Angelito I

Overview

Great value, first class service, excellent itinerary, captained by owners, light airy interiors.

Category	Length	Guests	Cabins
Tourist Superior	70 ft / 22m	16	8

Launched in 1992 and loving run by a Galapagos family, Angelito I is an excellent option within her price category. Tourist superior, but first class service. Very charming, and whilst not the sleekest of yachts, the Angelito has been designed to have very light interiors, with large picture windows and lots of space on deck for relaxing both in the sun and in the shade. On the main deck the yacht has a large open dining and lounge area, on the upper deck 4 more cabins with good sized windows and ocean views. One of the yacht owners always captains the yacht (which guarantees great service) and they only work with two naturalists guides, both of whom have very extensive experience in the Galapagos.

Cabins:

8 double cabins each with private bathrooms, hot showers and all with air conditioning and fan.

Rates:

Prices start at US$1,550 (GB£1033) per person for a 5 day cruise

• Angelito is available to charter
• Discounts available for groups
• Including all accommodation, food, services of a top class naturalist, $10 Galapagos Migration Card.
• Excluding flight to Galapagos, $100 Galapagos National Park entrance fee, bottled and alcoholic drinks, tips and personal expenses

 

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.

Itinerary

4,5,8 and 15 day itineraries available
8-days run Sunday to Sunday
5 days Sunday-Thursday Itinerary A
4 days Thursday-Sunday Itinerary A

Download large jpg version of this map: Detailed Itinerary

Itinerary ‘A’ Northern, Central and Southern Islands

SUNDAY
Baltra Arrive at the airport in this islet where you will be met by your guide.

North Seymour A great variety of Galapagos wildlife is provided in the loop trail on this small island. The highlight of your visit here will be the largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds in the Galapagos as well as a colony of blue-footed boobies. In addition there are sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, swallow-tailed gulls, and a few secretive, but very large, land iguanas.

MONDAY
Chinese Hat or Sombrero Chino Located just off the southeast tip of James Island, this island owes its name to its shape. A truly beautiful island, surrounded by crystal clear waters, a great location for sea lions. Perhaps more than any other site, this islet gives you a sense of Galapagos volcanic origins as the beautiful white beach gives way to an almost primeval landscape of volcanic rubble. (if there is time after your visit, there is usually a snorkeling session off James Island – great snorkeling)

Bartolome Home to one of the most iconic scenery shots of Galapagos, this small island located off the eastern shore of James Island is home to beautiful panoramic views. The striking volcanic landscape, looks almost lunar and provides a great introduction to the volcanic origins of the islands, with spatter cones and cinder cones. You will also see Pinnacle Rock, a striking example of a tuff cone, and good examples of pioneering plants, including some beautiful stands of lava cactus. At sea level, this is a great place for swimming and snorkelling, if you are lucky with Galapagos Penguins.

TUESDAY
Genovesa (Tower) A highlight of any visit to the Galapagos, a truly beautiful island thanks to the richness of its birdlife. Located in the northeast portion of Galapagos, the island is an outpost for many seabirds (as is Espanola in the South). Interestingly there are no land reptiles here and only very small marine iguanas, due to direction of ocean currents which apparently would not have carried terrestrial animals there. You will visit the following sites.

Darwin Bay – Genovesa This bay is actually the caldera of an extinct, partially eroded volcano, with the surrounding cliffs forming the inner portion of the rim. You arrive on a corral beach, and will immediately be struck by the birdlife. Great Frigatebirds (which during February –May the males have their red pouches inflated looking trying to attract a mate), Red-footed boobies nesting in the mangroves, Swallow-tailed Gulls, Lava Gulls, Yellow-crowed Night Herons. Your trail takes you past a beautiful tide pool area.

Prince Philip’s Steps – Genovesa The tour begins with a great panga (small dingy) ride along the base of the cliffs where you an see Redbilled Tropicbirds trying to make a precise landing in their nest. Squadrons of Frigatebirds are seen flying back and forth, whilst Red-footed boobies perch on branches of Palo Santo trees which seemingly grow out of the cliffs. Once you arrive on land and climb to the cliff-top, you enter an area where nesting Masked Boobies and Great Frigatebirds are found. It is also a great place to see Galapagos Doves and Vampire Finches (sharp-beaked ground finches)…ask your guide for the full story on the name! You will also see great numbers of Storm Petrels here, sometimes in tens of thousands. If you are lucky, you may also see a short-eared owl.

WEDNESDAY
James Bay This was the island where Charles Darwin spent the majority of his land visits in Galapagos. At James Bay, the Fur Seal Grotto provides great chances to get close views of both fur seals and sea lions in a series of rocky pools. This visit also provides some of the best opportunities for tide-pooling in the Galapagos, with the chance to see plovers, herons and oyster catchers with some good swimming and snorkelling off the beach.

