7 Night Cruise with Española Island

Duration: 7 nights

New for 2012, our 7 night Española cruise takes guests to intriguing Floreana Island, as well as the most incredible Galapagos scenery at Moreno Point and the awe-inspiring Española Island with its beautiful waved albatross.

Day 01 - SATURDAY - ARRIVAL IN GALAPAGOS & FIRST VISIT TO NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND

Arrival at the airport in Baltra & transfer to the dock
Check-in to your cabin
Introductory briefing & safety drill
Lunch
Dry landing at North Seymour
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Sunday’s program
20:00 Welcome cocktail
20:15 Dinner

North Seymour is a perfect introduction to the Galapagos Islands. Fauna abounds and you will soon find yourself surrounded by frigates and blue footed boobies. Keep an eye out for land iguanas and sea lions too! Difficulty level: Moderate

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 02 - SUNDAY - SOUTH PLAZA & SANTA FE ISLANDS

06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing and excursion at South Plaza Island
11:30 Back on board and lunch
15:00 Wet landing and excursion at Santa Fe Island
16:30 Swimming and snorkelling from the beach or kayak or panga ride
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Monday’s program
20:00 Dinner

South Plaza Island, although quite small, is actually home to a large Opuntia cacti forest, land iguanas and one of the largest sea lion colonies in the central region of the archipelago. An endemic plant, Sesuvium, inhabits this island and is a great climate indicator as its colour is a greenish-yellowish during the rainy season and a bright red during the dry season. You will also be able to see Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and other kinds of sea birds as well as different types of finches. Difficulty level: Moderate.

Santa Fe was formed by uplifting, rather than by a volcano. Some of the island’s endemic species include the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, rice rats, different types of finches, and the Galapagos Mockingbird. The visit includes a hike on a trail past salt bushes where Galapagos hawks as well as the Santa Fe land iguanas tend to roam. Playful sea lions may accompany you during your snorkelling activities. Difficulty level: Easy.

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 03 - MONDAY - SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND

06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Wet landing and excursion at Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island, Snorkelling, kayaking and panga ride opportunities
11:30 Back on board and lunch
15:00 Disembark at Cerro Brujo for excursion, beach activities, snorkelling, and Panga ride
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Tuesday’s program
20:00 Dinner

Punta Pitt is located on the eastern tip of San Cristobal Island. You will hike up to a plateau where the view and landscape are so spectacular it is definitely worth the effort. Watch out for the Red Footed Boobies nesting in the cliffs. The power hike is followed by kayaking, snorkelling and panga rides opportunities. Difficulty level: Difficult (longest hike of the cruise – 2 1/2 hours).

Enjoy a fantastic landscape as well as wonderful swimming, snorkelling and panga ride experiences. Cerro Brujo’s gorgeous beach is also home to many sea lions and it’s also the first coast where Charles Darwin first stepped foot on in the Archipelago! Difficulty level: Easy

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 04 - TUESDAY - FLOREANA ISLAND

06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing and excursion on Floreana Island, visits to the Baroness’s outlook point and Post Office followed by snorkelling or kayak
11:30 Back on board and lunch
15:00 Punta Cormorant & Champion with snorkelling, kayak or panga ride
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Wednesday’s program
20:00 Dinner

Floreana is one of the Galapagos most famous, or shall we say, “infamous” of islands due to many strange stories regarding past settlers. There are many diverse sites to visit including Post Office Bay and the “Baroness’s Viewing Point”. Marine life also abounds in Floreana’s coastal regions making it a fantastic site for snorkelling. Flamingos also populate the island and may be seen during your visit

The Baroness’s Viewing Point is the perfect place to take in the special scenery that defines Floreana, and a great spot to learn about the mysteries of Floreana’s early settlers. Difficulty level: Moderate (uphill)

In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home. This is one of the archipelago’s most famous spots. Don’t forget to look in your logbook for your postcards! For the more adventurous guests, there is an option for a visit inside a lava tunnel. This tunnel has been kept untouched and completely natural, so please, watch your step! Difficulty level: Easy to difficult (lava tunnel)

A great site for bird-watching, Cormorant Point has a large lagoon where everything from Flamingos to Stilts and Pintail Ducks tend to roam. Don’t forget your binoculars! Prior to the excursion, you will also have an opportunity to participate in a magnificent snorkel at Champion Islet. Difficulty level: Easy.

