Ecuador Galapagos Adventure Cruising on Galaxy Eastern Loop Tour

MT Sobek is proud to support the Galapagos Conservancy by making an annual conservation investment to its Santiago Society program. Galapagos Conservancy is dedicated exclusively to the long-term protection of the Galapagos Islands, and collaborates closely with the Charles Darwin Foundation, the Galapagos National Park, and many other institutions that are committed to the conservation of the entire archipelago.

Your Guides

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The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.

Luis D.

Luis was born in Seville, Spain, and graduated from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid with a degree in Environmental Biology. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and French and has guided in Galapagos since 1999. In addition to being a professional nature photographer, Luis has a Master's Degree in Geographic Ecology and is active with conservation groups. A born teacher, he enthusiastically shares his knowledge of Galapagos with people of all ages. He lives in Quito with his wife, twin sons, and daughter and is MT Sobek's head naturalist guide. 

Patricia S.

Patricia has been guiding diving trips in Galapagos since 1999. A native of Switzerland and originally a journalist for the Swiss News Agency, Patricia started her career in guiding as a divemaster in Honduras in 1995 and as a naturalist guide in Costa Rica. She is fascinated by wildlife, is a passionate teacher, and an active conservationist in the islands. As a resident of Galapagos, she will be able to give you an insider's viewpoint of life in the islands. Patricia is fluent in English, German, and French.

Fernando O.

Fernando is an Ecuadorian marine biologist who has worked and lived in Galapagos for over 25 years. An accomplished diver, he has enjoyed more than 5,000 dives in the Galapagos, Ecuador, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Baja California, Palau, Malaysia, and Costa Rica. He joined Conservation International in 2005 after working for the Galapagos National Park as Head of the Department of Control and Conservation of Marine Ecosystems. Fernando returned to guiding to re-encounter the environment that he is so passionate about and loves inspiring MT Sobek travelers on their adventures in the Galapagos.

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                    [Headline] => Arrive in Quito  
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Welcome to the historic city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. An MT Sobek representative will meet you outside customs at the airport and escort you to your hotel. After settling in at the hotel, the rest of the day is free unwind, take advantage of the pool\'s spa services or begin your exploration of this dynamic city. Dinner is on your own tonight.
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                    [Headline] => Tour Quito\'s Old Town
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Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting out on half-day guided tour of colonial Quito. The city\'s UNESCO-listed old town contains the best examples of Colonial Baroque architecture in South America! After lunch, you are free to explore more of the old town, return to the hotel, or shop for handicrafts made by local artisans.

Gather in the hotel at 6:30pm for a briefing with your fellow travelers and MT Sobek representative, who will discuss tomorrow\'s flight to the Galápagos Islands and the adventure ahead. Dinner is on your own tonight.
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                    [Headline] => Fly to the Galápagos Islands
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Rise for breakfast and an early transfer flight from Quito to Baltra Island in the Galápagos. After meeting your naturalist guide, board your private yacht in time for lunch. Make a wet landing late this afternoon at Mosquera Islet to see a large sea lion colony and several species of birds. Enjoy a welcome dinner onboard.
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                    [Headline] => Hike & Snorkel on Santiago & Bartolomé Islands
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Get a sense of the primordial beginnings of our planet as you walk across a recent lava flow at Santiago\'s Sullivan Bay and view its beautiful structural characteristics. Formed in the second half of the 19th century, the flow is too young for much plant or animal life. It is the lava itself and the contrasting black pahoehoe flow and the reddish-yellow tuff cones that are the stars of this visit. The colors and shapes of the lava are fantastic for photos. You will also have the option to swim or snorkel from a coral sand beach or from the pangas. Getting underwater is like traveling to another world: if the land is almost lifeless, the sea is teaming with life, including large schools of fish, Galápagos penguins, reef sharks, turtles and rays.         

After lunch, make a wet landing at Bartolomé Island for another exceptional snorkeling opportunity. This area holds a well-deserved reputation of being one of the best snorkeling places in the Galápagos, not only because of its clear and calm waters, but also because of the presence of Galápagos penguins, which are relatively easy to find while snorkeling, along with an incredible diversity of fish, colorful invertebrates, sea lions, turtles, rays and reef sharks. End the day with a climb up to the pinnacle of this ancient cinder cone. At the top you will enjoy spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock, Santiago Island, and Daphne Major and Minor. Arguably, the most iconic landmark in Galápagos, Pinnacle Rock juts straight out of Bartolomé\'s northern bay.         

