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Elife Travel - Amérique latine Tours - Équateur Tours - Pacifique Tours - Équateur (Nord) Tours - Navigation Tours - Galapagos - Îles centrales et occidentales à bord du Treasure
Explore Galapagos - Central & West Islands aboard the Treasure for 9 days with Explore! and discover unforgettable experiences - Photo 2

Galapagos - Îles centrales et occidentales à bord du Treasure

Country:

Équateur

Flight:

Not included

Favorite

Tour type:

Tour id:

260112

Share:

  • Operator:

    Explore!

  • Length:

    9 days

  • Group size:

    16 pax

  • Age:

    16 to 85

  • Difficulty:

    Difficulty levels:
    • Relaxant
    • Facile
    • Modéré
    • Difficile
    • Très difficile
  • 05.09-13.09.25 scheduled icon
  • 19.09-27.09.25 scheduled icon
  • 03.10-11.10.25 scheduled icon
  • 17.10-25.10.25 scheduled icon
  • 31.10-08.11.25 scheduled icon
  • 14.11-22.11.25 scheduled icon
  • 28.11-06.12.25 scheduled icon
  • 12.12-20.12.25 scheduled icon
  • 26.12-03.01.26 scheduled icon

En voyageant à bord du catamaran rénové Treasure of the Galapagos, découvrez la chaîne d'îles qui a enchanté les explorateurs depuis que Darwin a jeté l'ancre pour la première fois sur ses côtes. Passez six nuits à découvrir l'incroyable faune et la flore de l'archipel des Galápagos dans le confort, avec accès au balcon de votre cabine privée ainsi qu'à un jacuzzi sur le pont soleil. En voyageant entre les îles centrales et occidentales, vous aurez l'occasion d'explorer la terre et la mer ; faites de la plongée avec masque et tuba à Vicente Roca et repérez de grands bancs de poissons tropicaux, trouvez le manchot des Galápagos près de l'île Isabela et dirigez-vous vers les hautes terres verdoyantes de Santa Cruz pour voir des tortues géantes dans leur environnement naturel.

Catamaran Treasure of the Galapagos - Passez six nuits en croisière à bord de ce catamaran de première classe avec un guide naturaliste, un équipage expérimenté et le luxe d'un jacuzzi à bord

Observation de la faune - Nagez avec les lions de mer et le manchot des Galápagos, et repérez le cormoran, les fous à pieds bleus, les iguanes et les tortues géantes sur terre, parmi de nombreuses autres espèces

Plongée en apnée et marche - Découvrez un paradis sous-marin ainsi qu'un paysage volcanique, grâce à des excursions quotidiennes de plongée en apnée et à terre.

