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Itinerary:

THURSDAY Depart your hometown for a short flight to Ecuador. Upon arrival, you will be met by our representatives and transferred to your luxury hotel in Guayaquil for a night’s stay.

FRIDAY After breakfast, our representatives will pick you up from the hotel and drive you to the airport for your

flight out to the islands. Enjoy the view from the window, it will soon be your turn to star in the picture. Arrival at San Cristobal Island and transfer to the Santa Cruz yacht, which will be anchored at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the provincial capital of the Galápagos Islands. Once you have settled into your cabin, enjoy a tasty lunch followed by an introductory welcome talk and boat drill.

A dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers will bring you to Cerro Brujo's white coraline beach. Here you will first catch a glimpse of seabirds like blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigatebirds, and some shore birds. Also, look out for Galapagos sea lions.  The beach is a great open walking area, highlights include the chatham mockingbird, and the chatham lava lizard; both species are endemic to this island, and seen nowhere else in the Galapagos. You may also spot yellow warblers, Galapagos flycatchers and with luck a vermillion flycatcher. These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos.  Back on board for an ECO moment and briefing on the next day's activities, followed by a cocktail offered by the captain and dinner.

SATURDAY Morning outing at Punta Suarez for an exciting walk on lava/boulder terrain to visit its unique sea bird colonies, including the waved albatrosses (April - December), Nazca (masked boobies), blue-footed

boobies, swallow-tail gulls, and the famous blowhole. Among its landbirds, the hood island mockingbird, and three species of Darwin’s finches are common highlights.  Also, look for red-green-black marine iguanas, and of course a rookery of sea lions right at the landing site.  For those planning not to walk the entire trail, a very short walk under easy walking conditions will be possible. Back on board for lunch.

Floreana Island. Disembark at Punta Cormorant at an olivine-crystal beach for an easy walk that includes a brackish water lagoon where bird species like greater flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts, herons, sandpipers, and others may be observed.  This outing also includes a white-sand beach where sea turtles come out at night for nesting (from December to May). ECO moment, briefing and dinner.

SUNDAY Fernandina Island.
This morning brings you to the youngest island, Fernandina, disembark for a one-mile walk. Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with lots of wildlife. Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their island habitat with sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, and hawks. Lava terrain calls for good walking shoes.  Back on board for lunch. As you sail along the Bolívar Channel, astonishing views of the Galápagos’ youngest volcanoes can be seen. The nutrient-rich waters of the west can also bring surprises like encountering sea birds feeding, dolphins, and possibly whales.

Isla Isabela in the afternoon. Depending on the conditions of the ocean, you may get to try snorkeling along the cliffs of the sunken Ecuador Volcano, in the northern tip of Isabela Island. Since there is no landing site at this location, you will take a coastal exploration by panga, where your naturalist-guides will explain the dramatic geology of the area with remains of lava flows and tuff stone layers.  This is the nesting place for flightless cormorants, the only birds in the world that have changed their condition from flying birds to diving birds.  Wildlife here also includes sea lions, Galápagos penguins, blue-footed and nazca boobies and noddy terns. This area has a very rich marine life. ECO moment and details about the next day’s activities before dinner.

MONDAY Santa Cruz Island. Visiting the famous Charles Darwin Research Station will be a rewarding adventure for this morning's program. You will arrive at the Itabaca Channel, between the islands of Baltra and Santa Cruz and disembark at the public dock for a 30-minute bus ride along the highlands en route to Puerto Ayora where the vegetation changes dramatically.  Upon arrival, proceed to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the rearing in captivity program for the famous giant tortoises.  Here you will get to understand the conservation efforts promoted by this institution, and stroll among an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest with endemic land birds. After a few hours, on to your hotel uniquely situated on the beach.

TUESDAY Awake to a full buffet breakfast and spend a relaxing morning at the pool and beach. Spend the afternoon getting to know the island of Santa Cruz, take the bikes into town, or enjoy walking off your lunch with a bird-watching hike. The short hike on the lava rocks to Las Grietas is a great introduction to the arid zone of Santa Cruz Island. Along the way you will see many land and lagoon birds. Once you reach Las Grietas, you may wish to dive right in. Las Grietas are deep cuts in the volcanic base of the island where seawater percolates through and forms clear blue pools. They are a refreshing place for swimming and snorkeling.

WEDNESDAY Choose from one of the many activities and excursions on offer, such as mountain biking, scuba diving or a day trip on the Sea Finch Yacht to visit any of the small neighboring islands and their wildlife.

THURSDAY Leave the hotel in the morning for an overland transfer to the airport and a flight back to the mainland. Upon arrival, you will be met by your representatives and escorted to your hotel for a final night in Ecuador.

FRIDAY Depart for your flight back to reality, with just your photographs and memories to prove that these wondrous islands really do exist.

FAMILY VACATION IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Length of trip 9 days

Departure day Thursday

Time away from work 7 days

Trip available Year round

Flying time fromNYC 6h, HOU 5h or LAX 10h

Passport/Visa required Yes/No

Includes:

1. Roundtrip flights from the USA to Ecuador.

   

   
   

2. Luxury hotel for your first and last night, including breakfast.
   

3. All airport transfers upon arrival and departure.
   

4. Roundtrip flights to the Galapagos Islands and National Park Fee.
   

5. 3 nights’ adjoining cabins aboard a luxury yacht.
   

6. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board.
   

7. Island sightseeing with a naturalist guide.
   

8. Glass-bottomed boat rides and snorkeling gear.
   

9. ECO Moments - Geology, Evolution, Oceanography and more.
   

10. 3 nights in luxury adjoining rooms on Santa Cruz Island.
    

11. Daily buffet breakfast and a la carte dinner.
    

12. Private outdoor pool with Jacuzzi.
    

13. Beach, kayaking, snorkeling and bicycle rides.