1266 66th Street, Suite 4
Emeryville, California
94608-1117
T: +1 510 594 6000
1 888 MTSOBEK (687 6235)
F: +1 510 594 6001
info@mtsobek.com
www.mtsobek.com
Galapagos Islands Land Base Adventure: Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkeling, Wildlife
Land exploration of the Galapagos Islands
11 days ~ Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Moderate hiking, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, wildife viewing; minimum age is 10
DATES Dec 16 - 26, 2012 Dec 27, 2012 - Jan 6, 2013
HIGHLIGHTS
- Kayak, snorkel and hike in the world's top nature destination
- Hike on an active volcano (whose last eruption was just five years ago!)
- Experience up close and personal encounters with wildlife
- A perfect alternative to our yacht-based adventures
Galapagos Islands Land Base Adventure: Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkeling, Wildlife Land exploration of the Galapagos Islands
Overview
If you’ve always wanted to see the Galápagos Islands, but don’t relish the prospect of sleeping aboard a boat, we’ve got the answer—a unique land-based, multisport perspective of the “Enchanted Isles!” Based at comfortable hotels and lodges, you’ll set off each day to explore various facets of the islands not usually visited by tourist boats. The fame of the Galápagos Islands has reached far and wide, but nothing prepares you for seeing it with your own eyes. In these equatorial isles, an almost primeval world awaits your discovery. The endearing creatures have never learned fear of humans, so you’ll get up-close encounters of the best kind (and awesome photos, too).
Excursions on this multisport itinerary include a hike up Sierra Negra volcano—a chance to see fumaroles and a huge caldera, plus panoramic views of the ocean beyond; spectacular snorkeling among a dazzling array of tropical fish, penguins, sea turtles, and sea lions; kayaking coastal waters; and many other activities, including hiking in the highlands to view tortoises in the wild and visiting a giant tortoise breeding center on Isabela. Like our yacht-based adventures, it’s an insightful journey into one of the world’s most beguiling nature destinations—we invite you to discover along the way!
Mountain Travel Sobek has had a 40-year love affair with the Galápagos, and we’re as passionate about these delightful islands now as when we first started operating small group adventures here in 1970. Over the years we’ve garnered an enviable reputation as the experts, with more experience than any other company specializing in small groups. Join us for this uncommon adventure—we’re one of the few U.S. tour operators to offer an alternative to yacht-based travel in the islands—and discover all that Galápagos has to offer from land: great adventures each day, and a bed on solid ground with a soft pillow each night!
Day 1: Arrive in Quito
Arrive in Quito, Ecuador. A Mountain Travel Sobek representative will meet you outside the customs and immigration area at the airport. He or she will answer questions, brief you on the immediate arrangements, and escort you to the hotel.
Swissôtel - Quito, Ecuador
Day 2: Quito Colonial City Tour & Equatorial Monument
After a full buffet breakfast at the Swissotel this morning, meet your guide for a tour of historic Colonial Quito for a taste of rich culture of Ecuador. Following your visit, take a 40 minute drive to the ecuator and the official Equatorial Monument and Intiñán Museum, an eclectic private outdoor museum, right at the Equator, only a few hundred yards from the official monument and a more interactive experience than the official Equatorial monument museum. Here visitors can observe several aspects of Ecuadorian native culture and perform experiments with unique results because of the location at the equatorial line. Lunch at El Crater, located on the rim of Pululahua Crater, close to the Equatorial line. Dinner on your own tonight.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Swissôtel - Quito, Ecuador
Day 3: To the Galápagos –San Cristóbal Island
After breakfast at the hotel, an early transfer to the airport for your flight from Quito to the Galápagos Islands. Upon arrival on San Cristobal Island, you will need to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($100) and meet your Galapagos Naturalist Guide. Collect your bags and transfer to your hotel, the take your first hike in Galapagos through a typical dry forest to Cerro Tijeretas and an outlook famous for its frigate birds and other shore birds. Return to town for lunch on your own. This afternoon, take a van ride to visit El Junco, the only fresh water lake in the Islands. If desired, we can bring bicycles for a ride back town through the beautiful landscapes in the highlands of San Cristobal or continue by van to Puerto Chino on the southern side of the Island. Dinner on your own this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch / Casa Opuntia - San Cristóbal
Day 4: San Cristóbal Island and beyond – Cerro Brujo, Kicker Rock, Isla Lobos – Snorkel & Hike
After breakfast we’ll depart for a snorkeling excursion and explore Cerro Brujo, a collapsed volcano that is home to blue footed boobies, brown pelicans, marine iguanas, sally lightfoot crabs, sea turtles, sea lions, and rays. Then, off to Kicker Rock—a towering vertical rock formation off the coast of San Cristóbal. Also known as Léon Dormido, or “sleeping lion”, Kicker Rock is a great place to snorkel with sharks, sea turtles, and young sea lions. We’ll also explore nearby Isla Lobos—“sea lion island”—a nesting site for blue-footed boobies. We’ll have a picnic lunch and, after a full afternoon, we’ll return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, exploring the coast en route.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Casa Opuntia - San Cristóbal
Day 5: Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island
After breakfast at the hotel you’ll take a short flight to Isabela Island and to the small village of Puerto Villamil. Upon arrival, contiue on to your beachfront inn in Puerto Villamil, and have the remainder of the morning to swim and enjoy the white sand beach in front of your hotel and explore the village. After lunch at the hotel, we will swim & snorkel nearby looking for sea turtles and other marine delights!
