M/Y Galaxy Galapagos

DAY 1 – TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20TH

FLY TO GALAPAGOS & BOARD THE FIRST CLASS M/Y GALAXY

Arrive to the Quito airport on time for your flight to San Cristobal Island (flight time to be confirmed). Arrive to Galapagos and transfer to your 16 passenger first cass yacht, M/Y GALAXY.

Begin your 4-night cruise through Darwin’s “Enchanted Islands”. All cabins are spacious and feature a private bath/shower and air-conditioning. All meals, lectures and shore excursions are included. The excursions and cultural programs are led by naturalist guides with years of experience in guiding in the Galapagos Islands.

PM: Lobos Island

This place is the habitat of seals, frigates, finches, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the small endemic Galapagos snake. Here, we can swim and snorkeling in the same place. Leon Dormido: This is formed by two rocks of approximately 148m above sea level named thus by its similitude with a lion we will pass between both rocks but we will not disembark because is not possible to do it.

(L, D)

DAY 2 – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21ST

CRUISING THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

AM: Gardner Bay, Espanola Island

Breakfast early in the morning. Our first visit: Gardner Bay, activities for this visit: short walking, swimming, snorkeling, and observation of seals colony. The sea lion is one of the animals in Galapagos which gets the total attention of the visitors in the Galapagos: they are curious and playful, but at times aggressive; they are nice and loving, but also lazy. In Gardner Bay, we are going to find many of them relaxing in the beach enjoying of the sun. Snorkeling in the area where we will be able to swim with them, besides you observe these fascinating animals, we will swim with the sea turtles, diversity of tropical fish, marine iguanas etc. We will return to the ship, to sail toward the following island.

PM: Suarez Point, Isabela Island

Activities that were carried out in this place: walking; recommendable clothes: sports shoes, hat, cap, solar lotion. There is not color more amazing and outstanding in this tropical desert island that the blue-foot boobies; they have an impressive form to "greeting" and it is a real spectacle to see the ritualistic parade of the entourage. In several islands we can admire this bird due to that nests and feed are located in diverse places close to the coast. In this place we will be able to observe the Albatross with a weight from three to four kilograms and an importance of more than two meters, this creature of aristocratic aspect is one of the largest birds of the islands. Around twelve thousand couples have their nests in the Española Island (some few in the Silver Island near of main land Ecuador). This specie is considered endemic from this island during our walking we will be able to observe these fantastic birds, we will be part of the beautiful and only landscapes that offers this island. Important Note: Albatross will be not possible to see between January and March. Also we will observe colonies of marine iguanas, zayapas, mask boobies, finches, Española cucuves, and seagulls unique of the island. Our walking will be for lava rock path where we will be able to admire the hollow blowers. The vegetation of this island is of red mangrove. Delicious Snacks and fresh beverages expect for you. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND

AM: Post Office Bay, Floreana Island

Breakfast early in the morning. Our first visit will be POST OFFICE (Mail Bay): Activities in this place: short walk, swimming, snorkeling, review of the mail. Description of the Place: it is situated to the north of Floreana Island. The Post Office Bay name is because of Capitan James Colnett installed an empty Ron barrel, to use it as post office for the whaling fleets that frequented for a long time the Galapagos Islands. You can send some postcards from here to your friends and relatives or interchange letter to deliver in their destiny. Return. Delicious snacks and beverages will be expecting for you and lunch.

PM: Cormorant Point & Devil´s Crown, Floreana Island

This point is located at west of Floreana Island and it is famous to has a dark green beach due to the great quantity of olivine crystals. You can see many marine invertebrates, as well as also sea lions, sea iguanas, the frigates and pelicans. Second visit: DEVIL´S CROWN: Activities in this place: panga ride and optional swimming. Panga ride around of a small island, this place was a satellite islet of the island Floreana. Here, we will find a group of rocks that seem to a crown, due to the constant erosion caused by the sea. It is one of the better places to do snorkeling (superficial diving) in the interior and around of the crown, excellent visibility to admire a great variety of fishes and sea animals. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23RD

CRUISING THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

AM: Santa Fe Island

With 24 Km2 and 60 meters of height above sea level, it is an almost central island that has a unique place of visit: an incredible bay with turquoise water protected by a natural barrier of rocks and from you can appreciate colonies of seals and hawks flying over. It is home of one of the two species of land iguanas that have the islands, their main food are the leaves and fruits of the large and thick cactus. Crabs, nocturnal herons, marine iguanas, cucuves and land doves are seen frequently. The Bay is excellent place to swim and to do snorkeling. Marine Tortoises, rays, sea lions and tropical fishes are an amazing attraction! Snacks and refreshing beverages expect for you on board. Lunch. Navigation toward South Plazas Island.

PM: South Plazas Island

South Plazas Island are two small islands, created by land uplift where land iguanas are known to be smaller; they nest during warm time. The hike goes along an extraordinary cliff where sea birds nest.

Approximately, in this Island there are 1000 sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) and they are located in south side of Plazas (B, L, D)

DAY 5 – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24TH

CRUISING THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – FLY BACK TO CONTINENT

AM: Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island

We take our breakfast very early in the morning. Our luggage and all your belongings should be list to check out in the ship, our last visit: ESTACION CHARLES DARWIN. Charles Darwin Station is located in the Main Port of Santa Cruz Island, we will take our private bus that take us to the entrance of the center of breeding where we go to appreciate tortoises and land iguanas in captivity, this center is the main site of breeding of the islands. Animals that were in danger of extinction in the different islands are maintained in captivity and thanks at dedicated work of several institutions some species are saving, here was where the most famous tortoise "the Solitary George” the last survivor of the species of Pinta Island lived. Transfer out to Baltra airport for fly back to the continent. (B)