Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants, maximum 18 travelers
16 peopleMaximum group size
18 - 80 yearsAge range for participants
EnglishGuide language
Easy
Light physical activity suitable for most people with average fitness levels.
Starts
Quito, Ecuador
Ends
Quito, Ecuador
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Ultimate Galapagos - 10 days
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Highlights
The M/C Anahi - Spend 7 nights aboard this first-class catamaran with capacity for 16 passengers. Enjoy the jacuzzi with ocean view and soak up the sunshine on deck. Delight your palate with tasty local cuisine, relax at the bar as you cruise around the beautiful islands at sunset and enjoy comfortable nights in a spacious cabin
Explore unforgettable sites and observe incredible wildlife on daily excursions with expert guides. Go kayaking, enjoy panga rides and encounter penguins, turtles and fish as you snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear waters
Quito - Explore the UNESCO listed colonial city
Santa Cruz Island - Visit this favourite nesting site for sea turtles and home of the famous Charles Darwin Station with its turtle breeding centre
Genovesa Island - Find great frigate birds, the red-footed boobies and storm petrels
South Plazas Island - Encounter the 1000's of sea lions that call it home
Santa Fe Island - Find its famous and unique species of land iguana
San Cristobal Island - Discover the only place in the Galapagos to see the three species of boobies and two species of frigates nesting together.
San Cristobal Island - Visit El Junco Lagoon or the Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Centre
Lobos Island - Marvel at the abundance of sea lions
Espanola Island - Journey to where the albatross is endemic and Gardner Bay, famous for its sea lion population
Floreana Island - Search for the flamingos that this island is renowned for
South Plazas Island - Encounter the 1000's of sea lions that call it home
Santa Fe Island - Find its famous and unique species of land iguana
San Cristobal Island - Discover the only place in the Galapagos to see the three species of boobies and two species of frigates nesting together.
San Cristobal Island - Visit El Junco Lagoon or the Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Centre
Lobos Island - Marvel at the abundance of sea lions
Espanola Island - Journey to where the albatross is endemic and Gardner Bay, famous for its sea lion population
Floreana Island - Search for the flamingos that this island is renowned for
What's Included
Accommodation
8 day Galapagos Cruise - 7 nights onboard the M/C Anahi catamaran (First Class category) in a twin or double cabin, on the main deck with en suite and A/C. Option to upgrade to a suite upon request.
Meals
2 nights 3 star hotel in Quito, standard room including breakfast. Option to upgrade to a suite upon request.9 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinnersComplementary soft drinks onboard (tea, coffee and water) plus welcome and farewell drinks
Transport
Quito airport arrival transfer on day 1 with an English speaking guideReturn flight between Quito and Baltra - Galapagos including airport and port transfers
Guide
The services of 9 crew members and an experienced English speaking Naturalist guide
Others
Two guided Galapagos excursions a dayKayaking and snorkelling at the permitted points (wetsuits can be hired onboard for an additional fee)
What's Excluded
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Itinerary
GALAPAGOS CRUISE: CENTRAL, SOUTH, EAST & NORTH ISLANDSEncounter sea lion colonies basking on pristine beaches, giant tortoises, iguanas, blue footed boobies and more in the wildlife rich Galapagos islands, on this once in a lifetime 8 day cruise around the remote and beautiful volcanic islands which once inspired Darwin himself. Spending a night before and after the cruise in captivating Quito.
day 1 - Quito
Upon arrival at Quito airport you will be met by an English speaking guide and transferred to your hotel in the city. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, independently exploring.
OverNight:Quito
day 2 - Baltra Island & Santa Cruz
Quito - Galapagos. This morning, you'll be collected from your hotel and transferred to the airport for the short flight to Baltra Airport in the Galapagos, where our guide will be waiting for you. Transfer to the M/C Anahi catamaran, your home for the next 8 days. Settle into your cabin and enjoy lunch onboard before touring of the world famous Galapagos Islands begins.
Our first port of call is the Bachas Beaches which are a favourite nesting site for sea turtles. These two small beaches are found to the West of Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz Island. Behind one of the beaches there is a small brackish water lagoon, where occasionally it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels. This area is a great introduction to the Galapagos landscape, fauna and flora.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 3 - Genovesa Island
This morning we visit Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island which has a shield volcano with a 600m wide crater. Following a trail which is part coral sand and part slabs of lava, we'll spot nesting colonies of the common frigate, the Nasca booby and the swallow-tailed gulls. We'll also see nests of red-footed booby, which is the largest nesting colony of pelagic birds in the Galapagos. The Great Frigate bird is also abundant here and one of the main attractions of the island.
This afternoon's port of call is El Barranco, in the southern part of Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island. The 1.5km trail is on volcanic rock and the cliffs located in the south are composed of very fragile lava. The natural erosion that has occurred in these lava flows has become the ideal place for nesting Storm Petrels. You can see two species of petrels that nest in cavities and holes in the lava. During the panga (dingy) rides along the cliffs fur seals can also be seen.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 4 - South Plazas & Santa Fe
This morning's excursion takes us to South Plaza Island which is home to around 1000 sea lions and several hybrid iguanas, a result of crossing a male marine iguana and a female land iguana. These iguanas are unique, recognizable at first glance by their black or gray colour, with a land iguana's crest, but face and tail of the marine iguana.