Rabida A red sandy beach with sea lions and nesting Brown Pelicans, which sometimes afford a rare glimpse of chick feeding. A short walk from the beach is a sea water lagoon, where flamingos can sometimes be seen. Geologically, Rabida is said to have the most diversified volcanic rocks of all the islands. It also provides a great opportunity to snorkel with sea lions and has a great diversity of near-shore and pelagic fish.

THURSDAY
Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Station The Charles Darwin Research Station offers a great chance to learn about the work being done to conserve and protect the islands wildlife. For some visitors (depending on the time of year) this is the only time to see Giant Tortoises and certainly the closest range opportunity. It is also a great chance to see the Tortoise Rearing Centre.

Santa Cruz – Highlands The highlands of Santa Cruz are home to fascinating geological features, like lava tubes and the twin sinkhole craters of Los Gemelos, which are home to some 300 different fern species as well as a “forest” of Sunflowers as well as some elusive endemics like the Woodpecker Finch (one of only two bird species in the world to use twigs as tools), the Small Tree Finch, Vegetarian Finch and Galapagos Rail all found in the lush forest of Scalacia (Giant Daisies) that characterise the highlands of this island. The highlands of Santa Cruz are one of the best places to see Giant Tortoises in the wild, particularly October through December as these magnificent giants undertake their seasonal migration from the lowlands to the lush grazing of the highlands.

FRIDAY
Espanola (Hood) This island is one of the highlights of any visit to Galapagos (it is Santiago Bejarano’s favourite island). Espanola is the southernmost island in the Galapagos, and is considered the oldest. Numerous sea lions are seen here, plus hundreds of marine iguanas basking on the rocks. Espanola’s marine iguanas are unlike other Galapagos marine iguanas in their bright colouring, and the lava lizards are distinctive too. Espanola is home to thousands of nesting seabirds between April and November, with the Waved Albatross, perhaps the most spectacular of Galapagos birds, returning to Espanola by the thousands in late March to perform their amazing mating dance and produce the next generation. Almost the entire population breeds on this island April through November; they spend the rest of the year at sea. You’ll also witness courting blue-footed and masked boobies, and hopefully see their offspring of the year. At Gardner Bay there’s time to hang out with sea lions and snorkel, as well as walk the beautiful white sand beach.

SATURDAY
Santa Fe A volcanic uplift, this island offers a great chance to see the land iguanas (Conolophus pallidus) endemic to Santa Fe Island. Some of these can be 5 ft long and have a beautiful golden-yellow colour that shows off the scales to advantage. In the same area you’ll also see a forest of giant prickly pear cactus. After your visit swimming and snorkelling will often follow.

South Plaza South Plaza is the best island for observing land iguanas, along with cactus finches, tropic birds and sea lions. One of your first stops will be through a small “forest” of prickly pear (Opuntia) cactus. The walk along the sea cliffs is a wonderful experience, with Audubon’s shearwaters and red-billed tropicbirds gliding by. Towards the end of the walk is a bachelor sea lion colony, with a battle-scared collection of old bulls in various states of recuperation or total retirement!

SINDAY
Santa Cruz - Black Turtle Cove A beautiful mangrove lagoon on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island. The yacht anchors just outside the cove and you enter on a dingy, paddling through the calm water which is a nesting site for Green Sea Turtles (they are on the rare and endangered species list). A wonderfully quiet journey, through a beautiful and unique habitat and with good luck as well as the marine turtles you will see different types of sharks and schools of Golden Rays swimming just below the surface, whilst yellow warblers sing from above.

Itinerary ‘B’ The Western Islands

SUNDAY
Baltra Arrive at the airport at this islet where you will be met by your guide.

Santa Cruz – Bachas Beach A beautiful white sandy beach punctuated by lava formations. The wonderfully soft sand here makes it a favourite site for nesting sea turtles. Here you will also see white mangroves, one of the three species found in the Galapagos, as well as marine iguanas and flamingos if you are lucky.

MONDAY
Mosquera This tiny islet, nestled between Baltra and N.Seymour islands is a beautiful long narrow beach with a large population of sea lions. As with other areas in Galapagos this area has been geologically uplifted. A great opportunity for swimming and snorkelling off the beach.

Santa Cruz – Cerro Dragon Cerro Dragon or Dragon Hill, has recently been opened by the Galapagos National Park. After a dry landing, the walk at this visitor site takes you to a hypersalinic (saltier than the ocean) lagoon behind the beach where you can often see flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts and other species of bird. A short walk to the hill, offers a great view of the bay and a nesting site for land iguanas, many of which have been repatriated by the Charles Darwin Research Station.

TUESDAY
Isabela Measuring over 1800 square miles, and accounting for over half the land surface area in Galapagos, at about 80 miles in length, the seahorse shaped Isabela Island is the largest in the Galapagos. Isabela is formed from six separate volcanoes (Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf).

