Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(11
days/10 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(12 days/11 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(14 days/13 nights)
Colca Canyon - Machu
Picchu
Lake Titicaca
(16 days/15 nights)
Archaeological & Ecological
Treasures
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
Lake Titicaca (or Amazon)
(18 days/17
nights)
Colca Canyon - Amazon
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(22 days/21 nights)
Machu Picchu
(10
days/9 nights)
Machu Picchu
(13 days/12 nights)
Machu Picchu - Galapagos
(15 days/14 nights)
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
(18 days/17 nights)
Manu National Park
(8 days/7 nights)
Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos
Galapagos
(11
days/10 nights)
Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
Galapagos - Andes
(16 days/15 nights)
Galapagos - Amazon
(16 days/15 nights)
Historic Haciendas of the Andes
Cotopaxi - Antisana
- Otavalo
(7 days/6 nights)
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Galapagos Islands & Napo Wildlife Center
Achuar guide, Kapawi Ecological Reserve.
Photo: Kapawi Lodge.
The awesome opportunity to explore one of the world's last pristine landscapes...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com, March 2004
Land & Cruise Price (16 days/15 nights)
Royal US$ 8,810 Imperial US$ 8,110
The romance of the sea is yours aboard the luxurious, 16-passenger yacht M/S Alta. The prices and itinerary shown are typical but vary by yacht. Please select a yacht to view details about each vessel and its itinerary. Also available with a 4-night Galapagos cruise, instead of 7 nights
When considering a Galapagos cruise, note that the islands are distinct in their flora and fauna. Certain islands provide a greater or unique opportunity for observing certain species. Thus, landings on more islands reveal more species and, importantly, the amazingly different adaptations each species has made to its own insular world. Accordingly, a 7-night cruise is preferable. It also offers a greater choice of luxury vessels.
The land and cruise price includes escorted transfers; private excursions with a native guide and a naturalist at the Napo Wildlife Center, private excursions with a professional guide in Quito and semi-private excursions with a certified naturalist in the Galapagos Islands; entrance fees except Galapagos National Park; indicated category of accommodations; all meals except beverages; all intra-tour transportation except the Quito-Galapagos-Quito air flights; and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years. Over that age, there is a supplementary fee. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see About Our Tours.
Map
Hotels
Intra-Tour Air Flights & Fares
Air fares are in addition to the land price.
Quito - Galapagos - Quito & Quito - Coca - Quito: US$ 575
Select a Yacht
4-Night or 7-Night Luxury Galapagos Cruises
7-Night Luxury Galapagos Cruises
Alta
Grace: Elegance, Beauty & Prestige...
Scheduled to start operating in the summer of 2008
In 1951, this motor yacht was acquired by Aristotle Onassis, who later gave her as a wedding gift to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco. It was onboard this vessel that Prince Rainier and Princess Grace spent their honeymoon getaway. She has been rechristened with a name that takes her years' back into her history, to the very best of her times. Named after her late owner, Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, the name is a representation of her elegance, beauty and prestige. Reservations for The Grace Experience, a seven-night journey in one of her nine spacious cabins, are now being accepted. We invite you to download a brochure and a deck plan.
M/S Alta, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Quasar Nautica.
From the Amazon Rainforest to the Galapagos Islands, you will explore the magnificent ecological wonders of Ecuador. Upon arrival in Quito, you'll be escorted to the Villa Colonna, a charming colonial home in the historic district.
A morning flight over the Andes to Coca, in the Amazon Rainforest, begins your four-night jungle expedition. From the airfield, take a riverboat down the Napo River and a dugout canoe up a blackwater creek to the lake and lodge. Located within the Yasuní National Park, the Napo Wildlife Center was established by a conservation group to guard the 52,000-acre Añangu Reserve. It protects 562 bird species (including Scarlet Macaws and Mealy Amazon Parrots), Giant Otters, Jaguars, Black Caimans, Harpy Eagles, Crested Eagles, Common Woolly Monkeys, Black Spider Monkeys and nine other primates. Your rainforest excursions will be led by a native Añangu guide, an expert on the rainforest's secrets, and a naturalist, knowledgeable in tropical forest biology. After exploring the wildlife treasures, including the parrot clay licks, return by canoe, riverboat and plane to Quito for dinner at chef Rafael Osterlicht's Blu.
