Galapagos Explorer - Itinerary A

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Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1: (Tue) Arrive in Quito and transfer to hotel.

On arrival at Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport you are met and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. There is a pre-departure meeting in the evening at 6pm when you meet others travelling on your cruise to the Galapagos Islands. Note: Quito is located at 2850 metres above sea level. At this altitude you may experience some of the milder effects of altitude sickness, such as dizziness, insomnia and a shortness of breath. If so, we recommend you avoid any strenuous activity.

Day 2: Morning flight to Baltra, transfer to the M.C Queen Beatriz. Visit the Charles Darwin Centre.

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

This morning we are transferred to the airport for our flight to the Galapagos Islands.

Please note the pick-up time will usually be as early as 4am as the airport is a one hour drive and we must allow for delays and check-in times (Your Tour leader will confirm this time with you at the pre-departure meeting on day one

Lunch is normally served on the flight. On arrival at Baltra Airport in the Galapagos you must pay the US$100 arrival tax for entry to Galapagos National Park. This is best done using cash, as using credit cards can be a time consuming process. We are met in the arrival hall of the airport by our National Park Guide, and transferred to our catamaran ‘M.C Queen Beatriz’. Our first stop in the afternoon is Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, and home to the Charles Darwin Research Station. As well as undertaking vital conservation work, the station also makes for interesting exploration and offers the best opportunities for close encounters with giant tortoises. We also observe baby tortoises and land iguanas.

Day 3: Visit Santa Fe and Plaza Sur.

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Santa Fe is home to more sea lions, and these ones are very eager for swimming partners! It’s a lovely place to take a dip, and the landscape on the inland trails is also beautiful, with cacti forests home to a unique sub-species of land iguanas.Hiking towards the cliffs on Santa Fe leads us to a forest of prickly pear cactus. A member of the cactus family, their name comes from the pear shaped fruit the plant produces. Santa Fe is home to endemic land iguanas. Once back at the beach we have free time to snorkel back in the lagoon. Playful sea lions pups and florescent fish make for fascinating company A small island, Plaza Sur is nonetheless a place of great beauty, where we get close to sea lions and onto trails past one of the Galapagos’ largest land iguana populations, resting amid cacti and volcanic landscapes coloured bright red and green by sesuvium. The island’s rugged southern cliffs are an excellent place to spot tropicbirds and swallow-tailed gulls, as well as ‘the gentlemen’s club’, a gathering of male sea lions either too young or too old to be ‘beachmasters’!

Day 4: Espanola Island, including Bahia Gardner and Punta Suarez.

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Today we cruise to the island of Española Espanola - the southernmost island of the Galapagos and one of the most spectacular. Because of its remote location this island place has a large population of endemic fauna. It is the breeding site for nearly all of the world's 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses and also home to colonies of blue-footed and masked boobies. Trails from the golden beaches, where sea lions bathe and marine iguanas make their way towards the water, lead us right through the middle of booby colonies, and Galapagos doves and mockingbirds are also often seen. We also visit the beautiful white sandy beaches at Bahia Gardner, which are great places for swimming and relaxing. The rocks off the coast provide excellent snorkelling opportunities, with reef sharks, turtles and many species of tropical fish, including surgeon and angelfish, often seen. The small white-tipped reef sharks are also often spotted resting under the rocks. We also pay a visit to Punta Suarez, one of the most attractive locations in the Galapagos and home to large and varied wildlife population - a walk along its trails takes us to a cliff top viewpoint, where we gain a magical panorama. Boobies line the rocky shoreline beneath us, while frigate birds may be seen overhead; nearby enormous male sea lions can be seen lounging and albatross use the cliffs as their ‘runway’, helping become airborne by the southeast winds that blow across this part of the island. If we’re lucky we’ll see the elaborate courtship rituals performed by albatrosses before the female chooses her lifelong mate!

Day 5: Cruise to San Cristobál Island, visiting Leon Dormido, Isla Lobos and Punta Pitt.

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

This morning we visit Punta Pitt on the eastern end of San Cristobál Island. Walk to the top of the volcanic hill for expansive views of the sparsely vegetated area. A variety of seabirds nest here, including blue-footed boobies, red-footed boobies and frigates. Close by we pass through Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), which is a magnificent rock in the middle of the sea, the shape resembles a sleeping lion. The rock rises 150 metres above the surface and is divided into two parts by a narrow channel. We also visit Isla Lobos, a tiny island almost touching San Cristobál Island. This is the perfect time to witness the always friendly sea lions as they play in the calm shallow waters here.

