Itinerary

After breakfast we will depart for our full-day sightseeing tour including a one-hour tour on the Panama Canal with the pleasure to enjoy the vegetation and wildlife.
 
We will continue to the Miraflores Lock where you will be able to watch ships entering the lock and discover the new museum where you will have the opportunity to enter the Lock on a simulator.
 
A buffet lunch will be served at the Miraflores Restaurant offering a great view of the canal. In the afternoon, we will continue our tour including the Old City with the most important sites.
 
This evening before dinner we will meet for a pilot’s briefing for tomorrow’s flight.

Today we will fly via commercial airline (ticket not included) to Baltra in the Galapagos.

Upon arrival, we will clear immigration and transfer from Baltra Airport and board the luxury catamaran M/C Ocean Spray, our home for the next few days as we explore the Galapagos Islands.

We sail on to Pinnacle Rock, a volcanic cone formed by magma expelled by an underwater volcano. This huge rock of many, many layers of basalt was formed by the many pieces formed together, as the sea cooled the hot lava and it exploded from contact.

The huge rock also houses a beach where a small population of green sea turtles will nest during breeding season. Galapagos penguins are known to gather here. We will have the opportunity to swim and snorkel and take in the beautiful sights of colorful schools of fish and curious sea lions.

This morning, we will sail to Buccaneer Cove in Espumilla Beach. As the second Island Charles Darwin discovered, it was originally named after King James of England.

A short walk on the beach will take us to Buccaneer Cove, once a refuge for passing sailors and pirates. As we take our short walk, keep an eye out for Marine iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs. This is an excellent opportunity for snorkeling.

The underwater formations provide an amazing home for the many different tropical species of fish that can be found here. In the afternoon, our excursion continues to Egas Port in Santiago. Egas Port is also known as James Bay, home to quick-footed Galapagos lava lizards, colonies of fur sea lions, oyster-catchers, and marine iguanas. This is also considered sea turtles and a greater variety of tropical fish.

In the morning, we will take an excursion to Darwin Bay which used to be a shield volcano. Now you can see where one of the sides of its caldera collapsed after hundreds of years of erosion.

The island is known for the wide variety of birds that can be observed. Over 20,000 red – footed boobies are estimated to call this island home within the trees and bushes of Genovesa Island. Snorkeling in this calm bay is part of our activity today!

In the afternoon, we will trail towards El Barranco. This site is also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps. It leads to a rocky path up a cliff that will reward you with an incredibly remarkable view.

This is also home to Palo Santo forest, a nesting place of sea birds such as red- footed boobies, Storm Petrels, and Nazca boobies. The panga ride along the cliffs will offer many nice spots to take pictures.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cartagena is a city with a wealth of character and well-preserved colonial architecture. With restored mansions, horse-drawn carriages and Old Worldstyle plazas, it is a perfect walking city.
 
With our local guide we’ll enjoy a walking tour of the historic walled old town as we discover the hidden history of this colonial city. We’ll see Puerta Del Reloj (Clock tower entrance), a symbol of Cartagena, the Plaza San Pedro Claver with its stunning Church, and Plaza Bolivar.
 
After lunch our tour continues with a drive to visit the impressive Castillo San Felipe. Built in the 17th century to protect the city from marauding invaders, it is the largest Spanish fortification in the Americas. Next, see the 17th century Convent of La Popa, a beautiful convent building that sits atop the highest point in the city, commanding spectacular views of the bay, old town and Caribbean Sea beyond.