Walking the next morning along the cobblestone streets of Ecuador's capital, founded in 1534, through centuries-old parks and plazas to churches filled with gold; you'll contemplate Gothic, baroque, Moorish and neo-classical art, all blended with the mestizo sentiment, and imagine you've gone back in time to the astonishing colonial world. In the evening, take a horse-drawn carriage past the beautifully illuminated facades of the Spanish monuments, and savor fusion cuisine at La Belle Epoque.
A flight the next morning takes you from the peaks of the Andes to the Galapagos Islands. Cruising for eight days aboard an intimate luxury yacht and making twice-daily landings with a naturalist, you'll encounter the animals that inspired Charles Darwin. On Bartolome, whose volcanic formations create a moonlike landscape you'll never forget, hike among marine iguanas and lava lizards, and have the rare opporunity to snorkel among penguins and marine tortoises. As you sail to other, unique isles in this magnificent archipelago, you'll see the adaptations of the wildlife to their differing environments that led Darwin to his theory of evolution by means of natural selection.
Returning for your last night in Quito, experience the finest in French cuisine at Chez Jerome. For an appreciation of the volcanic splendor, native cultures and Spanish colonial life of the Andes, consider adding one of our luxury hacienda tours.
See Galapagos Geology on the Web for geology, history and related web sites.
What Luxury Link has to say about Galapagos & the Amazon.
What You Could Add: Two or three extra days on Santa Cruz Island.
Typical 7-night itinerary, Galapagos Islands.
Map: Quasar Nautica.
Highlights
Quito
Day 1: Flight to Quito, Ecuador. International arrival in the afternoon or evening, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dine at chef Rafael Osterlicht's Blu. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Napo Wildlife Center
Day 2: Quito - Coca - Napo Wildlife Center. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Coca. Arrival at the airfield and reception. Riverboat down the Napo River and dugout canoe up a blackwater creek to the lake and lodge. Overnight in the Napo Wildlife Center.
Days 3, 4 & 5: Napo Wildlife Center. Jungle excursions. Overnight in the Napo Wildlife Center.
Quito
Day 6: Napo Wildlife Center - Quito. Canoe to the Napo River and riverboat to the Coca airfield. Flight to Quito. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dine at chef Rafael Osterlicht's Blu. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Day 7: Quito. As you drive to the historic district, La Basílica is a striking sight to behold. Morning walking tour in the colonial quarter, highlighted by La Plaza de la Independencia, the Cathedral, La Compañia de Jesús, La Iglesia de San Francisco and La Iglesia y Convento de la Merced. At the City Museum, see what daily life was like in colonial Quito.
Lunch of Ecuadorian-European fusion cuisine at Octava de Corpus. To complete your insight into the country's archaeology, history and cultures; investigate the Central Bank Museum. Continue to El Panecillo. Return to your hotel. Early this evening, board a horse-drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the narrow streets of Old Quito. Arrive at La Belle Epoque to savor gourmet fushion cuisine. Afterward, return to your hotel. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Optionally, you may select the Intiñan Museum for your afternoon excursion:
Lunch of Ecuadorian cuisine at La Choza. Afterward, visit the Museo Intiñan. An Inca monument marking the Equator was discovered on the site, and is more exact than the position determined by the French Geodesic Mission in the mid-1700s. The museum features interactive exhibits on how the Incas located the "middle of the world", and science experiments. Return to your hotel. Early this evening, board a horse-drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the narrow streets of Old Quito. Arrive at La Belle Epoque to savor gourmet fushion cuisine. Afterward, return to your hotel. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Galapagos
Day 8: Quito - Galapagos Cruise. Transfer to the airport. Flight to the Galapagos. Entrance into the National Park, reception and transfer to your yacht. Afternoon island landing and excursion with a naturalist. Back on board. Guides' briefing on the next day's activities. Overnight on the Alta.
