Galápagos Islands | Conservation and Service Learning

Upon arrival in Quito transfer to your hotel. For flights arriving before 7:00 pm, dinner is included.

Today’s adventure includes a visit to the Intinan Museum for interactive experiences to help you learn about the equator and the equatorial line. Later visit the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve, which is a large volcanic caldera and one of only two inhabited craters in the world. The large caldera is the result of the collapse of rocks and earth accumulated by the successive eruptions of the Pululahua volcano. The Pondoña, El Chivo and Pan de Azúcar hills (technically called volcanic domes) were generated by subsequent eruptions. Pondoña and Sugar Loaf have small craters on their summits. It is estimated that the last eruption of Pululahua occurred 2,300 years ago. Pululahua is a Quichua word which appropriately means "cloud of water". It is a beautiful place to explore and witness the dense cover of fog that hangs over the lush vegetation. This this makes the area rich with orchids. Over 60 species currently identified. The caldera is home to about 40 families with rich soil that makes it a great area for farming. Since the reserve is located near the equatorial line, it is said to be a powerful energy center.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra. Upon arrival meet your local guide and take a short transfer by bus to the Itabaca Channel and board a ferry. Once you arrive on the other side, begin the journey to the hotel. Stop along the way to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz and explore the seven vegetation zones found on the island. Have lunch at a local restaurant at the highlands, where you will also observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Continue to Puerto Ayora and check in at your hotel. Afterward, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. This important station exists to provide knowledge and support to ensure the conservation of the environment and biodiversity of the Galápagos through scientific research programs. Visit the tortoise breeding facility and learn about this important conservation program. Return to the hotel for dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to Baltra Island and board the M/C Adriana for your day trip to Mosquera Islet and North Seymour Island. Located between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour, Mosquera Islet attracts many shore birds and has one of the largest populations of sea lions. Then visit North Seymour. Volcanic uplift created this small island, and the landscape is generally flat and strewn with boulders. Hike along the trail, inhabited by Blue-footed Boobies and sometimes juveniles awaiting their next meal. It's also quite common to witness the Magnificent and Great Frigatebirds display their brilliant red pouches among the trees in their attempts to attract a mate. The rocky shoreline is littered with Sally Lightfoot crabs, as well as Swallow-tailed Gulls taking a break from their hunt for fish. Despite the tremendous surf, sea lions are often found here together with marine iguanas along the island's rocky shore. Lunch will be on board the boat. Return to Baltra in the late afternoon and then transfer back to Puerto Ayora.

This morning you'll be transferred to the Pajaro Brujo Reserve located in Santa Rosa's highlands. Fundar works within the Galápagos community on projects to reconcile the differences between the preservation of the environment and the development needs of the local people. They run a number of projects that aim to demonstrate that development and conservation are not mutually incompatible and that having local support is essential. Fundar has a private reserve in the agricultural zone adjacent to the national park, where they are working on habitat restoration, sustainable agriculture, and management techniques. Upon arrival enjoy an orientation to the reforestation service project. Begin the reforestation project by working to prepare the ground for planting native sapling trees. Lunch will be on site. This afternoon, learn about the health and populations of tortoises in their natural habitat by participating in the Tortoise monitoring project. Afterwards return to Puerto Ayora in time for Dinner.

Today visit Garrapatero beach to work on a service project (foliage cut, beach cleaning and painting). Afterwards enjoy swimming and/or kayaking along the shore. After lunch in Puerto Ayora visit Tortuga Bay beach which is a favorite place of sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, flamingos and Lava Gulls. Return to Puerto Ayoro for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, visit El Trapiche, a local farm on the island, and observe as locals harvest and process the famous Galápagos coffee and sugar cane using traditional methods. Witness how the rustic, mule-driven sugar cane press operates, as well as learn some traditional coffee roasting tricks. Afterward continue with the transfer to the channel, ferry across, and then continue to the airport for a flight from Baltra to Quito. Transfer to your hotel in time to freshen up before dinner.

Spend today at leisure with a day room at the hotel. Check out is at 6pm. Enjoy a farewell dinner before being taken to the airport for your flight home.