Day 1
Thursday: Flight to Quito. Upon arrival in Quito, transfer to your hotel.
Day 2
Friday: Full-day Colonial Quito Tour and the Equator
The tour begins with a visit to Independence Square, where the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral and El Sagrario Church are located. We will also visit the Church of La Compańia (1605), with its amazing gilt altars. This is considered the finest example of baroque art in America and the Moorish influence can also be noted in the intricate designs carved on the magnificent red-and-gold columns and ceilings. Afterward we will take you to the church and monastery of San Francisco (1535). This is the oldest Ecuadorian church, and the main altar inside is a spectacular example of baroque carving. There is also a fine collection of artwork, including paintings, sculpture and furniture dating back to the 16th century. Finally we will drive up to the highest viewpoint of the city, El Panecillo, where we will have a spectacular view of Quito and the opportunity to see an old church with the famous “winged virgin” of Quito. After visiting the colonial and modern areas of the city, a 30-minute drive will take us to La Mitad del Mundo (the Middle of the World) with its 30-meter-high monument marking the equatorial line and excellent ethnographical museum.
Day 3
(Saturday only):
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to the Galapagos. Arriving in Baltra Island, visit to Dragon Hill in Santa Cruz Island. After a 15-minute bus ride from the airport to the Baltra pier and a zodiac ride, you’ll board the ship and settle into your cabin. On your first day in Galapagos, you’ll visit a bay located in the northwest part of Santa Cruz Island. It is known as Dragon Hill since long ago because of the colonies of land iguanas that lived in this area.
During most of the year, you can see flamingos in marshland lakes as well as some migratory birds. You will also have the opportunity to see Darwin Finches, hood mockingbird and lava lizards. This area has arid vegetation where you can find some oppuntia cactus, palo santo (bursera) and other endemic plants.
It has a wonderful landscape as you can see Rabida Island to the west and Santa Cruz Island to the east. In the beach zone, you can see some endemic coast plants and also some marine iguanas, sea lions, American oystercatchers, pelicans and a small colony of blue-footed boobies. The visit has a wet landing and a two-kilometer flat trail (2 hours hiking); we suggest comfortable walking shoes, walking sticks (if necessary) and binoculars for bird watching at the marshland lakes.
Day 4
Sunday
Bartolomé Island and James (Santiago) Island
Morning: Bartolomé Island
The first destination is Bartolomé, an island of varied volcanic formations with a 350-foot summit and a fabulous 360ş view. Depending upon the weather, you may be able to spot five other islands, one of the most spectacular views of the archipelago. You’ll make a wet landing in a cove to see a small colony of Galapagos penguins—the only penguins north of the equator. Sea lions are also found here. Behind the beach red and white mangroves, salt bush, and morning glory and prickly pear cactuses can be found.
Afternoon: Puerto Egas, James Island
This afternoon you’ll visit Puerto Egas on James Island. The landing is on a black beach with eroded rock formations in the background. The trail crosses the dry interior, where the remains of a salt-mining enterprise can still be seen and then continues along the coast. Intertidal pools are home to a variety of invertebrate organisms. Land iguanas are scattered around, feeding on exposed algae while oystercatchers try to capture sally lightfoot crabs. The trail then leads to the Fur Seal Grottos, one of the only places in the islands where Fur Seals can be seen. Puerto Egas is a good spot for taking pictures.
Day 5
Monday
Fernandina Island and Isabela Island
Morning: Fernandina Island
On the youngest and westernmost island in Galapagos, you’ll land at Punta Espinoza, a narrow stretch of land where some of the most unusual Galapagos species can be seen. While the panga driver skillfully eludes the reef to reach the landing site near a small mangrove forest, look for penguins diving off the rocks into the water. Sally lightfoot crabs disperse on the lava near the shore and herons, sandpipers and wimbrels explore the mangrove roots. Marine iguanas congregate in larger groups here than on any other island. They are everywhere: basking in the sand, swimming near the shore, grazing on the exposed seaweed in the lava and blocking the way at the landing dock. This is one of the few places where there is the opportunity, if the water is clear, of watching them feed underwater while snorkeling.
Following a trail inland, two different types of lava flows can be seen and compared. At the tip of one of the small peninsulas, flightless cormorants are found. Without predators on the island, these serpent-necked birds adapted for swimming and not for flight, another example of evolution at work in nature’s laboratory.
Afternoon: Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island
Largest of the Galapagos Islands, Isabela is composed of six shield volcanoes merged into a single land mass. Wolf Volcano on Isabela is also the highest point in the archipelago. The Galapagos Explorer II is one of only a few faster, better-equipped boats able to make the long journey from the central islands to the visitor sites on the western side of Isabela. The trip is more than worthwhile, however, for the unique species that live only in this part of the archipelago, and because the landscape, with massive volcanoes silhouetted against the sky, offers a striking contrast to the lower-lying islands of the east.
We reach Punta Vicente Roca, on the northwestern tip of Isabela Island, by dingy. The dinghies are launched on a coastal dingy-ride that skirts 450-foot cliff sides. Blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and pelicans can be seen here as well as sea-turtles. Reaching a rocky pile of large basalt, there are colonies of fur-seals and marine iguanas in groups, basking in the sun. Sea lions are also present.
Continuing along the sheer cliffs, the dingy approaches a secluded cove where, at it’s end, dark and yellow rock are superposed. Now we are close to the large cave that allows for snorkeling or sightseeing. Snorkeling at the cave, you can see a great variety of marine life, especially marine invertebrates.
Because the water is often murky and very cold, it is called the Galapagos Ice-box . Therefore, one must snorkel very close to the rock in order to see anything but it may produce some of the most exciting snorkeling in Galapagos. Manta rays, sea turtles, sea-lions, sting-rays, many fish, even dolphins and sunfish have been seen and snorkeled with in this bay. Along the cave, there are Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, masked boobies, brown noddys, blue-footed boobies and breathtaking scenery all around.
Day 6
Tuesday: Seymour Norte, Santa Cruz Island
Morning: North Seymour
Dry landing on a small, flat island. Rocks, then a long sandy stretch where sea lions and marine iguanas hang out next to a surf wave. The interior has a small cactus forest with blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigate bird colonies.
Afternoon: Highlands and Lava Tunnels
You will board a bus for a 45-minute ride through changing vegetation zones to the Santa Cruz Highlands. Here, about 40 giant tortoises live in the wild. By approaching quietly, you can find and observe a turtle on your own. You also hike to tunnels made by cooling lava.
Day 7
Wednesday
San Cristobal Island/Guayaquil - Quito
Considering the changes in the flight schedules, weather conditions and National Park regulations, we have included several alternatives to the visits offered to our passengers the last day of the cruise program. Some of the options are detailed below:
- La Loberia:
Sea lion colony, marine iguanas, warblers, finches, blue-footed boobies.
- Isla Lobos:
Situated less than an hour’s ride from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Lobos Islet is a seasonal nesting location for the blue-footed booby. Snorkeling.
- El Junco Lake:
Freshwater lake and water reservoir located at 700 meters. Miconias, ferns, sedges, club moss, tree ferns, white-cheeked pintails, common gallinules
- Interpretation Center
Donated by the Spanish government in 1998, this state-of-the-art facility offers both tourists and inhabitants a complete education on these unique islands.
Afternoon transfer to airport to take the flight to Quito. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.
Day 8
Thursday
Transfer to the airport to take the flight back home or continue with the add-on of your choice.
Galapagos Explorer II
Classic Suite
Galapagos Explorer II
