trip specifics

price

ALL-INCLUSIVE prices include 3 nights hotel, transfers, Quito tour, flights to Galapagos Islands, park fee and cruise.  

Explore the Galapagos Islands up close and in style. The 20 passenger Eric, Letty, and Flamingo are three sister ships with identical characteristics. Each first class motor yacht offers talented naturalist guides, easy nature hikes and snorkeling. Each naturalist takes a group of no more than 10 passengers on all shore excursions and shares extensive insights into the Islands' diverse wildlife and natural history. Small wooden boats locally called "pangas" ferry passengers to shore for Island visits. Families appreciate select family cruises geared towards active families. Observe and photograph tortoise, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, volcanic landscapes and vivid sunsets.

Galapagos cruises aboard the Eric, Letty and Flamingo combine the finest motor yachts with the most talented naturalist guides and offer a range of activities designed to bring you into intimate contact with the unique creatures and ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands. Spend more time ashore hiking among nesting birds, more time snorkeling with sea lions, or perhaps just relaxing on a crescent beach.

Our Eric, Letty, Flamingo cruise packages begin and end in colonial Quito, Ecuador and include Quito hotel accommodations, airport/hotel transfers, round trip flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands and a half day tour of the Quito's old town, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. Join us and see why, quite simply, our small ship and yacht cruises to the Galapagos Islands are the vacation of a lifetime!

Day 1 - Arrive Quito Ecuador

Upon arrival at the Quito, Ecuador international airport you are met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: none

Day 2 - Colonial Quito

South America's oldest capitol city, Quito sits at 9,184-feet elevation. It has been amazingly preserved and is protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Enjoy a three hour guided walking tour of Quito's colonial center including Independence Plaza, La Compania Church and San Francisco Cathedral. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy this lively city, rest or prepare for your Galapagos Cruise.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: breakfast

Day 3 - Quito to San Cristobol, Galapagos Islands

This morning, depart on a three-hour flight to the island of San Cristobal in the Galapagos. Upon arrival to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal Island, meet your Eric, Letty & Flamingo representative and transfer to your anchored yacht. After the welcome briefing and safety drill, set sail for Playa Ochoa, and test your snorkeling equipment while you swim with a small colony of sea lions. Behind the beach, there is a tidal lagoon where birds can be spotted including the rare Chatham mockingbird. At sunset, cruise around Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido), a vertical tuff cone formation that abruptly juts up almost 500 feet out of the ocean. On the nearby cliffs, look for blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and magnificent frigate birds.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Tower(Genovesa) Island: Prince Philip's Steps, Darwin Bay

Spend the entire day on Tower (Genovesa) Island, considered to be one of the most spectacular islands in Galapagos for observing bird species. This morning, make a dry landing at Prince Philip’s Steps. Red-footed boobies nest here in Palo Santo trees and Nazca (formerly masked) boobies nest near the trail. In an open lava field, encounter storm petrels in large numbers. If you are lucky, you will see the elusive short-eared owl. After lunch, sea kayaks are available to paddle along the shoreline. Look for the beautiful red-billed tropic bird usually seen in a crevice. Before returning to the vessel for lunch, take advantage of a snorkeling opportunity offered along the inner rim of the volcanic crater. Moving on to the next site of the day, land on Darwin Bay, a coral sand beach where swallow-tailed and lava gulls gather near the tide pools. Enter a forest of Optuntia cactus and mangroves where colonies of great frigate birds nest. Watch as the males inflate their red-throated pouches to attract females as they fly overhead. Continue along the trail as it leads through a rich inter tidal zone and observe a wide diversity of animal life. Before boarding the ship, return to the landing beach and swim with some of the local resident sea lions.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 – Fernandina: Punta Espinosa & Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

This morning disembark the vessel on a wet landing at Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island, the youngest and most pristine island in Galapagos. Recent lava flows formed by an active volcano stretch their way around the coast. Hundreds of marine iguanas, the largest colony in Galapagos, bask in the sun along the rugged shoreline. Observe sea lion harems with resident bulls carefully guarding their territory. Flightless Cormorants build their nests on the point and Galapagos Hawks fly overhead. After lunch, cross the Bolivar Chanel and keep an eye out for whales and dolphins riding the bow wave. Make a dry landing at Tagus Cove, located on the western island of Isabela. Enjoy your walk, as you discover a salt-water lagoon, a scenic overlook with a spectacular view of the ocean, and volcanic formations. Graffiti dating back to the 1800's is written on the rocky cliffs nearby, giving visitors a historical perspective. Explore the nearby coves by Zodiac or in one of the clear-bottom sea kayaks to search for Galapagos penguins, boobies, pelicans and other seabirds. An excellent snorkeling opportunity is offered here after the walk. After the briefing and dinner, take to the deck outside and admire a sky full of stars in the infinite galaxy above.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 – Santiago (James) Island: Puerto Egas & Chinese Hat