Days 9 - 14: Galapagos Cruise. Morning and afternoon island landings and excursions with a naturalist. Back on board. Guides' briefing on the next day's activities. Overnight on the Alta.
Quito
Day 15: Galapagos Cruise - Quito. Morning island landing and excursion with a naturalist. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Quito. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner of French gourmet cuisine at Chez Jerome. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Home
Day 16: Quito - Home. Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Exceptions to the itinerary:
The Galapagos cruise itinerary described and illustrated below is typical but varies by yacht. Therefore, it should be used only as a guide for learning about the different islands and their wildlife.
Royal Class accommodation in Quito is a Royal Suite in the Hotel Plaza Grande.
The 1535 La Iglesia
de San Francisco, Quito, Ecuador.
Photo: David Bate.
Day 1: Flight to Quito, Ecuador
International arrival this afternoon or evening in Quito. Reception and escorted transfer to the Villa Colonna, a charming colonial home in the historic district. Dine at Blu, where chef Rafael Osterlicht creates a fusion of Peruvian and Mediterranean cuisine. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
White-fronted Capuchin Monkey.
Photo: Peter English.
Cobalt-winged parakeets were already clustering on trees in groups of 20s and 30s
like lush bunches of grapes as we settled into the blind.
-- Connie Rogers, The New York Times, August 1, 2004
Napo Wildlife Center
Location: Añangu Reserve, Yasuní National Park, Ecuador. Reserve size: 52,000 acres within the 2.5-million-acre Yasuní National Park. Wildlife it protects: 562 bird species (including Scarlet Macaws and Mealy Amazon Parrots), Giant Otters, Jaguars, Black Caimans, Harpy Eagles, Crested Eagles, Common Woolly Monkeys, Black Spider Monkeys and nine other primates.
Adventure for the rest of us
The Amazon Basin is famous for its wildlife, but not for its creature comforts. With the Napo Wildlife Center, you get the best of both worlds.
Here, you can see thousands of parrots at the two, nearby parrot clay licks, Giant Otters in the lake and streams, 11 species of monkeys in the trees and over 550 species of birds in the forest. When your day is done, you can take a hot shower, sit on your private porch overlooking the lake, have a cold beer from the bar and enjoy a healthy international dinner. This is the jungle in style.
The 125-foot-tall canopy tower.
Photo: Peter English.
From start to finish, the Napo Wildlife Center combines creature comforts with incredible wildlife. Bilingual guides explain the intricacies of the rainforest while the staff works to make your stay the trip of a lifetime. And why wouldn't they? They are not only your staff but also major stockholders of the lodge!
In addition to being the best wildlife lodge in the Amazon of Ecuador, the Napo Wildlife Center also conserves 82 square miles of pristine rainforest in its private reserve, based on a conservation partnership with the local community.
Partial view of a cabaña
interior showing the king-sized bed.
Photo: Pete Oxford.
Each chair... had been ferried downriver precariously balanced on a dugout...
-- Connie Rogers, The New York Times, August 1, 2004
Lodge highlights
The huge rooms at the Napo Wildlife Center are the most spacious and comfortable in the rainforest. Each meticulously clean room includes:
- 1 king-sized bed and 1 twin bed
- Pivate bathroom with plenty of on-demand hot water
- Private porch overlooking the lake
- 24-hour electricity for bright lighting and plenty of outlets for recharging batteries (120v)
- Ceiling fans and secure screens for bug-free ventilaton
The view from a private cabaña.
Photo: Peter English.
The dining facility is covered by an enormous thatched roof and has an adjacent observation tower. Inside the facility is a modern kitchen with state-of-the-art water filtration, a large area for dining and relaxing, and a well-stocked bar.
Another beautiful sunrise
from the dining hall tower.
Photo: Peter English.
Behind us, the violet silhouette of the Andes stood out on the horizon
and in front... was the vast, seemingly virgin Amazon basin.
