Galápagos Islands | Investigating Endemic Wildlife aboard Coral I or II with Mary Washington Alumni on the Road

Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met and transported to your hotel.

After breakfast, take a city tour of Quito, Ecuador's capital. Surrounded by volcanoes, Quito is a unique city that boasts one of the largest and best-preserved colonial centers in America, earning it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel north of the city to the equator for a visit to the Middle of the World Monument. Before dinner, attend a lecture titled "Introduction to Geology of the Galápagos Islands."

After breakfast, travel from the hotel to the airport in Quito for the flight to Baltra Island in the Galápagos. Upon arrival to Baltra, you will be picked up and taken to the pier to board the M/Y Coral II. This afternoon, experience a dry landing at North Seymour Island, off of Baltra Island and not far from Santa Cruz Island. This landmass was formed by a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, which deposited layers of lava on the ocean floor. Take a two-hour walk amidst large nesting colonies of the Blue-footed Booby, Magnificent and Great Frigatebird, and Swallow-tailed Gull for an in-depth encounter with sea bird breeding cycles and sea lions. There is also a chance to encounter land iguanas and, on a lucky day, even come across the endemic Galápagos snake.

This morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. Once home to the famous Lonesome George, the last tortoise of the Pinta race, the breeding and relocation center is named in honor of his long-time guardian. The center is set in the Galápagos National Park Service, where various interpretative buildings are available to visit. The grounds, with large stands of native vegetation, are one of the better places to spot some of the seldom seen Darwin finches such as the Woodpecker, Common Cactus, and Vegetarian Finch. This afternoon, do a wet landing at Mosquera Islet, which is located between North Seymour and Baltra Island. This flat, sandy island has a large colony of sea lions. It is also an excellent site to observe shorebirds like herons and Lava Gulls. There is no trail on the islet; visitors can enjoy the open area. Most of the islet is covered with sand.

This morning, do a dry landing on South Plaza Island. There are two Plaza islets, North and South, located east of Santa Cruz Island. On the northern part of the Islet, visitors begin the journey along an impressive cactus forest, where colorful yellow and red land iguanas live. The population number here is around 300 animals; during the dry season they survive on fruits and flowers of the opuntia cacti. A peculiar thing to see in South Plaza is the hybrid iguana (sea and land). When reaching the highest point in the islet, tropicbirds can be seen. During the dry season from June to January, the usually greenish and yellowish vegetation changes in color, creating a bright red landscape (sesuvium edmonstonei plant). In the afternoon, do a wet landing on Santa Fe Island. Santa Fe boasts white-sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies. Through the island path, there is an endemic cactus forest that is home to the largest iguanas in the islands, the Santa Fe Island iguana. This island is the habitat for a number of species, including the Galápagos Hawk, Galápagos snakes, rice rats (one of the few endemic Galápagos rodents), a variety of finches, and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago.

Today, experience another dry landing - this time, on Lobos Island. Isla Lobos is approximately 20 minutes by boat from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Once on the island, there is a half-mile trail with both a rocky section and a nice and easy sand section. There is a small population of Blue-footed Booby and Great Frigatebird nests at this site, as well as a colony of sea lions. During the boat ride, you can also see Brown Pelicans and several species of shorebirds. Later, visit the Interpretation Center, an excellent place to learn about the islands' history. The Museum of Natural History displays information about the volcanic origins of the islands, their remoteness from the continent, ocean currents, climate, the arrival of different species, and their colonization, among other points of interest. Human history is also showcased, chronologically narrating the most significant events related to the discovery and colonization of the islands. Then, take a fairly strenuous hike up to Frigatebird Hill, with steep, rocky terrain leading to magnificent views and ending at the foot of a Frigatebird colony.

Start the day getting your feet wet while landing on the beach from your panga (dinghy) onto San Cristobal Island. While heading to shore, take in the immensity of the stunning cliffs of Cerro Brujo. Here, enjoy simply sharing the beach with sea lions, snorkeling from the shore, or taking a walk to a hidden lagoon where it may be possible to spot Black-necked Stilts, Ruddy Turnstones, Whimbrels, and White-cheeked Pintails. In the afternoon, sea lions greet visitors landing on the beach at scenic Punta Pitt; prepare for the climb to a high point on this steep eroded tuff cone. This is the only place in the islands that offers the chance to see all three Booby species in the same place: Red-footed Boobies are perched on the Cordia lutea and small trees, Nazca boobies are on the ground near the cliff edge, and Blue-footed Boobies are a little further inland. Frigatebirds are also abundant here, and the views are breathtaking.

Today, visit Española Island, home to Punta Suarez and Gardner Bay. Punta Suarez is a naturalist's paradise; it offers visitors the chance to see numerous marine iguanas and sea lions and walk alongside Boobies, endemic lizards, gulls, and even the impressive blowhole known to locals as El Soplador. Española is the oldest extant island in the archipelago, and it offers the unique opportunity to encounter the endemic Waved Albatross during their breeding and nesting season between April and December. With luck, travelers can watch their complex courtship displays. After returning to the yacht for lunch, visit Gardner Bay, one of the most stunning beaches in all of Galápagos. This long, white sandy beach is lapped by turquoise waters and home to a colony of Galápagos sea lions, indifferent to the humans that walk among them. Española Mockingbirds, endemic to this particular island, are also eager to inspect and satisfy their innate curiosity. Darwin's Finches may also join the throng, including the Gray Warbler-Finch. It is also possible to enjoy a chance to snorkel here from the beach, in the shallows of the bay.

After breakfast, land on the beach at Punta Cormorant in Floreana Island. On arrival, take notice of the subtle green hue on the dark beach, a result of a volcanic crystal called olivine. Walk through the island's endemic Scalesia forests to a large, shallow lagoon often inhabited by vibrant pink American Flamingos. Continue through a forest of palo santo trees to arrive at a white coral sand beach and nesting area for green sea turtles. Walk barefoot in the shallow water and spot diamond stingrays and whitetip reef sharks. This beach marks the end of your trail, so head back in the direction of the olivine beach to swim or snorkel among sea turtles, reef fish, and sea lions and, on a good day, whitetip reef sharks. A small colony of penguins resides on Floreana and can sometimes be observed here as well. Next, snorkel around Devil's Crown, an eroded volcanic cone that is home to an abundance of fish and marine animals. Here, swim with schools of yellowtailed surgeonfish, salemas, and Pacific creolefish, and with luck, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, parrotfish, and even hammerhead sharks. The eponymous jagged "crown" is a roosting area for species of Boobies, Noddies, Tropicbirds, and Frigatebirds. Nearby Champion Islet is the last remaining home of the island-endemic Floreana Mockingbird, which travelers may be lucky enough to see from the pangas. After lunch, return to the olivine beach and take a short walk inland to the famous Post Office Bay. Claimed to have been set up in 1793 by Captain James Colnett, it remains the oldest functioning "post office" in the Pacific. Whalers and fur sealers would leave addressed letters in the barrel to be picked up by homeward-bound colleagues; in the spirit of maintaining this tradition, visitors today often take letters and hand deliver them in their home countries.

This morning, land at the pier on Santa Cruz Island to visit the highlands and have the opportunity to observe wild Galápagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge 600-pound reptiles also affords visitors the chance to see more highland species, especially several species of the famed Darwin's Finches. Then, travel to Baltra Airport for the flight back to the mainland. Lunch is on your own at the airport. Enjoy the afternoon in Quito at leisure before gathering for a farewell dinner at the hotel in the evening. For those departing this evening, you will be taken to Quito International Airport for your flight(s) home.

Today, travel to the airport for your flight home.