This morning, arrive at Puerto Egas on Santiago Island (James). Stroll along the shoreline looking for octopus, starfish and other sea life caught in the tide pools. At low tide, catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they feed on exposed green algae. Watch for great blue herons, lava herons, American oystercatchers and yellow-crowned night herons. Finish your walk at The Grottos - deep pools of clear water inhabited by fur sea lions once on the verge of extinction. Before returning to the yacht, take advantage of another snorkeling opportunity with loads of tropical fish. As an alternative, you may want to use the kayaks to explore the marine life without getting wet. During lunch, the yacht motors to the other side of the Island in search of additional scenic landscapes. Arrive at Chinese Hat, which owes its name to its peculiar shape. After a wet beach landing amongst a colony of sea lions, take a trail which leads to a primeval landscape of volcanic rubble, including cracked lava formations and fragile lava tubes. There are excellent photographic opportunities here, as this is a very unique and picturesque site.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 – Bartolome Island & North Seymour Island

A visit to Bartolome feels like a visit to the moon. This young island is inhospitable to most plants and animals and results in a surreal landscape. After a dry landing, climb 30 minutes up stairs leading to the summit of a once active volcano. Along the way, pause to marvel at lava bombs, spatter cones and cinder cones. From the top of the wooden stairs, gaze out across the island for a panoramic view of the island and "Pinnacle Rock", an eroded tuff cone. The crystal clear water in the bay below is an invitation to snorkel amongst schools of tropical fish and Galapagos Penguins. On the other side of Bartolome Island, encounter sea turtles and white-tipped sharks. This afternoon, visit North Seymour, a small geological uplift. Follow a trail that leads to swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies, endemic land iguanas and the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds found in Galapagos. Stroll along the beach and stare in awe as the marine iguanas and sea lions bodysurf the northern swells. After the walk there may be a snorkeling opportunity offered in deep water.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 – Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Darwin Research Station

This morning travel by bus to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. The scenery gradually changes as you wind your way through all seven vegetation zones found in the Galapagos. Visit the tortoise reserve at one of the private farms in the highlands where you can encounter giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Visit Los Gemelos, Spanish for “The Twins”, a pair of large pit craters frequented by the bright red male vermilion flycatcher. Afterwards, make stop at "the tunnels", the largest lava tubes found in the Galapagos. In the afternoon explore the Charles Darwin Research Station. Visit all three tortoise corals and the breeding center with new hatchlings and miniature tortoises not yet ready to be repatriated. Scientists from all over the globe work at the station and conduct biological research studying anatomy and zoology. Stopover at Van Straelen Hall where there are educational exhibits and a short video presentation. Visit the pen of Lonesome George, the last surviving member of the Pinta Island subspecies. Stroll through the town of Puerto Ayora, population 20,000, the largest town in the Galapagos. Buy souvenirs, mail postcards or relax at an internet cafe in the social heart of the Islands.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 – Espanola (Hood) Island: Punta Suarez, Gardner Bay

This morning, disembark at Punta Suarez, located on Espanola, and witness the highest rate of endemic species found in the Galapagos Islands. Sea lions noisily greet visitors as they land on their beach, while curious Hood mockingbirds peck at shoelaces. From April to November, the waved albatross, found only on Espanola Island, perform their wild mating ritual. Colonies of blue-footed boobies engage in “sky-pointing” to show off to their potential mates. Nazca boobies busily care for their young. Stunning swallow-tailed gulls are the only nocturnal gulls in the world. Red-billed tropicbirds take shelter under the cliffs. Observe unique species of marine iguana identified with traces of red and green colorings. Colorful sally light-foot crabs crawl along the shoreline near to the famous "blow hole". This island, teeming with such a diversity of wildlife, is the scene most people envision when they imagine a visit to the Galapagos Islands. After this extraordinary visit, motor on to the other side of Espanola Island and visit Gardner Bay. Walk along seemingly endless stretches of sandy beach and encounter large colonies of sea lions playing in the sand. Keep a look out and you may find a Galapagos Hawk, Darwin’s Finches or Hood Mockingbird. Swim with sea lions from the beach or continue further afield to snorkel at Gardner Islet to enjoy it’s diversity of sea life.

Accommodations: Eric, Letty or Flamingo
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10 - San Cristobal: Interpretation Center & Return to Quito

This morning, drop anchor in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal. Visit the Interpretation Center opened in 1999 to gain a more complete understanding of the natural and human history of the Islands. Afterwards, transfer to the airport for your flight back to the mainland. Upon arrival in Quito, you will be transferred to your hotel where you will spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Accommodations: Hotel Patio Andaluz or similar
Included Meals: breakfast

Day 11 - Depart Quito

Transportation will be provided to the Quito International Airport. Consider extending your Galapagos Cruise with an excursion into the Amazon Basin rainforest or Machu Picchu, Peru.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be flexible makes our style of cruising unique.

