Galapagos Aboard the Coral I & II

Arrive in either Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador, where you will be met and transferred to your local hotel*. Quito is located in a huge valley of the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 9,455 feet; it’s a great place to extend your stay to explore the city or the surrounding volcanic mountain range. Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city, and with its low elevation and more coastal location it is an ideal point from which to fly to Galapagos. Stay overnight at the Swissotel or Patio Andaluz in Quito or the Hotel Oro Verde in Guayaquil, for two nights. (*Hotel/city tour package is not included in cruise rate.)

Quito city tour: Stroll down cobble stone streets and through flowering plazas. Visit the old colonial center of Independence Square, the elegant cathedrals of San Francisco, La Compañía and San Agustín, Quito’s oldest monastery. Drive through the residential section and past the Legislative Palace (Congress). Panecillo Hill overlooks the city and snow-capped mountains. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore or relax.
Guayaquil city tour: Our first stop is Malecon 2000, an 80-million-dollar riverside complex built along a twomile stretch of the Guayas River. The waterfront boardwalk features a myriad of restaurants, cafes and shops, and museums with art exhibitions as well as free weekend jazz and classical music concerts. Drive through the colorful streets of one of Ecuador’s most important port cities, Guayaquil. Visit the Public Market, the waterfront and the docks, and Simon Bolivar Park, which is famous for its tree iguanas. Also, admire the watchtower, La Rotonda, Old Santa Ana Fort, and Las Penas, a charming colonial section of town that is occupied by artists. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore or relax.

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to the airport this morning for your early flight to Baltra. You are greeted by the guides at the airport and transferred across the Itabaca Canal to the island of Santa Cruz. Cross the highlands of Santa Cruz and observe the twin pit craters, Los Gemelos and Cerro Chato. You will have the opportunity to admire the famous giant tortoises that gave the name to these islands. You can also literally get into the Galapagos by walking through dormant lava tubes. After a welcome and briefing on the yacht, there will be a cocktail and presentation by the crew. At this time, you will also practice the safety drill.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will have a morning wake up call, and after a wonderful breakfast buffet, you disembark at Suarez Point on Espanola Island. This dry landing takes you on a walk over a lava terrain. Aside from the sea lion colonies, this is one of the most important sites for bird watching. Many species can be spotted, such as the hooded mockingbird and red-billed tropic bird. You will also spot a large colony of marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the colorful sally light foot crabs. After a short trek, you will run into colonies of masked and blue-footed boobies and their nesting grounds sometimes overlap the trail. Along the trail, you can also find Galapagos doves, hawks, and swallow-tailed gulls. After crossing the nesting grounds, you will reach the world’s largest colony of waved albatross (approximately 15,000), which come to the Galapagos for their mating rituals - a highlight if you are there at the right time of year. Finally, you will visit the blowhole, where water shoots into the air almost 75 feet. After this three-hour trek, you return to the yacht for lunch.
This afternoon, disembark at Bahia Gardner, or Gardner Bay, a wet landing on a white coral beach among a large colony of sea lions. This site has no trails and therefore no hiking, but is considered an open area where you can spot Galapagos hawks, American oystercatchers, Galapagos doves, hooded mockingbirds, three species of Darwin finches, yellow warblers, lava lizards, and marine iguanas. This is a great place for swimming and snorkeling and the best spot is by the islet that looks like a turtle. If you are lucky, you can admire many of the Galapagos marine species, such as king angelfish, creole fish, damselfish, parrot fish, manta rays, and white-tipped reef sharks. Return to the yacht for a cocktail on the Sun Deck, and a briefing on the next day’s activities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll have a wet landing on a greenish colored sand beach at Cormorant Point on Floreana Island. Hike a well-marked trail beginning in the black mangrove beds heading toward the back of the lagoon. The large, brackish lagoon holds one of the biggest populations of flamingos in the Galapagos. This island is best known for its endemic plant life, such as the Galapagos millwork, passion flower, and unique button mangrove. Novice snorkelers can practice back on the main beach where the sea lions are playful, while experienced snorkelers can explore the waters around Devils Crown, a sunken volcanic crater.
Located on the north side of Floreana Island is Post Office. The bay is so-named because in 1793, Captain James Colnett installed an empty barrel which served as an informal post box for sailors who passed through the Galapagos, taking with them the letters to their destinations. Today, you will continue the tradition by placing unstamped postcards inside the barrel which reach their destinations for free. It can take weeks, sometimes months, or sometimes the cards never arrive at all!
A short walk from the famous barrel, you’ll come to a tunnel formed by lava flows. Down a path you can observe the mocking bird of Galapagos, some species of Darwin’s finches, yellow Wardle and lava lizards.
After a short trip in the panga, you’ll make a dry landing at Lookout Point where you can enjoy a great view among marine birds.

