GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE CRUISE ON M/Y ERIC/LETTY SOUTHERN ISLANDS

Transcription

1 GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE CRUISE ON M/Y ERIC/LETTY SOUTHERN ISLANDS

2 Itinerary Overview The M/Y Eric and Letty are twin 83-ft Galapagos yachts that accommodate up to 20 passengers with 2 expert naturalist guides. These vessels are certified "Smart Voyager" for minimizing impact on the fragile island habitat and carry sea kayaks so guests can explore the islands close up. Begin your adventure with an exploration of the fascinating blend of Indian and Spanish culture in Quito, South America's oldest capital city and designated UN World Heritage Site. Then set sail among the iconic Galapagos Islands. Discover plants and animals unique to particular islands as you travel throughout the archipelago. Our naturalist guides explain how these species have evolved and adapted over time, and continue to do so! During an 8 day cruise you will visit the major wildlife sites, including some of the more remote outer islands. Meet exotic and bizarre wildlife as you venture among cinder cones, lava flows, white, black - even green! - sand beaches and rocky cliffs. Almost every day ends with opportunities to don snorkeling gear and plunge into the cool surf, or grab a paddle and kayak through sea caves and shoreline. DAY DATE OVERNIGHT HOTELS MEALS HIGHLIGHTS 1 Fri QUITO Casa Aliso Arrive Quito 2 Sat QUITO Casa Aliso BL Quito City tour + Mitad del Mundo Equatorial Marker 3 Sun GALAPAGOS ISLANDS M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Fly to the Galapagos, visit Cerro Tijeretas, Leon Dormido 4 Mon SAN CRISTOBAL M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Cerro Brujo and Punta Pitt 5 Tue ESPANOLA M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Punta Suarez and Gardner Bay 6 Wed FLOREANA M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Punta Cormorant, Devil s Crown, Post Office Bay 7 Thu SANTA CRUZ M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Highlands, Charles Darwin Station 8 Fri BARTOLOME / SANTA CRUZ M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Pinnacle Rock, Black Turtle Cove 9 Sat SOUTH PLAZA / NORTH SEYMOUR M/Y Eric or Letty BLD Opuntia cactus forest 10 Sun QUITO / DEPARTURE B Fly to Quito; remain at airport for international departures this evening

3 Itinerary in Detail DAY 1: ARRIVE QUITO Arrive in Quito and transfer to Casa Aliso, a charming boutique style hotel conveniently located in the stylish La Floresta neighborhood. Overnight Casa Aliso. Please Note: We can also accommodate our travelers with arrival and departure from Guayaquil on the delta of the broad Rio Guayas. Please inquire for rates and details DAY 2: QUITO You begin your Ecuador vacation with a tour of colonial Quito, including the bustling Independence Plaza, the dazzling gold-leafed altars of La Compania Church, and the impressive San Francisco Church. Visit the Mitad del Mundo Equatorial marker and ethnographic village and museum for a fun and informative examination of the curiosities of life on the Equator. You will enjoy lunch al fresco at a lively café in the colonial square. Overnight Casa Aliso. [BL] DAY 3: GALAPAGOS ISLANDS Private transfer in the morning to the domestic airport for the flight to the Galapagos [Avianca #1636 Quito/Galapagos 09:00-11:30], you are met by your naturalist guide and transferred to the yacht for check-in and lunch onboard. Following lunch, travel overland to Cerro Tijeretas or Frigatebird Hill. This is a great opportunity to spot nesting colonies of both species of frigatebirds, Great and Magnificent. This evening, your naturalist guides hold your first briefing followed by the Captain s welcome cocktail. Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD] DAY 4: SAN CRISTOBAL This morning you visit Cerro Brujo, a breathtaking white powder-sand beach, said to be one of the most spectacular in Galapagos. Here you have an opportunity to snorkel or kayak directly from the beach, where you may spot turtles or flamingos. Following lunch onboard and repositioning of the vessel, you visit the northeast tip of San Cristobal, Punta Pitt. This is a tuff formation that serves as a nesting site for many sea birds including blue footed, Nazca and red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls and storm petrels. Punta Pitt is considered to be a first class site for birders, so don t forget your binoculars! Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD] DAY 5: ESPANOLA Following breakfast you have a dry landing at Punta Suarez, where you witness the highest rate of endemic species in Galapagos. Sea lions noisily greet you as you land on their beach. Curious Hood mockingbirds peck at your shoelaces. From April to November, the waved albatross, found only on Espanola, perform their wild mating ritual. Colonies of blue-footed boobies engage in sky-pointing to show off for potential mates. Nazca (formerly masked) 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. You also find Darwin s Finches, Galapagos Doves, and Galapagos Hawks. Here you may observe a unique species of marine iguana identified with traces of red and green colorings. Colorful sally light-foot crabs crawl along the shoreline near the dramatic "blow hole". This is the scene most people envision when they decide to visit Galapagos. During lunch, you motor to the other side of the Island. This afternoon, you have a wet landing at Gardner Bay. Walk along seemingly endless stretches of this white sandy beach where you ll find large colonies of sea lions. There is no trail to follow so this is a chance to explore and discover Galapagos Hawks, Darwin s Finches, or a Hood

