Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Quito, Ecuador

Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to our hotel in Quito. Dinner is on your own. (It is likely you will be on a plane during dinnertime and arriving late in the evening – otherwise, the hotel staff can help with suggestions). The intimate Hotel Vieja Cuba offers personalized hospitality in a unique setting. Originally a majestic colonial house, the hotel features 26 distinctive guest rooms furnished in traditional style, centrally located in downtown Quito.

(No meals - in transit)... Hotel Vieja Cuba

Day 2: Explore Colonial Quito

This morning there’s time to relax after yesterday’s long travels, or, if you’re feeling energetic, venture out on your own to begin exploring Ecuador’s vibrant capital. Quito’s setting in the Andean highlands is spectacular, resting atop a high plateau flanked by active volcanoes. The altitude here is just over 9,000 feet, creating a climate of perpetual spring. Lunch this afternoon is on your own, to discover one of the many appealing restaurants nearby – the front desk staff is happy to offer suggestions. Try a traditional Ecuadorean specialty, like an empanada or fresh ceviche.


After lunch, enjoy a half-day tour of Quito’s magnificently preserved colonial Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the Spaniards conquered the Incas in the 16th century, they rebuilt the capital in grand baroque style, with whitewashed adobe palaces and gilded churches set among traditional plazas and cobblestone streets.


This evening we gather for a welcome dinner and pre-trip briefing, covering all the exciting details of our adventure ahead. Afterward, it’s time to pack for our early morning departure to the Galapagos. Packing light makes our island travel much easier, and it’s possible to leave any belongings you wish at the hotel, to collect on our return. The front desk can assist with secure arrangements.

B, D... Hotel Vieja Cuba


Day 3: Fly to the Galápagos / Board S/V Nemo II

We depart for the airport early this morning for our flight to the Galapagos, making a brief stop in Guayaquil en route. Our naturalist guide meets us as we land on the Island of Baltra, a former U.S. Air Force base during WWII. We transfer by bus, then panga (motorized skiff), to our waiting vessel, the S/V Nemo II. This first-class sailing catamaran, accommodating just 12 guests, will be our home for the next week as we cruise the archipelago.


Once underway, our first destination is Las Bachas on the island of Santa Cruz. This empty strand of beach with its fine white-powder sand is a prominent egg-laying site for the Pacific green sea turtle. Flamingoes are also frequently spotted here, wading gracefully in the saline lagoons behind the sand berm. We also keep an eye out for a rusted pontoon, a relic of the Second World War, from which this beach derives its name: “bachas” was the locals’ attempt to pronounce “barges,” two of which were wrecked offshore during the war – the corruption of the English name stuck.


This evening, we settle in to our floating home, enjoying dinner aboard, followed by a safety talk and orientation by our naturalist guide, including an introduction to our kayaks.

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II

Day 4: Santa Cruz Highlands and Charles Darwin Research Station

This morning we discover a very different side of Santa Cruz as we ascend to its misty heights. Here in the highlands where dry coastal vegetation transitions to wet meadows, moss and lichen-bedecked forest, we find a stark contrast to the lower elevations. Our destination is the Tortoise Reserve, where we’ll track and view these ancient, amiable creatures in their lush natural setting. The islands’ namesake, “Galapagos” is the common name for “saddle” in Spanish, referring to the shape of the tortoise’s shell. These slow-moving land-based turtles are huge – weighing up to 600 pounds – and can be very old: their life span is in excess of 150 years! The tortoise played an important role in the development of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. When Darwin visited the Galapagos in 1835 aboard the HMS Beagle, the vice-governor of the islands told him he could identify what island a tortoise was from simply by looking at it – there were distinctive variations in each. Darwin observed the same phenomenon with finches and mockingbirds, identifying differences in species from island to island, eventually leading to his theory of natural selection.


An attraction near the Tortoise Reserve is the network of subterranean lava tubes. Some offer easy access via wooden stairways that descend to the mouth of their arched cave entrances. From here we make our way into the cool, dimly lit tubes through the naturally formed passages, marveling at the fantastic rock formations in their interiors. Sturdy, non-slip footwear is essential, and some hikers may prefer to bring a flashlight.