Day 6: San Cristobal Interpretation Centre, fly to Quito.

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

We visit the Interpretation Centre in the morning. The centre brings the history and geography of the archipelago to life, from its volcanic origins to the present day. The human history exhibit offers an insight into the discovery and colonisation of the Galapagos, and the reality of the problems the islands face today is also explored. We then head to the airport for our flight back to Quito. As you will be leaving the boat this morning, please remember that if you have enjoyed the services provided by your guide and crew, a tip would be very much appreciated by them. As a guideline we recommend each passenger consider US$15 per day for the crew and US$10 per day for your guide. You can leave tips in envelopes that are placed in your cabin on this last day of your journey. Upon arrival in Quito Airport you are transferred back to our hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 7: End Quito (Mon).

Meals included: 1 breakfast

Your Classic Galapagos’ voyage comes to an end today after breakfast.

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Your Trip

What's Included

• The services of an expert English-speaking naturalist guide and a crew of eight onboard the Galapagos vessel.

• Return flights from Quito to the Galapagos Islands.

• Accommodation onboard the Queen Beatriz.

• All Zodiac and shore excursions during the voyage.

• Hike to the top of a once-active volcano on Bartolome Island.

• All meals aboard the M.C Beatriz.

• Use of snorkelling equipment during the voyage.

• Arrival transfer.

Summary of accommodation, transport & meals

Transport

• Boat
• Minibus
• Plane
• Zodiac

Accommodation

• 4 nights Cruise boat
• 2 nights Comfortable hotel

Meals

• 6 breakfasts
• 4 lunches
• 5 dinners

Not Included

International flights, airport departure taxes, international departure transfer, visas where required, meals not included in the itinerary, insurance, laundry, any optional tours or activities during free time, tips, items of a personal nature, Galapagos transit card and the entrance fee to Galapagos Islands National Park.

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On The Ground Payments
Please note: The Galapagos National Park fee and transit card, USD110 are not included in the price of this tour. These must be paid locally in cash on arrival in Baltra, Galapagos.

Entrance

 

You must pay US$110 entrance fee to Galapagos Islands National Park upon arrival at Baltra Airport in the Galapagos (this includes the $10 transit card fee) In the interest of speed and efficiency, this is best paid in cash.

 

 

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Important Information

M.C Queen Beatriz

The Queen Beatriz is a modern Catamaran. She has a comfortable lounge and dining area, as well as a sun deck where you can view the wildlife or just kick back and relax. She has eight well-appointed, air-conditioned cabins and yet, at 30 metres, she is small enough for us to offer an individual level of service. She's just perfect for a more personal look at this great marine reserve.

Cabins:

3 Standard twin cabins
4 Deluxe cabins with balconies – 2 x Twin and 2 x Double
1 Suite
All cabins are fully air-conditioned with private facilities
 

Specifications:
Built: 2008
Length: 30.2 m
Beam 11.2 m
Engines: 2
Speed 12 knots
Passengers: 16
Crew: 8 + 1 English speaking naturalist guide

Accommodation on board is based on twin or double share. Single supplements are available on request should you require a cabin to yourself.

Please remember that the sun in the Galapagos can be quite fierce. Make sure you bring along a hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen. You should also bring insect repellent for use on some shore excursions and excursions into the mangroves.

Peregrine Community Trust & The Galapagos Conservancy
We support the work of The Galapagos Conservancy. The Conservancy is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Galapagos conservation. It is a membership-based organisation and the largest source of private support for conservation efforts. The 11,000 Friends of Galapagos are individuals and institutions who care deeply about the Galapagos Islands, and understand the scientific importance of preserving this one-of-a-kind ecosystem.

Funds raised by the Galapagos Conservancy support the core operations of the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS), both located on the island of Santa Cruz.

If, after having visited this unique and precious region of the world, you would like to make a donation towards the protection of the Galapagos Peregrine Community Trust is the easiest and most convenient way to do so. Please visit: https://donate.cafaustralia.org.au/Peregrine/

 

 

About this Information

The information provided here is given in good faith and has been compiled with all reasonable care. However, things change and some of the information may become out of date. Please keep this in mind when you read it and check with us if you want to be sure about something. The document was correct at time of printing, but you can check online for the most up to date version.  If you have any queries, please contact your travel agent or our staff in Australia. We are here to help you!

Last Updated

7 March 2013

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