The Galápagos
The Enchanted Islands of Darwin
Cruise the remarkable island ecosystem of the volcanic Galápagos sitting 650 miles west of Ecuador. See the unique and abundant wildlife, some of which are found nowhere else on earth. In the company of naturalist guides, aboard the Isabela II, the most luxurious vessel cruising The Galápagos, you'll scout for breaching whales, pink flamingos, giant tortoises, marine iguanas, tiny penguins and flightless cormorants, to name just a few of the many species that call the Galápagos Islands home.
Only 3 departure dates in 2009
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CRUISE ONLY DATES & PRICES |
| AA | AAA | SUITE | August 23, 30
| $6399 | $6599 | $6899 | | September 6 | $6399 | $6599 | $6899 | | |
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| The cost of your cruise includes service charges for land-based personnel and $750 per person which covers taxes/port charges/fees and onboard services. A fuel surcharge may be added. Onboard gratuities are neither required nor expected. Prices are per person, double-occupancy, U.S. dollars. Single rates available upon request where applicable. Airfare extra. (Except Quito to Baltra, and Baltra to Guayaquil, which are included on The Galápagos cruise itinerary, and Guayaquil to Lima, Lima to Cusco, and Cusco to Lima, which are included on the Machu Picchu itinerary.)
Round Trip Cruise:Day 1 - QUITO
Fly in to Quito and overnight at a comfortable Quito hotel. Day 2 - QUITOSightseeing in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, just 15 miles south of the Equator. BD
Day 3 - BALTRA ISLAND & NORTH SEYMOUR ISLANDFly to Baltra to board the Isabela II to begin your cruise. Land at North Seymour Island for a walk observing bird colonies, including the blue-footed boobie. BLD
Day 4 - ESPANOLA (HOOD) ISLANDWatch the sea lions, snorkel or ride the glass-bottom boat at Gardner Bay and see the Waved Albatrosses and famous blowhole at Punta Suarez. BLD
Day 5 - FLOREANA ISLANDSee the flamingos at Point Cormorant and panga ride to islets of Post Office Bay to observe sea lions, rays and sea turtles. BLD
Day 6 - SANTA CRUZ ISLANDVisit the highlands, Scalesia forest and twin pit craters. Lunch at the Finch Bay Eco Hotel and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens. BLD
Day 7 - GENOVESA (TOWER) ISLANDSwim, snorkel or walk amongst the myriad birdlife on an island few people get to see. Take a panga ride along the cliffs and then observe large bird colonies. BLD
Day 8 - ISABELA ISLAND & FERNANDINA ISLANDCruise in front of the famous Ecuador Volcano while crossing the Equator. See Tagus Cove, the unusual Palo Santo tress and the Darwin Crater. On Fernandina see the highest density of marine iguanas, plus sea lions and a variety of birds on the youngest island of The Galápagos group. BLD
Day 9 - SANTIAGO ISLAND & BARTOLOME ISLANDSnorkel, swim or walk a beach full of land and marine birds and a colony of sea lions. Panga ride around Pinnacle Rock to observe penguins, swim, snorkel or ride glass bottom boats. BLD
Day 10 - GUAYAQUIL/DEPARTFly to Guayaquil for your return trip home or extend your stay with a Machu Picchu land tour. B Please note: Due to the high level of activity, narrow pathways, uneven terrain and use of small motorized excursion craft on most of the stops on this tour, travelers should be in good physical condition, have confident balance and mobility to participate on this itinerary.
| Extend Your Trip to Machu Picchu! |
 | Machu Picchu
4 NIGHTS, ROUND TRIP FROM LIMA, PERU
Built at the end of the 14th century by the Incas, rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, the Machu Picchu Citadel is a mystical place of worship and amazing star-gazing opportunities. Recognized as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu was built to be invisible from below and completely self-contained. Extend your South American stay with 6 days in this secret ceremonial city 2,000 feet above the Urubamba River. | Day 10 – Guayaquil / Lima
Arrive in Lima, Peru, and check into the Costa del Sol Ramada Hotel, located at the airport. BD
Day 11 – Cusco
Fly from Lima to Cusco. Transfer to your hotel, and spend the morning at your leisure. Enjoy fine examples of Inca history on an archeological tour this afternoon, and experience a taste of Novo Andina cuisine. Overnight at the Hotel Libertador Palacio del Inka. BD
| Day 12 – Pisac / Machu Picchu
Visit the Pisac ruins in the Sacred Valley of the Incas before transferring to the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes. Dinner and overnight at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel. BLD
Day 13 – Machu Picchu
Take a guided tour of the lost citadel. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure with dinner and overnight at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel. BLD | Day 14 – Cusco
Morning at leisure with the option of returning to Machu Picchu on your own before boarding the train to Ollantaytambo. Visit the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo. Depending on the weather, either enjoy a box lunch at nearby Huaypo Lagoon or a local restaurant. Continue to Moran and return to Cusco for your farewell dinner and overnight at Hotel Libertador. BL D
Day 15 – Lima / Home
Transfer to the Cusco airport for your flight to Lima. Dayrooms are available at the Costa del Sol Ramada Hotel in Lima until evening flights home. B | | Your Exploration Leader, Stephen Weston |
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Stephen is a third generation Costa Rican of English and Italian descent. Licensed by the tourism board of Costa Rica as a naturalist guide since 1995, he has guided ecotourism tours throughout Central America for over 10 years. | Stephen's focus is on marine biodiversity and the intricate interactions among marine organisms in countries such as Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. As a guide, Stephen specializes in tropical ecology and natural history interpretation and is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of conserving our tropical ecosystems. He enjoys leading cruise and land tours and has a particular interest in bird watching, ethnobotany and seashell identification.
Over the years, Stephen has developed a profound passion for sharks, earning him the nickname Bolillo, or, “little shark” This fascination was sparked as a child around Coco's Island off the shore of Costa Rica, known as Costa Rica's Galapagos, where his father taught him to dive. Stephen went on to become a dive instructor and now boasts over 3,000 dives and operates his own marine research station, where he's pioneered the identification and documentation of individual sharks. You may already be familiar with Stephen's videos and photography, which have been featured on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.
His experience as an Exploration Leader on our South Pacific and Central America cruises, knowledge of marine life, and passion for sharing his knowledge with others will prove to be of great value on our Galapagos cruise, which features several wonderful opportunities for snorkeling and swimming with all kinds of species, from tropical fish to penguins, sea lions and sea turtles. |  for cabin and ship PDF diagram.
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