-- Connie Rogers, The New York Times, August 1, 2004
About the consevation project
The Napo Wildlife Center supports a unique, 82-square-mile (52,000-acre), private nature reserve on the northern edge of the Yasuní National Park. The reserve and associated lodge were created and built by the traditional Quichua Indian community of Añangu in partnership with the nonprofits Tropical Nature and EcoEcuador. Funding for this project came from charitable contributions to Tropical Nature.
The Napo Wildlife Center is the only lodge on the south bank of the Napo River, which harbors 30% more bird and animal species than the north bank. With parrot licks, Giant Otters, Woolly Monkeys, and ten other primates, Napo Wildlife Center is the finest wildlife destination in the Amazon of Ecuador.
A visit to the comfortable Napo Wildlife Center is an unforgettable experience that directly protects both the community's reserve and Yusuní National Park.
Heading out to explore
the lake on a bright sunny morning.
Photo: Peter English.
Napo Wildlife Center lies inside the two-and-a-half-million acre
Yasuní National Park... a Unesco Biosphere Reserve...
-- Connie Rogers, Feathers, Fur and Jungle Waters, The New York Times, August 1, 2004
Day 2: Quito - Coca - Napo Wildlife Center
Breakfast. To get to the Napo Wildlife Center, guests fly by jet from Quito to the town of Coca on the Napo River. After a short drive to the dock, we board a large, motorized, covered canoe for a two-hour trip downriver. Upon arriving at the entrance to the Napo Wildlife Center Reserve, we switch to smaller, dugout canoes and are paddled up the blackwater creek to the lake and lodge (no motorized transport is allowed on the creek or lake so that wildlife isn't disturbed).
This paddle can take anywhere from one to three hours, as on the creek guests might see Giant Otters, potoos, kingfishers, Hoatzins, jacamars, hawks, and monkeys. We eat lunch en route and arrive at the lodge by late afternoon. Overnight in the Napo Wildlife Center.
Parrots at the clay lick.
Photo: Marcia Strouss.
Suddenly... hundreds of birds rose in the air and descended on the clay lick
in a dazzling rain of turquoise, red, yellow, orange and green.
-- Connie Rogers, The New York Times, August 1, 2004
Days 3, 4 & 5: Napo Wildlife Center
Breakfast. Visitors will be led by a native Añangu guide, an expert on the rainforest's secrets, and a naturalist, knowledgeable in tropical forest biology. Both of your guides, with their unmatchable enthusiasm, will create informative and enjoyable excursions every day, each tailored to take advantage of the peaks of animal activity and weather conditions. Some outings will be before dawn or at sunrise to maximize wildlife observation, and others in the afternoon or at night.
Giant Otters.
Photo: Luis Claudio Marigo.
At the lake's entrance, six giant otters exploded out of the water,
bouncing up and down, screeching and barking, like guard dogs...
-- Connie Rogers, The New York Times, August 1, 2004
Among the main attractions are the parrot clay licks. The two most accessible parrot clay licks in Ecuador are part of the Napo Wildlife Center reserve. We have constructed viewing blinds at each of these clay licks so that visitors can comfortably watch as hundred of parrots and parakeets come to eat the clay that aids in the digestion of their diet of unripe seeds and fruits. Parrots visit the clay licks at different times of day, so it is easy to visit both clay licks in a single outing.
Activity kicks off at the main lick between 7 to 8 in the morning and at the second lick after midday. Species include Mealy, Blue-headed, Yellow-crowned, Orange-winged and Orange-cheeked Parrots; Cobalt-winged, Dusky-headed and White-eyed Parakeets; and the occasional rarities, like Scarlet Shoulder Parrotlet and Scarlet Macaws. In the best weather conditions, at least 800 individuals and most species can be spotted, and on other days, in spite of the rain, one can still see a few dozen. You could make it a full-day excursion, visiting both blinds, equipped with a freshly-made box lunch, or a half-day, visiting the main lick and returning for lunch at the lodge. Overnight in the Napo Wildlife Center.
Birdwatching our way upstream.
Photo: Peter English.