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 05 - WEDNESDAY - ISABELA ISLAND

06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Panga ride to Elizabeth Bay mangroves
11:00 Back on board and lunch
15:00 Landing at Punta Moreno
16:30 Snorkelling or panga ride
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Thursday’s program
20:00 Dinner

Elizabeth Bay is one of the furthest points of the Galapagos that we will visit on our cruise. We will enter a sheltered cove – a wonderful mangrove ecosystem that is a refuge for sea turtles, rays, blue-footed boobies, penguins, herons and more. Difficulty level: Easy.

Moreno Point is located just southwest of Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. Observe and learn about different types of lava and pioneer plants while being surrounded by some of the most incredible scenery that Galapagos has to offer. In the tide pools green sea turtles or white-tip sharks can be spotted. Afterwards you will enjoy a panga ride along the striking rocky shores observing penguins, sea lions, blue footed boobies and marine iguanas. Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult.

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 06 - THURSDAY - SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing at Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Station -  Afterward bus ride to the highlands of Santa Cruz to see wild giant tortoises
13:00 Back on board & lunch
15:30 Optional afternoon activities or time at leisure
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Friday’s program
20:00 Dinner

On your visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station you will gain insight into the huge efforts being made by scientists, guides, rangers and park managers to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see the famous Galapagos tortoises that are the islands’ namesake.
  
After the visit we drive to the green highlands of Santa Cruz, where you will visit a tortoise reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings. The afternoon is at leisure. Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 07 - FRIDAY - ESPAÑOLA ISLAND

06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Wet landing at Gardner Bay on Española Island for swimming and snorkelling from the beach or kayaking
10:00 Deep water snorkelling
11:30 Towel Folding lesson
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Dry landing at Punta Suarez, Española Island
18:00 Back on board
19:00 Galapagos Jeopardy for kids
19:15 Departure briefing
19:45 Farewell cocktail
20:00 Dinner
21:00 Please settle your bills

Gardner Bay offers the chance to enjoy a wonderful white sandy beach. It is home to one of the most important colonies of sea lions, and it is also a nesting site for sea turtles. Throughout the morning there are opportunities for swimming, snorkelling and kayaking. Difficulty level: Easy

Punta Suárez is one of the most popular and attractive sites in the Galapagos. Due to its isolation from other islands, it has a high proportion of endemic fauna. A few steps inland from the landing site, groups of Española marine iguanas bask in the sun. Further inland, Nazca and blue-footed boobies nest near the trail, Galapagos doves peck around unaware of visitors and finches go about their day to day business. The trail continues towards a blowhole, which is a fissure in the lava where water spurts high into the air like a geyser. The cracks in the cliffs are home to swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds. Further up the cliff in an area of low-lying trees you will find waved albatrosses nesting. The 15,000 to 17,000 pairs of albatrosses on Española represent almost the entire population of this species on the planet. They perform one of the most spectacular courtship rituals of the animal world. Difficulty level: Difficult

Overnight: M.V. ECLIPSE

Day 08 - SATURDAY - MOSQUERA ISLAND & DEPARTURE

05:45 Optional wake up call by phone
06:00 Panga ride to Mosquera Islet
07:15 Official wake up call - Back on board from Mosquera Islet
07:30 Breakfast
08:00 Luggage out & vacate cabins
08:45 Galapagos documentary shown in main lounge
09:45 Snack in the al fresco dining area
10:00 Disembark for airport transfer
12:30 Plane departs

Mosquera Islet is a tiny islet, actually home to a huge population of sea lions and also home to many shorebirds. While at Mosquera, keep your eyes peeled as there are occasional reports of dolphins and orcas. Difficulty level: Easy

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