Galapagos Tortoise Special

Summary of Trip

• Excellent tortoise viewing possibilities
• Specially chartered private yacht in the Galapagos
• Behind the scenes look at the Charles Darwin Research Station
  and the chance to meet resident experts
• Small group of up to 15 guests

This special holiday will give you fantastic opportunities to see the magnificent wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, in particular Giant Tortoises in the wild, and meet experts helping restore the tortoise population. Accompanied by one of the top naturalists in the Galapagos, Santiago Bejarano, you will visit and explore in depth some of the most spectacular visitor sites in the Galapagos, with an extended stay on the Island of Santa Cruz, the best Island to see Giant Tortoises in the wild. Ideal for people who can’t travel to Quito for health reasons.

Details

• 12-day trip begins and ends in Guayaquil
• 8 days/7 nights on board the yacht, 2 nights in hotel on Santa Cruz Island, 2 hotel nights in Guayaquil.
• Tour Cost £2890 per person, excluding international flights. Includes all accommodation, guide services, meals, transport, internal flights Guayaquil-Baltra-Guayaquil, non-bottled soft drinks.
• Flights from the UK to Quito and Guayaquil start at around £750. We can help guests co-ordinate their international flights which are available from local UK airports.

Outline Itinerary
25th October – Guayaquil
26th October – Santa Cruz
27th October – Santa Cruz
28th October - 4th November – Galapagos Cruise
5 November – Guayaquil – flight home

NOTE:

Land cost includes:

• Return domestic flights from Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands.
• All accommodation meals and soft drinks in mainland Ecuador and aboard the yacht in the Galapagos.
• The price is based on 2 people sharing a double room.
• $10 Galapagos Migration Card.
• The services of expert local naturalists and all transport in the Galapagos.

Land Cost Does Not Include:

• International airfare
• Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee ($100 per person)
• Departure Tax from Ecuador ($43 per person)
• Alcoholic beverages. Gratuities

Single Supplement:

If you prefer your own room, there is a single supplement cost of £150 per person for the time in mainland Ecuador. All boat cabins must be shared, except by special arrangement.

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

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Itinerary

25th October – Guayaquil Arrive early in the morning on KLM (or if flying with another airline, you would arrive in the afternoon, either today or the day before which we can organise easily) You will be met at the airport and taken to our hotel. Time to relax before a late afternoon city tour of Guayaquil, a thriving, steaming tropical city. In the evening a welcome meal. Overnight Grand Hotel Guayaquil.

26th October – Galapagos - Baltra and Santa Cruz The next morning we take our flight to the Galapagos, arriving at Baltra Airport at around noon. From here we travel up to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. This is one of the largest islands in the Galapagos with one of the healthiest Giant Tortoise populations living in the wild. We will have lunch in a private farm which has a large population of wild Giant Tortoises and will spend the afternoon exploring the highlands before driving to the town of Puerto Ayora late afternoon where we will stay in a local hotel. Evening meal together in a local restaurant.

27th October – Santa Cruz After an early breakfast we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, where we have the chance to explore intimately with the guidance of a researcher. Here we will see many resident tortoises, along with a close look at the captive breeding programs that are working to return the Galapagos to their pre-colonisation pristine state. A perfect introduction to the Galapagos Islands and its amazing flora and fauna.

After lunch together in a local restaurant you have the afternoon free to relax, explore Puerto Ayora, or to return to the Charles Darwin Research station to visit and explore at your own pace the tortoise breeding programs. We will meet up in the evening for a meal together at a local restaurant.

Download large jpg version of this map: Detailed Itinerary

28th October – Santa Cruz Today we spend the full day exploring the highlands of Santa Cruz. Our first stop will be Los Gemelos, twin sinkhole craters which are home to lush forests of Scalacia (Giant Daisies). Here we can see Galapagos Finches, including the Woodpecker Finch, Small Tree Finch, Vegetarian Finch and Galapagos Rail and the colourful Vermillion Flycatcher. For lunch we travel to another hacienda, which is inhabited by a large population of Giant Tortoises.