Day 6: Napo Wildlife Center - Coca - Quito
Breakfast. Dugout canoe down the blackwater creek to the Napo River and riverboat to the Coca airfield for the flight back to Quito. Arrival, reception and escorted transfer to your hotel. Dine at Blu, where chef Rafael Osterlicht creates a fusion of Peruvian and Mediterranean cuisine. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Colonial Quito with
El Panecillo in the distance, Ecuador.
Photo: Dan Heller.
Day 7: Quito
Breakfast. Quito, the capital of Ecuador and a world heritage site, is located at an elevation of over 9,000 feet in the Andes mountains. Founded by Spaniards in 1534, it is one of the oldest cities in South America and has the largest colonial quarter. Walking along its cobblestone streets through centuries-old parks and plazas to churches filled with gold, you'll imagine you've gone back in time to that astonishing world.
As you drive to the historic district, the neo-Gothic La Basílica is a striking sight to behold. Though not of colonial vintage, it's the place to see bizarre and fascinating gargoyles in the form of giant tortoises, iguanas, anteaters, monkeys, pumas, condors and other Ecuadorian fauna. Begin in La Plaza de la Independencia, where the country's history was written. On one side is the Cathedral (begun in 1640), considered to be the oldest in South America. Down the Calle de las Siete Cruces (Street of the Seven Crosses) is La Compañia de Jesús (begun in 1605), one of the great baroque masterpieces of the continent. The oldest of Quito's and South America's colonial churches is the baroque La Iglesia de San Francisco (begun in 1535). It was constructed over an Inca temple and decorated with images of the sun to lure in the native people to their conquerors' religion. The Moorish style of La Iglesia y Convento de la Merced (begun in 1538 and rebuilt in 1737) is most likely explained by artists seeking refuge in South America after the expulson of the Moors from Spain in 1492. At the City Museum, see what daily life was like in colonial Quito.
La Plaza de la Independencia, Quito, Ecuador.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
This afternoon at Octava de Corpus, a lunch of Ecuadorian-European fusion cuisine served in a colonial home. To complete your insight into the country's archaeology, history and cultures; investigate Ecuador's ancient past in the pre-Inca, Inca and colonial galleries of the Central Bank Museum. Continue to El Panecillo, overlooking the colonial quarter. The significance of this hill dates back to Inca times, when it was known as Shungoloma ("hill of the heart"). Before the Spanish arrived, the local people used it as a place to worship the sun. Now, its summit is crowned by a graceful statue of the Virgin. Return to your hotel.
Early this evening, drive to La Basílica for a magnificent view of the colonial quarter. Continue along ancient Calle de las Siete Cruces (Street of the Seven Crosses) to La Plaza de la Independencia, admiring the beautifully illuminated Spanish monuments. Enjoy the night view of the historic plaza and the Cathedral, before boarding a horse-drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the narrow streets of Old Quito, past the splendid facades of La Compañia de Jesús, La Iglesia de San Francisco, La Iglesia y Convento de la Merced and traditional Calle Cuenca. Arrive at La Belle Epoque to savor gourmet fushion cuisine. Afterward, return to your hotel. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Traditional, horse-drawn carriage, Quito, Ecuador.
Photo: Hotel Plaza Grande.
Optionally, you may select the Museo Intiñan for your afternoon excursion.
Lunch of Ecuadorian cuisine at La Choza. Afterward, visit the Museo Intiñan ("Path of the Sun"), which presents the cosmic vision and customs of Ecuador's indigenous people. An Inca monument marking the Equator was discovered on the site, and is more exact than the position determined by the French Geodesic Mission in the mid-1700s. The museum features interactive exhibits on how the Incas located the "middle of the world", and science experiments, such as balancing an egg on a point and seeing the effects of the Coriolis force. Return to your hotel.
Early this evening, drive to La Basílica for a magnificent view of the colonial quarter. Continue along ancient Calle de las Siete Cruces (Street of the Seven Crosses) to La Plaza de la Independencia, admiring the beautifully illuminated Spanish monuments. Enjoy the night view of the historic plaza and the Cathedral, before boarding a horse-drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the narrow streets of Old Quito, past the splendid facades of La Compañia de Jesús, La Iglesia de San Francisco, La Iglesia y Convento de la Merced and traditional Calle Cuenca. Arrive at La Belle Epoque to savor gourmet fushion cuisine. Afterward, return to your hotel. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Land iguana and opuntia cacti, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Ron Dahlquist.