Isabela – Tagus Cove The land tour here takes you up the slopes of the Darwin Volcano up to a salt water lagoon at the top, providing a great view of the fragile lava fields, the volcanic formations as well as the ocean. A great part of the visit here is a panga ride along the coast, with dramatic colours and beautiful tuff formations, with Blue-footed boobies, penguins and marine iguanas.

Fernandina The youngest of the Galapagos Islands at just over 100,000 years old, this is the most pristine and untouched of all the islands (not just in Galapagos, but in the world). Volcanically it is still active with eruptions occurring every few years. Punta Espinosa, is a truly spectacular visitor site and a real highlight. A narrow strop of land extending out from the base of the Fernandina Volcano it offers the best chance to see Marine Iguanas with the largest colony in the Galapagos. You will also have the chance to see Flightless Cormorants here, at the tip of the narrow point.

WEDNESDAY
Isabela – Urbina Bay In 1954, almost 4 miles of coastal seabed, with marine-life and all, were dramatically and very suddenly uplifted about 15 ft. This area is now a nesting site for Brown Pelicans and Flightless Cormorant and giant Marine Iguanas can be seen. You will also see a few large land iguanas and if you are lucky a giant tortoise or two can be seen.

Isabela – Elizabeth Bay Located on the west coast of the Isabela, no landings are permitted here, but it makes for a beautiful panga (small dingy) ride. This is one of the best areas to see Galapagos Penguins as they prefer the cooler waters found in this area of the archipelago. Flightless Cormorants and giant marine iguanas, which have grown so large thanks to the plentiful food are also see in this area. As you then enter a narrow cove lined with large Red Mangrove trees, you can see marine turtles, rays and shore birds.

THURSDAY
Isabela - Punta Moreno With dramatic seascapes and one of the best sunrise areas in the Galapagos, the visit to this site begins with a panga ride along the beautiful rocky shores where shore birds, penguins and great blue herons can be spotted. The panga then enters an area of mangroves before you disembark. This enigmatic area is one of the driest lava fields you will ever see, but is punctuated by small lagoons and ponds containing and abundance of wildlife including flamingos and pintail ducks

FRIDAY
Isabela – Sierra Negra Volcano The oldest and largest volcano on Isabela Island, with a caldera measuring over 5 miles across. Your visit here will begin in Villamil in a vehicle to the base of the volcano where your 3-7 hour round trip to the caldera can be made either on foot or horseback. Along the way you will usually see Vermillion Flycatchers, Galapagos Martins, egrets, Galapagos Hawk and at the end of the walk you will be rewarded with an incredible panoramic view of Isabela.

SATURDAY
Floreana - Punta Cormorant At Punta Cormorant you’ll walk on an olivine beach (a mineral known for its olive-green quality, that is found in meteorites, the moon and mars as well as on earth), visit a large lagoon where great flamingos sometimes nest, and walk over to Flour Beach, a beautiful white sandy beach to look for green sea turtle nests.

Floreana – Devil’s Crown Devil’s Crown is one of the highlights of this area is snorkelling at Devil’s Crown, a partially submerged crater teeming with parrotfish, wrasse, surgeonfish, and damselfish among many other varieties of tropical fish.

Floreana - Post Office Bay The famous Post Office Bay is where people leave their mail to be picked up and delivered by others in the “post office” barrel—a time-honoured tradition begun by whalers hundreds of years ago.

SUNDAY
Santa Cruz - Puerto Ayora The economic centre of the Galapagos Islands. Virtually all the yachts visit Puero Ayora anchoring in Academy Bay. Several gift and souvenir shops, with some art and craft galleries.

Baltra flight home, or continue with visit to the highlands (see first visitor site)

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.

Deck Plan / Spec

Facilities

Four shade or sun decks, including a well-lit dining deck and bar. Spacious dining room and salon and is air-conditioned throughout. A good library, TV and DVD.

Crew

Captain, mechanic, 3 sailors, auxiliary cook, multilingual naturalist guide.

Snorkelling

Snorkeling equipment is free. Wet suites $25 for the week.

Equipment

• 2 Cummin engines 300HP each,
• 1 generators for 110 and 220 V (plug socket 110V)
• VHF and SSB marine radios,
• radar,
• depth sounder,
• G.P.S.,
• 2 dingies with outboard motors, and safety equiptment that hights with International Coast Guard Regulations.

Dimensions

• Length: 70 feet / 22 meters
• Beam: 22 feet / 6.6 meters
• Speed: 10 knots

Some history!

Angelito was the nickname of the grandfather Angel who helped his two grandsons Leonardo and Hugo Andrade to build their first fishing boat, in gratitude they named their boat after their grandfather. The Galapagos born brothers , as pioneers in Galapagos, gave up fishing and converted their boat to carry visitors to the islands over a decade ago. Their knowledge of the archipelago made them great captains and allowed them to make the important step for the conservation of the Galapagos, changing from fishing to actively promoting the protection of their islands.