FIVE DAYS / FOUR NIGHTS (WESTERN ISLANDS) – THURSDAY TO MONDAY

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY:

Detailed information on activities and visits to each island and applicable cruise rates

PRE & POST CRUISE TOURS

Tours in Quito and surroundings to be offered in combination with this cruise. Or we can tailor tours to adjust to your clients’ interests.

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

CRUISE DEPARTURES 2021
MONTH	DATES	MONTH	DATES
JULY	29	OCTOBER	7 & 21
AUGUST	12 & 26	NOVEMBER	4 & 18
SEPTEMBER	9 & 23	DECEMBER	2, 16 & 30

CRUISE DEPARTURES 2022
MONTH	DATES	MONTH	DATES
JANUARY	13 & 27	JULY	14 & 28
FEBRUARY	10 & 24	AUGUST	11 & 25
MARCH	10 & 24	SEPTEMBER	8 & 22
APRIL	7 & 21	OCTOBER	6 & 20
MAY	5 & 19	NOVEMBER	3 & 17
JUNE	30	DECEMBER	1, 15 & 29

PER PERSON GROSS CRUISE RATES 2021-2022
CABIN CATEGORY	2021	2022
HORIZON D. EXPLORER FAMILY	$4,112	$4,276
HORIZON D. EXPLORER	$4,376	$4,551
HORIZON D. VOYAGER	$5,052	$5,254
EXPEDITION D. EXPLORER	$4,552	$4,734
PANORAMA D. EXPLORER	$4,684	$4,871
PANORAMA D. DARWIN SUITE	$5,308	$5,520

CRUISE RATES INCLUDE:

Five days/four nights cruise based on double occupancy on the reserved cabin category.
Daily fully escorted visits to the islands included in the itinerary by professional naturalist English speaking guides. Daily briefings by
Galapagos National Park Naturalist guides.
Medical attention on board (excludes cost of medication)
All meals during the cruise as indicated in itinerary. Limited Internet
Roundtrip transfers between the airports in Galapagos and the cruise. Taxes.

NOT INCLUDED:

International air and local roundtrip air between Quito or Guayaquil and Galapagos Islands.
Galapagos National Park entrance fees – $100.00 per person and subject to change.
Galapagos tourist card – INGALA – $ 20.00 per person and subject to change.
Land services, tours and services not indicated in itinerary. Expenses of personal nature

NOTE: The entrance and transit card fees are under the jurisdiction of the Galapagos National Park and are subject to change without further notice.

BOOKING INCENTIVES / CRUISE DISCOUNTS

PLEASE CHECK WITH US FOR SPECIAL CRUISE & TOUR RATES

For cruise bookings 30 days or less prior to departure
For cruise bookings between 30 and 60 days prior to departure

Pre-Cruise tours featuring the first-class Boutique Hotel Ikala in Quito. Private services for transfers and land tours.

Hotel Boutique Deluxe Casa Gangotena

Casa Gangotena occupies a pivotal spot in Quito’s Old Town: the southwest corner of San Francisco Plaza, the history of which dates all the way back to the time of the Incas.

Casa Gangotena believes in being ambassadors of Ecuadorian hospitality and providing guests with an intimate space to experience the hotel in their own, unique way. Intuitive and world-class service are at the ready to make this a reality. And what better place to experience this level of hospitality than amid Casa Gangotena’s Boutique Hotel neoclassical and Art Deco architecture? Trust us when we say you’ll feel completely at ease whenever you take a moment to relax and admire the hotel’s contemporary interior design, antiques, fine furnishings and quintessential comforts.

SEE SAMPLE QUITO TOURS

GTEG-107 – GALAPAGOS ISLANDS CRUISE
M/V SANTA CRUZ II – WESTERN ISLANDS ITINERARY
FIVE DAYS/FOUR NIGHTS –THURSDAY TO MONDAY

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: Thursday – Arrival Galapagos Islands

Baltra Island
We arrive by plane at Baltra Island and transfer to the dock to board the Santa Cruz II where we receive our welcome introductory briefing, boat drill and lunch.

Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill) (Santa Cruz Island)
The north shore of Santa Cruz hosts the fascinating landscapes of Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill). The first part of our walk passes a brackish-water lagoon frequented by shorebirds, ducks and American flamingos, while further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western islands of the archipelago, as well as the chance of observing land iguanas.
Meals: Lunch, dinner

DAY 2: Friday – Galapagos Islands

Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island)
After breakfast, we explore the coast by panga, while our naturalist guide explains the dramatic geology of the area, a nesting place for several Galapagos highlights: flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, fur seals, boobies, etc. Depending on weather conditions, we can snorkel along the cliffs of this area rich in marine life, seasonally-visited by green sea turtles and oceanic sun fish (Mola mola).

Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)
The afternoon is dedicated to exploring the youngest island of the archipelago, Fernandina, which, having no introduced mammals, boasts a very unique environment with a very high density of marine iguanas, who share their space with sea lions, Sally light-foot crabs, hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorants.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 3: Saturday – Galapagos Islands

Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz Island)
In the morning, we disembark (dry landing followed by a brief bus ride) for our visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station’s giant tortoise Breeding Centre within an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest, home to many land birds. These are the headquarters of scientific investigation, conservation and the National Park administration. Following our visit, we board our transport to enjoy lunch in the cooler highlands of Santa Cruz Island, a completely different ecosystem.

Santa Cruz Island
We have several options available for the afternoon, which can be discussed in advance with your Expedition Leader. Options include beach walks, kayaks, walks along the tortoise reserve, etc. At the end of the afternoon’s activities, we return to Puerto Ayora and embark on the Santa Cruz II.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 4: Sunday – Galapagos Islands

Baroness Tower – Post Office Bay (Floreana Island)
After breakfast, panga ride along the maze of channels on Floreana’s north shore can be enjoyed. We follow this visit by continuing to Baroness Cove with its breathtaking views of Floreana. We land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries and where postcards are traditionally left for guests from other vessels to hand-deliver to their destinations. Snorkelling off the beach. We then head back on board for lunch.

Champion Islet – Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island)
Following lunch and a siesta, we take the pangas and glass-bottom boat to explore the underwater wonders around Champion Islet, an extinct shield volcano, regarded as one of the best snorkelling spots in the archipelago. From there, it’s on to Punta Cormorant, beginning with a wet landing on the olivine-crystal beach for an easy walk that includes a brackish-water lagoon where bird species such as American flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts, herons, sandpipers, and others gather. We continue our walk over to a white-sand beach, where sea turtles emerge from the sea at night to nest (from December to May).
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 5: Monday – Depart Galapagos Islands

Baltra Island
We disembark at Baltra Island in order to transfer to the airport to take the flight back to Quito or Guayaquil or your next destination.
Meals: Breakfast