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Trip Details

Cachalote I - Sailing Vessel - 5 Star Service- South/North Galapagos Cruise
Hiking, Photography, Snorkeling, Wildlife
Cruise 8 days - From $3,400 - $3,600

Ship Name: Cachalote I - Sailing Vessel - 16 passengers

Activities: Birding, Snorkeling, Wildlife ViewingWe strongly recommend two pre-cruise nights and one post-cruise night in Quito or Guayaquil. Please inquire about adding these or other services to your trip.

Testimonials     Ship types

 
Galapagos Cruise - Cachalote I - Wester
Galapagos Cruise - Cachalote I - Wester
Galapagos Tours and Cruises aboard Cachalote I
Highlights

This sailing vessel offers good value for the quality of her programs.


Summary

The Galapagos Islands are considered one of the most spectacular and pristine National Parks in the world. Visitors delight in the abundant, unusual, and surprisingly approachable wildlife--from Galapagos giant tortoises to playful sea lions to the fascinating blue-footed boobies.

Itinerary

Trips start and end at the same place, but alternately weeks cruise a Westerly or Southern / Northern route.

Southern / Northern Cruise - 8 days
1: Baltra Island / Santa Cruz Island
2: South Plaza Island / Santa Fe Island
3: San Cristobal Island
4: Espanola Island
5: Floreana Island
6: Santa Cruz Island / Santiago Island
7: Genovesa Island
8: Santa Cruz Island / Baltra Island
 


Southern / Northern Cruise

Day 1 - Baltra Island / Santa Cruz Island
The Charles Darwin Research Station and headquarters of the Galapagos National Park may be visited at Puerto Ayora, the Islands' most populated human settlement. The highlands offer the lush humid zone with its vegetation of Miconia bushes, Scalesia and inactive volcanic cones. Santa Cruz has more endemic plants than any other island in the Galapagos. You can see the Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat here.

Day 2 - South Plaza Island / Santa Fe Island
Plazas consists of two very small islands that were uplifted from the sea, separated by a channel. Only South Plazas has a visitor site. The highlights include tall Opuntia cactus, land and marine iguanas, a rocky cliff that looks out towards open ocean which is also a nesting site for red-billed tropic birds and gulls, and a seal lion bachelor colony. Santa Fe is a smaller island with a visitor site located on the northeast end of the island. Highlights include Santa Fe land iguanas, pelican nesting site, sea lion colony, mockingbird, and Palo Santo trees.

Day 3 - San Cristobal Island
San Cristobal is the easternmost island of Galapagos and also one of the oldest. Cerro Brujo is a white sand beach on the west side of San Cristobal. Highlights include Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, and sea lions, Chatham mockingbird, and lava lizards. Visit Galapaguera and El Junco; this lagoon is the only fresh water reservoir in Galapagos and has great views from its altitude of 700 meters in the highlands of San Cristobal. Rainwater has collected in the caldera for hundreds of years and formed this lagoon. Galapaguera is a good area to see tortoises in their natural environment.

Day 4 - Espanola Island
Espanola is the oldest of the Southern Islands and is the southernmost in the archipelago. Because of its remote location a unique range of endemic species evolved here. You will visit Gardner Bay (Off of Espanola Island), a spectacular beach inhabited by sea lion colonies. The wildlife at Punta Suarez is plentiful and varied. Along the cliff visitors can enjoy the blowhole where seawater is forced about 20 meters into the air. The highlights are the waved albatross (April-Dec) that are only found on Hood, Galapagos hawks, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and Espanola lava lizards.

Day 5 - Floreana Island
At Point Cormorant, you visit a flamingo lagoon where other species of shore birds may also be seen, and you snorkel at the Devil's Crown, a submerged volcanic cone. At Post Office Bay, one may leave letters like whalers did in the 18th century, in a wooden barrel mailbox.

Day 6 - Santa Cruz Island / Santiago Island
Dragon Hill is located on the northwestern side of Santa Cruz Island with highlights including small lagoons with flamingos, Palo Santo trees, and Opuntia cactus. Visit Santiago Island located between Isabela and Santa Cruz Islands. This Island offers a wide variety of seabirds, marine iguanas and fur seals. Sullivan Bay is of great geological interest with a 100-year-old lava flow field, pahoehoe formations, and lava bubbles.