Dropping back to sea level, we continue to the main town on Santa Cruz, Puerto Ayora. Here we’ll have lunch, followed by a visit to the world-renowned Charles Darwin Research Station, where international scientists conduct biological research dedicated to conservation of the unique habitat and species of the Galapagos. During our tour we’ll have a chance to see some of the islands’ more famous denizens, including giant tortoise hatchlings so small they could fit in the palm of one’s hand. Once pushed to the brink of extinction, they are making a comeback, thanks to the efforts of the scientists working here at the Darwin Station. We may also see “Lonesome George,” a centenarian tortoise believed to be the last of his sub-species, and up to seven species of Darwin’s finches flitting through the bushes in the vicinity.


There’s time this afternoon to stroll around the lively town of Puerto Ayora, with its many shops, art galleries and open-air bars and cafes. Sea lions often congregate along the harborfront, waiting for leftovers from the fishing boats unloading their catch.

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II


Day 5: Cerro Brujo, Kicker Rock and Isla Lobos

During the night, the Nemo II has crossed to the north side of San Cristobal Island, where we will land at Cerro Brujo. This fabulous expanse of powdery white sand is home to a vast colony of sea lions as well as blue-footed boobies, pelicans, egrets and marine iguanas. Weather permitting, we explore by kayak, paddling through the evocative stone arches and grottoes created by the action of the waves on the lava shores. Our special park permit allows our more hardy paddlers to make the 2-hour crossing to Kicker Rock, a dramatic volcanic tuff cone that rises abruptly almost 500 feet into the sky from the ocean’s surface. We get a taste of vigorous ocean paddling on this excursion, but we’re safe with a panga following behind and our catamaran nearby. After our paddle, if the swells are manageable, we have a chance to dive from the boat to snorkel in the deep water where we often see gentle reef sharks. By early afternoon we set course westward to Isla Lobos, with lunch served on the way. Frigate birds soar overhead as we anchor in a picturesque turquoise bay on the lee side of the island. We make a dry landing, greeted by a resident colony of sea lions. There are few highlights of a trip to the Galapagos as delightful as a swim with these friendly creatures, which we are able to do from our catamaran moored in the bay. The curious youngsters especially enjoy engaging with us in some underwater ballet!

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II


Day 6: Espanola and Gardner Bay

This morning we arrive at Espanola, oldest and southernmost of the Galapagos islands. We’ll hike for an hour or two to the headlands of Punta Suarez, one of the archipelago’s most prolific wildlife habitats. Espanola’s remote location, secluded from the other main islands, has resulted in a great number of endemic species found here, including the “Christmas iguana” – a marine iguana so nicknamed for its red and green color combination unique to this island. We see a multitude of them, piled one on top of another, impervious to our gaze. Bird life abounds and includes endemic Hood mockingbirds, blue-footed and masked boobies, magnificent frigate birds and Galapagos hawks. Espanola is also the world’s main nesting site for the enormous waved albatross, with its stunning 7- to 8-foot wingspan. These birds nest atop the vertical cliffs, which provide a perfect runway for the fledglings’ initial flight over the ocean in late winter.


Returning to our boat, we weigh anchor and set out for the northeastern part of the island, with lunch along the way. On a 2-hour paddle we circumnavigate Gardner and Osborn islands just offshore, returning afterward to relax at idyllic Gardner Bay. This long stretch of beach is exquisite, with the most transparent aquamarine water in the Galapagos. Sea lions laze by the dozens on the pulverized white coral sand, and we’ve no trouble encouraging the playful young ones to cavort with us in the water, sometimes swimming up to stare in our masks as we snorkel. Galapagos mockingbirds are social, too, often coming right up to our feet and occasionally climbing on top of them. Pacific Green sea turtles also frequent the shoreline along the rocky part of the beach. Our peaceful reverie among these charismatic creatures continues as we watch the sun set over the bay before returning to our catamaran for the night.

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II


Day 7: Floreana Island and Post Office Bay

On Floreana we go ashore at Punta Cormorant. Despite the point’s name, there are no cormorants here, but there is plenty of other wildlife to make up for that. Not far from our beach landing, a palo santo forest surrounds a brackish lagoon that’s home to flamingos. We hike in to see them, then continue walking to a pristine bay known for its remote turtle nesting areas. As we stand at the edge of this sheltered beach, we suddenly realize the water is teeming with rays that blend into the sand, occasionally stirring it up as they swish their tails, burrowing below the surface.


After our landing, we venture out to Devil’s Crown, arguably the best place to drift-snorkel in Galapagos. We zip out by panga, then enter the water, taking advantage of the strong current to float past the steep walls of these underwater volcanic formations. We’ll spy large schools of colorful fish, and we may see sea turtles and white-tipped reef sharks.


