Eclipse Galapagos Cruise 8 days Itinerary & Galapagos Cruise description

ECLIPSE

Overview

Quick Info
Price: From USD 4850 Days: 8 Ship: Eclipse Place: Galapagos Islands.
Overview
Seven nights and eight days to discover the Galapagos Islands aboard the ship Eclipse, this ship is over the other options available on ships of this type Facilities first, with an elegant interior dining room and outdoor deck, where you can enjoy the spectacular scenery of the islands while enjoying a delicious lunch. Spacious cabins with large windows to watch the sea. The Eclipse has a bar inside and an outdoor bar, Jacuzzi, boutique to buy a wide range of items and souvenirs. It is important to know that the ship has a well equipped infirmary and provides medical services and medicines at no additional cost The service offered by the crew and staff of the Eclipse, is designed to enjoy the most of every moment of every adventure prepared itinerary is within the crossing. This crossing is composed of several activities within the boat, water sports and activities on land. Quote: hike, SWIN, snorkel, kayak, bird watch and take great close-up photographs of the flora and fauna. With certified naturalist guides. Bring children to the Galapagos is a really rewarding experience, for this reason are family trips during March, April, July, August and December. Specialized guides are assigned to educate and entertain their children during the day, allowing them to make their own discoveries about the history of evolution and the wonders of the islands, while you enjoy the cruise without worry.

PRICE 2010 (USD)
SEASON	STATEROOMS	NUMBERS	8 DAYS
ALL YEAR	Deluxu	17-20	5750
	Superior	21-28	5350
	Single Staterooms	1-2	5000
	Staterooms	3-15	4850

Single Supplements are assessed as follows: • 1.5 x the twin rate for Staterooms; 2 x the twin rate for Superior and Deluxe Staterooms. • Single Supplements do not apply to the fuel surcharge Triple Occupancy: • 3rd person in Deluxe Stateroom (adult) is assessed at the current twin Stateroom cabin rate. • 3rd person in Deluxe Stateroom (child) is assessed at the current twin Stateroom cabin rate, less child discount.

◊ PRICE INCLUDES

•   All shore excursions
•    All meals while onboard
•    All soft drinks and juices onboard
•    VIP lounge on outbound flight from Galapagos
•    Complimentary use of snorkeling equipment
•    Complimentary use of wet suits
•    Complimentary one-time fully stocked minibar in Deluxe Staterooms

◊ PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

•    Air tickets to and from the Galapagos Islands.
•    Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee USD100,00 per adult / USD50,00 per
      child under 12 years
•    Galapagos Government Fuel Tax USD180,00 per person (adults and children)
•    Tourist Transit Card TCT at USD10,00 per person (adults & children)
•    Accommodation in Quito or Guayaquil and Airport transfers
•    Guide and crew gratuities
•    All alcoholic beverages

Other considerations:

•    Prices are in US Dollars, per person for 7 night cruises.
•    Cruise prices, Air tickets, National Park fee, TCT prices and Galapagos Government Fuel Tax are subject to change without prior notice in the event of circumstances beyond our control.
•    Short cruises (5 nights) are subject to availability and are not accepted during Christmas & New Year departures.
•    On Family Departures children are accepted from the age of 5 - please ask for our Family Friendly cruise dates.
•    On Non-Family Departures children are accepted from the age of 10.
•    Children under 12 will benefit from 25% discount over the gross rates on all departures except Easter, Christmas and New Year cruises.

Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

• Day 1: Saturday

Galapagos Islands Naturalist Cruises, Eclipse

Morning: Arrive at Baltra Airport – Galapagos Islands

The flight from Quito (via Guayaquil) to the Galapagos Islands takes approximately 2.5 hours. Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you will be met by your guides, who will escort you on a short bus ride to the harbor. Motorized dinghies, known locally as “pangas” will transport you to the Eclipse, where the captain and crew will welcome you aboard. After departure there will be a briefing, lunch and a safety drill.

Afternoon: Las Bachas Beach – Santa Cruz Island

Las Bachas Beach is located in the north of Santa Cruz. Its soft, white sand is derived from decomposed coral, making it a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. Behind the beach there is a small brackish water lagoon, where it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels.

Type of landing: Wet
Water activities: Brief swim

• Day 2: Sunday

Morning: Puerto Egas – Santiago Island

Puerto Egas (James Bay) is located on the northwest side of Santiago. The landing is on a black beach with eroded rock formations in the background. The trail crosses the dry interior, where the remains of a salt mining enterprise can still be seen, and then continues along the coast. Tidal pools are home to a variety of invertebrate organisms, including sea urchins, octopus and starfish. The trail leads to the Fur Seals Grottos, one of the only places in the islands where they can be seen. After the walk, you will have time to swim or snorkel off the beach, where you will see sea lions, fish and maybe some turtles and reef sharks.

Type of landing: Wet
Water activities: Swimming and snorkeling

Afternoon: Bartolomé Island

Bartolomé is a small island that has two visitor sites. At the first site, you can swim and snorkel around Pinnacle Rock, where penguins are usually seen. Back on board for a quick change of clothes and then it is a short dinghy ride to a dry landing for a climb to the highest point on the island. On the way up, you will encounter different volcanic formations, including spatter and tuff cones, lava flow and lava tubes. From the summit you will have a wonderful view of Sullivan Bay.