Tour program

Day 1

Jour 1 : Rejoignez le voyage à Puembo, Quito

Arrive in Puembo, a quiet rural neighbourhood of Quito located around 20 minutes from the airport and 45 minutes from the downtown city centre. Ecuador's mountain capital is, at 2,850m, the second highest capital in Latin America, lying in a narrow valley at the foot of the Pichincha Volcano. Arriving into the city by plane is quite spectacular as you approach over snow-capped mountains and extinct volcanoes - a window seat is recommended! You will be met on arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) by a driver to take you to this evening's hotel, where more information will be given to you about tomorrow's schedule. The hotel is a tranquil, colonial-style property with a large garden and swimming pool. It's located in the countryside suburbs of Quito, near the airport; perfect for an early start tomorrow. The hotel can help organise a taxi for you into downtown Quito if you arrive early in the day and wish to visit the city.
Today transfer to the airport early for your flight to the Galapagos Islands via Guayaquil (refueling stop only, you will not disembark the plane). Lying on the Equator, 970km west of the Ecuadorean coast, the Galapagos National Park is a unique collection of islands, formed by volcanoes over hundreds of thousands of years and consisting of six main islands, 12 smaller islands, and over 40 small islets, each one supporting a distinct and unique flora and fauna, including prehistoric creatures found nowhere else on earth. This desolate and fantastic habitat was discovered in 1535 by Fray Tomas de Berlanga. Charles Darwin visited the islands on the Beagle exactly three hundred years later, in 1835. He observed the total isolation of the giant reptiles and other creatures, and this played a substantial part in his theory of evolution. Of the extraordinary animals to be found in the Galapagos many are reptiles, such as the great tortoise, large land iguanas, numerous lizards and three species of non-poisonous snakes. There are also several species of turtle, which come ashore to mate. Up to three quarters of a million seabirds flock to the islands, including a third of the world's blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, pelicans, cormorants, albatross and petrels. Only 35cm tall, the Galapagos penguin can be seen swimming among tropical mangroves, whilst offshore it is common to see dolphins, sea lions and fur seals playing in the water. Fearless though not tame, the extraordinary wildlife is often inquisitive and the opportunities for photography are superb. The Galapagos National Park charges a visitor fee of $100 USD (subject to change), payable in cash on arrival, which funds park maintenance and supervision in the Galapagos, as well as ecological study, conservation and infrastructure development in Ecuador's other national parks. Entry fees and the funds they generate for the national park system are among measures taken by the Ecuadorian government to protect its natural heritage. At Baltra Airport, a guide will meet us to help us collect our luggage and accompany us on a short bus and a taxi boat ride across to Santa Cruz Island. This afternoon we visit the Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre, where we can observe tortoises that come from various islands of the archipelago - at Fausto Llerena they are breeding tortoises only to repopulate areas where their populations have been affected by non-native wildlife (predominantly feral dogs). One of the main attractions here is the embalmed Lonesome George - estimated to have died at between 93 and 109 years of age, Lonesome George is recognised as the last of its kind, and as a symbol of the efforts invested into conserving endangered species. After a visit to the centre, we continue to the port of Puerto Ayora, where we board our stylish and upgraded catamaran for the next week - the Treasure.
El Eden is an appropriately-named paradisiacal tuff cone islet, just off the west coast of Santa Cruz (between Whale Bay and Dragon Hill). On the coastline we'll observe land iguanas and sea lions soaking up the sun, as well as seabirds feeding in the nearby mangrove forests. It is a perfect location for swimming activities, as the clear and calm waters allow us to snorkel alongside tropical fish, rays and two species of sharks. We also have kayaks on hand for a memorable experience. After lunch aboard, we sail to Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) in the northwest of Santa Cruz Island. Well known for birdwatching, including flamingos and pintail ducks, the site has also been repopulated with land iguanas, and we'll spot these on our short walk to the eponymous hill, which offers a beautiful view of the bay.
The magical Tintoreras consists of several small islets off the coast of Isabela Island, and is one of the most emblematic visitor's sites of the Galapagos. Its impressive concentration of Galapagos wildlife can be admired easily on today's visit. From a viewpoint, we'll see herons on mangrove branches whilst Galapagos penguins and sea lions can be spotted on the land. Whitetip reef sharks can be found in the tidal channels, and their abundance is what gives these islets their Spanish name. Another highlight is the breeding colony with uncountable numbers of marine iguanas. After lunch aboard, we visit the Arnaldo Tupiza tortoise breeding centre, where we can see hundreds of giant Galapagos tortoises of all sizes. The vulnerable hatchlings are not gigantic at all, even smaller than the size of your hand. This project, just outside Puerto Villamil, was created to rescue the endangered populations of Isabela's southernmost volcanoes. In Puerto Villamil and the surrounding wetlands, there is the historical site called 'The Wall of Tears', a national cultural heritage place where punished prisoners were forced to build this long wall and useless wall of lava rocks. We may also have the chance to see American flamingos here. At the end of the afternoon, we have some free time to explore the village and/or its beach.
