Ecuador Galapagos Adventure Cruise on Galaxy Western 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 Die

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. 

Greg Estes

Greg arrived in the Galapagos in 1982 leading the Cambridge Darwin Centenary Galapagos Expedition to conduct research on the feeding ecology of marine iguanas. After graduating from the University of London with an honors degree in Biology, Greg's research in Galapagos has encompassed a wide range of ecological projects, including studies on sperm whales and the endangered Galapagos petrel. Greg and his wife have retraced Darwin's footsteps through Galapagos using information from his original notebooks and manuscripts of the famous voyage. 

Fernando Ortiz

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 to 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 a 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 Galapagos Islands & See Giant Tortoises in the Wild
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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, take a short transfer from Baltra to Santa Cruz Island. Here a private vehicle awaits to take you to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz for a special opportunity to see giant tortoises in their wild and natural habitat. The Galápagos Islands are named after these magnificent, ancient creatures and the experience with them is magical. Next, transfer to Puerto Ayora for a stroll along the main street to the harbor, where you will board your private yacht. Enjoy a welcome dinner onboard.
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                    [Headline] => Explore Moreno Point & Elizabeth Bay on Isabela Island
                    [ActivityOverview] => AM 3 hours hiking (2 miles), snorkeling; PM panga cruise
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In the morning, disembark at Moreno Point, which is located near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. The plethora of birds seen during the Zodiac ride along the striking rocky shores, and while walking along the path through lava rocks leading to tide pools and mangroves, create a birdwatcher\'s delight. In the tide pools, green sea turtles and white-tip sharks can be spotted.

In the afternoon, explore Elizabeth Bay. This is one of the island\'s breeding sites for penguins. Located along the west coast of Isabela, Elizabeth Point is a marine visitor site. Visit Red Mangrove Cove and look for brown pelicans, flightless cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays and sea lions. Return to the boat for cocktail hour and dinner.
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                    [Headline] => Hike & Kayak at Urbina Bay & Tagus Cove on Isabela Island
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After breakfast, explore Urbina Bay - famous for having uplifted 15 feet along 2 miles of coastline exposing corals and invertebrates in its strata. Follow your guide on the trail to look for Galápagos land iguanas, Galápagos hawks, finches, and giant tortoises (mostly seen between January and June.)

In the afternoon, visit Tagus Cove, located to the west of Darwin Volcano on Isabela Island. While walking, find several inscriptions (names of pirates) dating back to the 1800\'s. From here, you can see Darwin Lake, a salt water lake with a depth of approximately 30 feet. It contains no fish, but it is very common to see a variety of bird species.
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                    [Headline] => Discover Fernandina Island, the Archipelago\'s Youngest Island
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Awake at your anchorage near Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island - said to be the largest ecologically pristine island in the world and one of the highlights of the trip. As soon as you land in the volcanic landscape you will be amazed by hundreds of marine iguanas basking in the sun, as this is the largest colony of these unique reptiles. Sea lion pups often play in the tidal pools while flightless cormorants dry their miniaturized wings nearby. This is a great hunting ground for Galápagos hawks who often perch on the mangroves looking for lizards, baby iguanas, herons and doves. Look for sea turtles and rays in the shallow coves and channels along the shore.

In the afternoon, navigate to look for whales and dolphins, then go ashore at Albemarle Point, at the northern tip of Isabela. During WWII the U.S. built a radar base at this location to detect possible Japanese presence. In addition to the remnants of the base, see flightless cormorants, penguins, large marine iguanas and shore birds.
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                    [Headline] => Hike, Snorkel & Kayak on Santiago Island
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Wake for a landing on Santiago\'s dark, sandy volcanic beach of Puerto Egas. The trail follows the rocky coastline, where tide pools are home to sponges, hermit crabs, and fish including the world\'s only four-eyed blenny. Sea lions bask on the rocks, along with marine iguanas and shore birds. At the end of the trail, visit the grottos for a chance to see a colony of Galápagos fur seals up close. 

After lunch, make a wet landing on soft, sandy Espumilla Beach. Walk the island\'s lagoon and beach in search of raptors and finches before suiting up for cliff-side kayaking and snorkeling. Buccaneer Cove offers spectacular landscapes and a great location to kayak. It is also one of the finest snorkel places of the trip; you will be amazed by the array of colorful marine life, from angelfish and rays to sea turtles and white-tipped reef sharks.
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                    [Headline] => Santa Cruz Island\'s Dragon Hill and Black Turtle Cove
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Rise to explore Santa Cruz Island\'s Cerro Dragón, or Dragon Hill. Named after its large population of land iguanas, this area has a 1-mile long trail going inland around a cinder cone which is the home of a small and endangered colony of land iguanas, the only one on Santa Cruz Island. Near the beach, visit a small saltwater lagoon frequented by flamingos and shorebirds.

After the walk, snorkel in a protected cove to look for interesting tropical fish and reef sharks. Enjoy an afternoon excursion by panga to Santa Cruz Island\'s Black Turtle Cove and see a variety of bird and small shark species, as well as sea turtles, in a protected mangrove lagoon.
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                    [Headline] => Rábida and Sombrero Chino
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Arrive this morning for a nature walk at Rábida. The volcanic "small red island" is located near the center of the archipelago, and its red-sand beach is home to sea lions and pups. Behind the beach is a brackish lagoon, home to migratory shorebirds, wading birds, and ducks. Two species of boobies nest along the cliffs. 

This afternoon, anchor off of the small islet of Sombrero Chino. Snorkel with Galápagos penguins along the cliff face or swim with sea lion pups - another highlight of the trip! Back on the boat tonight, enjoy a festive farewell cocktail hour and a group dinner with the captain.
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                    [Headline] => North Seymour, Depart from the Galapagos in Baltra & Return to Quito
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Wake up early for a last excursion in the islands: a walk at North Seymour, a very interesting island with lots of wildlife. Spy frigatebirds displaying their red pouch to attract their partners while blue-footed boobies nest in the ground. Other common species are the endemic Swallow-tailed and Lava gulls, sea lions, land and marine iguanas and more. 

Return to the ship for breakfast and get ready to disembark at 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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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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