Ecuador Galapagos Adventure Cruise on the Integrity Tour

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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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 hotel\'s pool and 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 to Quito airport for a flight 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 Galapagos 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] => Floreana Island with Punta Cormorant, Champion Islet & Post Office Bay
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Please note that Days 4 to 9 may slightly vary depending on your departure date. From your anchorage off of Floreana island, venture ashore a green-tinged beach this morning to observe the flamingos and other water birds that frequent the lagoon at Punta Cormorant and see the white-sand Flour Beach where sea turtles come out at night to nest. Then cruise to Champion Islet and set out in pangas (small, motorized inflatable boats) for your first snorkeling opportunity (often with playful sea lions!), and look out for the rare Floreana Mockingbird. After lunch on board, return to shore for a visit to historic Post Office Bay, with its wooden barrel that has served as an informal post office in the archipelago since the 18th century. Continue to the Floreana highlands to see the local tortoises. Return to the yacht for cocktail hour and dinner.
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                    [Headline] => Moreno Point & Elizabeth Bay on Isabela Island
                    [ActivityOverview] => 2-hour walk (1.5 miles), 1 hr snorkeling, panga cruises
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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 panga 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. After the walk, you will have the opportunity to snorkel and see sea turtles, penguins and occasional cormorants and sea lions. In the afternoon, explore Elizabeth Bay, located along the west coast of Isabela. This is one of the island\'s breeding sites for penguins. Exploring the mangroves, channels and coves by panga, you\'ll have the chance to see many sea turtles, penguins, pelicans, flightless cormorants, herons and rays.
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                    [Headline] => Isabela\'s Urbina Bay and Fernandina Island, the Archipelago\'s Youngest Island
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Awake at your anchorage near Isabela Island\'s 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, and finches. You can also snorkle at this location and look for turtles, cormorants, a large diversity of fish and, with a bit of luck, octopus and lobsters. After lunch, continue to Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island - said to be the largest ecologically pristine island in the world and one of the highlights of the trip. This island is an active shield volcano which had an eruption as recently as 2018. Upon landing, take a walk on black lava fields in search of marine iguanas, colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs and Galápagos sea lions lounging in its lagoons. The island is also a nesting site for flightless cormorants.
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                    [Headline] => Isabela\'s Tagus Cove & Vicente Roca Point
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In the morning, visit Tagus Cove, located to the west of Darwin Volcano on Isabela Island. While walking, inspect the inscriptions left by pirates in the 1800\'s. From here, you can see Darwin Lake, perched above sea level, but full of saltwater. It contains no fish, but it is very common to see a variety of bird species. After the walk, cruise by panga along the coast of Isabela to look for wildlife. Snorkelers will have great chances of swimming with penguins, cormorants and sea lions. In the afternoon, disembark for an unforgettable panga cruise (with optional snorkeling) along the dramatic cliffs of Punta Vicente Roca, the remnants of an ancient volcanic caldera. Ride ocean swells beneath the cliffs in search of nesting boobies and explore a huge marine cave. A spectacular variety of sealife includes seahorses, sea turtles, and the strange but fascinating Mola-mola (sunfish).
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                    [Headline] => Hike & Snorkel on Santiago Island
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Wake for a landing on the 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 Santiago\'s 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. Perhaps the finest snorkel 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] => North Seymour Island and Santa Cruz Island\'s Black Turtle Cove
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Located near Baltra, North Seymour is home to an incredible diversity of species, including dense breeding colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds. Walk North Seymour\'s loop trail and keep an eye out for Swallow tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies, and colonies of both Magnificent and Great frigatebirds. The island is rich in sea birds, but look also for marine iguanas, huge land iguanas, sea lions and other smaller birds such as Darwin finches and mockingbirds. After the walk, get ready to snorkel in one of the sites with the highest diversity of fish you\'ll find on your trip. 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. Back on the boat tonight, enjoy a festive farewell cocktail hour and a group dinner with the captain.
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                    [Headline] => Depart from the Galapagos & Return to Quito
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After breakfast aboard the yacht, disembark and transfer to the Baltra airport for the return flight 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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Luxurious comfort aboard a sleek and modern yacht with a full crew to cater to your every need. Also includes an upscale hotel in Quito.

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.

Integrity

Experience cruising at its finest aboard the Integrity, a 141-foot luxury motor yacht customized to carry 16 guests in sheer comfort and style. Each of its eight elegant staterooms has large picture windows, individual climate control, en-suite bathrooms, and much more! Relax in the sleek salon or head to the top deck where a spa and bar await. You'll also find the Integrity's state-of-the-art stabilizers ensure a smooth cruise through Darwin's Islands. Snorkeling equipment and eight kayaks are also available for use. The Integrity conforms to the highest safety ratings and you will be welcomed by 10 crew members, plus a bilingual naturalist guide. This is one of the best options for those seeking a luxurious Galapagos wildlife adventure aboard a majestic yacht. See more images and deck plans here.

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