We'll meet more unique species of iguanas when we explore Santa Fe Island this afternoon. The Galapagos is also home to six endemic species of rats, one of which can be found on Santa Fe and another attraction is the presence of giant tunas.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 5 - San Cristobal Island
This morning we explore Punta Pitt at the east end of San Cristobal Island. The trail that we follow takes us to past an olivine beach before ascending to the top of a volcanic tuff hill passing several wonderful viewpoints en route. This is the only site in the Galapagos Islands, where you can see the three species of boobies and two species of frigates nesting in the same area. Another added attraction is the presence of sea lion.
After lunch we stop to see the Leon Dormido Rocks, which are the remains of a lava cone eroded by the sea. The two vertical rocks rising 500 feet from the ocean form a small channel that is navigable by small boats. This natural monument has become a favourite sight for cruises due to the many tropic birds, frigates and boobies that fill the surrounding air. Beneath the sea the nearly crystal-clear waters offer a brilliant show of colourful tropical fish and invertebrates. We continue on to explore Lobos Island which is home to a small population of blue-footed boobies, as well as two species of sea lions. In the pangas brown pelicans and several species of shorebirds can also be observed and if you opt to snorkel it's common to see juvenile sea lions, manta rays and sea turtles.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 6 - Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Centre
This morning our tour has two options. The first option starts from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, and involves a visit to the El Junco Lagoon. For hundreds of years, rain water and condensation have caused an accumulation of water in the caldera of an extinct volcano, creating a paradise for frigate birds and turtles. Alternatively we take a visit to the Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Centre located in the southeast of San Cristobal Island. The natural population of tortoises from San Cristobal is seriously threatened by introduced animals (mainly wild goats, rats and cats), which to date has been impossible to eradicate despite continuing efforts. The San Cristobal tortoises are one of the 11 populations of Galapagos tortoises. At the visitors centre, we learn all about the natural history of the giant tortoises of this island.
After lunch we visit San Cristobal's Interpretation Centre which takes us through the history of the island in the context of nature, humankind and conservation. We finish today's touring with a scenic walk up Tijeretas Hill with its spectacular views of the island and an inlet where we can go snorkelling. It is also one of the only places where you can watch the two species of frigate birds nesting in the same colony.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 7 - Espanola Island
Espanola is one of the most beautiful Galapagos Islands and is also one of the oldest, dating back an estimated 3.3 million years. Espanola has a high percentage of endemism because it is isolated from other islands. Endemic species include the Waved albatross, Darwin's finches and the mockingbird of Espanola, which is the largest species in the islands and has developed carnivorous behaviour. We explore Punta Suarez on the west of the island in the morning and Gardener Bay on the north coast in the afternoon. The main attraction here is the huge colony of sea lions, which inhabit the beach during the breeding season.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 8 - Floreana Island
Floreana Island is our port of call today. We enjoy a morning excursion to Punta Cormorant on the north Coast of Floreana Island, which has a beautiful lagoon that is home to a large population of flamingos and a fine sand beach which is a nesting area for sea turtles. Later this morning we cruise out in the panga to the "Devil's Crown" which is a great place to snorkel. Here we can find a variety of underwater characters: sea turtles, Galapagos Sharks, Moray Eels, and sea lions. Outside of the crown is a good place to see Hammerhead Sharks.
This afternoon we visit historic Post Office Bay. When whalers came for supplies of Galapagos tortoises in the 18th Century, it is said that the captains kept a barrel for those who passed through the bay to leave mail in and deliver any that they could. Today, this tradition is alive with tourists visiting the Galapagos, It's possible to send a letter or postcard from Post Office Bay a without stamp, all you have to do in return is pick up a letter that is directed to where you live.
Meals:1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
OverNight:Galapagos Islands - M/C Anahi
day 9 - Santa Cruz
We finish our Galapagos adventure in Santa Cruz this morning with a morning tour of Charles Darwin Station, which takes in the famous tortoise breeding centre. The Galapagos breeding program is conducted by the park staff with the collaboration of scientists from the Darwin Station. The eggs are brought from the Galapagos Islands of Pinzon, Santiago and Santa Cruz to the station where they are incubated artificially; the galapaguitos are born and reared until the age of 5 years, when they can survive the effects of introduced predators (rats, pigs and dogs), then they are returned to their native areas. There is also a breeding program for iguanas.
After this visit, you'll be transferred to the airport on Baltra Island for your flight back to Quito. Upon arrival you'll be met and transferred to your hotel in Quito for your final night.
Meals:1 Breakfast
OverNight:Quito
day 10 - Quito
Saturday. Arrangements end after breakfast and hotel check out today.
