Galápagos Islands | Conservation and Service Learning

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

Today visit the Churute Ecological Reserve. The reserve protects more than 120,000 acres of mangroves and dry tropical forests, as well as an array of wildlife, such as mantled howler monkeys, badgers, and tigrillos. In the afternoon visit Cacao y Mango Finca, a working family farm, for an authentic, home-cooked meal. While there, tour the crops and orchards and learn about the medicinal and economic importance of many of the plant species. End with a hands-on demonstration of cacao processing, from the fruit to roasting and grinding, and enjoying the final product. Dinner at the hotel.

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. Please note that depending on the day of the week, the islands visited will be different. Your program will be updated based on your travel dates. Islands available as part of a day visit are as follows-Monday/Friday: Bartolomé Island and Sullivan Bay; Tuesday: North Seymour and Mosquera Islet; Wednesday: Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat); Thursday: South Plaza Island; Saturday: North Seymour and Bachas Beach; Sunday: South Plazas and Punta Carrión.

This morning you'll be picked up by a representative of Fundar Galápagos and brought to their facilities. 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 breakfast and an orientation to the reforestation service project scheduled for today. Begin the reforestation project by working to prepare the ground for planting native sapling trees. Lunch will be on site. This afternoon, continue with ground preparation work and take part in a group discussion and reflection. Dinner and overnight in the reserve.

After a hearty meal, begin the day by removing invasive plant species by hand and machete. After lunch visit Tortuga Bay for a snorkeling adventure among the marine life. Tortuga Bay is a favorite place of sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, flamingos and Lava Gulls. Return to the reserve for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast check out of the hotel and 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 Guayaquil. Transfer to your hotel. This afternoon enjoy an excursion to the Malecón. A revitalization project in the 1990s reshaped Guayaquil, turning it into a beautiful and vibrant city with many tourist attractions. The two-mile river walk along the Guayas River, known as the Malecón, has become a favorite spot for locals and tourists to take a stroll and visit restaurants, art galleries, stores, and museums. Return back to the hotel and have some time to freshen up before a farewell dinner and trip reflection.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. Breakfast will be available depending on your flight time.