Travel to Ecuador, Galapagos: Galapagos Christmas Odyssey

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Galapagos Christmas Odyssey

	Great amenities make the Eric, Flamingo, and Letty our most popular yachts.

Enjoy the holidays onboard a luxury yacht exploring one of the world's most fascinating Marine Reserves. Discover a blend of Indian and Spanish culture in Quito, South America's oldest capital city designated as a UN World Heritage Site. Voyage among the Galapagos Islands, a showcase of evolution, aboard the Eric, Flamingo or Letty, which are each 83 foot cruising yachts accommodating up to 20 passengers. As you travel from island to island, our on-board, expert naturalist guide points out the unique behavioral and physical characteristics plants and animals have developed as they evolve and adapt to each unique island habitat. During an 8-day voyage, you visit all the major sites in the archipelago, including outer islands. Nowhere else on Earth can you observe, photograph and commune so closely with exotic and bizarre wildlife as you venture among cinder cones, lava flows, white and black sand beaches, rocky cliffs and shorelines. Plan to hike, snorkel and sea kayak.

DAY 1 :  QUITO
Arrive in Quito and transfer in to overnight at Cafe Cultura, or similar. [Meals on your own]

DAY 2 :  QUITO
Enjoy a half-day city tour of colonial Quito. Beginning in the charming hillside neighborhood of Guapulo with quaint cobblestone streets and lavish walled residences of ambassadors, continue into the main area of Quitos New Town, passing the American Embassy and House of Culture. The old colonial center includes the bustling Independence Plaza, the dazzling gold-leafed altars of La Compania Church and the San Francisco Church. Your orientation continues with a visit to Mitad del Mundo, the Equatorial marker and ethnographic village and museum. Learn about the broad diversity of people living in this small nation, from descendents of African slaves on the Pacific coast to the remote Achuar of the rainforest.  The rest of the day is free for you to relax and prepare for your Galapagos Wildlife Odyssey. Overnight Cafe Cultura, or similar. [B]

DAY 3 :  BEGIN GALAPAGOS VOYAGE
Private transfer in the morning to the domestic airport for the 2 hour flight to the Galapagos. Upon arrival, meet your naturalist guide and transfer to the vessel. The ships crew will greet you on board, take care of your luggage, and run through safety drills. Enjoy fresh fruit drinks as the yacht makes her way to the first site visit. As the sun sets, enjoy a typical Ecuadorian meal, the nightly briefing and formal presentation of the captain and crew. During the rest of this week, you will leisurely voyage through the stunning Galapagos Islands, among a varied landscape and diverse flora and fauna. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

All Galapagos visitors love the comical boobies!

DAY 4 :  TOWER: PRINCE PHILLIPS STEPS / DARWIN BAY BEACH
Darwin Bay is the former caldera of a collapsed volcano with steep, soaring walls. Known as the bird island, Genovese features a wealth of avian species including great frigatebirds, herons, mockingbirds, boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrals, and Darwins finches. This afternoon, you may kayak or ride the dinghy along the steep cliffs to view birds nesting in the narrow rock crevices. Red-Billed Tropicbirds, as well as Masked and Red-Footed Boobies are usually seen on the hike up Prince Philips Steps to the high plateau. The path meanders through a Palo Santo forest before emerging on the other side of the island. Snorkeling in the submerged caldera is excellent, as the high nutrient content of the water attracts abundant sea life. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

DAY 5 :  SOUTH PLAZA / NORTH SEYMOUR
South Plaza offers one of the best opportunities to see Land Iguanas and Swallow-tail gulls, both endemic to Galapagos. Other avian species which take advantage of the perfect bird habitat of the sheer cliffs are Yellow-tailed mullets, Audubon shearwaters, Red-billed Tropicbirds, and Brown pelicans. Look for the unusual vegetation on this island, Opuntia Cactus and Sesuvium plants, forming a red carpet over the rocky landscape.North Seymour typifies the arid zone with its flat landscape and Palo Santosbushes. Your path takes you past colonies of blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds, as well as sea lions basking on the black lava rocks. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

