Itinerary:

Day 1 – U.S. / Quito
 
Fly to Quito.


Day 2 – Quito (Ecuador)
 
Upon flight arrival at Quito, capital of Ecuador, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Meal: Dinner

Lodging: Swissotel Quito


Day 3 – Quito

Declared a "World Heritage Site"by UNESCO in 1978, Quito is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the Americas.

Full day sightseeing of Quito; Visits of The Basílica del Voto Nacional, Basilica the highest church in Ecuador, walk the Street of the Seven Crosses Plaza Grande main square, La Compañía Church – considered the finest in Latin America, come to the heart of the Old Town, the Plaza de la Independencia Here you’ll be able to take in the Government Palace , the Archbishop’s Palace, the Municipal Palace and the Cathedral.

You will also stop at the Equatorial Monument, which marks the middle of the world. Ecuador straddles the equator, from which it takes its name.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Lodging: Swissotel Quito


Day 4 – Quito / Galapagos, San Cristobal Island

San Cristobal Island, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Fly to the Galapagos, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to begin the cruise, arriving on San Cristobal, easternmost of the Galapagos Islands.  Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the capital of the Galapagos province and the location of the extraordinary Interpretation Center for Galapagos National Park.  You’ll board ship and settle into your cabin. Your seagoing home is the M/V Galapagos Explorer II, a 293-foot, first-class ocean-going cruise ship that carries 100 passengers.  Comfortable cabins feature air-conditioning, private bathrooms and a small sitting area. Experienced naturalists lead shore expeditions to seek out wildlife and help you to learn about the fascinating natural history of these volcanic islands. When you’re not exploring, you and your children can enjoy the ship’s jacuzzi, solarium and reading room without experiencing the motion of a smaller vessel.
 
Your first day in Galapagos you'll visit one location near San Cristobal Island. At Cerro Brujo (wet landing), you`ll go to the beach for swimming and snorkeling activities. You can see: blue footed boobies, brown pelicans, coast bird (whimbrels, sander lings, etc), Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers. Free time to walk on the beach.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Cruising aboard M/V Galapagos Explorer II


Day 5 – Española Island (Hood Island)

Morning: Punta Suarez, Hood Island

This morning you visit Hood Island, southernmost island of the archipelago.  ecause it is so isolated, the island has a large population of indigenous wildlife.  You will explore Punta Suarez, one of the most spectacular spots in the Galapagos, where you’ll look for sea lions surfing the breaking waves and groups of iguanas basking in the sun.  Further inland, Masked and Blue-footed Boobies nest beside the trails.  You can hike a trail towards the cliffs to the Blowhole, a fissure in the lava cliffs where seawater jets high in the air.

Afternoon: Gardner Bay, Hood Island

About 1km long beach that is among the most magnificent in all Galapagos. It is home to many sea lion colonies and the turquoise colored water makes a beautiful contrast to the white sand that consists of shell dust. Mocking birds fight for their territory and inspect the backpacks of the tourists. About 50m of the coast there is a rock where you can encounter tropic fish and rays while snorkeling. But more spectacular is the Gardner Rock that can be reached with a dinghy. It is home to white-tipped reef shark, cactus finch and other colorful sea dwellers and very popular among snorkel.

Activities: Walks, snorkeling in deep water (experience is required), beach.
Wildlife:   Hood Mockingbird, Lava Lizards, Galapagos Dove, Large Cactus Finch, marine iguanas and sally light-foot crab.
Vegetation: saltbush, Palo Verde, acacia and mesquite bushes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Cruising aboard M/V Galapagos Explorer II


Day 6 - Santa Cruz Island / Rabida Island

Wildlife viewing, hiking, Charles Darwin Research Station  & Rabida island.

Morning: Charles Darwin Station, Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora Town, Charles Darwin Station

In the afternoon, you will visit Santa Cruz Island, landing in Puerto Ayora Town. Visit Darwin Station to learn about the research conducted on the island. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a Galapagos tortoise breeding and rearing center, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats.  Afterwards, you can stroll through Puerto Ayora, largest town on the islands.

Afternoon: Rabida Island

A small island (5 km2), covered by dry and coastal vegetation, and has a central volcano of 367 m2. Rabida contains the largest variety of lava types, being red the dominant color. A salt-water lagoon provides occasional sights of Flamingos. While the beach holds a large sea lion colony, fur seals also may be seen here.  Red sands and teal waters characterize this island. Sea lions cover the waterfront, and the bull is always making a show of his bravado.  There's a short walk to the top of the trail where you can take fabulous photos of the clear waters and volcanic peaks. There's also great snorkeling. Keep near the rocks and keep your eye out for sharks and rays.

Activities:  Walks, snorkeling, bird watching.
Wildlife:  Flamingos, Galapagos Hawks, Penguins, Pelicans, Sea Lions
Vegetation: Opunia Cactus, Palo Santo, Scrubby bush

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Cruising aboard M/V Galapagos Explorer II


Day 7 – Santa Cruz Island / Baltra Island / Quito or Guayaquil / U.S.

Morning: Bachas Beach – Santa Cruz Island

White sand beach where you can see some nesting site for sea turtles, it is a delightful swimming beach, with a small lagoon behind, where you can see flamingos, and marine iguanas frequent the shore. Whimbrels, blue heron, pelican, Sally Lightfoot crab and other species.

Afternoon:
Disembark: passengers will take a zodiac ride to the Baltra pier and after that a 15 minutes bus ride to the Baltra airport.

Return flight to Quito or Guayaquil. Connect International flight to U.S.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch


Day 8 – U.S.

Flight arrival in U.S.