La Pinta

Galapagos explorers can now enjoy an expedition adventure with comfort and safety.Our guests will cover all aspects of the Galapagos: discovery, adventure, environmental interpretation, aquatic activities, relaxation, superb service and great dining.                                             US$4656
 

Yacht La Pinta Friday to Friday 2008

Make the Galapagos Expedition the trip of a lifetime. Enjoy yacht La Pinta relaxed yet lavish expedition atmosphere; the highest service standards and an international & Ecuadorian cuisine you will never forget. Explore the wonders that Galapagos Islands offer in its amazing past volcanic activity area.

Tour details

Galapagos explorers can now enjoy an expedition adventure with comfort and safety, aboard the 48-guest yacht La Pinta, scheduled to start operations on March 7, 2008 --with 7-night voyages. Yacht La Pinta offers a relaxed yet lavish expedition atmosphere, with plush outside cabins; the highest standards of service; international cuisine plus celebrated Ecuadorian dishes, and all the amenities that make the Galapagos Expedition the trip of a lifetime.

Itinerary

DAY MAIN ITINERARY
Friday Baltra Island
North Seymour Island
Saturday Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)
Punta Moreno (Isabela Island)
Sunday Post Office Bay,  Champion Islet (Floreana Island)
Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island)
Monday Rabida Island (Jervis)
Las Bachas (Santa Cruz Island)
Tuesday Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Wednesday Sullivan Bay (James Island)
Puerto Egas (James Island)
Thursday Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Crist?bal (Chatham) Island)
Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)
Friday Baltra Island
 
Included

Accommodation
All meals
Island sightseeing
Naturalists and lecture services
Snorkeling gear and transfers
Not included

Air transportation to/from Galapagos
Galapagos National Park admission fee (US $100 subject to change without notice)
Bar
Gifts and items of personal nature
Important facts

Please read the Itinerary as a guide only. Our route and program varies according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes , safety reasons and the wildlife we encounter

• Dry landing: guests step from the dinghy onto rocks or a dock.
• Wet landing: as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, guests step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.

Expedition information

While you don’t need to be an athlete to explore the Galapagos, you should be in good physical shape. Getting in and out of rafts for shore landings takes some effort.  Also, keep in mind the islands’ irregular volcanic terrain, as this may include some challenging outings and walks.

Galapagos is not a trip where nightlife shines out.  Instead, wildlife shines out.  Therefore, we suggest you leave expensive jewelry at home and anything that may create an emotional hardship if lost, or anything that reminds you of home too much. 

Travel protection/insurance is highly recommended.

Additional information

Itinerary is a guide only. Our route and program varies according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety reasons and the wildlife we encounter.

FRIDAY

Baltra Island
Morning arrival to Baltra Island by TAME flight and immediate transfer to the dock to board Yacht LA PINTA.   Welcome introductory briefing, and lunch.
North Seymour Island
Afternoon disembarkation (dry landing) for a walk along the coast and the interior of the island, observing bird colonies of blue footed boobies, frigate birds, swallow tailed gulls and also sea lions and marine iguanas.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.

SATURDAY

Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)
This morning brings us to the youngest island, Fernandina.  Disembark (dry landing) for a one-mile walk.  Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with lots of wildlife.  Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their space with sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorant.  Lunch on board.

Punta Moreno (Isabela Island)
Punta Moreno has a low-lying rocky shoreline surrounded by black and red mangrove lagoons, and abundant shore birds.  It offers close views of volcanoes Alcedo, Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul. It has a desolate and pristine landscape of impressively immense black lava flows and an extraordinary and unusual arid-zone vegetation.   Darwin's finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, penguins, cormorants, brown pelicans and blue-footed boobies can be seen.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.

SUNDAY

Post Office Bay,  Champion Islet (Floreana Island)
Possibility to snorkel from the pangas around Champion Islet or a ride on the glass-bottom boat.  Return on board and navigate to Post Office Bay.  Wet landing at the historic barrel that served as a post office, to learn about the human side of the islands, its early inhabitants and the adventures of pirates and whalers.  Lunch on board.

Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island)
Disembark at Punta Cormorant (wet landing) for an easy walk to see the flamingos that inhabit a brackish-water lagoon, and other birds like ducks, stilts, sandpipers, etc.  Return to the beach and possibility to swim; there is great snorkeling at this site or kayak from the beach. 
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner

MONDAY

Rabida Island (Jervis)
Morning disembarkation at Rabida Island (wet landing) on a red-colored beach, due to the unusually high content of iron in the volcanic material.  A gratifying stroll along the beach of this small island (1.9 sq. mi.)  allows the observation of a large colony of sea lions, marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and several species of Darwin’s Finches.  Very close to the beach, hidden behind a strip of green saltbush, is a salt pond where at times Greater Flamingos migrate to.  This is a great place to snorkel from the beach, both for beginners as well as for experienced snorkelers, due to the unique combination of underwater species and submarine landscapes. During navigation to our next island, we will keep our eyes open for dolphins.  Lunch on board.

Las Bachas (Santa Cruz Island)
The sand at Las Bachas is made of powdered coral, which makes it white and soft, and a favorite site for nesting sea turtles.  The Sally Lightfoot crabs are abundant on the lava rocks along the water's edge.  Flamingoes, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and whimbrels can be observed.
Next day’s expedition plan and Welcome cocktail.

TUESDAY

Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens, an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds.  Then a stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora before embarking on Yacht LA PINTA. 
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner. 

WEDNESDAY

Sullivan Bay (James Island)
Sullivan Bay is on the east coast of Santiago just across Bartolome Island. We land on a white coral sand beach and begin our walk over lava that flowed less than 100 years ago. This is the perfect place to see and feel the volcanic origin of Galapagos. This site is most interesting for the geography of the lava flows, the intricate squiggles, cracks, and designs of the liquid lava as it solidified. After 110 years, life is starting to return to the flows, with occasional tufts of grass and cactus growing in the cracks. Optional panga ride, Glass-bottom boat or snorkeling is possible.  Lunch on board.

Puerto Egas (James Island)
Wet landing for a mid-length walk.  Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows. This is a great opportunity to see land and marine birds.  At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds and there is a colony of Gal?pagos fur seals.  Opportunity for snorkeling and swimming from the beach.
Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.

THURSDAY

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Crist?bal (Chatham) Island)
Disembark at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This small attractive port is the provincial capital of the Gal?pagos Islands (population 4,000), along a crescent-shaped bay. Visit the San Crist?bal Interpretation Center, located in a natural setting, where  visitors can obtain information that will help them understand more the natural history of the Gal?pagos, with a great emphasis on human history and conservation. Later this morning visit the breeding center for tortoises (La Galapaguera) at Cerro Colorado, including a 45-minute bus ride. Seeing the semi-saddle back shape of the tortoises can be a great way to understand adaptation to dry-tropical environments.  The rewarding fauna of this island may not only be the giant tortoises, since many island-specific endemics are found here.  It includes mockingbirds, lava lizards, and the vermilion flycatchers.  Return to Yacht LA PINTA for lunch.

Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)
In the afternoon, A dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers will bring us to Cerro Brujo for a wet landing at a white coraline beach .  The beach is a great open walking area, with rewarding birdwatching.  There are seabirds like blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigate birds, and some shore birds. Also, look for Galapagos sea lions. Highlights ashore include the Chatham (San Cristobal) Mockingbird, Chatham Lava Lizard; both species are endemic to this island, and seen nowhere else in Galapagos. We may also spot Yellow Warblers, Galapagos flycatchers.These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos. 
Farewell cocktail and departure briefing.

FRIDAY

Baltra Island
After breakfast, departure to the port and airport to take the flight back to the continent.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Itineraries and program are subject to change without previous notice due mainly to readjustment of the National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes or safety reasons.

Dry landing: passengers step from the dinghy onto rocks or a dock.

Wet landing:  as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, passengers step into knee-deep water and wade ashore