Return to the boat for cocktail hour and dinner.
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                    [Headline] => Discover the Rich Birdlife of Genovesa Island
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Genovesa Island is known as Bird Island and is one of the most interesting for visitors! Explore the cliffs by panga before climbing Prince Phillip\'s Steps to the island\'s plateau. The landing spot is a rock fall that forms a natural staircase up the cliffs but the rest of the trail is quite easy and level. Walk through massive colonies of Red-footed and Nazca Boobies and an extraordinary Palo Santo forest on the way to a lava ridge where thousands of storm petrels dart about while Short-eared owls stalk them for prey. This is one of the trails with the most abundance of fauna in the entire Galápagos. Snorkelers can explore the cliffs, where there are many fish and great chances of seeing sharks, rays and sea lions.

After lunch, make a wet landing and hike along Darwin Beach on the north side of Darwin Bay, formed by the rim of a sunken crater. Red mangroves along the trail provide habitat for yellow warblers, yellow-crowned night herons, and pintail ducks. The highlight of this site is the incredible abundance of Red-footed Boobies, Great Frigatebirds and Swallow-tailed Gulls. Despite being the most abundant species of booby in the islands, the red-footed is rarely seen unless you visit Genovesa. The bay also offers several places to snorkel or kayak; from deep waters along the cliffs across the bay, to shallow waters by the beach. In either case, there are many fish to see and opportunities to get close to wildlife such as Galapagos fur seals, herons, swallow-tailed gulls and boobies. 
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                    [Headline] => See Giant Tortoises on San Cristóbal Island & Explore Isla Lobos
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Step ashore in the main port of San Cristóbal Island where a private vehicle awaits to take you to the lush highlands for a special opportunity to visit the giant tortoise breeding center, La Galapaguera. The Galapagos Islands are named after these magnificent, ancient creatures and seeing and photographing them in a semi-natural habitat and in various life stages is magical. Also stop at the Interpretation Center of San Cristóbal, a modern and sophisticated architectural space that provides an excellent overview of the volcanic formation of the islands, the evolution of species, the history of human settlement, and conservation efforts and threats.    

After lunch, stop at Isla Lobos, separated from San Cristóbal by a narrow channel, for opportunities to snorkel with sea lions, sea turtles, and tropical fish. There is also a short rocky trail great for viewing blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, marine iguanas, lava lizards and the endemic Galapagos snake. 
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                    [Headline] => Birdwatch & Snorkel on Española Island
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Wake for a wet landing and stroll along a magnificent coral sand beach at Gardner Bay - considered one of the best in the islands. Here, sea lions bask, marine turtles nest, and the curious Española mockingbirds follow your every footstep. Take a brief swim on the beach or snorkel in the company of schools of colorful fish (including Angelfish, Parrotfish, Damselfish, and Surgeonfish), turtles, sea lions, and possibly small sharks along the underwater cliffs of Gardner, a small satellite islet.     

After lunch, experience incredible birdlife at Punta Suárez, one of the most famed visitor sites in the Galápagos. You\'ll be dazzled by spectacular cliff views of pounding surf and seemingly unlimited populations of an amazing variety of seabirds. Brightly-colored marine iguanas and the largest lava lizards in the Galápagos frequent the coastline and rest on the trail. From the cliff top, watch a blowhole spray water up to 100 feet in the air. Española is the only island where you can see waved albatrosses and possibly observe their fascinating mating dance (seasonally from April to December). Also visit large colonies of Nazca and Blue-footed boobies and Swallow-tailed Gulls. This is one of the best places to see the top raptor of these islands: the Galápagos Hawk.
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                    [Headline] => Floreana Island with Post Office Bay, Punta Cormorant, & Devil\'s Crown
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After an early breakfast, make a wet landing at historic Post Office Bay on the north side of Floreana Island, and walk a short distance along the beach to the wooden barrel that has served as an informal post office in the archipelago since the 18th century. If you wish, send postcards to your friends and relatives and/or pick up mail to deliver in your home town! Also enjoy time to relax on the beach, or snorkel from the beach to look for fish and rays, and watch sea turtles feeding on algae.      