4 Mockingbird. Swim with sea lions from the beach. Your expert naturalist guides can point you to an excellent snorkeling site off Gardner Islet with colorful diversity of sea life near Tortuga Rock or caves covered with invertebrates. Passengers are also permitted to use the kayaks at this particular site. Return to the yacht at sunset for dinner and your naturalists presentations. Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD] DAY 6: FLOREANA This morning you step ashore at Punta Cormorant on Floreana, one of the few populated islands in the Galapagos. Floreana presents a rich history with mystery and intrigues worthy of a novel. Set foot on a green-sand beach alive with the sounds of sea lions. Follow a trail to a brackish lagoon, home of the pintail ducks, common stilts, and the pinkest Flamingos in the world. Your guide will help identify a rich variety of plants including morning glories, cutleaf daisies, palo verdes and scalesia, all while approaching a beach with powder soft sand. Sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand dunes and brilliantly-colored rays swim in the shallow water. After the walk, you have an opportunity to snorkel at Devil s Crown, a shallow sunken crater colonized by a brilliant array of colorful fish and coral. This afternoon you visit Post Office Bay, perhaps not the most scenic, but probably the most famous site in Galapagos. Here you visit a post barrel, originally put into use in the late 18 th Century by sailors onboard English whaling vessels. You are invited to leave a post card and to pick up any mail from your home area. Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD] DAY 7: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND Today travel via local chiva bus to the verdant highlands of Santa Cruz. The scenery gradually changes as you make your way through seven vegetation zones found in the Galapagos Islands. Visit a tortoise reserve, La Primicias, where you may observe the giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Next travel to the Los Gamelos twin pit craters and prime habitat to the vermilion flycatcher, a brilliant red streak of feathers in the greenery. Following lunch, visit the famous Charles Darwin Research Station, where scientists keep breeding corrals of all species of tortoises found on the islands. You may see brand new hatchlings as well as juvenile tortoises not yet ready to be released into the wild. This evening, you have the option to remain in the town of Puerto Ayora to experience the nightlife and restaurants available there, or return to the yacht for dinner. Zodiacs will be available for transfers through the evening. Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD] DAY 8: BARTOLOME / SANTA CRUZ ISLAND Following breakfast, you visit Bartolome, a landscape reminiscent of walking on the moon. While inhospitable to most plants and animals, this young island is breathtaking in its stark beauty. After a dry landing, climb 30 minutes up stairs leading to the summit of a once active volcano. Along the way, you 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 iconic "Pinnacle Rock", an eroded tuff cone. Down below, crystal clear water is an invitation to snorkel from the beach or Zodiac with schools of tropical fish and Galapagos Penguins. After lunch, visit Las Bachas (The Barges) Beach, a long stretch of soft white sand and lagoons which provide habitat for the Greater Flamingo. Snorkeling here from the beach is a great passenger favorite. Later, a wet landing at Sombrero Chino presents you with sea lion colonies, and after a short hike, the trail gives way to lava fields and tubes. Here you will find marine iguanas and opportunities to snorkel with penguins. Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD]

