Galapagos Islands: Small Yacht Cruise

The itinerary below may vary depending on factors such as ocean and weather conditions. Internal flights are also subject to change.

DAY 1: Quito, Ecuador Arrive in Quito, Ecuador where a representative will meet and bring you to Swissotel. For more information on our hotel accommodations, please see their website at http://www.swissotel.com/hotels/quito/

A bit about Quito The capital of Ecuador was founded in the 16th-century on the ruins of an Inca city and stands at an altitude of 2,850 m. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the city has the best-preserved, least altered historic center in Latin America. The monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo, and the Church and Jesuit College of La Compaa, with their rich interiors, are pure examples of the 'Baroque school of Quito', which is a fusion of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and indigenous art.

DAY 2: Quito Guided informational hike of Quito. Quito's old-town is like walking through time and back again amidst splendid 16th century architecture, churches bathed in gold, convents tucked away behind hand-carved, baroque doors and block upon block of Spanish-style.

DAY 3: Baltra Airport Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/Y Corals

PM - Fausto Llerena Breeding Center - Charles Darwin Station(Santa Cruz)
Dry landing. We visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place as part of our efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment and where the famous Lonesome George (the last surviving specimen of his species) lived for decades. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and variety Darwin's finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works providing environmental education to communities and schools within the islands, and to tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands. You will also have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.

Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1h30 walk.

DAY 4: Santa Fe AM - Wet landing on a white sand beach surrounded by a sea lion colony; we continue walking through an endemic cactus forest as we search for the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, the largest in the islands and distinctively paler. This island is home to a number of endemic species including Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, rice rats, a variety of finches and one of the four species of Galapagos mockingbirds. Deep-water snorkeling.

Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour deep-water snorkeling

PM - South Plaza (Plaza Island)
Dry landing on the northern part of the Islet. The walk begins with an impressive cactus forest surrounded by land and marine iguanas; as we reach its highest point, be on the lookout for tropicbirds and a bachelor sea lion colony.

In South Plaza there is a large colony of the smaller sized land iguanas. The population is approximately 300 individuals. They feed on all kinds of vegetation, but during the dry season survive on the fruits and flowers of Opuntia cacti. We will encounter the one and only Galapagos hybrid iguana.

Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2 hours walk

DAY 5: AM - North Seymour Dry landing. This is perhaps one of the busiest tourist destinations on the archipelago. Off of Baltra Island (where the airport is located) and not far from Santa Cruz, North Seymour is the most accessible for day trips out of Santa Cruz's main port, Puerto Ayora.

An approximately two-hour walk amidst large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies*, magnificent and great frigatebirds*, and swallow-tailed gulls for an in depth encounter with sea bird breeding cycles and as well as sea lions. You will also encounter sea lions, land iguanas, and on a lucky day, you might even come across a Galapagos Snake.

Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2 hours walk, 30 minute snorkeling

PM - Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz)

Wet landing on the north side of Santa Cruz; behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes, and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles* in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but then spend 3 or 5 years without breeding.

At this paradisiacal site we will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago, once property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. That is why the beach is called "Bachas" because the word "barges" in English was hard to pronounce for the local people.

Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming

DAY 6: Interpretation Center & Tijeretas (San Cristobal) AM - Dry landing in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, capital of the Galapagos Islands. Passengers visit the Interpretation Center, an excellent place to learn about Natural History in the Galapagos. The Museum of Natural History displays information on the volcanic origins of the islands, their remoteness from the continent, ocean currents, climate, the arrival of the different species and their colonization, among other points of interest. The human history is also showcased, chronologically narrating the most significant events related to the discovery and colonization of the islands.

Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1 hour visit

Tijeretas Hill which involves a high-intensity walk through beautiful landscapes ending with a magnificent view nearby a large frigatebird colony.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Duration: 1 hour visit

PM - Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristobal)
Dry landing in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Passengers visit the San Cristobal giant tortoise Breeding Center to learn about the National Park's conservation programs. Passengers will also have the opportunity to visit the port village, have a drink or shop for arts and crafts and other souvenirs.

