Galapagos Voyage on the Coral I & Coral II

Exploration Cruise
Program Code: EGIC10
8 days / 7 nights - Sunday thru Sunday

About the Ships

Baltra - Santa Cruz - Espanola - Floreana - North Seymour - Rabida - Santiago - Fernandina - Isabela - Bartolome

 

Galapagos
ITINERARY

Day 1 - Sunday
AM / PM - Quito or Guayaquil / Baltra & Santa Cruz (Indefatigable / Chavez) Islands - Puerto Ayora & Highlands
Our services will begin upon your arrival at the airport of Baltra island (Galapagos) from Quito or Guayaquil after a flight of approximately 2 and a half hours.

The guides of the Coral I or Coral II (both yachts operate this program side by side) will greet you outside the customs area of the airport and provide the transfer to the Itabaca canal. The canal separates the island of Baltra from Santa Cruz island (also called Indefatigable or Chavez). Cross the canal by ferry and travel to Puerto Ayora by bus. During this trip the guides may decide to cross the highlands of Santa Cruz where you will visit Cerro Chato where you will be able to observe the famous giant tortoises that gave the name to these islands. On Santa Cruz travelers can literally get "into" the Galapagos by walking in the dormant lava tubes. Later we will board our yacht where we will check into our cabins.

EVE - The crew and your Naturalist guides on board the Coral I or Coral II will give a briefing on security procedures and an outline of the program to follow over the next week. Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board. (L, D.)

Day 2 - Monday
AM - ESPANOLA (HOOD) ISLAND - Punta Suarez
Wake up in the Galapagos islands and take in the smell and the breeze of the ocean when stepping outside your cabin. After breakfast on board we leave the yacht for a dry landing at Suarez Point (Punta Suarez) on Espanola island. Your Naturalist guides will explain and teach you about the lava terrain while crossing the inactive lava fields. We will be able to see several sea lion colonies but mostly this is one of the most important sites for bird watching. As soon as you step foot on this island many species can be spotted and observed at close range. Among the species that can be found here are the hooded mocking bird and red billed tropic. After crossing the nesting grounds you will reach the world’s largest colony of waved albatross (15,000 approx.). From May till December their mating rituals are a highlight of the visit. Nearing the end of this excursion passengers will visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots into the air at almost 75 feet (some 23 meters).

PM - ESPANOLA (HOOD) ISLAND - Gardner Bay
Lunch on board. For the afternoon excursion we will go for a wet landing on a white coral beach on Gardner Bay (Espanola island) amidst a large colony of sea lions. Hiking is not possible here as the site has no trails, but it is considered an open area where you can spot a great variety of fauna. Galapagos hawks, American oyster catchers, Galapagos doves and Hood mockingbirds, three species of Darwin finches and Yellow Warblers, lava Lizards and Marine Iguanas all can be seen here. All of these species are endemic to this island. This is also a great place for swimming and snorkeling. The best place for this spot is by the rock outcropping that looks like a turtle. Often snorkelers see many of the Galapagos marine species such as: King Angelfish, Creole fish, Damsel fish, Parrot fish, Manta rays, White tipped reef sharks and many more. Enjoy yourself snorkeling in an open Galapagos aquarium.

EVE - Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board. (B, L, D.)

Day 3 - Tuesday
AM - FLOREANA (SANTA MARIA / CHARLES) ISLAND - Punta Cormorant
After breakfast we head out for a wet landing on a greenish colored sand beach on Floreana island. The guides will take us on a well-marked trail beginning in the Black Mangrove beds and we will hike towards 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. We can observe the Galapagos millwork, Passion flower, and unique button mangrove (one of the four species in the Galapagos). Novice snorkelers can practice their skills back on the main beach where the sea lions are playful, while experienced snorkelers can roam the waters around Devils Crown.

PM - FLOREANA (SANTA MARIA / CHARLES) ISLAND - Post Office Bay
During lunch the yacht will head towards Post Office baby, located on the North side of Floreana Island. The bay is so-named because in 1793, Captain James Colnett installed an empty barrel of rum which works as an informal post box for the sailors who periodically passed through the Galapagos, taking with them letters for their next ports of call or final destinations. Visitors to the islands continue the tradition by placing postcards without stamps inside the barrel which reach their destinations free of charge. Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes months, and sometimes the cards never get there at all. You may want to try this easy mail, be ready with your post cards and letters, it is a good way to get Galapagos friends.

Just a short walk from the famous barrel, across typical vegetation of the island, we come to a tunnel formed by lava flows. It is quite a tricky way down to a path where we can observe land birds such as Mocking bird of Galapagos, some species of Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers and lava lizards. Later in the afternoon we make a wet landing on “Mirador de la Baronesa”. Our Naturalist guide will tell the story about the murder and mystery legend of the "Baronesa". This viewpoint is located on the north of the Floreana Island. It is a tuff basalt formation between Punta Cormorant and Post Office bay. The climb on the trails is very easy as steps are placed in this area for security.

EVE - Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)

Day 4 - Wednesday
AM - NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
In the morning hours we will visit North Seymour island for a dry landing. Here we will find Swallow tailed gulls and Sea lions. The site is also known for being a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies and the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird, a different species from the great frigate bird. On a relaxing hike around the nesting sites we can also spot both endemic species of Iguanas, the Marine Iguanas and Land Iguanas.

PM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE / CHAVEZ) ISLAND - Dragon Hill / Venice
Our afternoon excursion takes us to Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz island. After a dry landing, we walk to a lagoon behind the beach which is occasionally visited by pink flamingos. From here the trail leads up to Dragon Hill, which offers a beautiful view of the bay. The area is a nesting site for a large number of land iguanas that were re-introduced by the Charles Darwin Research Station. There is also a somewhat bizarre Scalesia tree forest. We continue on a dinghy ride around the islet along the coast of Santa Cruz. The land iguanas in Venice are protected from the wild dogs that live on the island. It is also possible here to observe the vegetation and marine animals like the Spotted Eagle Rays and Golden Rays, Mullets, White Tipped Reef Sharks and pacific green Sea Turtles which rest in the calm waters of the coves and channels.

