NORTH SEYMOUR + PLAZAS SUR
A DAILY CRUISE EXPERIENCE!
Double your Galápagos adventure with the North Seymour and South Plaza Islands tour—a day packed with iconic wildlife, stunning landscapes, and unforgettable encounters! Start on North Seymour Island, where you’ll walk among colonies of frigatebirds with their bright red throat pouches, blue-footed boobies performing courtship dances, land iguanas, and curious sea lions. Then continue to South Plaza Island, a striking mix of vivid plant life, dramatic cliffs, and a unique ecosystem where land and marine iguanas coexist and seabirds soar overhead. With a certified naturalist guide, all transportation, and a delicious onboard lunch included, this tour offers two of the most wildlife-rich islands in one incredible day. Perfect for nature lovers and photographers
TOUR DETAILS:
Departure time: 7:30 am.
From: Puerto Ayora → Itabaca Channel.
Activities: 80% Hiking and 20% Snorkeling.
Duration: 8 hours.
Navigation: 2 hours per way
Yacht capacity: 16 people.
TOUR COSTS:
$415 Luxury yacht
PLEASE REQUEST AVAILABILITY BEFORE BOOKING
ITINERARY
07:30
We begin this adventure with a bus ride to the Itabaca Canal (approximately 40 minutes) from our meeting point. This will be announced the day before the excursion.
08:10
Once we reach the canal, the boat’s zodiac will be waiting to take us to the yacht.
09:00
Next, we will begin sailing to North Seymour Island. This journey can take between 50 minutes and 1 hour depending on sea conditions and wind conditions.
10:00
Once we reach North Seymour Island, we’ll disembark in the boat’s Zodiac. The landing will be dry.
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The Visitor’s Trail is approximately 2 kilometers long. This circular trail is easy to moderate in difficulty, allowing visitors to observe the island’s birdlife.
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It features a flat, arid landscape, formed by the uplift of an underwater plate. Its terrain is rocky and sandy, with low, sparse vegetation, especially palo santo trees and gray saltbush bushes. Despite its arid nature, it is a prime spot for bird and wildlife watching.
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You can find frigatebirds, specifically the magnificent frigatebird, which is common in the Galapagos Islands. This island is home to one of the largest frigatebird colonies in the Galapagos, where males can be observed displaying their red throat sacs.
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It’s also famous for its large population of blue-footed boobies, a species easily recognized by their striking blue feet. The island is an excellent place to observe their behavior, including the famous courtship dance where the males display their feet.
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Here you can also observe yellow land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus), a species endemic to the islands.
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Sea lions often rest on the beach or on rocks at the water’s edge, and can be seen playing in the water or swimming. During the breeding season, which is usually from August to September, it is possible to observe females giving birth and pups on the beaches.
11:30
We will return back onboard to change clothes for the snorkeling activity followed with some snacks.
11:45
We will take again the boat’s zodiac and move to a safe area where we can do the snorkeling.
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Swimming in Seymour is quite an experience, this site is one of the main diving sites on the islands as it enjoys abundant marine life including hammerheads and Galapagos sharks.
12:45
We will return to the boat where chef on board will demonstrate his culinary art to delight you with an exquisite lunch while we contemplate the natural beauty of our surroundings.
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While enjoying lunch we will sail slowly to our next destination which is South PLaza island.
14:00
We will arrive at South Plaza island and inmediately will take the yacht’s zodiac to disembark.
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The island is characterized by being a rocky, relatively flat and low terrain, with an area of 11.9 hectares and a maximum altitude of 23 meters.
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The area is characterized by its unique landscape of steep cliffs and distinctive vegetation, especially the Sesuvium, which changes color depending on the season, from green to bright red.
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Here you can find a large colony of Galapagos land iguanas, known for their bright yellow coloration and feeding primarily on plants, especially Opuntia cacti, both their fruits and flowers.
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The sea lions are an endemic species that live in large colonies and can be observed on beaches and rocks along the coast. The breeding season, with the highest number of births in August and September, attracts visitors who want to witness the birth and care of the pups.
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Here you can also find marine iguanas, unique for being the only reptile that dives to feed on algae. In addition to their marine adaptation, marine iguanas dry themselves in the sun after diving and can be seen expelling salt from their noses when they sneeze.
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Hybrid iguanas can be found here since is the result of crosses between land and marine iguanas. These hybrid iguanas often have characteristics of both species, such as the appearance of a land iguana but with a longer tail adapted for swimming, like that of a marine iguana.
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Here you can find many birds, including swallow-tailed gulls that build their nests in the island’s cacti to protect their young from terrestrial predators.
15:00
We will return back onboard to sail back to Itabaca Cannal where bus wil be waiting us to return back to Puerto Ayora town. We will arrive in town aproximately at 16:30
• Snorkeling equipment (mask, fins, snorkel)
• Wetsuits (optional. You must try equipment 1 day before in our office)
• Beach towels.
• Personal expenses.
• Travel insurance (highly recommended).
• Additional services not mentioned.
• A deposit of 50% or full amount is required for confirmation.
• The remaining balance must be paid 30 days before the start of the activity.
Cancellation policies 2024
59 to 30 days before the activity:
• Cancellation: 0% penalty
30 to 10 days before the activity:
• Cancellation: 50% penalty per person.
09 days before the activity
• Cancellation: 100% penalty per person.
INQUIRY FORM
- Ministery of tourism operations certificate: 2091762806001.001.5000194
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