Difficulty level: intermediate
Duration: 40 minutes bus drive to the Reserve / 1 hour visit

DAY 7: Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal) AM - Wet landing. Cerro Brujo is an eroding tuff cone that at several locations is composed of aa lava formations, and a beautiful white sand beach, great for snorkeling and sunbathing. We visit a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen: Black-necked Stilts, Ruddy Turnstones, Whimbrels, other sandpiper species and White-cheeked Pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal and the adjacent coast.

Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling

PM - Pitt Point & Pitt Islet (San Cristobal)
Wet landing followed by a high intensity hike on rocky terrain. The trail includes an olivine beach of 90 meters long and a path that climbs to the top of a volcanic tuff, through several magnificent viewpoints. This is probably the only site where the three booby species of the Galapagos can be seen together: Nazca, Blue-footed, and Red-footed; as well as two species of frigatebirds and a sea lion colony; it is also excellent for dinghy rides and snorkeling, where a good range of seabirds can be observed.

Difficulty level: difficult
Type of terrain: rocky and steep
Duration: 2h30 walk

DAY 8: Mosquera Islet AM - Wet Landing, Mosquera Islet is located between North Seymour and Baltra Islands, this flat, sandy island has a large colony of sea lions. It is also an excellent site for observing shorebirds such as herons and Lava Gulls. Most of the islet is covered with sand and barren lava rock. Very little sesuvium portulacastrum grows on the sand.

Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1h30 walk & snorkeling

PM - Bartolome
Dry landing. We discover a fascinating moonscape formed by different volcanic parasitic cones --lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones --as we hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock. We also encounter marine iguanas and lava lizards.

Beach time is a great opportunity to snorkel and see (perhaps swim with) Galapagos Penguin, sea turtles and White-tipped Reef Shark, among a great variety of colorful fish. For many visitors, this may turn out to be the best of snorkeling experiences; the water here is generally clear, without too much surf and full of marine life.

Due to its geographical location, the lack of vegetation is immediately noticeable. Pioneer plants are observed, so called because they are the first to establish roots on new ground. They include Tiquilia nesiotica (which is endemic to the island) and Chamaesyce (known as sand mat or spurge in English), lava cactus, and Scalesia bushes. Behind the beach we have dunes covered by mangroves.

Difficulty level: intermediate.
Type of terrain: trail made of steps (370 steps)
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming

DAY 9: Rabida AM - Wet landing. Dark-red sand covers these unique beaches with incredible landscape; Rabida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting Brown Pelicans are found from July through September and nine species of the famous Darwin's finches can be seen. We will also take a dinghy ride along cliffs to observe nesting seabirds, and snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.

Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling / 1 hour dinghy ride

PM - Egas Port (Santiago)
Wet landing on a beach of black volcanic sand, visited by Darwin in 1835. The first part of the trail is comprised of volcanic ash (eroded tuff) and the other half of the trail is partially uneven terrain, comprised of volcanic basaltic rock that lounges the shoreline.

The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago's shores is home to a variety of resident and migrant birds, including the bizarre Yellow-crowned Night Heron and astounding array of marine wildlife including lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally Lightfoot Crabs. Colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water pools formed by volcanic rocks. Snorkeling here offers rarities such as octopus or squid.

Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: the first part flat and then semi-rocky
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming

DAY 10: El Chato (Santa Cruz) AM - Dry landing. We will reach the Santa Cruz highlands and visit a private farm, Primicias (El Chato), where giant tortoises are found in their natural habitat. The road to the reserve is one of the best places to observe land birds. Tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers and Cattle Egrets inhabit the area.

Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat & muddy sometimes (depending on season)
Duration: 45 minutes drive / 1h30 walk

Baltra airport
In the morning we will go straight to the airport for return flight to Quito and land around 4pm. We will check back into our hotel, the Swissotel, for our last night in Quito.

DAY 11: Quito Transfer to airport for your flight back home, or begin your trip extension. Call for details.