From Santa Cruz Island
FULL DAY TOUR
NORTH SEYMOUR
North Seymour Island is a small island located in the Galapagos archipelago, a unique natural paradise in Ecuador. This island, measuring just 1.9 square kilometers, is famous for its impressive wildlife and unspoiled landscapes.
The highlight of North Seymour is its extraordinary biodiversity. Visitors have the opportunity to witness up close the amazing variety of birds, including frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies, as well as swallow-tailed gulls. Bird watching activities are an unforgettable experience, as many of these species nest and breed on the island.
The terrain of North Seymour is characterized by its rocky formations and low, arid vegetation, creating the perfect setting for short but exciting hikes and observation of local wildlife. Well-marked trails allow tourists to explore the island while observing wildlife in its natural habitat.
North Seymour / Full Day Tour
Details of visits:
– North Seymour Island
– Bachas Beach or Mosquera (Santa Cruz Island)
Includes:
– Snorkeling equipment
– Lunch
– Land and sea transportation
– PNG Naturalist Guide
Meeting point :
Departing pier: Puerto Ayora (Turtle monument at Pelikan Bay Pier)
Arriving pier: Puerto Ayora (Turtle monument at Pelikan Bay Pier)
Travel time
2 hours, 20 min.
Departure 08h00 a.m.
Coming hour: 16h00 approx
YACHT CAPACITY: 16 PAX
Tour Details:
NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND & BACHAS BEACH
Today we will join the tour group at the indicated meeting point and time. Then, we will depart by bus to the Itabaca Channel, where we will board the Galaxy Daily, thus beginning our adventure to North Seymour Island.
This island is located north of Santa Cruz Island. It is known for its large colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds, known as the Galapagos pirates
After arriving in North Seymour, we will have a dry landing and immediately start hiking on a 2.5 km (1.55 miles) trail. We can go clockwise along the coast or head inland first to visit the colony of boobies.
During this tour, we will access the nesting sites of the largest breeding colonies on the islands. We will then understand why Seymour is known for its rich wildlife.
Get ready to spot land iguanas and marine iguanas; also, a colony of sea lions, lava lizards, andpelicans!
While we advance along the path, we will observe several trees where the male and female frigates nest. As we continue through the trail, the terrain will become rocky. Then, we will have the opportunity to appreciate the nesting place of the spectacular blue-footed boobies.
This species is fascinating for its courtship dance in which they can dance for hours until finally captivating the female attention to nesting together.
Did you know that these boobies never build a nest? That is because a ring of white guano marks their nesting area.
If you like plants, we will see some endemic flora species in North Seymour during the walk, such as Opuntia, Croton, Castela, and Sesuvium cacti.
Bachas Beach
After we visit North Seymour and have a delicious lunch aboard, we will go to the beach known as Bachas, located north of Santa Cruz Island. Here we can snorkel or take a relaxing walk on the beach. For this, we will make a wet landing, in which we will jump from the panga to the shore of the beach. Again, we recommend disembarking barefoot and wearing light walking shoes for the rest of the journey.
Bachas beach is lovely, ideal for swimming, with a lagoon behind and a longer coast for walking and wildlife watching. The saltwater lagoon behind the beach often has great blue herons and small birds. Both the large and small beaches are nesting areas for green sea turtles.
As for snorkeling, during the activity, we may see many types of colorful reef fish and various rays, among other marine species.
At the end of our experience in Bachas, we will return to the Itabaca Channel. Then, we will be transferred to Puerto Ayora’s pier to end our day-long adventure.
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