Galapagos vacations in Galapagos, Ecuador

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- Legend 4-day Cruise
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Galapagos vacations in Ecuador, Galapagos


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Galapagos tours in Ecuador, Galapagos
Legend 4-day Cruise


Itinerary for Legend 4-day Cruise





Sample Itinerary
: Central option -
subject to changes

Day 1 (Monday): Arrival & Santa Cruz Island Visit
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the Galapagos Legend.

This afternoon, dry landing on Santa Cruz Island. In the mountains of Galapagos, it is possible to admire different kinds of birds, such as tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets (usually standing on the tortoises’ shell). The journey to the reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrasts that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems. The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense humid forests. Often, Galapagos Giant Tortoises are also seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. This spot is a bird watchers’ haven since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here.
Activity Difficulty: easy (flat & muddy sometimes - seasonal conditions)
Activity Duration: 45-minute drive / 1 ½-hour walk


Day 2 (Tuesday): Genovesa Island
When visiting Prince Philip’s Steps (also known as 'El Barranco'), be marveled at the variety of sea life that uses the crevices of the lava cliffs for shelter. Red-billed Tropicbirds fly overhead, switching between their nests and the bay, and a small colony of fur seals may be found near the landing site. You will be dropped off at a steep stairway that begins on rocks at the foot of a path that leads through a seabird colony full of Nazca and Red-footed Boobies. At the plateau, the trail continues inland allowing you to see more nesting booby colonies in the thin Palo Santo forest. Near the end of the trail, over a rocky lava plain, Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels can be observed flying in all directions. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a Short-eared Owl.
Activity Difficulty: Moderate (rocky terrain – lava)
Activity Duration: 45-minute walk


In the afternoon, disembark onto a small sand and coral beach: Darwin Bay. A short trail heads west along a tidal lagoon and then up a rocky hill that leads to a point overlooking the cliffs and Darwin Bay. Along the trail near the tidal lagoon, visitors will see pairs of Swallow-tailed Gulls, Lava Gulls, Yellow-crowned and Lava Herons. The trail continues through Palo Santo trees, Opuntia cacti, and Saltbushes inhabited by Great Frigate birds and Red-footed Boobies. This is one of the few places in the islands where visitors are guaranteed to see Red-footed Boobies. It is estimated that more than 200,000 Red-footed Boobies live in the trees and bushes of Genovesa.
Activity Difficulty: Moderate (Sand & Lava)
Activity Duration: approx. 2 ½-hour walk


Day 3 (Wednesday): Dragon Hill & Santa Fe Island
After breakfast, dry landing at Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island). Walk by a brackish lagoon to see flamingos. The trail leads across typical dry zone vegetation. Keeping up until Dragon Hill, see an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, offering lovely views of the anchored boats and neighboring islands. The forest is home to mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, and Galapagos doves.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate (rocky terrain)
Activity Duration: 2-hour walk


Later that day, wet landing on Santa Fe island. this island shows white sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies; through the island path, an endemic cactus forest is passed, home the Santa Fe land iguanas (the largest in the islands). This island is the habitat for a number of species, including the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snakes, rice rats (one of the few endemic Galapagos rodents), a variety of finches and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate (rocky terrain)
Activity Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour deep-water snorkeling


Day 4 (Thursday): Departure
For our last expedition, wet landing at Bachas Beach. On the north side of Santa Cruz; behind the beach lies two small flamingo ponds were iguanas sunbathe, see coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native vegetation like red and black mangrove, salt bushes. This beach is one of the main sea turtles nesting sites in the Galapagos. A turtle can lay eggs 3 or 4 times per season with an average of 70 eggs each time. At this paradisiacal site, we will also find the remains of barges that sank a long time ago, when the United States Navy operated a base during World War II on Baltra Island. Local people modified the word barges to “Bachas”.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 1-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling/ beach time


After the visit, passengers will be transferred to the airport for their return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.




Sample Itinerary: East option - subject to changes

Day 1 (Monday): Arrival & North Seymour Island Visit
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the Galapagos Legend.

