Itinerary

DAY 1 :  ARRIVE QUITO
Arrive in Quito and transfer to Patio Andaluz, a 4 star boutique hotel situated in the heart of the refurbished colonial center of Quito. Overnight Patio Andaluz or similar. [Meals on your own]

DAY 2 :  QUITO

We begin our Ecuador vacation with a half-day city tour of colonial Quito, including the bustling Independence Plaza, the dazzling gold-leafed altars of La Compania Church, and the impressive San Francisco Church. Visit the Mitad del Mundo Equatorial marker and ethnographic village and museum. Afternoon and evening are free to explore this beautifully restored city with its busy pedestrian plazas, shops, coffee bars, pubs, and many excellent restaurants. Overnight Patio Andaluz or similar. [B]

DAY 3 :  GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Private transfer in the morning to the domestic airport for the 2 hour flight to the Galapagos. Upon arrival, meet your naturalist guide and transfer to the Coral I. The ship's crew will greet you on board, take care of your luggage, and run through safety drills. Enjoy fresh fruit drinks as the yacht makes her way to the first site visit. As the sun sets, enjoy a typical Ecuadorian meal, the nightly briefing, and a formal presentation of the captain and crew. During the rest of this week, you will leisurely voyage through the stunning Galapagos Islands, among a varied landscape of diverse flora and fauna. Overnight onboard. [BLD]

DAY 4 :  ESPANOLA ISLAND
Relax on the beach with the sea lions at Gardener Bay, Espanola. Snorkeling from shore here, you can find plenty of beautiful fish as well as harmless nurse sharks and gentle sea turtles. Due to its isolation, Espanola has a high number of endemic species found only on this island and you will visit the nesting site of over ten thousand pairs of Waved albatross. At one meter high with a two meter wing span, the Waved albatross is one of the most impressive and comical aerial acrobats in the world. Remarkably, they are found nowhere else on Earth. This afternoon you arrive at Punta Suarez for an outstanding opportunity to see more wildlife including five species of nesting seabirds like the Hood Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, and Galapagos hawks. Prehistoric-looking Marine iguanas and giant lava lizards roam the terrain. A short hike leads to the Blowhole, a fissure in the lava cliffs which blasts incoming breakers into geysers over 90 feet high. Overnight on the Coral I. [BLD]

DAY 5 :  FLOREANA ISLAND & POST OFFICE BAY
Of all the islands in the Galapagos, Floreana has the most intriguing human history. Learn about the 18th century whalers who created the wooden barrel in Post Office Bay which is still used as a general mail distribution center, and the particularly eccentric self-proclaimed baroness who mysteriously disappeared one night. However, wildlife is still found here and the fine olivine and white sand beaches are common nesting areas for green sea turtles. A nearby lagoon is home to flamingos, pintail ducks, stilts, and other shorebirds. Visitors may also spot stingrays and white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the shallows of the bay. Overnight on the Coral I. [BLD]

DAY 6 :  NORTH SEYMOUR & SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
North Seymour is a flat, arid island just north of Santa Cruz, with beautiful stands of Palo Santos trees.  Follow the trail as it loops inland and back out to the rocky coastline where blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigate birds make their nests. Sea lions bask in the sun as you walk amidst the crashing surf. Skirting a salt water lagoon, you can view flocks of pink flamingos feeding in the shallows. Visit Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill), a newly opened site on Santa Cruz Island featuring re-introduced endemic land iguanas. These reptiles were once part of the Darwin Station's breeding program and are now re-populating this island. From the peak of Cerro Dragon, a magnificent view of the bay opens before you. Overnight on the Coral I. [BLD]

DAY 7 :  RABIDA & SANTIAGO ISLANDS
Rabida is considered to be the geographic center of the Galapagos archipelago and features the most diverse volcanic rocks of all the islands. Brown pelicans nest in the mangrove sand and Great flamingos feed at a nearby salt lagoon. Following the morning hike, you will have great opportunities for snorkeling with sea lions before departing for Santiago Island. After landing this afternoon at the beautiful black sand beach of Puerto Egas, on Santiago, embark on a hike through the dry interior of the island. Keep your eyes out for hawks, doves, and finches before reaching the opposite coastline. Deep aquamarine colored grottos shelter sea lions and night herons, as well as invertebrates such as sea urchins, octopus, and starfish. This is one of the few places in the Galapagos to spot fur seals basking on the black lava rocks.  Overnight on Coral I. [BLD]

DAY 8 :  FERNANDINA & ISABELA ISLANDS
This morning, head out to Fernandina, the youngest and westernmost island in the Galapagos. Punta Espinosa is a narrow stretch of land where some of the most unique Galapagos species can be seen including Sally Lightfoot crabs, penguins, and Marine iguanas, which congregate in larger groups here than on any other island. Watch penguins throw themselves off the rocks into the water, while the panga driver skillfully eludes the reef to reach the landing site near a small mangrove forest. The Marine iguanas 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, one of the few places where you can watch them feed underwater. A short boat ride mid-day through Bolivar Channel will bring you to Tagus Cove, at Isabela Island. Whales and dolphins are often seen here. Tagus Cove was historically used as an anchoring site for pirates and whalers. The nature trail is an ascent through the typical dry vegetation zone and offers spectacular views of Darwin Lake, a saltwater crater lake connected to the sea by a narrow inlet. At the top of the trail it is possible to observe the different vegetation zones, catch a glimpse of Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes, and see Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and pelicans. Overnight on Coral I. [BLD]

DAY 9 :  BARTOLOME & SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
Visit Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome Island, where penguins are often spotted. Hike up to the summit of the island for spectacular views of the Rock, the white-sand beaches and the lush mangrove swamps below. Identify various volcanic formations like spatter and tuff cones with your guide, keeping an eye out for pelicans and Galapagos hawks. Then head to Black Turtle Cove, a Red Mangrove lagoon on Santa Cruz Island that serves as a nursery for many types of sharks as well as Golden and Spotted Eagle rays. The water is mirror-calm and by paddling quietly, it is possible to see dozens of majestic creatures floating just beneath the surface. Overnight on Coral I. [BLD]

DAY 10 :  CHARLES DARWIN STATION & RETURN TO QUITO
Visit the famous Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island and learn about current research and conservation initiatives including breeding programs that hope to reintroduce specific tortoise species back onto the island of their origin. Meet Lonesome George, possibly the oldest resident of Galapagos and the last surviving individual giant tortoise of his Pinta Island sub-species.  Disembark this afternoon and your guide will accompany you to the Galapagos airport for your afternoon flight to the mainland. Transfer in from the Quito airport and stay overnight at Patio Andaluz or similar. [B]

DAY 11 :  DEPART
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home or extend your trip to visit more of Ecuador's natural wonders. [B]

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