... we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact
-- that mystery of mysteries --
the first appearance of new beings on this earth.
The natural history of these islands is eminently curious, and well deserves attention. Most of the organic productions are aboriginal creations, found nowhere else; there is even a difference between the inhabitants of the different islands; yet all show a marked relationship with those of America, though separated from that continent by an open space of ocean, between 500 and 600 miles in width. The archipelago is a little world within itself, or rather a satellite attached to America, whence it has derived a few stray colonists, and has received the general character of its indigenous productions. Considering the small size of the islands, we feel the more astonished at the number of their aboriginal beings, and at their confined range. Seeing every height crowned with its crater, and the boundaries of most of the lava-streams still distinct, we are led to believe that within a period geologically recent the unbroken ocean was here spread out. Hence, both in space and time, we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact -- that mystery of mysteries -- the first appearance of new beings on this earth.
-- Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1845
Male frigate bird displaying,
Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Marco Robalino.
... from so simple a beginning
endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful
have been, and are being evolved.
Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved.
-- Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, 1859
Sea turtle, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Bonnie Pelnar.
Northern & Southern Islands
Day 8: Quito - Galapagos Cruise (San Cristóbal Island)
Breakfast. Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to the Galapapagos Islands. San Cristóbal Island (558 sq. km.) is the fifth largest in the archipelago and the second most populated. The town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the capital of the Galapagos Islands and its oldest settlement. Fauna include giant tortoises and red- blue- and masked- boobies. The native flora include candelabra cactus, palo santo (the "incense tree") and saltbrush.
The Interpretation Center, donated by Spain, focuses on the natural and cultural history of the archipelago, from its volcanic origins to the present. From the Interpretation Center, a short trail leads to Frigate Bird Hill, where both magnificent frigates and great frigates can be seen in the same colony -- ideal for learning to distinguish between the two species. Below, you'll see the harbor, where your yacht awaits. Before long, you'll be crossing from shore to the Alta, your home for the next week. Your captain and crew will be waiting to welcome you aboard.
We head northeast along the coast of San Cristóbal toward our first landing at Playa Ochoa, a turquoise bay with a white powder beach inhabited by a small colony of sea lions. A tidal lagoon sitting behind the beach is frequented by flamingos, Darwin finches and the endemic San Cristóbal Mockingbird. Playa Ochoa is a great introduction to the islands -- it offers your first opportunity to go snorkeling with sea turtles and the archipelago's playful sea lions. Overnight on the Alta.
Red-footed booby, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate.
Day 9: Galapagos Cruise (Genovesa Island)
Genovesa Island (14 sq. km.) is one of the smallest in the archipelago but has a big reputation as "the bird island". It is the best place to see a colony of red-footed boobies, the only one of the three species present in the Galapagos that nests in trees rather than on the ground. A natural formation called Prince Philip's Steps is a bird watcher's delight. The trail leads to a plateau inhabited by red-footed boobies, masked boobies and frigate birds. At the end of this trail are thousands of band-rumped storm petrels at the cliff's edge, where they nest in crevices. Short-eared owls can sometimes be seen here, hunting the storm petrels during daylight hours. Other birds include red-billed tropic birds, Galapagos doves, white-cheeked pintail ducks and many more. Flora includes lava cactus, a yellow-flowered muyuyo forest and palo santo.
Baby frigate bird, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate.
Genovesa is a collapsed volcano and ships sail directly into its large breached caldera to anchor at the foot of the steep crater walls. At Darwin Bay Beach, you'll observe sea lions and, if snorkeling, hammerhead sharks below you. The island attracts vast numbers of seabirds that come here to nest and breed: red-footed boobies, great frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls and storm petrels. A trail leads from the coral beach past tidal lagoons, where lava gulls and yellow-crowned night herons are seen, then along the low shrubs populated by frigates and boobies, and eventually to a cliff edge where seabirds soar. Flora includes croton bush, palo santo and saltbrush. Overnight on the Alta.
