CLASS: DELUXE

2010 PUBLISHED RATES

3-NIGHTS: STD SINGLE $2089 | STD DOUBLE $1607 | CLASSIC DOUBLE $1713 | MASTER SUITE $1799
4-NIGHTS: STD SINGLE $2786 | STD DOUBLE $2143 | CLASSIC DOUBLE $2285 | MASTER SUITE $2399
7-NIGHTS: STD SINGLE $4875 | STD DOUBLE $3750 | CLASSIC DOUBLE $3998 | MASTER SUITE $4198

(1) Children under 12 years of age sharing a cabin with parents, 25% off (Applies to one child per adult paying full fare);
(2) Minimum age of children: 6 years of age;
(3) Peak season (March 30 to April 5 & December 21 to January 3) surcharge of $130 per adult & $100 per child;

Technical specifications

* Construction: 1979
* Reconstruction: Pensacola, Florida, 1988
* Refurbishment: Panama, March 2000
* Category: Deluxe
* Gross Tonnage: 1.025 tons.
* Type of Vessel: Motor Yacht
* Capacity: 40 guests
* Length: 53.72 meters (166 feet)
* Beam: 11.58 meters (38 feet)
* Speed: 10 knots
* Electricity: 110 Volts 60 Hz.
* Engines: 2 GM Detroit Diesel 900 BHP each
* Navigation Equipment: Gyrocompass, Automatic Pilot, radar, and GPS
* Safety Certificates: SOLAS 74 – ISM
* Fire Detector: Automatic with control from the bridge.
* Life Jackets: In each cabin
* Lifeboats: 2 units semi enclosed
* Landing Craft: 3 Zodiacs + glass bottom boat
* Owner: ETICA / Metropolitan Touring
* Decks: 3 (Sun deck, Cabin deck, Main deck)
* Crew: 24
* Naturalist: 3
* Medical Officer: Permanently on board

Other services

* Bar – Lounge, Boutique
* Gift Shop
* Radio, telephone, E-mail, and Fax communications
* PA System
* Snorkeling Equipment
* Multimedia natural history lectures
* Stargazing Program
* Digital camera and underwater housing
* Glass bottom boat
* Jacuzzi
* Reading Room & Natural History Library
* Air conditioned throughout
* Safety boxes
* Hair dryers
* Wet suits for snorkeling in cooler waters
* Sea Kayaks

ITINERARY

Tuesday
Baltra Island
North Seymour Island

Wednesday
Gardner Bay (Hood Island)
Punta Suárez (Hood Island)

Thursday
Point Cormorant (Floreana Island)
Post Office Bay (Floreana Island)

Friday
Santa Cruz Island

Saturday
Darwin Bay (Tower Island)
Prince Philip’s Steps (Tower Island)

Sunday
Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)
Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)

Monday
Puerto Egas (James Island)
Bartolome Island
Tuesday After breakfast, departure to the port and airport to take the flight back to the continent.

Included

# Accommodation
# All meals
# Island sightseeing
# All guide and lecture services
# Taxes and transfers in the island
# Glass – bottom boat outings

Not included

# Air transportation to/from Galapagos
# Galapagos National Park admission fee (US $100 subject to change without notice)
# Bar
# Gifts and items of personal nature

Important facts

Please read the Itinerary as a guide only. Our route and program varies according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes , safety reasons and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition. The Expedition Staff will provide you with snorkeling gear (mask and snorkel, fins, floating device and net bag). Please note that the operation does not carry prescription masks. A shortie wet suit is recommended from June to December.

Dry landing: guests step from the dinghy onto rocks or a dock.

Wet landing: as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, guests step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.

Additional information

TUESDAY

Baltra Island
Morning arrival to Baltra Island by TAME flight and immediate transfer to the dock to board the ISABELA II. Welcome introductory briefing, and lunch.

North Seymour Island
Afternoon disembarkation (dry landing) for a walk along the coast and the interior of the island, observing bird colonies of blue footed boobies, frigate birds, swallow tailed gulls and also sea lions and marine iguanas. A shorter walk is also available. Welcome Cocktail offered by the Captain. Naturalist’s briefing on the next day’s activities and dinner.

