M/S The Samba

Tourist Superior Motor Yacht

Overview

Fantastic itinerary, great value, graceful yacht, lovingly maintained by local owners.

Category	Length	Guests	Cabins
Tourist Superior	216 ft / 68.6 m	14	7

A European classic yacht and the best in her class. Although a little smaller than other yachts we work with (which is reflected in the price) the Samba has a superb itinerary which for two days, is the only yacht in the area of Isabella Island, which makes for a fantastic experience. A great ocean going vessel with a specially designed high bow and special stabilizing sail, this yacht is very tastefully decorated and lovingly kept by her owners, one of whom regularly guides on board the yacht (and is excellent) and has a great outdoor area for eating. The yacht has a great crew, is locally owned and operated in a very environmentally friendly as well as socially responsible way.

Cabins:

6 double cabins and 1 exterior double bed cabin all with private bathrooms, hot water and air-conditioning.

Rates:

Prices start at US$2,400 (GB£1600) per person for an 8 day cruise

Samba 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

From 2011 the Galapagos National Park is changing all yacht itineraries from 8-days to 15-days in order to spread more evenly the number of visitors to each site. 8 and 15 day itineraries available

2011 Samba Itinerary Download large jpg version of this map: Detailed Itinerary

Itinerary A North and Western Islands

TUESDAY
Baltra Arrival at the airport in this islet.

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.

WEDNESDAY
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.

THURSDAY
Marchena Island The top of a large shield volcano, of which only the top 343 meters is above sea level, this is one of three small islands in the northern group of islands. The many young flows and phyroclastic cones on this island testify to considerable volcanic activity in the recent geological past, although there is only one known historic eruption which occurred in 1992. The island remains pristine and was only very recently opened up to tourists. Snorkelling and diving off this island are excellent, with great possibility of seeing dolphins here.

FRIDAY
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 - Punta Albemarle AThis site at the remote northern tip of Isabela has the remains of a US World War II radar base. The main attraction here is a nesting site for flightless cormorants and a colony of the largest marine iguanas in Galapagos.

Isabela – Vicente Roca Point Beautiful volcanic scenery and amazing lava intrusions as well as a huge sea cliff categorise this area, in the northern part of the island which lies on the flank of 2,600 foot Volcano Ecuador. Here the remnants of an ancient volcano form two turquoise coves with a bay that is well protected from ocean swells. Masked and blue-footed boobies sit along the cliffs whilst flightless cormorants stay along the shoreline and if you are lucky you will see penguins in the water. The upwelling of coldwater currents have created an abundance of marine life here, making for great snorkelling.

SATURDAY
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.

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.

SUNDAY
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.

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.

MONDAY
Isabela – Villamil A small town on the southeast coast of Isabela. Here the Galapagos National Park Service has recently opened a Tortoise Breeding and Rearing Centre, just outside of town to protect and increase the endangered populations of tortoises in the southern part of the island. It is a beautiful setting, with lots of space and shade for the tortoises. Next to the town are a number of lagoons where flamingos and common stilts are usually seen. There are also some beautiful beaches that are said to be amounst the most important migratory bird viewing areas in Galapagos.

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.

TUESDAY
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.

Baltra Flight Home (or continue with program)

Itinerary ‘B’ South East and Central Islands

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

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.

WEDNESDAY
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.

Champion Islet A dingy (or panga ride) around this small pristine islet gives you the opportunity to see the elusive Floreana mockingbird.

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.

THURSDAY
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.

FRIDAY
San Cristobal - Isla Lobos A perfect place to swim with playful sea lions and snorkel. This basalt island outcropping lives up to its name of “sea lion island”. As well as the sea lion colony on the beach it is also a nesting place for blue-footed boobies. Leon Dormido, sometimes called Kicker Rock, is a huge rock formation, your captain will navigate your yacht right through the middle of it!

San Cristobal – Punta Pitt Located in the northwest of the island, this is a large eroded ash cone with dramatic volcanic scenery and is home to a large colony of sea lions, as well as red-footed boobies, blue-footed boobies and Nazca boobies.

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!

Santa Cruz – Punta Carrion On your way to Punta Carrion your boat will circumnavigate Gordon Rocks to see sea lions, fur seals, nasca boobies and a variety of sea birds. At Punta Carrion you can then snorkel from the boat to see a variety of fish, rays and possibly the harmless white tip reef sharks.

SUNDAY
James (Santiago) – Sullivan Bay Sullivan Bay offers a rare look at a recently formed lava-field. Located on the eastern coast of James Island, just across from Bartolome, this lava field is thought to have been created in eruptions that took place around 1890.

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.

MONDAY
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.

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.

TUESDAY
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.

Baltra Return to the airport on this islet for your 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.

Deck Plan / Spec

Samba Deck Plan

Facilities

A lounge area offering a small library of Galapagos literature and a selection of games. Amble forward deck and topside settees provide a great outdoor space and are the perfect setting for group activities such as stargazing, whale watching or simply relaxing.

Crew

Captain, mechanic, Chef, two helmsmen/sailors and bilingual naturalist guide.

Snorkelling

Snorkel equipment and wet suits free.

Equipment

Twin DAV diesel engines 220 HP,
2 generators each of 21 & 12.5KW for 110V & 220V A/C and 12V & 24V D/C,
Furuno radar, GPS,
VHS & SSB radios,
2 tenders with outboard motors,
color TV and video equipment One self-contained 20-passenger life raft,
EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon)
Two bi-directional VHF emergency-radios,
VHF (Motorola) wide-range radio,
VHF and HF radios and one cell-phone communication system,
Safety smoke and fire detectors and overhead sprinkler systems, A.B.C fire-control system.