Type of landing: Wet at first site and dry at second site
Water activities: Swimming and snorkeling

• Day 3: Monday

Morning: Cerro Dragón – Santa Cruz Island

The name Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) stems from the fact that it was one of the few sites on Santa Cruz Island where a healthy population of land iguanas were found in 1975. After landing at a pier, a hike takes to you to a salt water lagoon behind the beach, frequented by common stilts, pintail ducks and occasionally flamingos. A short walk up the hill leads you to a land iguana nesting site, with breathtaking views of the bay. You will have the chance to go swimming after the walk.

Type of landing: Dry
Water activities: Swimming

Afternoon: Rábida Island

Rábida is a small island with red volcanic rocks surrounding a beautiful red sand beach, where there is a colony of sea lions and a pelican nesting site. The trail leads to a salt water lagoon where shore birds can be seen. Rábida is considered to be one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos Islands, and you will also have the opportunity to go kayaking.

Type of landing: Wet
Water activities: Swimming, snorkeling and kayaking

• Day 4: Tuesday

Morning: Tagus Cove – Isabela Island

Tagus Cove was historically used as an anchoring place for pirates, buccaneers and whalers. Here you will see the names of hundreds of ships painted on the high ridges (a practice now forbidden). Depending on the season, you will go hiking, snorkeling or kayaking. On the hike, the trail goes through an area of vegetation and the volcanic landscape of Darwinvolcano. At the top of the trail, you will enjoy an incredible view of the whole cove and Darwin Lake.

The morning activity is followed by a panga ride, where you will have the opportunity to see a large number of blue-footed boobies perched on the ledges of the cliffs, as well as marine iguanas, penguins, brown pelicans, brown noddy terns and swallow-tailed gulls. While exploring the channel between Fernandina and Isabela Islands, we sometimes encounter dolphins and whales.

Type of landing: Dry or wet, plus panga ride
Water activities: Snorkeling and kayaking (depending on the season)

Afternoon: Elizabeth Bay – Isabela Island

Elizabeth Bay is one of the furthest points of the Galapagos that we will visit on our cruise. A panga ride around two islets called the Marielas offers a wide variety of bird life, such as flightless cormorants, herons, and blue-footed boobies. Then we will enter a sheltered cove – a wonderful mangrove ecosystem that is a refuge for sea turtles and rays.

Panga ride only

• Day 5: Wednesday

Morning: Punta Espinoza – Fernandina Island

Fernandina last erupted in 1995. La Cumbre Volcano dominates the landscape, with lava fields stretching towards the ocean from its base. Punta Espinosa is a narrow piece of land where some of the most unique Galapagos species can be seen, including the flightless cormorant, Galapagos snakes, marine iguanas, penguins and the Galapagos hawk.

Type of landing: Dry

Afternoon: Punta Vicente Roca – Isabela Island

Punta Vicente Roca is a wonderful snorkeling site, where you can usually see turtles as well as all kinds of fish. After the snorkeling you will go on a panga ride, which will give you the opportunity to study some of the Galapagos’ spectacular geological rock formations. Nazca boobies, pelicans, swallow-tailed gulls, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and penguins are often seen in the area.

Panga ride only
Water activities: Snorkeling

• Day 6: Thursday

Morning: Charles Darwin Research Station – Santa Cruz Island

On your visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station you will gain insight into the huge efforts being made by scientists, guides, rangers and park managers to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see the famous Galapagos tortoises that are the islands’ namesake. After the visit you will have some free time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora.

Type of landing: Dry

Afternoon: Santa Cruz Highlands – Santa Cruz Island

From Puerto Ayora you will travel by bus to the lush, green highlands of Santa Cruz, where you will visit a tortoise reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings. You will have the opportunity to walk through lava tunnels so take a flashlight if you have one. Optional activities such as biking, relaxing on the beach or just strolling in town are available.

Type of landing: Dry

• Day 7: Friday

Morning: Gardner Bay – Española Island

Gardner Bay offers the chance to enjoy a wonderful white sandy beach. It is home to one of the most important colonies of sea lions, and it is also a nesting site for sea turtles. After the beach time you will have a chance to deep water snorkel from the panga, or go kayaking.

Type of landing: Wet
Water activities: Swimming, snorkeling and kayaking

Afternoon: Punta Suarez – Española Island

Punta Suarez is one of the most popular and attractive sites in the Galapagos. Due to its isolation from other islands, it has a high proportion of endemic fauna. A few steps inland from the landing site, groups of Española marine iguanas bask in the sun. Further inland, Nazca and blue-footed boobies nest almost on the trail, Galapagos doves peck around unaware of visitors and finches go about their business. The trail continues towards a blowhole, which is a fissure in the lava where water spurts high into the air like a geyser. The cracks in the cliffs are home to swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds. Further up the cliff in an area of low-lying trees you will find waved albatrosses nesting. The 10,000 to 12,000 pairs of albatrosses on Española represent the entire population of this species on the planet. They perform one of the most spectacular courtship rituals of the animal world.

Type of landing: Dry

• Day 8: Saturday

Sharks Galapagos Ecuador Pioneer Journeys, Eclipse

Morning: Black Turtle Cove – Santa Cruz Island

Black Turtle Cove is one of the most beautiful marine sites in Galapagos.
It is a complex maze of tranquil salt-water inlets, surrounded by three different species of mangrove. Its waters are a resting site for sea turtles, rays and sharks. This site is only accessible by panga.

Panga ride only

Departure from Baltra Airport

IMPORTANT:

Being certified with the Rainforest Alliance “Smart Voyager” program since November 2007, the protection of the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands is our first priority and we are proud to fulfill the highest standards of management practices in an environmentally sensitive destination
All departures are subject to permission from the National Park and can be changed due to logistics, to weather conditions or other unforeseen problems.

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Eclipse, Activities