Galapagos Voyage on the Alta

Galapagos Journey
Program Code: EGIC03
8 days / 7 nights - Saturday thru Saturday

San Cristobal - Tower - Isabela - Fernandina - Santiago - Bartolome - Santa Cruz - Floreana - Hood

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Saturday
AM - SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND The flight from Quito (via Guayaquil) to the Galapagos is approximately 2 ½ hours on a Boeing 727 / 737. Our services will begin upon arrival at San Cristobal airport. Arriving passengers will pass through an airport inspection point to insure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands and it is here where the park entrance fee will be paid (unless prepaid). Guides will meet you, collect your luggage and escort you on the short bus ride to the harbor. Motorized rafts, called ‘Pangas’ will transport you to the M/S Alta and the crew will welcome you onboard. After a briefing and a light lunch prepare for the first excursion.

PM - SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND - Isla Lobos We will disembark at Isla Lobos which means Sea-Lion Island. The name is certainly appropriate because here we can appreciate the sea lions frolic, leap and make a racket. Isla Lobos is located North of San Cristóbal, one hour across a small channel. It is also a nesting place for blue footed boobies and a good place for snorkeling. A panga ride will be offered to Kicker Rock, a magnificent rock in the middle of the sea, rising 500 feet strait from the ocean. This giant uplifted rock has the shape of a sleeping lion. It has a split with towering vertical walls on either side, forming a narrow channel through which small vessels can navigate.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (L, D.)

Day 2 - Sunday
AM - TOWER (GENOVESA) ISLAND - Prince Philip's Steps Our morning excursion brings us to Tower, where we will take a trail, called Prince Philip Steps, leading to an open area where we observe masked boobies, frigates, and red-footed boobies. At the end of this trail are thousands of band - rumped storm petrels at the cliff's edge, where they nest in crevices. Short-eared owls can sometimes be seen here, hunting the storm petrels during daylight hours.

PM - TOWER (GENOVESA) ISLAND - Darwin Bay Beach Tower is a collapsed volcano and ships sail directly into its large breached caldera to anchor at the foot of the steep crater walls. The island attracts vast numbers of pelagic seabirds that come here to nest and breed, Great frigate birds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and storm petrels can be seen here. We will take a trail leading from a coral beach past tidal lagoons where lava gulls and yellow-crowned night herons can be seen, then along the low shrubs populated by frigates and boobies, and eventually to a cliff edge where seabirds soar.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (B, L, D)

Day 3 - Monday
AM - ISABELA (ALBEMARLE) ISLAND - Punta Vicente Roca This morning we visit Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos islands. It looks a bit like a sea horse facing toward the west. Located at the ‘mouth’ of the head of the sea horse, which forms the northern part of the islands, is Punta Vicente Roca. Here the remnants of an ancient volcano form two turquoise coves with a bay well protected from the ocean swells. The spot is a popular anchorage from which to take panga rides along the cliff that are the remains of the volcano or explore a partially sunken cave at the water’s edge. Masked and blue-footed boobies sit perched along the point and the sheer cliffs, while flightless cormorants inhabit the shoreline. The upwelling of coldwater currents in this part of the Galapagos, give rise to an abundance of marine life which, in combination with the protection of the coves, make Punta Vicente Roca one of the archipelago’s sought after dive spots. One cove is only accessible from the sea by way of an underwater passage. The passage opens to calm waters of the hidden cove where sea lions like to laze on the beach having traveled along the underwater route. The entire area of Punta Vicente Roca lies on the flank of 2,600 foot Volcano Ecuador. This is the island’s sixth largest volcano. Half of Volcano Ecuador slid into the ocean leaving a spectacular cutaway view of the volcanic caldera.

PM - FERNANDINA (NARBOROUGH) ISLAND - Punta Espinosa Fernandina is the youngest and most active volcano in the Galapagos with eruptions taking place every few years. In the afternoon we explore Punta Espinosa where the flat lava offers a stark and barren landscape, Flightless cormorants build their nests here on the point, sea lions sprawl on the beach or play in the tide pools and marine iguanas dot the sand.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (B, L, D)

Day 4 - Tuesday
AM - SANTIAGO (SAN SALVADOR / JAMES) ISLAND - Puerto Egas In the morning we visit Santiago island with several sites to visit at the western end of James Bay. Puerto Egas with its black sand beaches was the site of small salt mining industry in the 1960s and a hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to sight land birds such as finches, doves, and hawks. A walk down the rugged shoreline, especially at low tide, will turn up many marine species as iguanas basking on the rocks and sea lions lazing in the tide pools. At the end of the trail there is a series of grottoes or sea caves where fur seals and night herons are found resting on shady ledges. Just north of James Bay is Buccaneer Cove, a particularly scenic area of steep cliffs and dark beaches.

