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Millenium - Galapagos Islands Cruise (5 days)5 days duration
Upon arrival on San Cruz Island, you are picked up at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the Millenium for your four-night cruise of this remarkable archipelago. Santa Cruz is the central island in the Galapagos and home to the main port, Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station, which you will visit during your tour. The largest town in Galapagos hosts numerous hotels, restaurants, shops, a post office, a small supermarket and two diving companies.
We'll spend the morning at Santa Fe Island, which may well be the oldest island in the Galapagos. The ship will anchor at one of the most beautiful and most sheltered bays in the archipelago. Some of the best snorkelling is here due to crystal clear and shallow waters. Certainly one of the best locations for swimming with sea lions and for a glimpse of the Galapagos White-tipped Shark and a sea turtle. After a wet landing you will walk up to a nearby cliff to see the land iguanas through an area of Opuntia Cactus. Other animals present are the Galapagos Hawk, owls, Frigates, Pelicans, Manta Rays and mockingbirds.
A small island just over 2kms wide and 400m at its highest point, located to the south of Santiago Island. Rábida is known for its unusual red colored beaches. The vegetation consists mainly of Opuntia Cactus, Palo Santo trees and scrubby bushes. Upon your wet landing you will probably see various sea lions and after a short hike you will reach the lagoon to see flamingos and pelicans.
Located to the north-west of Santa Cruz Island, Santiago island is famous for its earlier human use, such as attempts to mine salt and its natural resources: a flamingo lagoon, lava flows at Sullivan Bay and fur seal grottos, to name a few. James Bay is the most visited point on the west side of the island for its salt crater (Puerto Egas), Sugarloaf Volcano (450 m), fur seal grottos and Espumilla Beach with its flamingo lagoon. On the east side of Santiago is Sullivan Bay famous for its conical volcano and for the study of various types of lava rock, some of which is as young as 90 years. (BLD)
Bartolome Island is probably the most photographed island in the Galapagos due to its 350 feet high summit and fabulous 360° views, which is reached after a 60m hike. Subject to weather conditions, the following islands may be seen from here: Santiago, Santa Cruz, Baltra, North Seymour and Rábida. The best view is from the Pinnacle Rock, rising 70m from the cove below where your yacht will probably anchor.
The main attractions are a small colony of the indigenous Galapagos penguin and a colony of sea lions, both found in the cove where you will make a wet landing. Behind the beach it can be found the red and white mangrove, salt bushes, morning glory and the prickly pear cactuses. Other animals that may be seen here are the Great Blue Heron and possibly sea turtles as they lay their eggs from January to March. Located directly to the north of Baltra Island, North Seymour Island is famous for its colony of Frigates found on the south west side of this small island. Also found on this island are Blue Footed Boobies, Land Iguanas, Swallow-tailed Gulls, pelicans and Red-billed Tropic Birds. (BLD)
On approach to Puerto Baquerizo on San Cristobal Island, it is not unusual to see a school of dolphins swimming alongside your yacht. We'll visit Isla Lobos, a seasonal nesting location for the blue footed boobie, although the basalt island outcropping is named for the sea lions sometimes present there. Isla Lobos means ”Sea-Lion Island”, and the name is certainly appropriate because they frolic, leap and make a racket here. It is also a nesting place for Blue-footed Boobies and a good place for snorkeling.
When your cruise comes to an end, you will journey to the airport for your flight back to Guayaquil or Quito. (BL) Inca Tours does not own any of the hotels, lodges or service providers utilised in making up the tours. As a result Inca Tours is only acting as an agent for the operators and as such does not accept responsibility for any negligence, omissions, errors or differences in standard experienced by passengers when utilising the operators' products or services. Please Note: for full booking terms and conditions please see the back of our booking form. To Enquire about this Product Please call us now on 1800 024 955. Alternatively, you can enquire about this product by clicking the button below. |
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