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Hotel Casa Marita - Isabela Island
Day 6: Hiking on Volcán Sierra Negra
After breakfast this morning we’ll drive to the Isabela highlands for an entirely new view and Galapagos experience. After an hour, we’ll reach the starting point of our hike up Sierra Negra (4,890') that last erupted on October 22, 2005, depositing a new and dramatic layer of lava. This volcano’s caldera is the second largest in the world, with a diameter measuring approximately six and a half miles. On our 10 mile hike, we’ll spot a variety of birds, including finches, flycatchers and possibly the elusive Galapagos hawk. From the caldera’s rim we’ll hike to Chico Volcano to see fumaroles and the unusual lava formations, a striking visual record in the islands’ geological history. From the highest vantage points, we’ll enjoy the views of Isabela’s other volcanoes and the nearby islands. We’ll return to our starting point and drive to the town. If you wish you can then enjoy a stroll along the white sand beach or a dip in the ocean before dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch / Hotel Casa Marita - Isabela Island
Day 7: Tintoreras Islet- Isabela Island
A full day to explore the flamingo mangrove lagoons, swim at Estuary Beach among the mangroves, snorkel with Galápagos penguins and marine iguanas at Las Tintoreras, a small island off Puerto Villamil, and visit the nearby Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, where you’ll see tortoises of all ages and sizes, raised in captivity , to be reintroduced in the wild. Or relax and swim from the beach.
Breakfast, Lunch / Casa de Marita - Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island
Day 8: Santa Cruz – Highlands and Tortoises of Santa Cruz Island
Say good bye to Isabela this morning and head to Santa Cruz, by speed boat, to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. After the brisk 2 1/2 hours boat ride, you will drop your luggage at the Angermeyer Waterfront Hotel overlooking the harbor in Puerto Ayora. Continue on to town and a van will be waiting to take you to the Santa Cruz Highlands – home of the endemic giant tortoises for which the region is famous. Santa Cruz Island hosts a population of nearly 3000 tortoises! After lunch at a local restaurant in the Highlands, take a hike in the open looking for tortoises in their natural environment. Back to town in the late afternoon. Dinner on your own this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch / Angermeyer Waterfront Inn - Puerto Ayora
Day 9: Santa Cruz – Tortuga Bay & Charles Darwin Station, Santa Cruz Island
Full day to enjoy the surroundings of Puerto Ayora. In the morning, we can kayak to Las Grietas, a beautiful calm bay near Puerto Ayora, where natural fissures in the lava cliffs have formed channels often visited by sharks and rays. Or, you can have a full morning visit to Tortuga Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches of the Galapagos. You will arrive to Tortuga beach after an easy 30 minutes walk through a dry forest dominated by giant prickly-pear cactus. Once at the beach, you will be amazed by the beauty of this white-sand beach, one of the best of Galapagos. Return to town for lunch on your own. In the afternoon you can visit the Charles Darwin Research Station or one of the nearby beaches.
Breakfast / Angermeyer Waterfront Inn - Puerto Ayora
Day 10: Fly back to Quito
After your last breakfast in the Islands, transfer to the island of Baltra for your commercial flight back to Quito, arriving in Quito around 3pm. A Mountain Travel Sobek representative will meet you at the airport in Quito and transfer you from the airport to the Swissotel, Quito. Lunch is included on the flight and dinner in Quito is on your own this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch / Swissôtel - Quito, Ecuador
Day 11: Depart
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or join one of our extensions in Ecuador’s highlands, Amazon, or Peru’s Machu Picchu!
Breakfast
Galapagos Islands Land Base Adventure: Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkeling, Wildlife
Departures & Land Costs
Departures
Dec 16 - 26, 2012
Dec 27, 2012 - Jan 6, 2013
2012 Prices
$3,995 (4-12 members)
$700 internal air (Quito/Baltra/Isabela/San Cristóbal/Quito—subject to change. Mountain Travel Sobek will book and issue these tickets for you.)