5 DAY 9: SOUTH PLAZA / NORTH SEYMOUR This morning s visit is to South Plaza, a small geological uplift with tall cliffs offering spectacular views. After a dry landing, the trails lead you through Prickly Pear cactus or Opuntia and Sesuvium. Here you find the Galapagos land iguana feeding on the cactus leaves. Toward the end of the hill, you encounter a colony of bachelor sea lions. The dominant bulls will likely be in various stages of recovery from battles lost over prime beach territory. You also find swallow tailed gulls, shearwaters, and red-billed tropicbirds who build their nests along the cliffs. This afternoon, you have a dry landing at North Seymour, a small geological uplift. Here you may observe Swallow-tailed gulls, Blue-footed boobies, and the endemic land iguanas. Visit the largest colony of Magnificent frigatebirds found in the Galapagos. Back on board the yacht; enjoy the Captain s Farewell cocktail followed by dinner and a briefing. Overnight onboard the M/Y Eric or Letty. [BLD] DAY 10: RETURN TO QUITO After a morning visit to the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, your guide returns you to the airport for your mainland flight [Avianca #1637 Galapagos/Quito 12:30-17:00]. Remain at the Quito airport for international departures this evening. [B] **We encourage our travelers to add time to explore the rich diversity of the Ecuadorian mainland, be it the cultural treasures of the Andean highland villages or colonial Cuenca, the incredible wildlife of the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve or the avian haven of Mindo-Tandayapa cloud forest. Ask us for details!** END OF SERVICES Actual routes and activities may vary. Local trip coordinators and yacht operators reserve the right to change accommodations and activities to similar quality alternatives. TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Wildland Adventures, Inc. has arranged your trip utilizing the travel services of local incountry ground operators who are independent contractors. These local outfitters, lodges, hotels and other suppliers of your travel services will make every effort to conduct this trip as described in the itinerary. It is however possible that due to transportation schedule changes, weather, delays and unforeseeable acts of God, humans or nature, this itinerary may vary from what is described. Participants must assume all risks whether identified in advance or unforeseen. All optional activities are at your own risk. Extra costs due to unexpected changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control are not included. We highly recommend purchasing traveler s insurance for trip delay, trip cancellation, baggage, accident or sickness. Representatives are available for assistance at any time during your trip. If preferred hotels are not available, every attempt will be made to reserve alternative accommodations of similar quality. (If upgrade is necessary, higher rates may apply.) All information and services provided are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

6 FOR CURRENT PRICES CLICK HERE FOR DEPARTURE DATES CLICK HERE INCLUDED SERVICES All guided tours and excursions English-speaking certified naturalist guides Airport-hotel transfers, land and sea transportation 9 nights accommodation as indicated (including night of 12/24) Meals as indicated [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner] House wine with dinner onboard the Eric or Letty Wildland Adventures travel consultation and pre-departure services NOT INCLUDED SERVICES International airfare Tips and gratuities Airport departure taxes (This should be included in your international air tickets. Please consult with your carrier or agent) Drinks, alcoholic beverages, and meals other than listed above Personal expenses for extra services, optional activities, or changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control Travel insurance for trip cancellation, medical services, or evacuation Any other items not mentioned above NOTE: For Galapagos travelers, please be advised that due to weather conditions, vessel operation, and Galapagos Park management, cruise itineraries are subject to change. All yacht operators reserve the right to change vessels prior to departure due to maintenance or replacement. On very rare occasions when this occurs passengers will be transferred to another vessel and cabin of comparable or better class (comfort, services, amenities, equipment, etc.) at no extra charge.

