Duration: 14 days/ 13 nights
2020 Dates: January 20th, February 17th, May 25th, July 6th, July 20th, August 3rd, October 12th, October 26th, November 9th.
2021 Dates: January 18th, March 1st, May 10th, May 24th, June 7th, July 5th, August 2nd, August 16th, September 27th, October 11th, October 25th, November 8th, December 20th
· Mentioned dates are Day 1 on the Itinerary.
ITINERARY:
DAY 1/ QUITO
Arrival. Reception at the airport and private transfer to your hotel. Later you’ll enjoy a private city tour to explore picturesque Old Town Quito, a World Heritage Site with plazas, churches and monasteries from the early colonial times. You’ll walk along quaint cobbled streets and visit Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Square) or Plaza Grande, with its Presidential Palace, Archbishop’s Palace, the Cathedral, Municipal Palace and nearby you’ll visit La Compañía, a Jesuit church overflowing with Baroque art and gold. You’ll also stop at Plaza de San Francisco and its church that have been a center of activity since pre-Incan times when the square was the Tianguez (main marketplace). There you’ll visit the church’s museum which houses four thousand pieces including sculptures and oil paintings from the Escuela Quiteña. After enjoying a snack at Café Tianguez you’ll walk to “La Ronda”, one of the first streets of the city known for the artisans’ workshops and restaurants. After La Ronda, you will visit one of the most popular viewpoints of Quito: El Panecillo Hill. It is topped by a 41m tall aluminum mosaic statue of La Virgen de Quito that features a crown of stars, angelic wings and a chained dragon. From the top you’ll be able to enjoy marvelous views of the sprawling city of Quito and the surrounding volcanoes in the distance.
Lodging at Boutique Hotel Mama Cuchara or Hotel Patio Andaluz for one night.
DAY 2/ QUITO – NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER
Private transfer to the airport to take your flight to the frontier town of Coca. Arrival and transfer to the Francisco Orellana Port a brief 5 minutes away from the airport. Here is where the adventure kicks off! At the port you will get on a motorized canoe to travel downstream on the Napo River, the major tributary of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. During the trip, you will have the chance to see different birds such as kingfishers, herons, and admire the incredible views of the Amazon jungle unfolding before your eyes. You’ll have a boxed lunch to enjoy during the journey. After a two hour ride along the Napo river, you will arrive at the Napo Wildlife Center’s dock entrance where you will have a short break and later continue to the lodge on paddle-canoes, as motorized canoes are not allowed within the reserve. This majestic and peaceful dugout canoe ride through a narrow stream will lead you to the Añagu Lake where the lodge is located. You will arrive at the Napo Wildlife Center late in the afternoon. Welcome drink, dinner and lodging. (B, L, D)
DAY 3/ NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER
Today’s adventure at the Napo Wildlife Center begins early in the morning. During this second day of the premium Amazon jungle tour you will witness one of the most incredible natural spectacles you will ever see: the parrot clay licks. It takes about an hour to get to the first parrot clay lick. The birds will begin to alight as you arrive between 7:30 to 8:30am. It is a true spectacle of colors as about 11 species of bird, including parrots, macaws and parakeets visit the clay licks every day to feed on the minerals-rich soil.
After observing this stunning natural display, you will hike along the forest trail to visit the Kichwa community of Añangu to spend time with the men, women, and children of the community, and learn about their every-day activities, routines, and ancestral customs and traditions. After saying goodbye to the families, you will continue your adventure. Upon returning to the creek, you will hike for 30 minutes throughout a terra firme forest until reaching the second parrot clay lick. Here you will have another dazzling experience of seeing a great variety of parrots, parakeets and macaws as you eat a delicious lunch. Dinner and lodging. (B, L, D)
DAY 4/ NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER
A delicious breakfast will be served at the NWC restaurant early in the morning. After that you will depart to the Canopy Observation Tower, a high platform from which you will get a close-up view of the most amazing sights of the jungle. The 12-floor tower, built next to a huge Ceiba tree, is about 30 minutes from the lodge within the terra firme forest. There are not enough words to describe it; you will have to see it yourself! Birds that are virtually impossible to see from the jungle floor will pass right beside you. Flocks of vibrantly colored tanagers, blue and yellow macaws, and large toucans fly past in the early mornings.