In the afternoon we visit areas near El Chato where we will see more of these magnificent giants on their seasonal migration from the lowlands to the lush grazing of the highlands. Late in the afternoon we board our Yacht the TIP TOP III at Academy Bay

The yacht has great service and a very friendly crew, accommodating 16 passengers in 10 double cabins each with private shower and toilet. There is a bar, dining room, library, sundeck and diving platform. Just some of the luxuries you'll enjoy on the yacht's three decks are wall-to-wall carpeting, air conditioning, a TV, a VCR, a full sound system, an inviting dining room, a fully equipped bar, a library filled with a variety of reading materials, a spacious sundeck, and snorkelling equipment. Moreover, each of the craft's homey cabins is outfitted with a private bathroom with both hot and cold water, a personal safe, and a wardrobe.

29th October – Santa Fe The island is home to its own unique species of Land Iguanas (Conolophus pallidus). Amazing landscape dominated by very tall and wide perkily pear cactus The swimming and snorkelling around this island is also wonderful, with sea lions, rays and a host of colourful fish.

Plaza The best place in Galapagos to see Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea going lizard. It is also a great place to see land iguanas, sometimes side-by-side with their sea-going relatives. Here we will take a walk along some uplifted lava flows.

30th October – Sombrero Chino Our first chance to swim with sea lions and if we are lucky, Galapagos penguins in the crystal clear waters around this huge cinder cone which is shaped like a Chinese hat (hence its name!). It is also a fantastic location for sea lions and an incredible volcanic landscape with the brightly coloured sally lightfoot crabs in stark contrast against the black rock.

Rabida A red sandy beach with sea lions and nesting Brown Pelicans and an opportunity to snorkel with sea lions and eagle rays which are common in the waters around the island.

31st October – Black Turtle Cove Sea turtle paradise! By November, sea turtles start to gather here, preparing for their annual nesting season. This morning we take a dingy ride through beautiful and peaceful mangrove forests were we turn our motor off and paddle slowly in search of sea turtles and other wildlife in the mangroves.

Cerro Dragon We visit an area in the western-side of Santa Cruz Island which has seen a remarkable recovery of its land iguana population in recent years thanks to the work of the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Research Station.

1st November – Floreana In the morning we travel up to the highlands of Floreana to see more Giant Tortoises. The island hosts a healthy Giant Tortoise population and is part of the ongoing project to repopulate the island with tortoises by the Galapagos National Park. After lunch we go to the north-west of the island to Punta Cormorant, the best place to see Flamingos and stilts in the Galapagos. We will stay on the island until late afternoon as there is a chance we may see sea turtles coming up onto the beach.

2nd November – Espanola Santiago’s favourite islands and one of the highlights of any visit to the Galapagos thanks to the islands colony of Waved Albatross who at the time of your visit will still have their chicks with them. Here we will also see the islands unique and colourful marine iguanas and large Lava Lizard and its own endemic species of mocking bird. There will also be Blue-footed Boobies, and Nazca boobies along the path as we walk through the island. The island is also home to a spectacular white sandy beach which is a favourite with sea lions which we will also visit.

3rd November – San Cristobal Today we make an early morning visit to the breeding centre for tortoises in San Cristobal. We will be able to walk through a large pen which houses tortoises that are endemic to this island. We will also have chance to look at the breeding facilities whose incubators were donated by the BCG and meet with conservationists working to restore the population. In the afternoon we will visit Cerro Brujo, and take a boat trip around an iconic landmark of Galapagos, Kicker Rock and enjoy the sunset!

4th November – Baltra We return to the islet of Baltra today for our flight back to Ecuador. We return to Guayaquil in the afternoon, were we will be met and take to our hotel. Here you have a few hours to relax or visit the park near to the hotel, before our farewell meal together at a leading local restaurant. Overnight Grand Hotel Guayaquil.

5th November Transfer to the airport for flight home.

Please note: Itineraries are unlikely to change significantly but are subject to change. Weather, wildlife breeding, instructions from the Galapagos National Park, specific abilities and interests of passengers as well as operational matters may cause your guide or captain to change the times or nature of your visits. Your guide will always endeavour to have the best itinerary for you within these constraints.

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

Accommodation

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.