7 ACCOMMODATIONS CASA ALISO, QUITO Casa Aliso is a charming boutique hotel in the style and comfort of a small, luxurious home. This luxury Ecuador vacation accommodation is located in the fashionable residential neighborhood of "La Floresta", a quiet, forested area in the northern sector of the city and close to restaurants, shops, and plazas of downtown Quito. Each room is individually designed featuring classic décor with modern style. They are well appointed with a sitting chair, desk, and comfortable beds, with telephones and cable TV. The bathrooms have a bathtub and shower, bathrobes, hairdryers and are equipped with 220v and 110v sockets. Your Ecuador adventure will be enhanced by the fine cuisine and the exceptionally professional and personal service of the staff at Casa Aliso. M/Y ERIC LETTY A modern fleet of sister motor yachts, these first-class 83-foot vessels provide the greatest overall value in Galapagos yachts considering their on-board amenities, cabin quality, variability in berth configurations, passenger-to-guide ratio (10-1 or less) and reasonable price. We've been working with this signature fleet of Galapagos boats more consistently than any other vessels in the Galapagos Islands. Refurbished annually, three decks of well-appointed and spacious staterooms feature polished teak and brass detailing. The interior common areas are clean and bright with air-conditioning throughout and large picture windows for spectacular panoramic views. A wide variety of international and Ecuadorian specialties are served in the natural light of the spacious dining room. The conference room and separate lounge with fully stocked bar provide ample public area space for daily briefings together and a place where adults and young people can gather to watch movies or play games. These Galapagos yachts are self-contained and ecologically sound, and are equipped for noise-reduction and fuel-efficiency. False keels provide stability to ensure a smooth ride.

8 Booking your Wildland Adventure HOW TO RESERVE A TRIP You can book online using our Reserve a Trip form or by calling Your space on a trip is confirmed once we receive your reservation form and initial trip deposit. All travelers must sign and submit a Release of Liability. Deposit requirements are as follows:* $1000 per person for all trips the Galapagos. This deposit is non-refundable. *Some trips require additional non-refundable deposits, especially when yachts have been chartered, or if permits to visit archaeological or wildlife sites have been purchased in advance. Holiday departures will carry an additional $225 supplement CUSTOM TRAVEL This trip isn t exactly what you re looking for? We are happy to design a private custom itinerary to accommodate your travel dates, interests and style of accommodations. Call us at , send an to info@wildland.com, or use the Ask The Program Director button on our website. PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS Full payment of the trip balance is due 90 days prior to departure. If you must cancel before departure, money will be returned less the cancellation fees charged by WA Inc. plus any additional non-refundable cancellation fees and payments already advanced to airlines, hotels and local operators: Wildland Adventures Cancellation Fees: Days Prior to Departure Fee 61 or more Initial deposit amount days 50% of costs 30 or less 100% of costs No partial refunds are possible for any unused portion of your trip. Penalties on airline tickets are subject to the individual air carrier's rules and regulations. Departure is defined as the date of the first flight, or the trip departure date as indicated on our Trip Schedule, whichever comes first. Cancellation fees are based on the date your written notification is received at WA Inc. PRE-DEPARTURE SERVICES Upon receipt of your deposit and completed reservation form, we will send you a comprehensive Pre-departure Dossier. This contains important information to help you prepare including immunizations, visas, trip insurance, packing checklist, reading list, maps, cross-cultural information, optional trip extensions and more. You will receive a final trip packet including Final Reminders and local contact information in your destination 2-3 weeks prior to departure. REFERENCES AND QUESTIONS Have any questions or concerns? Call us a or info@wildland.com. We re here to help and are happy to provide you with references from previous Wildland travelers.