DAY 6 :  ISABELA: TAGUS COVE / FERNANDINA: PUNTA ESPINOZA
A short boat ride through Bolivar Channel brings you to Tagus Cove. These are very productive waters, whales and dolphins are often seen here. Tagus Cove was historically used as an anchoring site for pirates and whalers. The nature trail is an ascent through the typical dry vegetation zone and offers spectacular views of Darwin Lake, a saltwater crater lake and the long narrow inlet that appears to connect with it. At the top of the trail it is possible to observe the different vegetation zones, as well as catch a glimpse of Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes as well as Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants and pelicans. Fernandina is the youngest and westernmost island in the Galapagos. Punta Espinosa is a narrow stretch of land where some of the most unique Galapagos species can be seen including Sally Lightfoot crabs, penguins, and Marine iguanas, which congregate in larger groups here than on any other island. While the panga driver skillfully eludes the reef to reach the landing site near a small mangrove forest, penguins throw themselves off the rocks into the water. The Marine iguanas are everywhere: basking in the sand, swimming near the shore, grazing on the exposed seaweed in the lava and blocking the way at the landing dock, and this is one of the few places where you can watch them feed underwater. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

	The Galapagos are the perfect family destination.

DAY 7 :  SANTIAGO: PUERTO EGAS / BARTOLOME
Landing at the beautiful black sand beach of Puerto Egas we hike through the dry interior observing land birds such as hawks, doves and finches, before reaching the coastline. Deep blue-green grottos shelter sea lions and night herons, as well as invertebrate organisms such as sea urchin, octopus and starfish. This is one of the only places in the Galapagos to spot fur seals, navigating amongst the marine iguanas basking on the black lava rock. In the afternoon visit Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome Island where penguins are often spotted. Hike up to the summit of the island for spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock and picturesque bays with white-sand beaches and lush mangrove swamps. Various volcanic formations are identified such as spatter and tuff cones. Watch for pelicans and Galapagos Hawks. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

DAY 8 :  SANTA CRUZ: DARWIN STATION / HIGHLANDS
Visit the famous Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island and learn about research and conservation initiatives including breeding programs to reintroduce specific tortoise species back onto the island of their origin. Meet Lonesome George, possibly the oldest resident of Galapagos and the last surviving individual giant tortoise of his Pinta Island sub-species. In the lush green highlands we explore lava tubes and pit craters and look for giant tortoises in the wild. Enjoy a typical Ecuadorian lunch at a local restaurant. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

DAY 9 :  ESPANOLA: PUNTA SUAREZ / GARDNER BAY
Relax on the beach with the sea lions at Gardener Bay. Snorkeling from shore you find plenty of beautiful fish as well as harmless nurse sharks and sea turtles. Due to its isolation, Espanola has a high number of endemic species found only on this island. We visit the nesting site of 10-12,000 pairs of Waved albatross (April-December). At 1 meter height and a 2 meter wing span, the albatross are one of the most impressive and comical aerial acrobats in the world. They are found no where else on Earth. Punta Suarez is an outstanding opportunity to see more wildlife including five species of nesting seabirds such as Hood Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, and Galapagos hawks. Prehistoric looking marine iguanas and giant lava lizards roam the terrain. A short hike leads to the Blowhole, a fissure in the lava cliffs which blasts incoming breakers into geysers over 90 high. Overnight on the Eric, Flamingo or Letty. [BLD]

DAY 10 :  GALAPAGOS TO QUITO
Disembark in the morning. Your guide accompanies passengers to the Galapagos airport for your afternoon flight to the mainland. Transfer in from the Quito airport and overnight Cafe Cultura, or similar. [B]

DAY 11 :  QUITO
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home or extend your trip to explore more of Ecuadors natural wonders. [B]

Questions? Ask Our Program Directors.

. C o n t a c t Jeff Stivers 1(800)345-4453