobies, Red-footed Boobies, and Swallow-tailed Gulls can be spotted here. Further down the path are tidal pools where sea lions swim playfully. At the end is a spectacular view off a cliff.

Type of Landing: Wet
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate

Day 8: Mosquera Islet

North Seymour Island

Galapagos Sea Lions, Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds are abundant on North Seymour Island. The island was formed by a series of submarine lavas containing layers of sediment that were uplifted by tectonic activity. The island is characterized by its arid vegetation zone.

Type of landing: Dry
Difficulty: Moderate / Difficult

Transfer to the Airport

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