$250 Holiday Surcharge
$100 park fees, ages 12 and older (payable upon arrival in the Islands)
$10 Galápagos Transit Control Card
$1000 single supplement
Galápagos Transit Control Card
A $10 Galápagos Transit Control Card is required for entry into the park. (Mountain TravelSobek will purchase this for you in advance)
Galápagos National Park Fee
A National Park Entrance Fee is required from all visitors entering the Galápagos National Park and/or Galápagos Marine Reserve. The park fee payable in US Dollars may be paid at the airport upon arrival in the Galápagos Islands. A permit granting access to the National Park and Marine Reserve is given as a receipt. $100 per person, age 12 and older
Payment & Cancellation Policy
Payment
| At time of reservation | $400 |
| 120 days prior to departure | $1200 |
| 90 days prior to departure | Balance of Land/Cruise Cost |
Cancellation
| If written cancellation is received: | Cancellation fee will be: |
| 120 days or more prior to departure | $400 |
| 119 to 90 days prior to departure | 25% of Land Cost |
| 89 to 60 days prior to departure | 50% of Land Cost |
| 59 days or fewer prior to departure | 100% of Land Cost |
Tier Pricing
Adventure travel works best with a small group of people. In order to operate these small groups, our trips are priced according to the number of full-price passengers on the trip. (Mountain Travel Sobek staff, trip doctors, and other discounted travelers are excluded from the count for this purpose.) We initially invoice you at the highest tier level price (the smallest group size we can operate). If the price drops due to an increase in group size, you will be refunded the difference.
What’s Included
- expert leadership
- accommodations as noted in itinerary (or similar)
- if applicable, tent accommodations and arrangements in the field, including camp and cook staffs, comfortable and roomy two-person tents, kitchen and dining tents, and other community equipment
- meals as noted in the itinerary
- airport transfers
- sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
- ground transportation
- additional guides and porters where necessary
- tips for lodge, hotel, or camp staff
- entrance fees and permits, unless noted separately in costs
- basic medical and evacuation insurance
What’s Not
International airfare; meals not noted on itinerary; insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance noted above (we strongly recommend you purchase the supplementary trip insurance offered by Mountain Travel Sobek, which includes trip cancellation insurance); optional tipping to leader, guides and local staff; excess baggage charges; airport taxes (international—varies by location); cost of medical immunizations; and items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).
Air Travel
Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. For air reservations, we recommend you contact the airlines directly, either by phone or the Internet. In addition, many travelers elect to use their “frequent flyer” miles when traveling with us. But please check with our staff before purchasing or obtaining your tickets. We need to verify your arrival and departure schedule and ensure we have enough participants to operate the trip.
What you can expect
Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.
The Next Step
Ready to go? Signing up is easy!
Just call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) and reserve your spot! If you prefer to use a travel agent, he or she can book your trip at no extra cost and provide other helpful assistance.
Then Leave the Rest to Us
Before you go, we provide you with extensive pre-departure information, including clothing recommendations, suggested reading lists, up-to-date health advice prepared by our consulting physician (an expert in wilderness medicine), and other details.
Why Mountain Travel Sobek is Your First Choice for Adventure
Mountain Travel Sobek is the pioneer in active adventure travel. No other adventure travel company can lay claim to that title. We were the first to take Americans trekking in Nepal, raft the wild rivers of Africa, and open up many previously inaccessible corners of the world to curious travelers. We set the standard for adventure travel and have a strong reputation for excellence that we do everything we can to maintain. Since we are the leading adventure company, we have a lot to live up to, so we make sure we provide safe, quality trips and the best customer service to our passengers.
References
Don’t take our word for how great our trips are. We’ll be happy to provide you with references of satisfied past travelers.
Questions?
Feel free to call us at 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) if you still have any questions or concerns. We’re here to help you. You can also check out our website at www.mtsobek.com
Note on Itinerary
Although we will do our best to adhere to the itinerary schedule as listed, it is subject to change. Please read the Limitation of Liability and Booking Conditions in the four-page Participant Information Form. You can find all this information on our website at www.mtsobek.com/faq and the form itself at www.mtsobek.com/pdf/participant_info.pdf.
Terms & Conditions
Once you have made a deposit for a trip, you agree to be bound by all our terms and conditions including the Limitation of Liability Clause. The full Terms and Conditions can be found at www.mtsobek.com/faq/#liability or call 1-888-MTSOBEK (687-6235) for a copy. These are partial conditions. Your participation is contingent on your signature on the full list of terms specified in the four-page Participant Information Form (www.mtsobek.com/pdf/participant_info.pdf). Any dispute concerning, relating or referring to the Terms and Conditions, to any literature concerning this trip, or the trip itself, shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration in San Francisco, California, according to the then existing commercial rules of the American Arbitration Association. Such proceedings will be governed by substantive California law (but not procedural law) without regard to the California Arbitration Act.