In the afternoon, after lunch back at the Napo Wildlife Center, you will venture along a terra firme trail to discover the beautiful and mysterious wildlife that hides in the forest interior. There is a great possibility you will spot lizards, different species of monkeys, including the endemic golden mantle tamarin monkey, rare and unique insects, and even some snakes! You will also explore the blackwater Añangu Lake and streams that are home to different species of fish and mammals such as the giant otter, a unique species only found in the Amazon. Dinner and Lodging. (B, L, D)
DAY 5/ NAPO WILDLIFE CENTER – QUITO
On this final day, you will depart after an early breakfast to go back to Coca. A ride in a paddle-canoe through the winding streams leads to the docking area and a motorized canoe ride to the frontier town. During this last excursion the creek may reveal new sights of rare bird species and monkeys. Perhaps a giant otter will show up to wave goodbye to you! Flight to Quito. Arrival and private transfer to your hotel. Lodging at Hotel Mama Cuchara or Hotel Patio Andaluz for one night. (B)
DAY 6/ SANTA CRUZ ISLAND/BALTRA – CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE-
HIGHLANDS & FAUSTO LLERENA BREEDING CENTER
Private transfer to the airport and flight to Galapagos. After arriving at Baltra airport, you will be greeted by and Angermeyer Cruises representative and then board a bus that will take you to the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island for your first visit in the Galapagos. The Highlands are lush and green in contrast to the arid coastal vegetation. The highland forests are dominated by the endemic Scalesia tree and are home to many bird species, including the short-ear owl. Here, you’ll have lunch at a local ranch while looking for the famous giant tortoises, which are in constant migration from the highlands to the coast. After lunch, you will head to Puerto Ayora for your second visit, the Fausto Llerena Tortoise Breeding Center.
In the breeding center, you will see tortoises from different islands. The animals are found in large semi natural pens for their protection, but also to ensure an easy view for the visitors. The pens are divided according to four different stages: eggs, neonates, juveniles (held here until they are mature enough to be “repatriated”) and adults. (B,L,D)
DAY 7/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE
PUNTA CORMORANT, DEVIL’S CROWN & POST OFFICE BAY
AM: You’ll spend the day on Floreana, legendary homestead of infamous Baroness Eloise Von Wagner de Bousquet. Wet landing onto the olivine beaches of Punta Cormorant, where you will be seeking Greater Flamingos on the brackish lagoon on your way to another special beach with the finest sand you’ll set foot on, a sea turtle nesting ground where sharks and rays also visit regularly. You’ll end the outing with a short panga ride to snorkel in the Devil’s Crown, and old volcanic crater and a key snorkeling site.
PM: After lunch, you will visit Post Office Bay (wet landing), where you can drop your postcards in the barrel as the whalers did centuries ago and select cards to hand deliver when you return home. (B,L,D)
DAY 8/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE
BLACK BEACH, ASILO DE LA PAZ & FULL AFTERNOON NAVIGATION
AM: This morning you will visit Floreana Island’s Black Beach to learn about the intriguing human history of the island and its first inhabitants. You will visit this fresh water source known as Asilo de La Paz, as well as the caves that served as hideouts for pirates and where the first Galapagueño was born, according to the stories of Floreana, which involve the infamous Baroness Eloise Wagner Von Bousquet and her lovers who mysteriously began to disappear after settling on the island.
PM: After your visit, you will have the best opportunity for a not-so-common yet well-beloved activity in the archipelago, a full afternoon navigation to look for whales and dolphins. This afternoon is completed by the impressive landscapes of Isabela and the Cerro Azul volcano. (B,L,D)
DAY 9/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE
PUNTA MORENO & URBINA BAY
AM: You’ll arrive at Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos. After breakfast, you’ll sept ashore at Punta Moreno (dry landing) onto a superb pahoehoe lava flow surrounded by giant shield volcanoes, some of which are still active!. From here you will take a short hike to a lagoon where flamingos are usually present.
PM: You’ll disembark at Urbina Bay (wet landing) onto a black sand beach, a nesting site for green sea turtles. You’ll take a brief hike inland in search of land iguanas and giant tortoises (seasonal) that migrate to and from the highlands. At the beach, you will admire the remains of a geological uplift exposing coral heads and marine fossils, and if the sea conditions and time are on our side, you will also snorkel in these waters. (B,L,D)
DAY 10/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE
TAGUS COVE & PUNTA ESPINOSA
AM: Dry landing near Tagus Cove, a historical pirate hideaway where names of countless ships are recorded for posterity on the cliff face. Hike through beautiful Galapagos landscapes to Darwin Lake, a salt-water crater lagoon surrounded by tuff stone.
