|
  
|
 |
Home > Galapagos Islands > Galapagos Adventures >
Royal Galapagos
12-day adventure on board the Integrity
Detailed, day-by-day itinerary for this adventure!
Accommodations are noted, and meals are coded as B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner
Top: Great Frigatebird "teenager" on Genovesa Island. (Weston Walker)
|
|
Day 1 |
Arrive in Quito, Ecuador |
|
Fly from your home city to Quito, Ecuador. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the Hilton Colón Quito hotel with check-in to your Executive Floor accommodations.
Hilton Colón Quito |
Day 2 |
To the Galapagos—Royal Palm Resort |
|
Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Baltra, Galapagos. While our luggage is being collected, we enjoy refreshments in the air conditioned Royal Palm Resort's VIP airport lounge. We transfer to the Island of Santa Cruz where we travel with our naturalist in a spacious air conditioned vehicle up into the highland rainforest to the Royal Palm Resort for lunch. The afternoon is free to enjoy the amenities of Royal Palm Resort.
Royal Palm Resort, BLD |
Day 3 |
Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz Highlands |
|
We leave early for a hike to Tortuga Bay which has one of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the world, and where there's good snorkeling, too. After enough sun and fun, we return to Academy Bay, then to the Royal Palm for lunch.
This afternoon we visit the lava tubes-Los Tuneles-near the village of Bela Vista and then search for the giant tortoises. You are likely to see resident vermilion flycatchers that often pose for photos among the tortoises.
We also stop at two lava sink holes, formed when great lava pools drained through lava tubes leaving empty, roofed caverns. The roofs subsequently collapsed and exposed these significant craters.
In the course of the day, you will see many Galápagos plant species including the endemic pepper, pea, tomato, cotton, Darwin's aster, club mosses, scalesia (a gargantuan relative of the sunflower) and tree ferns.
Royal Palm Resort, BLD |
Day 4 |
Santa Cruz, boarding the Integrity |
|
We head down to the village of Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station where we learn about conservation issues and the tortoise and iguana hatching and rearing programs. We'll even get to view some of the hatchlings. We may catch a glimpse of Lonesome George-the sole survivor of the Pinta tortoise subspecies.
After an exploration of the village of Puerto Ayora, we lunch at a waterside restaurant overlooking Academy Bay. We board the luxurious 141 foot yacht Integrity mid to late afternoon in Academy Bay.
Integrity, BLD |
Days 5-10 |
On the Boat—Snoozin', Cruisin' and Snorkelin' |
|
We live aboard the spacious Integrity for a week, spending as much time ashore as the Park rules permit. With our licensed, INCA selected Class III naturalist, we learn about the birds and animals, geology, marine life and oceanic systems of the Galapagos Islands. We swim and snorkel with tropical fish, sea lions and sometimes with penguins!
The Integrity's current itinerary (set by the Galapagos Park) includes visits to one or more sites on the islands of Española (Hood), Floreana, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Bartolomé, Tower, North Seymour and South Plazas.
Integrity, BLD |
Day 11 |
Galapagos, Quito |
|
From our anchorage in the Baltra harbor, we say "adios" to the Integrity and its dedicated crew, and adjourn to the Baltra airport to await our mid-morning flight to the Ecuador mainland and Quito. On arrival, we transfer to the Hilton Colón Quito hotel for an overnight. You will have time to shop before dinner.
Hilton Colón Quito, BLD |
Day 12 |
Quito to home or other adventures |
|
Transfer to the airport with check-in to your homeward bound flight unless you are remaining for more adventures. |
|
