Travel to Galapagos: EVOLUTION - Galapagos Vacation

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EVOLUTION - Galapagos Vacation

	The M/V Evolution offers accommodation for up to 32 passengers.

The Evolution, a 210 foot expedition vessel, is luxury cruising vessel in the Galapagos. She offers style and comfort in sixteen en suite cabins as well as beautiful salons and private areas for a maximum of 32 passengers.

Explore the fascinating blend of Indian and Spanish culture in Quito, South America's oldest capital city and designated UN World Heritage Site, and voyage among the unique Galapagos Islands. Discover plants and animals unique to particular islands as you travel throughout the archipelago. Our expert naturalist guides explain how these species have evolved and adapted over time. During an 8 day cruise you will visit the major wildlife sites, including some of the more remote outer islands. Meet exotic and bizarre wildlife as you venture among cinder cones, lava flows, white and black sand beaches, and rocky cliffs and cool off snorkeling in clear equatorial waters. 

DAY 1 :  ARRIVE QUITO
Arrive in Quito and transfer to Patio Andaluz, a 4 star boutique hotel situated in the heart of the refurbished colonial center of Quito. Overnight Patio Andaluz or similar. [Meals on your own]

DAY 2 :  QUITO

We begin our Ecuador vacation with a half-day city tour of colonial Quito, including the bustling Independence Plaza, the dazzling gold-leafed altars of La Compania Church, and the impressive San Francisco Church. Visit the Mitad del Mundo Equatorial marker and ethnographic village and museum. Afternoon and evening are free to explore this beautifully restored city with its busy pedestrian plazas, shops, coffee bars, pubs, and many excellent restaurants. Overnight Patio Andaluz or similar. [B]

Relax on the sundeck

DAY 3 :  GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
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 Evolution. The ship's 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 a 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 of diverse flora and fauna. Overnight onboard. [BLD]

DAY 4 :  ESPANOLA ISLAND
Relax on the beach with the sea lions at Gardener Bay, Espanola. Snorkeling from shore here, you can find plenty of beautiful fish as well as harmless nurse sharks and gentle sea turtles. Due to its isolation, Espanola has a high number of endemic species found only on this island and you will visit the nesting site of over ten thousand pairs of Waved albatross. At one meter high with a two meter wing span, the Waved albatross is one of the most impressive and comical aerial acrobats in the world. Remarkably, they are found nowhere else on Earth. This afternoon you arrive at Punta Suarez for an outstanding opportunity to see more wildlife including five species of nesting seabirds like the 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 feet high. Overnight on the Evolution. [BLD]

	View the Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat on Santa Cruz Island

DAY 5 :  SANTA CRUZ ISLAND & CHARLES DARWIN STATION
Visit the famous Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island and learn about current research and conservation initiatives including several breeding programs that hope 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, explore lava tubes and pit craters, and look for wild giant tortoises. Enjoy a typical Ecuadorian lunch at a local restaurant. Overnight on the Evolution. [BLD]

DAY 6 :  SANTIAGO & BARTOLOME ISLANDS
After landing this morning at the beautiful black sand beach of Puerto Egas, on Santiago Island, and embark on a hike through the dry interior of the island. Keep your eyes out for hawks, doves, and finches before reaching the opposite coastline. Deep aquamarine colored grottos shelter sea lions and night herons, as well as invertebrates such as sea urchins, octopus, and starfish. This is one of the few places in the Galapagos to spot fur seals basking on the black lava rocks. 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 the Rock, the white-sand beaches and the lush mangrove swamps below. Identify various volcanic formations like spatter and tuff cones with your guide, keeping an eye out for pelicans and Galapagos hawks. Overnight on the Evolution. [BLD]

Prince Philips steps lead to the nesting grounds of the Nazca, Blue and Red-footed boobies.

DAY 7 :  GENOVESA & DARWIN BAY
Darwin Bay, at Genovesa Island, is all that remains of the caldera from a collapsed volcano with steep, soaring walls. Snorkeling in the submerged caldera is excellent, as the high nutrient content of the water attracts an abundance of sea life. Known as The Bird Island, Genovesa features a wealth of avian species including great frigate birds, herons, mockingbirds, boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, and Darwin's finches. This afternoon you might kayak or ride the dinghy below 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 the Palo Santo forest before emerging on the other side of the island.  Overnight on the Evolution. [BLD]

DAY 8 :  FERNANDINA & ISABELA ISLANDS
This morning, head out to Fernandina, 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. Watch penguins throw themselves off the rocks into the water, while the panga driver skillfully eludes the reef to reach the landing site near a small mangrove forest. 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, one of the few places where you can watch them feed underwater. A short boat ride mid-day through Bolivar Channel will bring you to Tagus Cove, at Isabela Island. 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 connected to the sea by a narrow inlet. At the top of the trail it is possible to observe the different vegetation zones, catch a glimpse of Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes, and see Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and pelicans. Overnight on the Evolution. [BLD]

	Take a closer look at seals relaxing in this paradise they call home

DAY 9 :  NORTH SEYMOUR & SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
This morning's stop is North Seymour Island, known for its abundance of wildlife. Seismic events have created magnificent cliffs lined with silver-gray Palo Santo trees; a wonderful place for photography. Look for sea lions, marine iguanas, pelicans, and blue-footed booby nests. Just to the South visit Black Turtle Cove. This Red Mangrove lagoon serves as a nursery for many types of sharks as well as Golden and Spotted Eagle rays.  The water is mirror-calm and by paddling quietly, it is possible to see dozens of majestic creatures floating just beneath the surface. Overnight on the Evolution. [BLD]

DAY 10 :  RETURN TO QUITO
Disembark in the morning. Your guide will accompany you to the Galapagos airport for your afternoon flight to the mainland, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at Patio Andaluz or similar. [B]

DAY 11 :  DEPART
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home or extend your trip to visit more of Ecuador's natural wonders. [B]

Questions? Ask Our Program Directors.

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