North Seymour and Mosquera Tour

from
$360

Wildlife Paradise: Frigatebirds, Blue-Footed Boobies & White-Tip Reef Sharks

Combine iconic land wildlife encounters with incredible underwater exploration on this pristine full-day expedition. North Seymour Island is famous for hosting one of the largest nesting colonies of magnificent frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos, alongside thriving land iguanas. Afterwards, cross over to Mosquera Islet, a tiny white-sand coral reef cay packed with playful sea lions, lava gulls, and shallow reefs teeming with white-tip reef sharks, rays, and tropical fish.

📌 Quick Facts

  • Activity: Guided Wildlife Hiking & Snorkeling (1 Trail Walk + 1–2 Snorkel Sessions)

  • Duration: Full Day (Approx. 7–8 hours)

  • Departure Point: Puerto Ayora / Itabaca Canal (Santa Cruz Island)

  • Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate (Suitable for all ages; walking on uneven volcanic lava trails and beach entry snorkeling)

  • Snorkel Depth: Shallow to Medium (2–8 meters / 6–26 feet)

  • Water Temperature: 18°C – 24°C (64°F – 75°F) depending on the season

📋 Detailed Itinerary

07:30 AM – Hotel Pick-Up & Transfer to Itabaca Canal

Meet your certified Galapagos National Park guide and driver at your hotel in Puerto Ayora. Take a scenic 45-minute drive north across the highlands of Santa Cruz to the Itabaca Canal, where you will board our yacht.

08:30 AM – Navigation to North Seymour & Briefing

Board the boat and begin a smooth 45-minute navigation north toward North Seymour Island. During the trip, your bilingual naturalist guide will explain the day’s activities, safety rules, and unique ecological highlights of the area.

09:30 AM – Guided Nature Walk on North Seymour Island

  • Trail Distance: Approx. 2 km / 1.2 miles (Circular rocky trail)

  • Highlights: Dry landing on the rocky shore. Hike through the palo santo trees to witness the spectacular courtship displays of Magnificent Frigatebirds inflating their iconic red gular sacs, blue-footed boobies performing their famous mating dance, land iguanas resting under cacti, and marine iguanas along the coastline.

11:30 AM – Snorkeling Session at North Seymour / Deep Water Snorkel

  • Location: North Seymour coast or nearby channel

  • Highlights: Jump into clear waters to swim with sea lion pups, Pacific green sea turtles, white-tip reef sharks sleeping along the sea floor, eagle rays, and vibrant schools of parrotfish and surgeonfish.

01:00 PM – Onboard Hot Lunch & Navigation to Mosquera

Return to the yacht to dry off and enjoy a delicious freshly cooked buffet lunch (vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available upon request) while navigating toward Mosquera Islet.

02:15 PM – Wet Landing & Snorkeling at Mosquera Islet

  • Location: Mosquera Islet (Coral sand cay between Baltra and North Seymour)

  • Highlights: Disembark via zodiac onto the powdery white-sand beach. Walk among one of the largest sea lion harems in the archipelago, observe lava gulls, and enjoy a shallow-water beach entry snorkel alongside friendly sea lion pups and gentle reef sharks.

03:45 PM – Return Navigation to Itabaca Canal

Board the yacht for the return journey to Itabaca Canal, enjoying afternoon snacks, fresh fruit, and warm drinks onboard.

05:00 PM – Arrival in Puerto Ayora

Private bus transfer back to your hotel in Puerto Ayora, concluding your wildlife adventure.

🎒 What is Included

  • Certified Bilingual Galapagos National Park Naturalist Guide (English/Spanish, max 16 guests per guide)

  • Snorkeling Equipment: High-quality mask, snorkel, fins, and neoprene shorty wetsuit

  • Marine & Land Transport: Round-trip hotel transfers and yacht navigation

  • Food & Drinks: Hot lunch onboard, fresh fruit, afternoon snacks, tea, coffee, and purified water

  • Towels & Safety Gear: Life jackets and towels provided onboard

🚫 What is Not Included

  • Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee

  • Transit Control Card (TCC)

  • Personal expenses and gratuities for the crew/guide

  • Wet suit upgraded full-body rentals (optional)

🧳 What to Bring

  • Original Physical Passport

  • Comfortable walking shoes or sturdy closed-toe sandals for the lava trail

  • Water shoes or sandals easy to slip off for wet landings

  • Swimwear (worn under light clothes)

  • Reusable water bottle

  • Sun protection (reef-safe sunscreen, wide-brim hat, UV rashguard)

  • Lightweight windbreaker or rain jacket

  • Waterproof camera or GoPro with floating grip

⚠️ Requirements & Important Notes

  • Trail Terrain: The walking trail on North Seymour consists of uneven, loose volcanic rock; comfortable footwear is required.