9 GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE CRUSE VOYAGE ON M/V XPERIENCE NORTH-CENTRAL ISLANDS

10 Itinerary Overview The Xperience accommodates up to 48 passengers, yet still preserves an elegant, smaller boat atmosphere. She also provides the comforts of larger boats including a sparkling Jacuzzi, outdoor dining area and air conditioning. Complimentary wetsuits, snorkeling gear and kayaks ensure full enjoyment of the Galapagos many wonders above and below the surface! Explore the fascinating blend of Indian and Spanish culture in Quito, South America's oldest capital city and designated UN World Heritage Site, and voyage among the unique Galapagos Islands. Discover plants and animals unique to particular islands as you travel throughout the archipelago. Our expert naturalist guides explain how these species have evolved and adapted over time. During an 8 day cruise you will visit the major wildlife sites, including some of the more remote outer islands. Meet exotic and bizarre wildlife as you venture among cinder cones, lava flows, white and black sand beaches, and rocky cliffs and cool off snorkeling in clear equatorial waters. DAY DATE OVERNIGHT HOTELS MEALS HIGHLIGHTS 1 Thu QUITO Swissotel Arrival in Quito 2 Fri QUITO Swissotel B Quito City Tour 3 Sat GALAPAGOS ISLANDS Xperience BLD 4 Sun RABIDA/ SANTIAGO Xperience BLD 5 Mon ISABELA / FERNANDINA 6 Tue ISABELA ISLAND Xperience BLD 7 Wed SANTA CRUZ Xperience BLD Fly from Quito to the Galapagos, Black Turtle Cove Zodiac exploration, Puerto Egas Xperience BLD Tagus Cove, Punta Espinoza Urbina Bay, Punta Vicente Roca Puerto Ayora, Charles Darwin Station, highlands 8 Thu GENOVESE Xperience BLD El Barranco, Darwin Bay 9 Fri 10 Sat BARTOLOME / SANTA CRUZ INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE Xperience BLD Pinnacle Rock, Cerro Dragon B Bachas Beach; fly back to Quito / International departure Wildland Adventures Galapagos Adventure Cruise - M/Y Eric/Flamingo/Letty South

11 Itinerary in Detail DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN QUITO Arrive in Quito and transfer to the Euro-style Swissotel, conveniently located in a bustling neighborhood near shops and restaurants. Overnight Swissotel DAY 2: QUITO We begin our Ecuador vacation with a full-day city tour of colonial Quito, including the bustling Independence Plaza, the dazzling gold-leafed altars of La Compania Church, and the impressive San Francisco Church. Visit the Mitad del Mundo Equatorial marker and ethnographic village and museum. Overnight Swissotel. [BL] DAY 3: GALAPAGOS ISLANDS A shared passenger transfer departs this morning to the domestic airport for the 2 hour flight to the Galapagos [Avianca flight#1634 Departing Quito at 10:20am, arriving Galapagos at 12:50pm]. Upon arrival, meet your naturalist guide and transfer to the Xperience. The ship's crew will greet you on board, take care of your luggage, and run through safety drills. Enjoy fresh fruit drinks as the yacht makes her way to the first site visit, a panga ride to Black Turtle Cove on the island of Santa Cruz. The cove, a maze of tranquil salt water inlets, is a nursery site for sea turtles, rays and sharks as well as an important nesting site for sea birds. As the sun sets, enjoy a typical Ecuadorian meal, the nightly briefing, and a formal presentation of the captain and crew. During the rest of this week, you will leisurely voyage through the stunning Galapagos Islands, among a varied landscape of diverse flora and fauna. Overnight onboard the Xperience. [BLD] DAY 4: RABIDA / SANTIAGO ISLANDS Rabida is one of the most volcanically varied islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Your adventure begins with a wet landing on a deep maroon-colored beach with marine iguanas and sea lions often spotted in the sea caves nearby. This is also a great opportunity to observe pelicans nesting, and in the cliffs above, blue-footed and masked (Nazca) boobies may be seen. Continuing your walk up the rocky red cliffs, a short walk leads to a breathtaking view of the cove, the ocean and lagoon, as well as the startling maroon cliffs. Returning to the beach, enjoy snorkeling in the sparkling lagoon, where you may see manta rays and other wildlife. Kayaking in the protected cove is also a great way to observe the inhabitants at sea level. Following lunch, we splash ashore at the beautiful black sand beach of Puerto Egas, on Santiago Island. Embark on a hike through the dry interior of the island, keeping your eyes out for hawks, doves, and finches before reaching the opposite coastline. Deep aquamarine colored grottos shelter sea lions and night herons, as well as invertebrates such as sea urchins, octopus, and starfish. This is one of the few places in the Galapagos to spot fur seals basking on the black lava rocks. Overnight on the Xperience. [BLD] DAY 5: ISABELA / FERNANDINA ISLAND Tagus Cove was historically used as an anchorage for pirates, buccaneers and whalers. Here you will see names of hundreds of ships painted on the high ridges a practice now banned. Our hike traverses through an area of sparse vegetation and stark volcanic landscape of Volcan Darwin. Our reward at the top of the ridge is a breathtaking view of the coves below as well as Darwin Lake. Follow this up with kayaking or a panga ride, watching for blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, penguins, brown pelicans, brown noddy terns and swallow-tailed gulls. While exploring the channel between Fernandina and Isabela, we sometimes encounter dolphins and whales. Our afternoon visit to Fernandina explores one of the most pristine ecosystems in the entire world, as well as one of the most dynamic. La Cumbre Volcano last erupted in April 2009, dominating the landscape with lava fields stretching toward the shore. Punta Espinoza is a narrow piece of land and habitat of some of the most unique species in the Galapagos, including flightless cormorants, Galapagos snakes, marine iguanas, penguins and the Galapagos hawk. Overnight on the Xperience. [BLD] Wildland Adventures Galapagos Adventure Cruise - M/Y Eric/Flamingo/Letty South

