Galapagos Cruise, Otavalo & Chaski Route
9 days/8 nights

Day 1 - Quito

Transfer in Quito – Hotel accommodation.

Day 2 - Quito

Breakfast included. Colonial city tour, exploring the bustling streets and squares of the largest historical center in the Americas. Visit some of its most important churches such as the majestic La Compañía and iconic San Francisco, guardians of a stunning multi-ethnic artistic and cultural heritage.

Hotel accommodations.

Day 3 - Quito, Peguche, Cotacachi, Magdalena, Karanki Community

The tour includes landscapes of towering volcanoes. Visit the village of Peguche with its traditional looms and handcrafted Andean instruments. Arrive in Magdalena, once home to Atahualpa, the last of the Incan emperors; the Karanki community inhabits a paradise lost in time amongst llamas and condors, peaceful lagoons and the patchwork slopes of Imbabura Volcano. Admire the beauty of their embroidery, share their everyday shepherding and harvesting activities and stand face-to-face with a people untouched by the urgencies of modern life.

Overnight in a comfortable room with private facilities and hot water and experience the most authentic Andean food. The nature of this hidden mountain niche can be enjoyed in a series of optional activities such as horseback riding, mountain biking, or hiking up to the nearby hills. Breakfast & Dinner Included.

Day 4 - Otavalo Market, Ibarra, “Chaski Antaaw” train, Salina, Quito

Visit the Indigenous market of Otavalo for an arts and crafts shopping adventure; then drive to Ibarra and catch the Caski Antawa train. Landscapes provide a magical setting as you pass through mysterious tunnels, cross bridges spanning canyons and gullies, and admire a unique biodiversity. Arrive in the Afro Ecuadorian community of Salina, well known for its agriculture activities. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Day 5 - 8 - Galapagos, “a living museum and sample of evolution.”

Cruise all-inclusive aboard M/VGalapagos Legend. Departing Quito, local round-trip airfare to Galápagos. Transfer from hotel to airport (shuttle service) and to and from the dock included.

Just like Darwin in 1835 you will tour the “Enchanted Islands,” history’s greatest show on earth and we will be providing you with the best seats on board. Only a special few have the chance to travel through this paradise, sailing on a charming casual ship with nautical interior decoration of wood and brass especially designed for the islands. Enjoy the Jacuzzi or swimming pool, sun deck, bar, and sea view cabins with private facilities and air conditioning.

Interactive experience with the wildlife, which seems to have been bewitched, because it has no fear of man. Witness spectacular sunsets, swim and snorkel amongst the tropical fish, manta rays, sea lions, swordfish, sea turtles and other marine wildlife at any time of the year in the warm clear waters of the beaches.

Our nature guides lead shore excursions twice a day. Attend lectures explaining the geology, history, evolution, flora and fauna. (lectures are provided in numerous languages) Our fine array of meals will amaze you, from the buffet breakfast and gourmet dinners to the ice cream festivals and night barbecues.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 5 - North Seymour

Dry landing. Guests will see 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 see both marine iguanas and land iguanas. Opportunities for snorkeling.

Day 6 - Santa Cruz (Dragon Hill or Venice)

Wet landing. Walk to a salt-water pond behind the beach, where pink flamingos can occasionally be observed as well as a view of the bay. This is a nesting site for reintroducing land iguanas, and there is also a Scalesia tree forest nearby.

Passengers may opt to take a dinghy to Venice islet and observe the vegetation and marine animals such as spotted eagle rays, golden rays, mullets, sharks and sea turtles.

Floreana (Cormorant Point): Wet landing. From a greenish-colored sand beach hike from the black mangrove beds to a large, brackish lake which holds one of the largest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. Endemic plants like the Galapagos milkwort, passion flower and button mangrove can also be found here. Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions.

Day 7 - Española (Suárez Point)

Dry landing. Learn more about the lava terrain and cross the inactive lava fields. In addition to the sea lion colonies, this is a very important site for bird watching. Many species such as the hooded mocking bird and red-billed tropic bird can be seen and observed closely. See a large colony of marine iguanas, lava lizards, and Sally Light-foot crabs. After a short trek, visitors will see colonies of masked and blue-footed boobies. Their nesting grounds sometimes overlap the trail. Visitors will also find Galapagos doves, hawks and swallow-tailed gulls and finally we 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 about 23 m (75 ft) up into the air.

San Cristóbal (Interpretation Center or La Galapaguera): Dry landing at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Passengers will visit San Cristóbal breeding center and learn about the National Park’s breeding program with the giant tortoises. Passengers will observe animals in their natural environment.

Day 8 - Santa Cruz (Carrión Point)

During this visit you can snorkel and see a variety of fish, rays and perhaps the harmless white-tip reef sharks. From Punta Carrion the short navigation is through the beautiful Itabaca Channel with its turquoise waters. Return to the Galapagos Legend, check-out and transfer to the airport. For passengers taking a 7-night cruise stay on board.

Galapagos to Quito or Guayaquil.

Transfer in. Hotel accommodations

Day 9 - Quito

Transfer out. End of services.

PLEASE NOTE:

*Order of the above program may vary slightly depending on the operational days of the tours*

Cruise supplements for M/V Galapagos Legend (net rates)

For 5 days 4 nights cruise becomes 10-day 9-night package for $2,740.

For 8 days 7 nights cruise becomes 13-day/12 night package for $3,990

*We can arrange the Itinerary to work with any Cruise option that you take*