  • Wildlife Interactions: National Park rules require maintaining a minimum distance of 2 meters (6 feet) from all wildlife at all times.

  • Landing Types: Includes one dry landing (stepping onto a rocky jetty) and one wet landing (stepping directly into shallow water onto a sandy beach).

  • Reviews 0 Reviews
    0/5
  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
    Discovery, Guided Tours
  • Activity Level Challenging
    5/8
  • Group Size Large Group
    20
All about the North Seymour and Mosquera Tour.

One of the best activities that you surely cannot miss, where you can get to know Machu Picchu aboard services, always thinking of taking your adventure to another level. Get to know Machu Picchu and all its tourist attractions in a single day, travel by train by bus and including tickets to Machu Picchu with the experience of the best local guides that Machu Pichu offers. However, lunch can be optional or a buffet in one of the restaurants in its surroundings.

100 kilometers from the city of Cusco is the best tourist destination in South America: the Inca city of Machu Picchu. The wonder of the world is the goal of almost all tourists who come to Cusco. Machupicchu was a citadel for agricultural, urban and religious purposes. It has a history that goes back more than five centuries. In addition, the exuberant landscape that surrounds it makes it one of the most photographed places in the world.
However, Cusco is not just Machu Picchu. In the high mountains of Cusco, close to the imposing snow-capped Ausangate, is Vinicunca, the famous mountain of 7 colors. This summit is more than 5 thousand meters above sea level. Thousands of visitors arrive there every day. This amount has made the rainbow mountain the second most visited tourist destination in Cusco, only after Machu Picchu.

On the other hand, the time when the rains increase and the number of tusita decreases due to its intense rains is from December to April, however it is also a time that can be visited.

The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
  • Transportation from Cusco to the Ollantaytambo station
  • Tourist train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
  • Aguas caleintes bus ticket
  • Entrance Tickets to Machupicchu
  • Professional Guide
  • Optional lunch
What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
  • Dinner
  • Snacks
  • Water
  1. Machupicchu Day Tour Machupicchu Day Tour

    The activity of this day may begin depending on the availability of the train. Passengers must arrive at the Ollantaytambo station exit, which is located 1h30 minutes from the city of Cusco, where it is the meeting point for passengers. Once there, staff from G.G Active will be with the rest of the group to start the activity.

    1. Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. An Andean dream activity touring landscapes on board the best experience passengers travel through a majestic Andean landscape to the town of Aguas Calientes. This tour will have 1H40 minutes where you will observe one of the best landscapes on board of the train surrounding by one of the most beautiful passages of Peru of the Sacred Valley of the Incas
    2. Hot Waters of Machu Picchu. Once the tourists arrive, they will be accompanied by the staff who will direct them to the bus where they will board the ecological service that will take them to Machu Picchu, the journey will take about 30 minutes.
    3. MACHU PICCHU TOUR. Finally we will arrive at the most awaited place where we will have a 2h30 Archaeological walk where our tour guide will take us to the deepest part of Machu Picchu reviving the ancient empire.
    4. Return to Cusco. At the end of the visit to Machu Picchu, it is time to return by bus to Aguas Calientes.
      In this town you will have free time for lunch (not included in the tour). If you contracted the buffet lunch service, you will enjoy a delicious menu at the Tinkuy restaurant (belonging to the 5-star Sanctuary Lodge hotel).
      At the time indicated by the tour guide, you must board the Expedition train that will take you back to the town of Ollantaytambo. There an assistant will help you board the minivan in the direction of the city of Cusco. The tour ends at around 9:00 p.m. in a central square in the city of Cusco.

    Going and coming from the trip:

    The schedules depend on the departure of the train, the departure is from the Ollantaytambo station, 1h30 from the city of Cuzco, departure is between 6h30 from the Ollantaytambo station and return between 9h00 pm in the city of Cusco.