Eclipse

Código:

Day 1

• Arrival at the airport & transfer to the dock
• Check-in to your cabin
• Introductory briefing & safety drill
• Lunch
• Panga ride to Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
• Black Turtle Cove is one of the most beautiful marine sites in the Galapagos. It is a complex maze of tranquil salt-water inlets, surrounded by three different species of mangrove. Its waters are a nursery site for sea turtles, rays and sharks as well as a nesting site for sea birds. This site is only accessible by panga. Difficulty level: Easy
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Welcome cocktail
• Dinner

Day 2

• Breakfast
• Wet landing at Rabida Island
• Snorkeling and panga ride at Rabida 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 not only considered to be one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos Islands, but it´s great for kayak and panga rides. Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate.
• Back on board
• Lunch
• Wet landing at Puerto Egas, Santiago Island
• Swimming and snorkeling from the beach.
• Puerto Egas (James Bay) is located on the northwest side of Santiago Island. 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. You will also see marine iguanas, finches, oyster catchers and possibly the Galapagos Hawk. The trail leads to the Fur Sea Lion Grottos, one of the only places in the islands where these unique animals 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, rays and maybe some reef sharks. Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate.
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Dinner

Day 3

• Breakfast
• Dry landing at Tagus Cove, Isabela Island for power hike
• Kayaking, snorkeling or panga ride along the cliffs.
• 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). On the hike, the trail goes through an area of vegetation and the volcanic landscape of Darwin volcano. At the top of the trail, you will enjoy an incredible view of the whole cove and Darwin Lake. The early morning activity is followed by kayaking or 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. Difficulty level: Easy to Difficult (panga ride is easy; hike up to lake can be strenuous for some)
• Back on board to lunch
• Dry landing at Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island
• Fernandina Island is one of the most pristine ecosystems in the entire world and also one of the most dynamic. La Cumbre Volcano last erupted in April 2009, and also dominates the landscape, with lava fields stretching towards the ocean from its base. Punta Espinoza 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. Difficulty level: Moderate
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Dinner

Day 4

• Breakfast
• Disembark at Urbina Bay for excursion.
• Urbina Bay is located in Western Isabela, at the foot of Alcedo volcano. After a wet landing on a beautiful black-sand beach, you may be able to observe sea turtle nesting sites. This area is also known for penguin and flightless cormorant sightings and is one of the best places to see Darwin’s finches as well as large land iguanas. Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.
• Back on board and lunch
• Panga ride along Punta Vicente Roca or deep water snorkeling.
• Be on the lookout for Galapagos tortoises which like to feed within the site’s dense vegetation Punta Vicente Roca is a wonderful snorkeling site, where you can usually see turtles as well as all kinds of fish. For those who do not snorkel, a panga ride 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. Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Dinner

Day 5

• Breakfast
• Dry landing at Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Station Afterward bus ride to the highlands of Santa Cruz to see wild giant tortoises.
• On your visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station you will gain insight into the great 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 we drive to the green highlands of Santa Cruz, where you will visit a tortoise reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings. Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.
• Back on board and lunch
• Optional afternoon activities
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Dinner

Day 6

• Breakfast
• Dry landing at El Barranco on Genovesa Island.
• Genovesa, or Tower Island, is the northernmost island that is allowed to be visited by naturalist (non-diving) cruises. This island is extremely remote and home to literally millions of birds belonging to many different species including the red footed booby as well as frigates, swallow-tailed gulls and even endemic owls! There are two sites on Genovesa that are visited by the M.V. Eclipse. El Barranco, also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps, is a steep path with stairs carved into the rock which leads to a plateau full of bird life amongst a Palo Santo forest. You will see Nazca boobies, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds and petrels. With some luck, you may spot a short-eared lava owl. Difficulty level: Moderate.
• Back on board and lunch
• Wet landing and excursion at Darwin Bay Beach.
• Darwin Bay’s soft, coralline white sand is only the beginning of a spectacular excursion. A trail from the beach takes you into lush mangroves where red footed boobies nest. Other locals include sea lions, swallow-tail gulls, frigates and more. Snorkeling is a must here as sharks, colorful reef fish, rays and tortoises are common. Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Dinner

Day 7

• Breakfast
• Disembark at Bartolome Island for excursion, snorkeling or panga ride.
• Bartolome is a small island that has two visitor sites. At the first site, you can snorkel around Pinnacle Rock, where penguins are usually seen. Then, it’s back on board for a quick change of clothes followed by 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. For those not interested in the hike, there is the option of a panga ride. Usual fauna and flora also includes sea lions, pioneer plants, reef sharks, rays and colorful reef fish. Difficulty Level: Moderate. Walk up 375 low-grade stairs to top of volcano at a slow to moderate pace.
• Back on board and lunch
• Dry landing and excursion at Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz Island.
• Beach time, swim and snorkel at Cerro Dragon.
• 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. Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.
• Back on board
• Briefing next day program
• Dinner

Day 8

• Disembark at Bachas Beach for excursion
• Las Bachas Beach is located in the north of Santa Cruz Island. 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 lagoon, where it is possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels. Difficulty level: Easy.
• Breakfast
• Luggage out & vacate cabins
• Galapagos documentary shown in main lounge
• Snack in the al fresco dining area
• Disembark for airport transfer
• Plane departs