Morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra, Galapagos Islands. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by a Horizon staff member and brought into a private bus to start your adventure in Galapagos. Your first excursion will be after being picked up at the airport, before boarding the cruise. Arrive in comfortable clothes, good closed-toe shoes, a long-brimmed hat, sun lotion, sunglasses, and have your camera handy. You will visit the Twin Craters on Santa Cruz Island, created by the collapse of surface material in underground fissures and chambers. Accessible by bus from Puerto Ayora, the lush green highlands of Santa Cruz contrast beautifully with the dry, lower parts of the island. You'll explore the lava tunnels and have lunch here.

In the morning, you will land on a beach and head to Post Office Bay, where 18th century whalers placed a wooden barrel used as an unofficial mailbox, a tradition that continues with visitors today. Then, you will have a chance to snorkel around Devil’s Crown, the rocky remains of an offshore volcano, spotting a wide range of marine creatures. In the afternoon, you will visit Cormorant Point, which hosts a large flamingo lagoon and distinct beaches: the green-colored Green Beach and the white coral Flour Sand Beach.

Santa Fe Island, also known as Barrington, features a picturesque bay on the island’s northeast coast with trails leading to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff and a tall prickly pear cactus forest. In the afternoon, you will take an excursion to Lobos Island, known as “Sea Lion Island,” home to playful sea lions, blue-footed and Nazca boobies, with opportunities for snorkeling and short hikes.

You will visit the David Rodriguez Breeding Center “La Galapaguera” in Cerro Colorado, where you can see giant tortoises in a protected area to ensure their survival. In the afternoon, you will tour the Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center, which explores the natural history of the islands, human interaction, and conservation efforts, with exhibits on the volcanic origin, ocean currents, climate, and endemic species.

In the morning, you will visit Pitt Point, hosting frigate birds, storm petrels, and all three types of booby birds. A steep trail leads to an area with an abundance of birds. In the afternoon, you will visit Witch Hill, known for its picturesque beach with white powdery sand, sea turtles, rays, and various types of booby birds. Later, you will explore Kicker Rock, a striking rock formation jutting out of the water, home to diverse marine life including sharks, tropical fish, and manta rays.

At Suarez Point, you will spot blue-footed boobies, albatrosses, and Nazca boobies. The island is the breeding site of nearly all of the world’s waved albatrosses, and you will visit a cliff that the albatrosses use as a launching pad. In the afternoon, you will visit Gardner Bay, Gardner Islet, and Osborn Islet, where you can walk across a white-sand beach amongst a sea lion colony or snorkel with sea lion pups.

Your final visit will be to Bachas Beach on the north shore of Santa Cruz, a beach for swimming and home to remnants of the U.S. World War II presence in the Galapagos. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black-necked stilts, whimbrels, and nesting sea turtles. After this visit, you will be transferred to Baltra airport for your flight back to the mainland.

Itineraries are subject to change.