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Ecuador Motor Sailor Diamante
Galapagos Motor Sailor Diamante - 8 Days Cruise
important information
- Departure Days:
- 8 days: Wednesday
General Description:
The Diamante is a comfortable motor sailor which is a scaled down version of the great naval training ships. The first cruise started in 1993 on the Galapagos Islands. It has 6 roomy cabins; the interior is done with teak and mahogany. The Diamante has a sun deck, a dining room and air conditioning. It fulfills all security standards and due to its good service and design this ship is a good choice for every sailor.
| Diamante - Specifications |
| Category |
1. Class |
| Length |
21,5 m |
| Beam: |
6.10 meters |
| Speed: |
8 knots |
| Capacity |
12 passengers |
| Crew |
5 + 1 naturalist guide |
| Beds |
6 double cabins with bunk beds and private bath |
| Itinerary Overview |
| Wednesday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Island North Seymour |
| Thursday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Highlands - Charles Darwin Station |
| Friday: |
Española Island – Suarez Point - Gardener Bay |
| Saturday: |
Island Floreana – Cormorant Point – Devils Crown – Post Office Bay |
| Sunday: |
Island Isabela – Elizabeth Bay – Punta Moreno |
| Monday: |
Island Isabela – Urbina Bay / Island Fernandina – Punta Espinoza |
| Tuesday: |
Island Santiago – Puerto Egas / Island Bartolome |
| Tuesday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Black Turtle Cove – return flight |
Detailed Itinerary:
Wednesday: Island Santa Cruz – Island North Seymour
Morning arrival on Baltra Island where you firstly will pay the National Park Entrance Fee before you will be met by your guide and be transferred to the dock to board the boat. Here you will start your cruise. After a dry landing, you will have a short walk along the coast of the northernmost island of Seymour. Guests will encounter swallow tailed gulls, sea lions and cliff crabs. This site is also known for being a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird, a species different to the great frigate bird. You can also spot both endemic species of iguanas, the marine iguanas and land iguanas. You will enjoy this relaxing hike around the nesting sites. -/L/D
Thursday: Island Santa Cruz – Highlands - Charles Darwin Station
Today you anchor at the harbour of Puerto Ayora on Island Santa Cruz. Beside its rank as homestay for sea lions and pelicans, the marina is a popular starting point for round-the-world-yachtsman. The island itself has come to be both touristic and scientific center of the archipeleago. In the morning you will visit the highlands of Santa Cruz. The lush landscape there is a welcome contrast to the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. On your way you will cross the different zones of vegetation, from the dry lower region full of cactuses to the woods of scalesia in the highlands. During a visit of a hacienda in the highlands you can observe the Galapágos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based on Santa Cruz Island. The station encompasses an information centre, a museum, a library and the tortoise breeding station as well. Here you will have an opportunity to visit some of the best scientists of the Galápagos. Park rangers and park managers among others, who make huge efforts to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site, conduct the conservation of the islands. In the tortoise breeding and rearing centre you can encounter tortoises of different subspecies, which are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this island is probably Lonesome George. He is the only survivor of his specific turtle species. In the past all approaches to find a partner for him failed. But in July 2008 the scientists found a carved nest wit nine eggs from a female tortoise. Three of them could be saved and now accordingly to strict instrcuctions they are incubated syntheticly. B/L/D
Friday: Island Española - Suarez Point - Gardener Bay
Española is the southernmost and oldest island of the Galápagos archipelago. Because of its isolated position you can explore a lot of endemic wildlife. In the morning you will have an excursion to Point Suarez which is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Española Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks. Several types of reptiles, including the marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island. When heavy swells are running, Point Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting 30 yards into the air. The walkabout on a stony path is about 2km (duration about 3 hours). Gardener Bay is on the eastern shore with turquoise shot coloured water and a magnificent beach. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. The bay is also frequented by a transient colony of sea lions which like to swim with you. Birds, like the endemic Hood-Mockingbird and different species of Darwin finches, are omnipresent. B/L/D