Next, we follow in the footsteps of pirates, whalers, convicts and colonists as we explore Isla Floreana’s rich history of adventure. One relic of this colorful past is the “Post Office Barrel,” established by British whalers in 1793, where you can still drop off mail, sans stamps. You’ll enjoy sorting through the cards and letters in search of one that you can deliver in person when you get home; that’s how the system works! Make sure to bring your own cards to “mail” from the barrel.


Late this afternoon, pending permission from the park authorities and safe paddling conditions, we embark on a 2-hour paddle around the northwestern point of Post Office Bay, where we are sometimes lucky in spotting penguins in the secluded bay.

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II


Day 8: Isla Santa Fe and South Plaza

The protected small bay on Santa Fe’s northeast coast is an exceptionally picturesque anchorage. We land on the sandy beach where we encounter a sea lion colony guarded by large, competing bulls. A trail climbs to a scenic viewpoint atop a cliff, then into a forest of large prickly pear cactus. Here we’ll look for the largest species of land iguana in the Galápagos, unique to this island. These patient lizards are often found beneath the cactus, waiting for the tasty fruit to drop. Keep an eye skyward, too, for the endemic Galápagos hawk, the archipelago’s only raptor. We may have time for snorkeling here before returning to the Nemo II to begin our afternoon kayak excursion.


We set out for a 2-hour paddle along Santa Fe’s north coast, an interesting shoreline that invites close exploration. We’ll find sea caves used by brown noddies for nesting, and scout for Pacific green and leatherback sea turtles. Depending on sea conditions we may head south once we make the point to explore some larger sea caves to the southwest.


In the early afternoon we sail to South Plaza. Lying just a few hundred yards off the east coast of Santa Cruz, South Plaza is one of the smallest islands yet rich in diverse flora. Just over 400 feet wide, it was formed by streaming lava forced up from the bottom of the ocean. We ascend a trail to scenic cliffs with dramatic views of the ocean, where we may see manta rays swimming below. South Plaza also has a significant sea lion population, with a colony of bachelors who sit atop the cliffs and polish surrounding rocks with oil from their fur. Overhead we’ll see red-billed tropic birds, Nazca and blue-footed boobies catching rides on the strong wind currents. If conditions allow, we can jump off the boat to do some snorkeling.

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II


Day 9: Sombrero Chino and Bartolome

We start the morning with a visit to Sombrero Chino Island – which really does look like a Chinese hat! We take a short hike and snorkel here, hoping the playful resident penguin family may opt to join us as we swim in tranquil bay. Then we paddle two hours through the Bainbridge Island group, shaped like a string of mushroom tops floating in the sea. Back aboard, we enjoy lunch as we sail to Bartolome. Hiking to the stark volcanic summit, we get a hawk’s eye view of Pinnacle Rock, famous as the backdrop in the movie “Master and Commander.” We also have a view of Santiago Island to the north, volcanically formed Sullivan Bay, and our catamaran, far below. On our walk we observe many unique lava formations, learning about the islands’ fiery origins as we go.


After a panga excursion to view penguins, we’re treated to some of the best snorkeling in the Galapagos this afternoon as we explore the submerged base of Pinnacle Rock. This underwater playground is home to enormous schools of fish, white-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, and on the ocean floor, large rays camouflaged in the sand.


Tired after a day of active adventures but enormously satisfied, we’re happy to board the Nemo II and sail again for Santa Cruz.

B, L, D... S/V Nemo II


Day 10: Isla Santa Cruz / Return to Quito

A last day on the water reveals yet more wonders. Black Turtle Cove, a sea turtle sanctuary, is a living illustration of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat. Four species of mangrove crowd the lagoon, which stretches almost a mile inland. As we drift through the placid waters in our kayaks, we’re likely to see spotted eagle rays and cow-nosed or golden rays, which swim in a diamond formation. White-tipped reef sharks are also visible in the transparent sea, and Pacific green sea turtles frequently break the surface for air. Sea birds, including pelicans, herons and egrets, come to feed in the cove.


As our time in the Enchanted Isles comes to a close, we are reluctant to leave. Our flight back to Quito departs from Baltra Airport this afternoon, however, and we return to the capital where we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner together.

B, L, D... Hotel Vieja Cuba


Day 11: Quito / Fly home

An early morning transfer is provided to Quito airport for departing flights. For those who aren’t quite ready to return and would like to explore more of Ecuador’s natural and cultural treasures, we offer excellent extensions to the Amazon Basin, Andean highlands and Machu Picchu. Our office can help with information and arrangements for these options.

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