Swimming Galapagos penguin, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Bonnie Pelnar.
Day 10: Galapagos Cruise (Isabela Island & Fernandina Island)
Isabela Island (4,588 sq. km.) is the largest in the archipelago. It is formed by five young, active volcanoes, of which Volcano Wolf is the highest point in the Galapagos (1,707 meters, or 5,599 feet). On a panga ride along the cliffs of Tagus Cove, look for Galapagos penguins and other sea birds
Fernandina Island (642 sq. km.) is the third largest, youngest and westernmost in the archipelago. Many eruptions have been recorded since 1813, making Fernandina the island most likely to become volcanically active, as it did most recently in May of 2005. After a dry landing at Espinoza Point, you'll see the largest colony of marine iguanas in the islands, mingling with Sally light-foot crabs. Other fauna include Galapagos penguins, Galapagos hawks and sea lions. There are also nesting sites of flightless cormorants. These birds have adapted to their environment by perfecting their ability to hunt for food in the ocean -- their wings, tails and feet have evolved for swimming. To see these birds is to witness evolution in action. Among the volcanic formations, observers will note "pa-hoe-hoe", other unusual lava formations and recent lava flows. Flora include brachycereus cacti and mangroves, whose beds extend into the sea, indicating a healthy and thriving ecosystem. Overnight on the Alta.
Juvenile seal lion,
Galapagos Islands.
Photo: David Bate.
Day 11: Galapagos Cruise (Isabela Island)
On Isabela Island, we'll make a wet landing at Urbina Bay. The bay, at the foot of the Alcedo Volcano, was uplifted from the sea in 1954. Flightless cormorants and pelicans nest along the coast, and sea turtles and manta rays can be seen in the bay. The highlands include large and colorful land iguanas. Other fauna include the largest population of giant tortoises (about 4,000 but difficult to spot), Galapagos hawks, magnificent frigate birds, marine iguanas, hammerhead, white-tipped and Galapagos sharks, eels, groupers and snappers. Continue to Punta Vicente Roca for dinghy sightseeing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Enjoy the high cliffs with tuff-stone, ash and other lava formations; caves; nesting sites for brown noddies and blue-footed boobies; and up-close encounters with sea lions, fur seals and the occasional dolphin. Overnight on the Alta.
Galapagos penguin, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate.
Day 12: Galapagos Cruise (Bartolome Island & Santiago Island)
Bartolome Island (1.2 sq. km.), small and moonlike, has one of the most famous sights in the archipelago: Pinnacle Rock. After a dry landing, you will see volcanic formations, including lava bombs, spatter and cinder cones. Hike to the summit for an impressive panorama of Sullivan Bay, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock, and the surrounding islands. The exotic flora of red mangroves, tiquilias and cacti all add to the experience. During the ascent, you'll see a large colony of marine iguanas and lava lizards. Snorkeling will give you a chance to cool off and see marine fauna, such as Galapagos penguins, nesting sea turtles (January to March) and white-tipped sharks.
Goldrimmed surgeonfish, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Bonnie Pelnar.
Santiago Island (585 sq. km.) is the fourth largest in the archipelago. The eroded shapes on its black lava shoreline form pools that house a variety of wildlife and are wonderful for snorkeling. Wet landing on the dark-sand beach at Puerto Egas. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows; the surroundings are prime for observing Darwin's finches, Galapagos doves, Galapagos hawks, hunting herons, great blue herons, lava herons, American oyster catchers and yellow-crowned night herons. You'll enjoy the sight of marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds at low tide, sharing space with red Sally light-foot crabs. There is a colony of fur seals swimming in deep pools of cool water, called "grottos". This is an excellent place for swimming and snorkeling in search of octopuses, sea horses, starfishes and other sea life caught in the small tidal pools. In the ocean, you can admire moray eels, hammerhead, white-tip and Galapagos sharks, golden and white-spotted eagle rays, jacks, wahoos, tunas, groupers, red-tailed and dog snappers, sea lions, sea turtles (November to May), black and yellow-black Galapagos corals, sea fans and sponges. Overnight on the Alta.