PM - BARTOLOME (BARTHOLOMEW) ISLAND Close to Santiago we find the small island of Bartolome with its beautiful white sand beaches, luxuriant green mangroves and a colony of penguins. Activities will include swimming and snorkeling and a climb to the summit of the island for one of the most breathtaking views in all the Galapagos. From the summit you will have the best view of the often-photographed Pinnacle Rock.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (B, L, D.)

Day 5 - Wednesday
AM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE) ISLAND - Puerto Ayora Town Santa Cruz is the only inhabited island to be visited during this Galapagos cruise. Puerto Ayora, with a population of about 10,000 people is the location of the Charles Darwin Research Station, world famous for its tortoise breeding programs. After touring the Station, journey by bus into the highlands to Los Gemelos the two deep pit craters situated in the Scalesia forest with lots of interesting bird life. Go for a walk through the giant lava tubes, visit the Tortoise Reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings. There will be some free time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora on your own.

PM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE) ISLAND - Highlands In the afternoon we explore the lush greenery of the Santa Cruz Highlands, a definite contrast with the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. A point of interest is the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative visit. The trip to the highlands ends with a visit to the Twin Crater.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (B, L, D)

Day 6 - Thursday
AM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE) ISLAND - Puerto Ayora Town Santa Cruz is the only inhabited island to be visited during this Galapagos cruise. Puerto Ayora, with a population of about 10,000 people is the location of the Charles Darwin Research Station, world famous for its tortoise breeding programs. After touring the Station, journey by bus into the highlands to Los Gemelos the two deep pit craters situated in the Scalesia forest with lots of interesting bird life. Go for a walk through the giant lava tubes, visit the Tortoise Reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings. There will be some free time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora on your own.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (B, L, D)

Day 7 - Friday
AM - HOOD (ESPANOLA) ISLAND - Punta Suarez After breakfast we will visit Hood, one of the oldest of the islands in the Galapagos. It is small and flat with no visible volcanic crater or vent. Punta Suarez is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Hood Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks and we can observe several types of reptiles, including the brilliantly colored marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, unique to this island. When heavy swells are running, Punta Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting 30 yards into the air.

PM - HOOD (ESPANOLA) ISLAND - Gardner Bay Gardner Bay is on the eastern shore and has a magnificent beach which we will visit this afternoon. The beach is frequented by a transient colony of sea lions, and is a major nesting site for marine turtles. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. On a trail leading to the western tip of the island you'll pass the only nesting sites in the Galapagos of the waved albatross, huge birds with a 6-foot wingspan. These huge birds nest here from April to December and represent the majority of the world’s population of this species.

EVE - Dinner and overnight on board. (B, L, D)

Day 8 - Saturday
AM - SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND - Puerto Baquerizo Moreno - Departure On this last morning we get back to San Cristobal. On its southwestern side is the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the providence of Galapagos. In Puerto Baquerizo Moreno we find the Interpretation Center which was newly opened by the Galapagos National park in 1998. This is truly an extraordinary contribution to the information and education of the islands communities and the travelers. It's focus is 80% on the anthropology of the Galapagos and 20% is scientific. Free time will be offered at leisure in the town before the transfer from the ship to the airport for the departure flight to mainland Ecuador. (B.)

END OF SERVICES

RATES

Rates valid until December 31, 2010.
Rates are per person in US dollars.
Rates can NOT be guaranteed. Subject to change at any time.
Accommodations are based on double occupancy.

Alta Rates	Naturalist Cruise		Active Cruise
2009 - 2010	Double	Single	Double	Single
Cabin 1-2	$ 4650	$ 8138	$ 4650	$ 8138
Cabin 3-8	$ 4450	$ 7788	$ 4450	$ 7788

If traveling alone you have to option to share a twin cabin with a passenger of the same sex, If you do not wish to share you the single rates will apply.

Children under 12, 30% discount. NOT applicable for departures on or between Christmas and New Year, or Easter.

Rates do not include:

Air tickets to/from Galapagos. We will obtain these flights for you and will invoice.
Galapagos National Park Tax: US$ 100.00. This tax can be paid directly by the passengers (cash only) or can be invoiced and prepaid.
Galapagos National Institute Migration Control Card: US$ 10.00. This figure will be invoiced and card will be handled by operator in Ecuador.
Fuel Surcharge: 7 nights cruise US $180.00 per person. This figure will be invoiced and has to be prepaid.
Snorkeling equipment (optional).
Wet suits (optional).
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Medical Services, travel insurance and other not specified.
Tips & personal expense.