Single Travelers: Single cabins are available at the posted rate. If you are traveling alone and wish to share, same gender cabin share requests are available on the Iguana deck only. Shares that remain unmatched 60 days prior to departure will be required to pay the full single fare.

Family Travel: We welcome families with children age seven and up on all sailings throughout the year. This natural wonderland offers the best of a classroom, zoo, science center, aviary, marine park and a cruise vacation all rolled into one. Our naturalists know how to bring these Islands they love to life and to balance learning with fun for the entire family. Our designated family departures feature age-appropriate activities - from supervised games, to snorkel & kayak instruction, to briefings geared toward the younger set and kid-friendly meals. Kids can visit the bridge and learn about astronomy, navigational charts and tie nautical knots with our Captain. Special parties including movies and popcorn, games with prizes, drawing contests, make your own ice cream sundae and our special King Neptune costume party and talent show. We also have board games, books and DVDs on board that are suitable for children as well as snorkeling equipment, life vests and wet suits in child sizes.

Child Discounts: Child discounts are applied to cabins on the Iguana deck. Children age 11 years and younger at the time of sailing are entitled to a 25% discount. Children ages 12-14 years are entitled to a 15% discount. Only one child discount for each adult paid, with a limit of 2 per family. Children age 5 and 6 are permitted only on designated family departures and parents need to sign a release. When children are accommodated in a triple cabin, the discount is calculated from the double Iguana deck rate. We do not allow more than one 25% discount to be given on the same cabin, whether the booking is for a double or triple cabin. No child discounts are permitted on cruises that fall over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

Cost Includes: Three nights Quito hotel accommodations with breakfast included, all airport and hotel transfers, Galapagos flight, Galapagos National Park entrance fees and taxes, Galapagos transit card, Galapagos cruise including all meals while aboard and an experienced Galapagos Islands naturalist guide.

Not Included: Airfare from US to Quito; excess baggage charges; airport departure tax from Quito; tips to local staff and items of a personal nature such as soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, laundry fees and insurance of any kind.

Arrival and Departure: This trip begins and ends in Quito, Ecuador. Plan flights to arrive at any time on Day 1 and depart anytime on the last day. Airport transfers are included for travelers arriving and departing on scheduled arrival/departure days. This trip can also be arranged to begin and end in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Scuba Diving Option: Passengers who are certified scuba divers can choose to purchase a scuba package for $350 additional per person, minimum two divers. The package includes two days of diving (on Tuesday and Friday) offering four total dives. The fee includes: tanks, weight belt, BCD, regulator, wet suit, boots, hood and gloves. We recommend all divers have sufficient experience with at least 20 logged dives or advance dive certification due to strong currents, cold water, thermo-clines and large marine life.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: We charge a deposit of $1000 at the time of booking with the final payment due 90 days from departure. A special cancellation policy applies to all Galapagos trips, which is stricter than the AdventureSmith Explorations policy. When a trip cancellation is received inside of 70 days from departure, all trip costs are 100% non-refundable. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Terms and Conditions.

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with Travel Insurance. Please note that you must purchase your Travel Insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions.


Accommodations Aboard The Eric, Letty, Flamingo accommodate 20 guests. Life aboard a small boat requires some physical agility and a flexible and social nature. Accommodations are in double cabins, each with toilet and shower. The crew is comprised of the captain, multilingual naturalist guides, cook, barman/waiter, mechanic and two to four sailors. All meals are prepared and served by the crew on board. Soft drinks and beer are available for purchase on board.

Snorkel, mask and fins are provided on board for all passengers, to use. Full 3mm wetsuits are available aboard the vessel for passengers to use at no additional charge. For those passengers who wish to reserve a wetsuit in advance at a cost of $25, we need to know your preferred sizes. Men: SX, S, M, ML, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Women: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 (based on US Sizes) Children: 10 (S), 12(M), 14(L)

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Daily excursions from the boat to the islands will be made in pangas (dinghies). Trip members will hike from the landing point to specific areas for wildlife observation. Hiking time for most landings will be a couple of hours round trip with lots of time to stop to study, photograph and enjoy the flora and fauna. Some landings are dry but many are "wet", requiring cautious footing on slippery rocks. The boat staff will be on hand to assist. There are numerous opportunities to swim and snorkel. Easy-to-use, sit-on-top kayaks are also available.

Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining this trip with our Mainland Ecuador and Peru: Machu Picchu extensions.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms & Conditions:. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

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