Day 7 - Genovesa Island
Genovesa is an eroded, flat volcanic island, with a natural harbor, which is actually the submerged caldera of this volcanic island. You will visit El Barranco where there is a good possibility of seeing the unique "Short eared owl." During the dinghy rides along the cliffs, fur seals and several species of seabirds can be spotted. At Darwin Bay, steep cliffs dominate the island. This area is home to thousands of frigate birds, red-footed boobies, Noddy terns, lava gulls, tropicbirds, doves, storm petrels and Darwin's finches.

Day 8 - Santa Cruz Island / Baltra Island
Turtle Cove is a red mangrove lagoon on Santa Cruz and a perfect example of how mangroves alter the marine environment to create a rich and unique habitat. Continue toward Baltra to disembark and board your return flight to Quito or Guayaquil.

Above rates are per person, based on double occupancy.

Additional Costs:
International Airfare
Galapagos Airfare (Quito or Guayaquil): approx. $450-$600 per person
Galapagos National Park Fee: $100 per adult; $50 per child under 12
Galapagos Transit Card: $20 per person
Fuel surcharge may apply

Single Rates: 1.5 times the regular rate. Please contact ExpeditionTrips.
Child Rate:
50% off the regular rate for children under 12 yrs (one child per adult). Excludes holiday departures.
2015 Charter Rate: Low Season: $47,360; High Season: $52,480
(charter rates are cruise only and are not applicable to diving cruises or special itineraries)
Peak Season Supplement: An additional $130 per person on Christmas and New Year's departures

Low Season Dates: May 1 - Jun 15, Sep 1 - Oct 31, Dec 1-7
High Season Dates: Dec 8 - Apr 30, Jun 16 - Aug 31, Nov 1-30

We strongly recommend two pre-cruise nights and one post-cruise night in Quito or Guayaquil. Please inquire about adding these or other services to your trip.

Included:
Cabin accommodations aboard ship; all meals aboard ship; all shore activities and excursions; guide and lecture services; transfers and baggage handling between island airport and ship; fuel surcharge (subject to change).

Not Included:
Hotel nights before/after cruise; transfers in Quito or Guayaquil; Galapagos National Park entrance fee, USD$100 (children under 12 subtract $50), subject to change without notice; Galapagos Transit Card ($20 per person), subject to change; international airfare; airfare to/from Galapagos Islands; drinks aboard ship; gratuities are left to the discretion of the passenger; traveler’s insurance; wetsuits ($30 per person / week (for snorkeling use only); snorkeling gear ($10 per person / week (must be paid directly on board and in cash only).

Airfare between Quito/Guayaquil and the Galapagos Islands:
The flights between mainland Ecuador (Quito or Guayaquil) and the Galapagos Islands are an additional cost. To secure your seats on often overbooked flights, ExpeditionTrips must reserve these flights for you at the time of cruise booking. Approximate cost (including service fee): $450-$600 per adult; $250-$400 per child under 12 (copy of passport required).

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Galapagos Cruises
The following are representative, please use the form above to help us find your perfect trip
Trips leave year round

Santa Cruz - Southeastern
Expedition ship - families
90 passengers - 5 days
Santa Cruz - Northern
Expedition ship - families
90 passengers
5 days from $3,388
Santa Cruz - Southwestern
Expedition ship - families
90 passengers - 6 days
Celebrity Xpedition - Southeastern
Luxury vessel
Natural history "lite"
96 passengers - 11 days
Celebrity Xpedition - Southwestern
Luxury vessel
Natural history "lite"
96 passengers - 11 days
Galapagos Sky
Diving option
Dive boat
16 passengers
8 days from $5,695
Cachalote I - North-South
Small sailboat, ideal for charter
16 passengers
8 days from $3,400
Cachalote I - Western
Small sailboat, ideal for charter
16 passengers
8 days from $3,400
Eric / Letty
Northwestern Cruise
Motor Yachts, good guides, kayaking options
20 passengers
8 days from $4,500
Eric / Letty
Southern Cruise
Motor Yachts, good guides, kayaking options
20 passengers
8 days from $4,500
Recommended reading


Wildlife of the Galapagos



Galapagos: Islands Born of Fire



Ecuador and Galapagos
Adventure Map


More Galapagos Travel Books

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