12 DAY 6: ISABELA ISLAND The largest island in the archipelago, Isabela is made up of five shield volcanoes joined together by eons of lava flows. Each of the ancient volcanoes is home to unique and distinct subspecies of giant tortoises which have evolved here. The rugged coastline features marine iguanas, penguins, flightless cormorants, and great blue herons. At the western edge of this giant lies Urbina Bay, nestled at the base of Alcedo Volcano. A wet landing on a beautiful black sand beach delivers you to a common nesting site of sea turtles. This is also a great place to spot penguins and flightless cormorants, as well as large land iguanas. Be on the lookout for giant tortoises which enjoy feeding on the dense vegetation. Your afternoon excursion, Punta Vicente Roca, is a wonderful snorkeling site, with opportunities to view sea turtles as well as myriad fish species. For those choosing to remain dry, a panga ride traces the spectacular geological rock formations. Nazca boobies, pelicans, swallow-tailed gulls, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and penguins are frequent inhabitants of this area. Overnight on the Xperience. [BLD] DAY 7: SANTA CRUZ / CHARLES DARWIN STATION AND HIGHLANDS Visit the famous Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island and learn about current research and conservation initiatives including several breeding programs that hope to reintroduce specific tortoise species back onto the island of their origin. Board 4X4 vehicles for the journey to the lush green highlands of Santa Cruz. Here we find the habitat for wild giant tortoises. Your naturalist guides also direct us to explore lava tubes and pit craters, all further evidence of the Galapagos eruptive past, now softened by deep vegetation and flowers. Overnight on the Xperience. [BLD] DAY 8: GENOVESE ISLAND Genovese is the northernmost island allowed visits by naturalist cruises. The islands is extremely remote and home to literally millions of birds belonging to a wide variety of species, including red footed boobies, frigates, swallow tailed gulls and endemic owls. El Barranco is a steep path with stairs carved into rock, leading to a plateau swarmed with avian life among a Palo Santo forest. Here we see Nazca boobies, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, and petrels. Keep your eyes peeled for short-eared lava owls! The afternoon excursion to Darwin Bay allows us to luxuriate in soft white sand and a trail to lush mangroves, where we will see nesting red footed boobies. Other inhabitants include sea lions (which can sometimes be seen stretched out in the mangrove trees themselves). Snorkeling here is fantastic, with sharks, colorful reef fish, rays and turtles in abundance. Overnight on the Xperience. [BLD] DAY 9: BARTOLOME / SANTA CRUZ After a wet landing this morning visit Pinnacle Rock on Bartolome Island, where snorkeling with penguins is one of the most popular activities. Hike up to the summit of the island for spectacular views of the Rock, the white-sand beaches and the lush mangrove swamps below. Identify various volcanic formations like spatter and tuff cones with your guide, keeping an eye out for pelicans and Galapagos hawks. Following lunch and repositioning, we explore Cerro Dragon on the north end of Santa Cruz Island. Follow your guide on a footpath to endemic land iguanas. Once part of the Darwin Station s breeding program, these repatriated iguanas display orange-yellowish skin with large spines along their backs. Walk quietly to keep from startling the pink flamingos that feed in the salt water lagoon. Along the trail, keep your eyes open for Darwin s Finches and Yellow Warblers. Return to the yacht at sunset for your briefing followed by dinner. Overnight on the Xperience. [BLD] DAY 10: RETURN TO QUITO This morning, rise early for a visit to Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island. The soft white coralline sand is a favorite nesting spot for sea turtles, and the nearby lagoon hosts flamingos, black-necked stilts, and other coastal birds. Your guide will accompany you to the Galapagos airport for your afternoon flight to the mainland [Avianca 1639 Departing Galapagos 11:30 arriving Quito 15:55], where you may remain at the airport for international connections this evening. [B] Wildland Adventures Galapagos Adventure Cruise - M/Y Eric/Flamingo/Letty South