WEDNESDAY

Gardner Bay (Hood Island)
After breakfast, disembark (wet landing) at a white coral beach where you can take a short walk and watch the sea lions, mockingbirds, finches or enjoy the beach.. There is great snorkeling in this area (snorkeling equipment is available for guests at no extra cost), or ride the glass-bottom boat.

Punta Suárez (Hood Island)
Afternoon dry landing for an exciting walk on lava terrain to visit its unique sea bird colonies, including the Waved Albatrosses (May – December) and the famous blowhole. A shorter walk is also available. Naturalist’s briefing and dinner.

THURSDAY

Point Cormorant (Floreana Island)
After breakfast, disembark at Point Cormorant (wet landing) for an easy walk to see the flamingos that inhabit a brackish-water lagoon, and other birds like ducks, stilts, sandpipers, etc. There is great snorkeling at this site. Those who do not snorkel can enjoy a ride on the glass-bottom boat. Lunch on board.

Post Office Bay (Floreana Island)
Wet landing at the historical Post Office Bay to learn about the human side of the islands, its early inhabitants and the adventures of pirates and whalers. Then, a panga ride will take you to nearby islets to observe sea lions, rays and sea turtles, boobies and possibly the Galapagos penguin. Naturalist’s briefing and dinner.

FRIDAY

Santa Cruz Island
After breakfast, disembark (dry landing) to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, an Scalesia forest and the twin pit craters Los Gemelos. From December to mid-April a visit to see the giant tortoises in the wild may be included, if weather conditions are good. Lunch at the Finch Bay Eco Hotel. Afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens, an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds. Then a stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora before embarking on the ISABELA II. Naturalist’s briefing and dinner.

SATURDAY

Darwin Bay (Tower Island)
Morning wet landing for an easy stroll observing thousands of bird life, mainly frigate birds, red footed and masked boobies, gulls, herons, finches and mockingbirds. If you wish you can continue walking over sharp lava and uneven terrain, or just go back to the beach to enjoy swimming and snorkeling at this beautiful natural harbor. Those most adventurous can snorkel along the cliffs. Lunch on board.

Prince Philip’s Steps (Tower Island)
The afternoon starts with a very interesting panga ride along the cliffs and then disembark (dry landing) on rocks for a steep climb (90 feet) and then a leveled walk for about a mile to the other side of this small island observing large colonies of masked boobies, frigate birds, storm petrels and the short-eared owl. Naturalist’s briefing and dinner.

SUNDAY

Early risers will enjoy cruising right in front of famous Ecuador Volcano, which rises off the water line with one of its halves completely collapsed, and now resting underwater, while crossing the Equator line.

Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)
On the northwest of Isabela, secluded Tagus Cove was in past centuries a favorite anchor for pirates and whalers. Old graffiti is still found on its walls. The vegetation in the area includes the unusual Palo Santo trees. These white-barked trees are leafless and look dead most of the year. They leaf out and spring back to life in the short wet season, which usually begins in March or April. An uphill hike through palo santo forest takes guests to the back of Darwin Crater, filled with salt water. The view at the end of the trail is worth the climb. Darwin is one of Isabela’s six volcanoes, a remarkable contrast to the lower islands to the east of the archipelago. Lunch on board.

Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)
The afternoon brings us to the youngest island, Fernandina. Disembark (dry landing) for a one-mile walk. Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with lots of wildlife. Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their space with sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorant. Naturalist’s briefing and dinner.

MONDAY

Puerto Egas (James Island)
Wet landing for a mid-length walk. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows. This is a great opportunity to see land and marine birds. At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds and there is a colony of fur-sea lions. Good snorkeling and swimming from the beach after the walk. Lunch on board.

Bartolome Island
Disembark at Bartolome Island (dry landing) for a hike to the summit. This is a steep climb aided by a wooden staircase; the view from the top is worth the effort. There will be time for a panga ride around Pinnacle Rock to observe penguins, to enjoy the beach (wet landing), snorkeling and swimming from the beach, or a ride on the glass-bottom boat. Farewell cocktail and departure briefing.

TUESDAY

After breakfast, departure to the port and airport to take the flight back to the continent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Itineraries and program are subject to change without previous notice due mainly to readjustment of the National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes or safety reasons.

* Dry landing: passengers step from the dinghy onto rocks or a dock.
* Wet landing: as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, passengers step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.