Landing in the north of Isabela Island, we walk to Moreno Point this morning. Located on the north coast between the volcanos of Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul, the trail runs along a solidified lava flow into a complex of coastal lagoons, where we'll find an abundance of birdlife around the lakes and mangroves. In the afternoon we enter the Bolivar Channel and navigate towards Tagus Cove. On the way, we'll see how explosive eruptions have blown out a part of the outer rims of both tuff cones, and created their characteristic horseshoe shapes and Tagus Cove. Sailors used to write the names of their vessels on the eastern cliffs of this place. A tour along the cliffs in a dinghy will give us a good chance to see the Galapagos penguin, the flightless cormorant and other sea birds. From the landing dock, it is about a 30-minute hike along the trail up to the top of the cliff from where we can view Darwin Lake; an uplifted ultra saline lake saltier than the sea, as well as several volcanos. There is graffiti on the surrounding cliffs of the cove that was written by pirates, whalers and buccaneers in past centuries.
This morning's excursion takes us to Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, the youngest of the Galapagos Islands. Witness the large colony of marine iguanas and a variety of bird life, including the unique flightless cormorant. This bird had to adjust its way of survival and perfect its skills of finding food in the ocean. Their wings, tails and feet progressively adapted for swimming. To see these birds is to witness evolution happening right in front of you. We'll tour a number of different trails and follow the path along the beach and across lava flows, for a unique opportunity to explore one of the least-visited areas of the Galapagos. While having lunch we sail to Vicente Roca point back on Isabela Island, just at the mouth of Isabela's seahorse-shape. From small panga boats we'll enter a dark cave below a spectacular arch, accompanied by roaring echoes of the waves. Just around the corner the collapsed amphitheatre of Volcan Ecuador offers another impressive view. The calmer waters of the coves are well-protected against the ocean swell and are fairly cold, but a great place for snorkelling amongst various species of shark, penguins, puffer fish and seahorses.
In the morning, we will travel to the black-sand beach of Egas Port on Santiago Island to witness the striking and fascinating giant lava formations. Very few plants have managed to survive on this island due to its harsh environment and relatively new lava flow. Take an afternoon excursion to the red sand beaches of Rabida to see a lagoon and the famous bachelor sea lion colony. This area is known for its birdlife, including pelicans, white-cheeked pintails and boobies. Explore the trails of Rabida; a short path leads to a saltwater lagoon; another trail goes past the lagoon to the interior, where the revered palo santo trees grow. When burned, the branches of this tree give off a pleasing aroma and ward off mosquitoes. Grab a snorkel and discover many species of fish and other marine life. Keep an eye out for white-tip sharks and sea lions.
The sand at Bachas Beach is made of decomposed coral - white and soft, making it a favourite nesting site for sea turtles. Behind one of the bays there is a small brackish water lagoon, where occasionally it's possible to observe flamingos and other coastal birds, such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels. We'll also find a site of historical interest here, with two old barges that were abandoned during the Second World War, when the USA used Baltra Island as a strategic point to protect the Panama Channel. After our final visit, we'll then travel to the airport, from where you fly back to Quito and transfer to your hotel.
The trip ends after breakfast at the hotel in Puembo, Quito. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. Pick-up times for your airport transfer to Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) will be re-confirmed locally. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at the hotel. If you would like to book additional nights in Quito at the end of your stay, these can be arranged either at the hotel in Puembo, or in a hotel in downtown Quito. We recommend spending extra time in Quito, or adding to your nature-based holiday by booking our four-night Amazon extension package (trip code: AE).

Tour Details

accommodation

6 nuits en bateau haut de gamme

2 nuits dans un hôtel confortable

Bus

Vol

Trésor

Zodiac

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered.

Les autres activités et services ne sont pas inclus.

Les vols ne sont pas inclus.

Toutes les visites et activités mentionnées sont incluses.

Les autres activités et services ne sont pas inclus.

Équipage du bateau

Chauffeur(s)

Naturaliste(s)

Good to know

Currency

$

US Dollar

Équateur

Customer reviews

Operator

4.5

Faq Tour

How can I book a tour?
You can order a tour on our website by selecting the desired dates and clicking the “Confirm dates” button. You can also contact our sales department by phone or email.
Which payment options are available?
We accept credit cards, bank transfers and other popular payment methods.
Can I change or cancel my reservation?
Yes, changes or cancellations are possible, however penalties may apply depending on the time before the tour starts.
What documents are required to participate in the tour?
You will need a passport with a valid visa (if required) to visit countries along the tour route.

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