After lunch on board, cruise to Devil\'s Crown, a small satellite islet of Floreana, with a group of rocks that resemble a crown due to the constant erosion caused by the sea. Snorkelers will enjoy one of the top snorkeling sites in the islands, swimming in clear waters with schools of colorful fish, turtles, spotted eagle rays, and perhaps hammerhead sharks. Then, venture ashore at Punta Cormorant. After a wet landing at a green-tinged beach, set out on foot to observe the flamingos and other water birds that frequent the lagoon and see the white-sand Flour Beach where sea turtles come out at night to nest. 
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                    [Headline] => Santa Fé and South Plaza Islands
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Wake to explore the beautiful bay and turquoise waters of Santa Fé Island. After a wet landing on a white beach usually covered with sea lions, walk into a giant Opuntia cactus grove in search of endemic land iguanas and possibly Galápagos Hawks. Afterwards, you can snorkel and/or kayak in the turquoise waters of the bay, full of sea lions, sea turtles, rays, urchins, eels, and very colorful fish, including large schools of surgeonfish and parrotfish.    

Next it\'s on to South Plaza Island for an afternoon walk. Both North and South Plazas were formed by geological uplift and tilt to the north, with cliffs on their southern coasts. On small islands like this, terrestrial and marine species interact more than on the larger islands, and the occasional hybrid iguana (land and marine) with its \"zebra-like\" stripes can often be observed. The south facing cliffs swarm with a myriad of bird species, including tropicbirds, pelicans, boobies, Galápagos shearwaters, and swallow-tailed gulls. Bachelor sea lions climb steep cliffs in the late afternoon to spend nights away from the larger dominant bulls. Look for endemic land iguanas under the prickly-pear cactus.    

Back on the boat tonight, enjoy a festive farewell cocktail hour and a group dinner with the captain.
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Wake up early to disembark in the port of Puerto Ayora for a last excursion in the islands: a visit to the Charles Darwin Station, located in the main port on Santa Cruz Island. See the breeding pens where tortoises and land iguanas are bred in captivity in an attempt to mitigate the danger of extinction on various islands. Thanks to the dedicated work of several institutions, some species are being saved. Transfer to Baltra for your flight back to Quito. An MT Sobek representative will greet you at Quito airport and provide assistance to your nearby hotel.
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Use the complimentary airport shuttle to transfer to the airport in time for your outbound flight, or opt to stay on in Quito to join us for one of our extensions in Ecuador or Peru!
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    [ActivityHighlight] => 7 Days of swimming, snorkeling, and easy walking and hiking on terrain that is varied and uneven, plus one day of touring in Quito.
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Accommodations

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Deluxe comfort aboard a modern yacht with a full crew to cater to your every need. Also includes an upscale hotel in Quito.

Galaxy

Comfortable Small Ship

Cruise the Galapagos in style aboard the 115-foot Galaxy motor yacht. Her eight beautiful double cabins, with a capacity for 16 adventurers, come equipped with en-suite bathrooms and A/C for maximum comfort. The Galaxy features an attractive dining room, bar and lounge, and open sundeck for relaxing while aboard — plus inflatable pangas, kayaks, and snorkeling equipment.

Swissotel-Quito, Ecuador

Luxury Hotel

The upscale Swissôtel offers five-star comfort in Quito's Floresta neighborhood, close to great shopping, interesting museums, and the city's architectural gems. Elegant and comfortable rooms feature city or mountain views, flat-screen TVs with premium channels, complimentary Wi-Fi, and more. There are four restaurants onsite offering a variety of international cuisine. Other perks include a fitness center and an indoor pool.

Wyndham Quito Airport Hotel-Quito

Comfortable Hotel

The Wyndham Quito Airport is a convenient and comfortable stopover after your journey back from the Galápagos chosen for its location right next to the airport. Both international and Ecuadorian food options are available at the onsite restaurant and for room service. Rooms have large TVs and free WiFi. There is a 24-hour complimentary airport shuttle.

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