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A word From the couple...
Trev and I have been together for 7 years after meeting through mini's at Reading services and the rest is History! we got engaged last September whilst on holiday in the Maldives. We have used our pet tortoise Toby as inspiration for our honeymoon and we are off to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
We are going on a 7 night cruise for a part of our time in the Galapagos, we want to see the Charles Darwin research stations to learn about tortoise breading and rehabilitation in to the wild and meet lonesome George (the last giant tortoise of his type). Our full itinerary is below.
We also hope to go Snorkeling and horse riding on the Galapagos and also explore the 12 islands.
Our Itinerary...
Day 1 - flights
Heathrow to Amsterdam
Amsterdam to Quito
Day 2 - transfers
From Quito airport to Dann Carlton Quito hotel
Staying for 2 nights
Day 4 - transfers, flights, cruise
Transfers from Dann Carlton Quito hotel to Quito airport
Flight from Quito to Baltra, Galapagos Islands
Board the 7 night Galapagos legend cruise
The cruise
Day 4 - day 1 of the cruise: -
Arrive Galapagos (baltra airport) departure from Quito or Guayaquil to
Baltra (aprox. 2 and half hour flight). Passengers will be picked up at the airport and taken to the pier to the m/v Galapagos legend.
Bartolome dry landing. Passengers will see volcanic formations like lava bombs, spatter, and cinder cones. After a hike to the summit you'll be impressed by the view of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of pinnacle rock. During the hike to the summit, travelers will often see colonies of marine iguanas, lava lizards, tiquilla, lava cactus, scalecia tree and others. Visitors will be able to snorkel and see the galapagos penguin, sea turtles, and white tipped sharks from a safe distance.
Day 5 - day 2 of the cruise
Urbina bay (isabela) & punta espinosa (fernandina) wet landing.
Passengers will visit the fossil beach and coral area. Depending on the season you
May be able to observe giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants. After
The walk we will have time for snorkeling. Fernandina (espinosa point) wet landing.
Passengers will visit the volcanic ash beach and coral area. Depending on the season
You may be able to observe giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants.
After the walk we will have time for snorkeling.
Day 6 - day 3 of the cruise
Santiago (egas port) & rabida (jervis) wet landing on a beach of dark sand (volcanic ash). Most of the landscape is comprised of layers of rocks and lava flows. Here you can see great blue herons, striated herons, yellow-crowned night herons and american oystercatchers. Passengers will see marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds alongside red sally light-foot crabs. There is a colony of fur-seals swimming in pools of cool water. This is a place where you can swim, snorkel and look for squid, starfish and a variety of colorful tropical fish. Ravida (jervis) wet landing. The volcano-formed beach is dark red and frequented by sea lions. It's considered the geographic center of galapagos because it has the most diverse volcanic rocks on the islands. You'll hike to a salt water lagoon, where flamingos can sometimes be found. July through september is a good time to observe brown pelicans nesting in the salty
Bushes. Boobies and 9 species of darwin's finches can also be observed. You can take a dinghy ride by the reefs, as well as snorkel.
Day 7 - day 4 of the cruise (Suzys birthday)
Santa cruz (charles darwin research station) here you will be able to observe the giant tortoises that are part of the reproduction program and the world's most famous tortoise, lonesome george, the last urviving specimen of his species. Visitors can also admire the prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds. Later on, you'll have some free time to walk around town and shop for souvenirs. Santa cruz (highlands)travelers can trek through the highlands of santa cruz and visit cerro chato, where you'll be able to observe the famous giant tortoises in their natural
Habitat. Additionally, travelers can walk inside the dormant lava tubes.
Day 8 - day 5 of thje cruise
Santa cruz (bachas beach) & north seymour wet landing. This beach is located on north side of santa cruz island. Here you will encounter many sea birds, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and have the opportunity to walk on the white sand beach. Dry landing at north seymour. Guests wil encounter swallow tailed gulls and sea lions. This site is a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and has the largest
Colony of the magnificent frigate bird. Travelers will also spot both the marine iguanas and land iguanas.
Day 9 - day 6 of the cruise
Santa cruz (dragon hill) & floreana (punta comorant) dry landing. Passengers walk to a saltwater lagoon behind the beach, where on occasion many pink flamingos can be observed. This trail leads up to dragon hill, which offers a lovely view of the bay. This is a nesting site for reintroduced land iguanas, and there is also a holy stick forest. Floreana (cormorant point) wet landing on a greenish colored sand beach. Visitors will hike from the black mangrove beds to a large, brackish lagoon, which holds one of the biggest flamingo populations in the galapagos. This island features endemic plants such as scalesia villosa, galapagos daisies, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions. Please keep in mind this is an open-water activity; there is nothing to step on.
Day 10 - day 7 of the cruise
Espanola (suarez point) & san cristobal (galapaguera) dry landing. Visitors will learn more about the lava terrain and cross the inactive lava fields. Besides the sea lion colonies, this is a very important site for bird watching. Various bird species such as the mockingbird of espanola, nazca booby and tropic bird can be spotted and observed from very close. You will also see a large colony of marine iguanas, lava lizards, and rally light foot crabs. After a short trek visitors encounter
Colonies of nazca and blue-footed boobies. The nesting grounds sometimes overlap the trail. Visitors will also find galapagos doves, hawks and swallow-tailed gulls and then reach the world's largest colony of waved albatross. A major highlight is their mating season, from may through december. You'll visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots into the air about 23 m (75 ft). San cristobal (interpretation center or la
Galapaguera) dry landing at puerto baquerizo moreno. Passengers will visit san cristobal breeding center and learn about the national park's breeding program with the giant tortoises. Passengers will observe some animals in their natural environment. Passengers will also have the opportunity to the visit the town and go shopping for souvenirs and arts and crafts.
Day 11 - day 8 of the cruise
Santa cruz (carrion point) today, passengers go snorkeling to see a variety of tropical fish, manta rays or even harmless white-tipped reef sharks. Return to the galapagos legend, check-out.
Day 11 - transfer, hotel
From Baltra port to hotel - finch bay hotel in Baltra Galapagos Islands
Staying 6 nights
Day 17 - transfer, flights, hotel
Transfer from finch bay hotel to Baltra airport
Flight from Baltra to Quito
Transfer from Quito airport to Dann Carlton Quito hotel
1 night stay
Day 18 - transfer, flights
Transfer: from Dann Carlton Quito hotel to Quito airport
Flight Quito to Amsterdam
Day 19 - flight
From Amsterdam to Heathrow
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