EVE - Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)

Day 5 - Thursday
AM - RABIDA (JERVIS) ISLAND
In the morning hours we will go for a wet landing at the dark red colored beach of volcanic origin of Rabida island, frequented by sea lions. It is often considered the geographic center of Galapagos because it has the most diversified volcanic rocks of all the Islands. A short trail leads to a salt water lagoon, where we occasionally find flamingos. From July thru September is a good time to observe brown pelicans nest in the salty bushes found at the far side of the salty lagoon. Also to be observed are boobies and 9 species of Darwin’s finches. We continue by dingy for a ride along the reefs where we find an excellent opportunity for snorkeling.

PM - SANTIAGO (JAMES / SAN SALVADOR) ISLAND - Puerto Egas
The Yacht will move on to Puerto Egas (Egas Port) on Santiago island where we will disembark on a wet landing. Most of the landscape here is tuff-stone layers and lava flows. The surrounding area is prime for spotting and observing hunting Herons, Great Blue Herons, Lava Herons, Oyster Catchers, and the Yellow Crowned Night Herons. Enjoy the sight of Marine Iguanas grazing on algae beds at low tide sharing space with red sally light-foot crabs. A colony of Fur Sea Lions swim in deep pools of cool water called “grottos”. From the beach you can swim and snorkel in search of Octopuses, Sea Horses, Star Fish and other sea life species.

EVE - Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)

Day 6 - Friday
AM - FERNANDINA (NARBOROUGH) ISLAND - Punta Espinosa
In the morning we will make a dry landing at Punta Espinosa (Espinosa Point) on Fernandina island. Here we will see the biggest Marine Iguanas mingle with sally-light foot crabs. Flightless Cormorants have their nesting sites here while Galapagos Penguins, Galapagos hawks and sea lions can be found here as well. Flora and volcanic formation observers will note Brachycerus cactus, and two kinds of lava formations “pa-hoe-hoe” lava and ”AA”. Numerous mangrove beds extend into the sea, depicting a healthy and thriving eco-system.

PM - ISABELA (ALBEMARLE) ISLAND - Tagus Cove
This afternoon we will visit Isabela island, the largest island in the Galapagos. At Tagus Cove, we disembark on a dry landing. Our Naturalist guides will explain about the eruption of five volcanoes that flowed together to form this land mass. The marked trail leads to Darwin’s salt water lagoon and an excellent view of the lava fields, scoured with unique volcanic formations. From the dingy we will have time to observe marine life. Frequently, Galapagos Penguins can be seen here. Graffiti, dating back to the 1800’s, can help visitors better appreciate the relationship between the islands and tourism today. Most of the graffiti is believed to be done by pirates and buccaneers. Snorkeling is possible in this part.

EVE - Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)

Day 7 - Saturday
AM - BARTOLOME (BARTHOLOMEW) ISLAND
Breakfast on board followed by a visit to Bartolome island. We will make a dry landing on this island where we will see volcanic formations including lava bombs, spatter, and cinder cones. After a hike to the summit we will enjoy one of the most impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock. During the hike to the summit, visitors will often see large colonies of Marine Iguanas, Lava Lizards, tiquila bushes and various cacti. After the hike we will have a chance to cool off while snorkeling. Here it is possible to see the Galapagos Penguins, Sea Turtles and White Tipped Reef Sharks from a safe distance.

PM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE / CHAVEZ) ISLAND - Black Turtle Cove
After lunch we visit Black Turtle Cove, located near Las Bachas beach in the north coast line of Santa Cruz Island. On this excursion we will take a “dingy” ride though the mangrove, during which the outboard motor of the small boat is turned off allowing us to observe Marine Turtles, White Tipped Reef Sharks, Spotted Eagle Rays and Yellow Rays from up close.

EVE - Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)

Day 8 - Sunday
AM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE / CHAVEZ) ISLAND - CHARLES DARWIN STATION
On this last morning in the Galapagos we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island. The station is staffed by international scientists conducting biological research and conservation projects. Here you can also admire giant tortoises that are part of the breeding program. Time permitting we visit "Rancho Primicias" in the highlands of the island before returning back on board our yacht.

PM - Baltra Island / Guayaquil or Quito
We disembark at the docks of Baltra island from where we take a bus to the airport for the flight back to mainland Ecuador via Guayaquil to Quito.
(B, L.)

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.

CORAL I & CORAL II HIGH SEASON *1 LOW SEASON *2
2009 - 2010 Single *3 Double Single *3 Double
Standard cabins $ 5562 $ 3090 $ 5202 $ 2890
Moon cabins $ 6462 $ 3590 $ 6174 $ 3430
Junior cabins $ 7794 $ 4330 $ 7362 $ 4090
         

*1 HIGH SEASON - January 01 to 07, January 22 to February 29, March 13 to April 30, July 01 to September 02, October 01 to November 25, December 17 to 31.

*2 LOW SEASON - January 08 to 21, March 01 to 12, May 01 to June 30, September 03 - 30, November 26 to December 16.

*3 SINGLE supplement 80% over DOUBLE rates. NOTE: If traveling alone you have the option to share a twin cabin with a passenger of the same sex. If you do not wish to share, a single supplement will apply.

Children under 12 years of age are discounted 25% when sharing a cabin with 2 adults. Children under 7 years of age are not permitted on board.

Rates do not include:
About the Ships