13 END OF SERVICES Actual routes and activities may vary. Local trip coordinators reserve the right to change accommodations to similar quality alternatives. We highly recommend extending your Ecuador holiday to explore more of this fascinating country! From indigenous market villages in the high Andes to hikes through mystical cloud forests and into the wildlife-rich Yasuni Biosphere Reserve, there s something for every interest! FOR CURRENT PRICES CLICK HERE FOR DEPARTURE DATES CLICK HERE INCLUDED SERVICES All guided tours and excursions English-speaking certified naturalist guides Airport-hotel transfers, land and sea transportation 9 nights accommodation as indicated Meals as indicated [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner] Snorkeling gear, 3mm shortie wetsuits and kayaks VIP lounge at Galapagos airport Wildland Adventures travel consultation and pre-departure services NOT INCLUDED SERVICES International airfare Tips and gratuities Drinks, alcoholic beverages, and meals other than listed above Satellite Internet in social areas (except for Deluxe cabin passengers) Personal expenses for extra services, optional activities, or changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control Travel insurance for trip cancellation, medical services, or evacuation Any other items not mentioned above You will need to carry about $300-$500 extra cash (must be in local currency or US dollars cash, not travelers checks nor credit cards) to cover the fees, taxes, tips and meals not included in your itinerary. NOTE: For Galapagos travelers, please be advised that due to weather conditions, vessel operation, and Galapagos Park management, cruise itineraries are subject to change. All yacht operators reserve the right to change vessels prior to departure due to maintenance or replacement. On very rare occasions when this occurs passengers will be transferred to another vessel and cabin of comparable or better class (comfort, services, amenities, equipment, etc.) at no extra charge. Wildland Adventures Galapagos Adventure Cruise - M/Y Eric/Flamingo/Letty South

14 Accommodations SWISSOTEL, QUITO Swissôtel offers elegant accommodation in Quito s affluent commercial and residential district. It features 2 pools, tennis and squash courts, as well as a spa with jacuzzi and massage treatments. Featuring wood accents and Egyptian cotton linens, rooms at Swissôtel Quito are bright, air conditioned and equipped with free Wi-Fi access. They all come with cable TV channels, minibar and in-room safe. Six on-site restaurants offer a range of dishes from renowned French, Swiss and Japanese culinary traditions. Quito s beautiful Old Town district is 3 km from the Swissôtel. XPERIENCE At 210 feet long with a beam of 41 feet, the luxurious Galapagos expedition ship Eclipse accommodates half the number of passengers of other Galapagos yachts her size; she preserves the intimacy of a smaller Galapagos yacht with the spacious amplitude of a luxury expedition Galapagos cruise featuring large staterooms and ample social areas. Galapagos cruising aboard Xperience is enhanced with a Jacuzzi, bar & lounge, a library/video room, and a comfortable upper deck that is partially covered in the day and serves as the night time observation deck for stargazing. Meals included in this Galapagos package are served indoors at a single open seating or a shaded al fresco dining area. The lounge provides plenty of comfortable seating for all and is where briefings are held with naturalistguides. A small gift shop, open on demand, stocks toiletries, books, souvenirs, T-shirts and other items. The Xperience also features an air-renewal system and an infirmary with a medical doctor is on board at all times. Wildland Adventures Galapagos Adventure Cruise - M/Y Eric/Flamingo/Letty South