PM: You’ll cross Bolivar Channel to Fernandina Island, one of the world’s most pristine sites, and disembark (dry landing) at Punta Espinosa.
Strolling along the shoreline, you will be on the lookout for flightless cormorants, Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos penguins and hawks, sooty-colored marine iguanas and bright red-orange Sally Lightfoot crabs.
(B,L,D)
DAY 11/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE
PUERTO EGAS, BUCANEER’S COVE & ESPUMILLA BEACH
AM: At Puerto Egas (wet landing) you’ll disembark on a dark sand volcanic beach with an interesting history of human settlement. Sleepy Galapagos fur seals lounge under arches of lava carved by the ocean and occasionally dip into the crystalline pools, also known as “grottos”. Walk along the shore and observe the abundant marine life.
PM: At Buccaneer Cove you will take a panga ride around the beautiful coastline. This place got its name because it used to be a refuge for British Buccaneers, which anchored here to collect supplies and clean their ships among other activities. The cove is very scenic with views of the cliffs and a dark beach. Do not forget to look for two unusual rock formations known as “the monk” and “elephant rock”. You’ll head to central Santiago to disembark at Espumilla (wet landing), onto a golden-colored sand beach, used by green sea turtles as a nesting site.
A forest trail will take you through some of the largest specimens of Palo Santo on the islands to observe yellow warblers, the amazing Galapagos flycatcher, and Darwin finches.
(B,L,D)
DAY 12/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE
SULLIVAN BAY & NORTH SEYMOUR
AM: You’ll head across the Sullivan Bay (dry landing) in Santiago to walk over a recent lava flow, including very fresh pahoehoe lava formations, lava bubbles containing crystallized minerals and pioneer plants. Along the shoreline, you may find Galapagos penguins and herons going after small fish.
PM: You’ll disembark on North Seymour (dry landing), a small uplifted island, where you will walk right up to bird nesting colonies of the two species of frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls, and experience, depending on the season, spectacular mating ritual displays.
(B,L,D)
DAY 13/ CRUISE S/S MARY ANNE – MOSQUERA ISLET /BALTRA – QUITO
AM: Mosquera is a small islet located between Baltra and North Seymour Islands and measuring about 160 meters across and 600 meters long. It is home to one of the largest sea lion colonies and is also a haven for shorebirds. Orcas occasionally come to the islet to feed n the sea lions. After this visit, the ship will sail to Baltra where passengers ending their trip will disembark and go to the airport. Flight to QUITO. Arrival and private transfer to your hotel.
Lodging at Hotel Eurobuilding or similar for one night. (B)
NOTE: During the cruise, in addition to the land visits there will be a good balance of other activities such as snorkeling, panga rides and kayaking.
DAY 14/QUITO – …..
Transfer to the airport and flight back to the U.S.A. (B)
END OF OUR SERVICES
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
– GALAPAGOS CRUISE for 8 Days/7 Nights aboard S/S Mary Anne GALAPAGOS Western Islands
– Local bilingual guides for all excursions. Programmed visits to the islands with a certified bilingual naturalist guide
-Lodging for 13 nights (3 nights in Quito at mentioned or similar category hotels + 3 nights at Napo Wildlife Center + 7 nights aboard S/S Mary Anne)
– Snorkel gear (mask, snorkel and fins).
– Kayaks
– Private transfers and excursion in Quito. Group Land and boat transportation and transfers in Galapagos and Amazon rainforest.
– Park Entrance fee to Yasuni National Park
– Meals as mentioned in itinerary: All breakfasts (B), 10 lunches (L), 10 dinners (D). Unlimited coffee, tea, water and natural juices aboard the S/S Mary Anne cruise and at Napo Wildlife Center
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE:
– International airline tickets
– Flights Quito/Galapagos (Baltra Airport)/Quito. Airfare may vary from about $450 per person. Flights Quito/Coca/Quito that will cost about $250 per person
– Galapagos National Park entrance fee. Galapagos Transit Control Card.
– Wet suit rental fee
– Personal expenses, tips.
– Alcoholic drinks and bottled beverages, and other meals or services not mentioned in the itinerary description
