Travel to Galapagos: GRACE - Galapagos Vacation

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GRACE - Galapagos Vacation

			DAYS: 11 GRADE: I define PRICE: From $6180 per person HIGHLIGHTS: Quito Galapagos cruise Wildlife interaction Snorkeling ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels/Lodges Yacht/Ship MEALS: As noted  [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch,   D-Dinner] SEASON: Year-round Prices, Departure Dates and Included Services Send to a Friend Print this Itinerary

An elegant 145 foot motor yacht accommodating just 18 passengers, the Grace offers spacious cabins and excellent service. The Grace was re-christened in honor of a previous owner; Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. She carries sea kayaks on board for guests to discouver more of the marine life around the islands.

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 through 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 with snorkel in clear equatorial waters.

2012 Grace Itineraries, Dates and Prices:
Grace Northwest Itinerary
Grace Southern Itinerary

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]

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 vessel Grace. 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]

Capture the perfect photograph with an up-close and personal look at seals and their pups.

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. Remarkabley, they are found no where 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 Grace. [BLD]

DAY 5 :  FLOREANA ISLAND & POST OFFICE BAY
Of all the islands in the Galapagos, Floreana has the most intriguing human history. Learn about the 18th century whalers who created the wooden barrel in Post Office Bay which is still used as a general mail distribution center, and the particularly eccentric self-proclaimed baroness who mysteriously disappeared one night. However, the wildlife is still be found here and the fine olivine and white sand beaches are common nesting areas for green sea turtles. A nearby lagoon is home to flamingos, pintail ducks, stilts, and other shorebirds. Visitors may also spot stingrays and white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the shallows of the bay. Overnight on the Grace. [BLD]

	View Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat on Santa Cruz Island

DAY 6 :  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 Grace. [BLD]

DAY 7 :  GENOVESA ISLAND & 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 Grace. [BLD]

DAY 8 :  ISABELA & FERNANDINA ISLANDS
Urbina Bay at Isabela Island is a perfect place to see the geological activity of the Galapagos Islands. In 1954 sudden movements of the tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface caused a 3 mile long section of the shore's edge to rise 13 feet out of the water, dramatically exposing the marine reef. From here, 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. Overnight on the Grace. [BLD]

Hike to a spectacular view of Bartolome Bay and Pinnacle Rock

DAY 9 :  BARTOLOME & NORTH SEYMOUR ISLANDS
In the morning, visit Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome Island where penguins are often spotted. Hike 30 minutes up to the summit of the once active volcano for spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock, the white-sand beaches, lush mangrove swamps, and various volcanic formations, keeping an eye out for pelicans and Galapagos hawks. In the afternoon head to North Seymour Island, and follow the trail amongst swallow tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies, and the endemic land iguanas. Visit the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds found in Galapagos.  As you stroll along the beach, you can find marine iguanas and sea lions surfing on the northern swells. Overnight on the Grace. [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 C o n t a c t Sherry Howland 1(800)345-4453