After Post Office, you’ll take a dinghy ride along the coast for a one hour tour to observe: blue footed bobbies, sea lions, marine iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls. Luckily you will observe rays and sharks from the zodiac.
Then do some deep water snorkeling. This unforgettable activity lasts approximately an hour and if the water is clear you will be swimming in an aquarium with colorful fish, tame sharks, and rays.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a dry landing at North Seymour, you will encounter swallow-tailed gulls and sea lions that can be found bodysurfing. This is also known for being another major nesting site for blue-footed boobies and the largest colony of the magnificent frigate birds. You will also spot both endemic species of iguanas, marine iguanas and land iguanas. You are sure to enjoy this relaxed hike around the nesting sites.
Return to the ship and continue to Baltra Island. After lunch, enjoy a walk on Santa Cruz Island at Dragon Hill. After a wet landing, walk to a hyper-salinic lagoon behind the beach, where observers often report seeing many pink flamingos. This area is a nesting site for a large number of reintroduced land iguanas, again thanks to the Charles Darwin Research Station. There is also a bizarre scalesia tree forest. The trail then leads up to Dragon Hill, which offers a beautiful view of the bay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Dry landing this morning at the dark red volcanic beach, frequented by sea lions. It is often considered the geographic center of Galapagos because it has the most diversified volcanic rocks in all of the islands. Here a short trail leads to a saltwater lagoon, where you might find small colonies of flamingos feeding. The brown pelican nests in the mangroves can found at the far side of the lagoon. Also to be found are boobies and nine species of Darwin’s finches. Enjoy a panga ride by the reefs and an excellent opportunity for snorkeling. A short navigation in the early afternoon brings you to Santiago Island, and you’ll visit the dark sand beach at Puerto Egas. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows, and the surrounding area is prime for spotting and observing hunting herons, great blue herons, lava herons, oystercatchers, and the yellow crowned night heron. Enjoy the sight of marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds at low tide and sharing space with sally light foot crabs. There is a colony of fur seals swimming in deep pools of cool water called “grottos” and napping in the shade of the lava rocks. This is an excellent area for swimming and snorkeling in search of octopuses, sea horses, starfish, and other sea life caught in the small tidal pools. From a safe distance, travelers can admire moray eels, hammerhead sharks, white-tipped and Galapagos sharks, golden and white spotted eagle rays, jacks, wahoo, tuna, groupers, red-tailed and dog snappers, sea lions, and sea turtles - all in the midst of cold and warm water corals, fans, and sponge. Enjoy a cocktail on the Sun Deck, and a briefing on the next day’s activities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a dry landing at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, you will catch sight of the largest colony of marine iguanas mingling with sally light foot crabs. You can also see the flightless cormorants nesting sites, the little Galapagos penguins, Galapagos hawks, and sea lions. Among the flora and volcanic formations observers will note brachycereus cactus, “pa-hoe-hoe,” and other unusual lava formations, and view recent lava flows from a safe distance. Here, numerous mangrove beds extend into the sea, depicting a healthy and thriving ecosystem.
At Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela, there is no land excursion, but you’ll have the chance to enjoy snorkeling in the cool water with the possibility of up close encounters with sea lions, fur seals, the occasional dolphin, and sea turtles. Take a panga ride to observe the high cliffs with tuff stone, ash, and other lava formations, as well as caves and cliffs with brown noddies and blue-footed boobies.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After lunch you arrive at Bartolome, an island that appears as though you are walking on the moon with its volcanic formations that include lava bombs, spatter and cinder cones. There is a steep hike to the summit aided by wooden steps, where you have impressive views of the islands including Pinnacle Rock, an eroded tuff cone. On your way to the top you have the possibility of admiring a large colony of marine iguanas and lava lizards. Among the flora you may find are the red mangroves, tiquilla, and various cacti. Cool off near Pinnacle Rock, and enjoy some snorkeling where you might see Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and white-tipped sharks from a safe distance.
This afternoon your ship will cruise a short distance to the north of Santa Cruz Island, where you’ll visit Black Turtle Cove. This excursion is a panga ride though the protected mangrove. The motor will be turned off to allow for the close observation of sea turtles, young white-tipped reef sharks, spotted eagle rays, and yellow rays.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora, which is staffed with international scientists doing biological research and conservation projects. Here you can admire giant tortoises of the breeding program, including Lonesome George, the last living tortoise from Pinta Island. Admire the impressive giant prickly pear cactus forest and many land birds. The visit to the station takes about 40 minutes. Afterwards, you will have some free time to walk around town, shop for souvenirs or mail out your postcards before returning to the airport on Baltra for your flight back to Quito or Guayaquil, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast