Galapagos-8days

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Flight to Galapagos and MV Evolution Cruise Program: San Cristobal Island (B, L, D)

Before you embark on your cruise, you will be in charge of paying for two separate fees that are not included in your quote ($100 access fee for entry into the Galapagos reserve & $10 fee for your immigration card within the Galapagos reserve). Once on the San Cristobal Island, you will be met by one of our representative and taken on your Quasar Evolution Cruise. On board you will have a quick briefing on route to your first visit site, Cerro Brujo, You will depart on a dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers, which will take you to the beautiful, Cerro Brujo´s white coralline beach. You will then experience a wet landing, by jumping off the boat, in shallow waters, and walking to shore. These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos. Once back on the boat, you will have a nice welcome cocktail and first briefing before continueing to dinner, which will provide for a great experience. *Depending on your departure date, the Cruise Vessel may be different and therefore programs may be different. Please contact our agents for availability.

Day 2: MV Evolution Cruise Program: Española Island (B, L, D)

After breakfast, you will prepare for your day outing at Española Island. Also called Hood, this is the southernmost island of the archipelago, and is one of the most popular due to the breathtaking variation and number of fauna that inhabit the island. In the morning we visit Punta Suarez where you will witness the largest variety of marine iguanas in the Galapagos, masked boobies and blue footed boobies nesting along the cliff’s edge, as well as the famous waved albatross. At this point, you will return on board, to enjoy a deliciously prepared lunch. In the afternoon we visit Gardner Bay, a magnificent long white sandy beach, where colonies of sea lions laze in the sun, sea turtles swim offshore, and inquisitive mockingbirds boldly investigate new arrivals. This portion of the tour will take you right into the evening, where you will once again board the ship and enjoy some dinner.

Day 3: MV Evolution Cruise Program: Santa Cruz Island (B, L, D)

After breakfast, you will enjoy your day on the Santa Cruz Island. This is the second largest island in the Galapagos and its capital, Puerto Ayora, is the economic center of the Islands. In the morning we visit the Highlands, where the dry coastal vegetation transitions to lush wet fields and forests overgrown with moss and lichens. Our destination is the Tortoise Reserve, where we will have chances see these animals in the wild. In the afternoon we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to visit the Giant Tortoise and Land Iguana Breeding and Rearing Program. Here we will find Lonesome George, the last of his particular race of tortoise – and who may be 150 years old! At the conclusion of your day, you will once again board the ship to enjoy some dinner.

Day 4: MV Evolution Cruise Program: Santiago and Bartolome Island (B, L, D)

In the morning, after breakfast, we will visit James Bay, where we land on a black beach with intriguing eroded rock formations. A trail leads to a series of crystal-clear grottos formed of broken lava tubes, which are home to sea lions, fur seals, marine iguanas and tropical fish. You will break fater such a wonderfull visit for lunch and to recover energies for the next part of your day. In the afternoon we visit Bartolome Island, famous for Pinnacle Rock, where we will see Galapagos Penguins and sea lions. We will also hike a trail to Bartolome’s summit. Where you will be rewarded with spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock and our beach, where the crystal blue waters of the bay cradle your yacht. After your tour, you will go back to the cruise for a nice dinner.

Day 5: MV Evolution Cruise Program: Genovesa (Tower) Island (B, L, D)

After breakfast, you will visit the Tower Island; this relatively small island is a low-lying volcano rising just above the ocean surface. Easily can serve as a film set for a secret submarine base! The southwestern part of the island is an ocean-filled caldera ringed by the outer edges of a sizeable and mostly submerged volcano. The island sits to the northwest, slightly removed from the Galapagos archipelago. It is also known as “Bird Island,” a name it lives up to in a spectacular way! Tower attracts an enormous number of pelagic seabirds that come there to nest. Great frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and storm petrels all breed here by the thousands. After your visit you will once again board the cruise for dinner and a well deserved rest.

Day 6: MV Evolution Cruise Program: Fernandina and Isabela Island (B, L, D)

Fernandina Island is home to La Cumbre volcano, which erupts frequently (most recently in May 2005). We visit Punta Espinosa in the morning, a narrow spit of land, where a number of unique species, such as marine iguanas, sea lions, flightless cormorants, herons, egrets and Galapagos hawks can be seen in close proximity. For lunch, you will once again board the ship, where a delicious lunch will be sure to replenish your energy, and satisfy your appetite. In the afternoon we visit Tagus Cove on Isabela Island. A wooden stairway rises to the trail entrance and continues around Darwin Lake through a dry vegetation zone, and ends in a promontory formed by spatter cones. This is the place where the flightless cormorants inhabit, the only existing marine birds in the world other than penguins that have evolved from birds that can fly, to birds that can dive. The site provides spectacular views of our anchorage in the bay, as well as Darwin and Wolf Volcanoes. At the conclusion of your day, you will once again board the ship to enjoy some dinner.

Day 7: MV Evolution Cruise Program: North Seymour and Santa Cruz Island (B, L, D)

After a delicious breakfast you will have a tour of the North Seymour Island, which is teaming with wildlife! Cliffs only a few meters high from the shoreline are home to swallow-tailed gulls. A tiny forest of silver-grey Palo Santo trees stands just above the landing, where a trail will take us to see sea lions, marine iguanas, blue footed boobies, pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds and land iguanas. At the end of your visit, we will go back to have lunch and continue with your visits. In the afternoon we visit the Black Turtle Cove at Santa Cruz Island, a beautiful mangrove estuary where we quietly drift in our panga to see spotted eagle rays, diamond shaped mustard rays, white-tipped reef sharks, pacific green sea turtles and a large variety of shore birds. At the end of your tour you will enjoy a dinner on board.

Day 8: MV Evolution Cruise Program: San Cristobal Island (B)

Today our Galapagos Cruise comes to an end, but before we bid farewell to the Evolution and her crew we pay a visit to the Galapagos National Park Visitor Centre. The Centre presents a comprehensive exhibit of the islands’ natural history, human interaction, ecosystems, flora & fauna and your naturalist will use the exhibits to provide an illustrated overview of life on the Islands. A short trail arrives at Frigate Bird Hill, where both “magnificent-frigates” and “great-frigates” can be seen in the same colony. Next we return to the airport where we began our journey back into Ecuadorian mainland (Quito or Guayaquil) to connect with your flight back home. *A day hotel can be added in Quito or Guayaquil if your flight is the next morning.

IMPORTANT: This itinerary belongs to the MV Evolution cruise, depending on your departure date, the Cruise Vessel may be different and therefore programs may be different. Please contact our agents for availability.

NOTE: Some people prefer to go directly to the sacred valley upon arrival to the Cusco Airport. Please let us know if you prefer that to send you an updated itinerary

Not exactly what you want?

Remember that Magical focuses on providing the best available options and can work with you on customizing your tour to better fit your interests and budget, without compromising the quality of your tour. Just contact us with your questions and preferences and we can modify this tour based on your expectations and requests.

Price

Upon request.

As most extensions are additions to our tours, we have found that it would be best to send each individual client a customized price to accurately reflect the cost of the whole tour. We are committed to providing you with the very best service and we will send you your specific tour proposal, which meets your needs almost immediately after receiving your request, within 24 hours. As price depends on each passenger choices, please send us the following information and we will respond.

• Number of people in your party
• Level of accommodation (3,4,5*). Please see options
• Choosing a Private or Group Tour?
• Adding options: if you like to add day tours, extra days, meals, etc
• Have a special request (ie: special diet, wheelchair, children, senior, etc)

What’s Included?

• Expert leadership, guides, crew & support personnel for all listed tours
• Accommodations: 3 nights in the cruise
• Meals as noted (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, S = Snack). We can add any meals upon request
• All non-alcoholic beverages consumed onboard
• All activities onboard (excursions, snorkeling, kayaks)
• Snorkeling gear, kayaks and wetsuits for the entire cruise
• Fuel Surcharge
• Private Transportation: Galapagos Airport (San Cristobal Island)/Port, Port/Galapagos Airport (San Cristobal Island).

What’s Not Included?

• Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee ($100 adults, U$50 children)
• Galapagos Immigration Card Fee (US$10 per person)
• Tipping & Gratuities for guides and crew for Galapagos (Guides $8-10 per person per day / Crew $11-15 per person per day / Barman $3-5 per person per day)
• Diving is an optional activity on the cruises and has an additional charge.
• Airport taxes: Local ($5-6) and International ($31) departure tax of payable in local currency by each passenger at Lima International Airport upon departure (if applicable)
• International and domestic airfares, usually quoted separately
• Excess baggage charges
• Medical immunizations
• Insurance of any kind: mandatory evacuation insurance; suggested cancellation insurance, interruption, baggage loss, damage and delay
• Items of a personal nature (clothing, sodas, liquor, snacks, laundry, etc.)
• Visas.

Domestic Tickets

Quito/Galapagos/Quito: From US $421 per person. This is an example price. Prices depend on the airline, date and time of booking.