This afternoon, visit of North Seymour Island. This flat, uplifted, island is an important spot to see both magnificent and great frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their grossly inflated, bright red, gular pouch. We will also likely see courting blue-footed boobies displaying their unique feet while dancing to a prospective mate. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands top off a great visit.
Difficulty level: intermediate (rocky terrain)
Duration: 2-hour walk, 30 minutes snorkeling


Day 2 (Tuesday): Bartolome & Santiago Island
This morning, we explore Bartolome island. Considered the most iconic landscape of the entire archipelago the view from the top of Bartolome Island, overlooking the famous Pinnacle Rock and the austere Santiago Island beyond, is well worth the climb up the wooden boardwalk. This volcanic scene has often been likened to a lunar landscape. Our subsequent snorkel here might put us face to face with Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions.
Difficulty level: intermediate (trail made of 372 steps)
Duration: 1 ½-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling


After lunch, wet landing in Sullivan Bay. This site is located at the southeastern portion of Santiago island and is of important geologic interest. It features extensive relative Young pa-hoe-hoe lava flows formed during the last quarter of the 19th century. In the middle of the lava flow, older reddish-yellow-colored tuffe cones appear. Mollugo plants with their yellow-to-orange whorled leaves usually grow out of the fissures. Walking on the solidified lava gives the impression of being on another planet. tree modls are found, indicating that in that position, large size palnts gre in small crevices, until the lava flow of past éruptions burnt down the flora of the island.
Activity Difficulty: difficult (flat volcanic lava terrain)
Activity Duration: 1.5 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling


Day 3 (Wednesday): San Cristobal Island
Our exploration of San Cristobal island starts with a wet landing at Pitt Point, followed by a high intensity hike. The trail includes an olivine beach of 90 meters long and a path that climbs to the top of a volcanic tuff, through several magnificent viewpoints. This is probably the only site where the three booby species of the Galapagos can be seen together, as well as two species of frigatebirds and a sea lion colony; it is also excellent for dinghy rides and snorkeling, where a good range of sea birds can be observed.
Activity Difficulty: difficult (rocky terrain)
Activity Duration: 2h30 walk/ 40-minutes snorkeling or kayaking

In the afternoon, wet landing at Cerro Brujo, an eroding tuff cone that at several locations is composed of AA lava formations, and a beautiful white sand beach, great for snorkeling and sunbathing. We visit a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen: Black-necked Stilts, Ruddy Turnstones, Whimbrels, other sandpiper species and White-cheeked Pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal and the adjacent coast.
Activity Difficulty: easy (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 1-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling


Day 4 (Thursday): Departure
For our last morning expedition, we visit the moist Highlands of San Cristobal island. We will visit the giant tortoise breeding center La Galapaguera, to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in its various life stages. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photographic opportunities. the aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoises back into the wild. In town, there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.
Activity Difficulty: intermediate (sandy terrain)
Activity Duration: 40-minute bus drive to the Reserve / 1-hour visit

After the visit you will go straight to the airport for return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.
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Legend 4-day Cruise
Tour Code: ZZ-EC-GALP07-3
4 days / 3 nights ~$1,955.00
Dates: Available all Year

Level : Fitness Level
Difficulty Levels Explained
1. Easy
Easy pace and an average-to-sedentary level of fitness. You should be in good health and fit enough for full day of normal sightseeing and walking.
2. Easy to Moderate
An average level of fitness or some experience with the featured activity is recommended.
3. Moderate
Requires you to have performed the featured activity regularly, with some periods on challenging terrain. Activities are mandatory and you may be traveling at high elevations. You need to be in good health and physical condition to enjoy these trips, with adequate muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance.
4. Demanding
You must be extremely physically fit and are expected to hike or ride four to six hours over steep or more rugged terrain.
5. Strenuous
Prolonged hiking/biking on moderate to difficult terrain (five to nine hours a day).
May include high altitude, rugged terrain etc..
Introduction
Day to Day Itinerary
Rates | Dates
Accomodation
Airport: Baltra
Activities:
Cruising, snorkeling, wildlife

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