Giant tortoise, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate.
Day 13: Galapagos Cruise (Santa Cruz Island)
Santa Cruz Island (986 sq. km.) is the second largest in the archipelago and the most populated. Home to the Charles Darwin Research Station, it has many trails, beaches and places for snorkeling. Flora include cacti, saltbrush and mangroves. Fauna include several of the 11 remaining subspecies of giant tortoises, marine iguanas, sharks and various species of waterbirds and landbirds, such as vermillion flycatchers and Darwin's finches. Morning excursion to the Santa Cruz Highlands, where you will observe Los Gemelos, twin volcanic craters, and Cerro Chato. Chances are good for sighting the famous giant tortoises that gave these islands their name. Additionally, you can walk inside the dormant lava tubes.
Giant tortoise, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate.
Afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, staffed with international scientists conducting biological research and conservation projects. Here, you can admire giant tortoises, part of the program to breed, rear and reintroduce different subspecies of tortoises back into their natural habitat. Surrounding the station is an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest with many land birds. Afterward, some free time to walk around the town of Puerto Ayora. Overnight on the Alta.
Sea lions, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate.
Day 14: Galapagos Cruise (Española Island)
Española Island (61 sq. km.) is medium in size and the most southerly. More outlying, it has been able to preserve a high portion of its endemic fauna. Aside from the sea lion colonies, this is one of the most important bird-watching sites. It is unique among the islands in having the only colony of waved albatrosses, which is also the world's largest colony. It has a beautiful white beach, the well-known blowhole and one of the most impressive and varied seabird colonies of the Galapagos.
Marine iguana and lava lizard, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Kleintours.
After a dry landing at Suarez Point, you'll learn more about the lava terrain while crossing the inactive lava fields. As soon as you step foot on this island, many species can be spotted close up, such as a large colony of marine iguanas, lava lizards and the colorful Sally light-foot crabs. After a short trek, you'll encounter colonies of masked and blue-footed boobies, whose nesting grounds sometimes overlap the trail. You'll also find giant frigate birds, red-billed tropic birds and swallow-tailed gulls. After crossing the nesting grounds, you reach the colony of about 15,000 waved albatrosses (April to November). Their mating rituals are a highlight of our visit. Nearing the end of this excursion, you'll visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots into the air to almost 23 meters (75 feet).
Male yellow warbler,
Galapagos Islands.
Photo: David Bate.
Make a wet landing on a white-coral beach on Gardner Bay, amidst a large colony of sea lions. This site has no trails, therefore no hiking, but from this open area you can spot Galapagos hawks, American oyster catchers, Galapagos doves, hood mockingbirds, large cactus ground finches, yellow warblers, lava lizards and marine iguanas. This is a excellent place for swimming and snorkeling -- the best spot is by the rock outcropping that looks like a turtle. Often snorkelers see many of the Galapagos' marine species, such as king angel fish, creole fish, damsel fish, parrot fish, manta rays, white-tipped reef sharks and many more. Overnight on the Alta.
Blue-footed boobies,
Galapagos Islands.
Photo: David Bate.
More about the distinct islands of the Galapagos
Day 15: Galapagos Cruise (San Cristóbal Island) - Quito
Two hours from San Cristóbal Island is the Sleeping Lion, a magnificent rock that rises 500 feet straight out of the sea. A split in the rock has formed towering walls on either side of a narrow passage through which small vessels can navigate. Continuing to San Cristóbal for a dry landing at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, we'll have time to walk around town before transferring to the airport for the flight to Quito. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner of French gourmet cuisine at Chez Jerome. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Important note: This itinerary is subject to change without notice for various reasons, including but not limited to safety, weather, mechanical breakdown, unforeseen emergencies, and the discretion of the captain, guide, yacht operator and Galapagos National Park.
Magnificent frigate
bird, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: David Bate.
Day 16: Quito - Home
Breakfast. Early transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Thank you for choosing Inka's Empire Tours.
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