Saturday: Island Floreana - Cormorant Point – Devils Crown - Post-Office Bay
Floreana Island is perceived as one of the most exotic Island of the archipelago. At Cormorant Point you land on a green olivine sand beach. Following a 100 m long path you will soon reach a lagoon with flamingoes, white-checked pintail ducks and other shorebirds. Then you will reach Devils Crown (Corona del Diablo), a broken volcanic cone, which is one of the most beautiful places to go snorkeling on Galápagos Island. You can dive or swim between riff sharks, star fishes, marine turtles, sea lions and many tropical ornamental fishes. Afterwards you will visit the famous Post Office Bay which keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers historically used to post their mail in. Nowadays you can leave a letter and hope that it will make its destination via another tourist. B/L/D
Sunday: Island Isabela – Elizabeth Bay – Punta Moreno
This day will lead you to the largest island of the archipelago, Island Isabela. With a surface of 4588 sq.km the isle engages more than the half of the land area of whole Galápagos. At Punta Moreno, a young volcanic landscape with numerous fresh-water pools and lagoons, you can flamingos, bahama ducks and other birds. Then you will go to the mangrove area of Elizabeth Bay with little islands off-shore. Here you can see little dwarf penguins as well as schools of manta rays, turtles and other giants of the ocean such as whale-sharks and more. The mangrove woods are the home of different seabirds and herons. B/L/D
Monday: Island Isabela – Urbina Bay / Island Fernandina – Punta Espinoza
At your next approach you will visit the “Bahia Urbina”. As a result of a strong outbreak of the volcano Alcedo in the year 1954 suddenly large sections of the coast were pushed up approximately 4 m, so that you can observe coral reefs here ashore. Meanwhile the reefs are covered with trees of chamomile and muyuyo. Furthermore you can observe terrestrial iguanas and the rare Mangrove finch from really close. From January to June occasionally elephant turtles, which live in the higher mountains, are visiting the bay. In the afternoon you will visit Fernandina Island which is not only the westernmost but also the youngest and most pristine Island found in Galapagos. The last eruption of the volcano La Cumbre in 2005 created huge interesting fields of lava. Punta Espinoza, one of Fernandina’s visit points, is situated within a fascinating lava scenery with Lava-Cactuses and on the surface of the lava growing mangroves. Beside this unique scenery you will come in contact with numerous animals here. The highlights are sea lions, penguins, the flightless cormorant (especially in spring and summer) and one of the biggest iguana colonies of Galápagos. Do not miss a snorkeling trip during which you have the possibility to explore the beautiful underwater world. B/L/D
Tuesday: Island Santiago – Puerto Egas / Island Bartolome
Today you will land at Santiago Island, also known as James, or San Salvador Island, which is the fourth largest island in the archipelago. The influences of the former salt mine workers and their imported animals are still alive on the island. The last tries to populate Santiago Island were given up forty years ago. Visit the dark sand beach with a lot of marine iguanas at Egas Port after a wet landing. After a short walk of about 2 km along the coast you will reach the cliffy lava coast with natural pools where sea lions take a bath and herons and other sea birds are as well local. Additionally you can encounter a small group of sea bears. The surrounding area is good for spotting and observing colonies of sea lions, red sally light-foot crabs, lava iguanas, Galápagos buzzards and lava herons. Arriving at Bartolomé you will ascend a lookout point from where you can admire the spectacular panorama of the Sullivan Bay and the famous needle shaped rock, the so called Pinnacle Rock. The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some fine snorkeling spots from which you can discover the marvelous underwater world with a good chance to encounter penguins or the softly gliding turtles. B/L/D
Wednesday: Island Santa Cruz – Black Turtle Cove – return flight
Today you visit the nearby Black Turtle Cove, a nesting site for marine turtles. With good luck you can observe different types of sharks in the calm water, so for example the white-tipped shark or schools of golden mustard rays as well. Afterwards you will be escorted to the airport of Baltra island and from there you will fly back to Ecuador mainland. B
B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / D: Dinner
| Price per person 2010 |
| For individual travelers: |
USD 2,860.- |
| Charter (16 pax): |
USD 34,320.- |
| Single Cabin: |
USD 4,000.- |
| Children (under 12 yrs): |
USD 2,000.- |
| For Christmas and New Year supplement of 10 % |
Included in the price:
All transfers in Galapagos, cruise on board of the DIAMANTE in double accommodation with all facilities, naturalist guide, purified water free to drink.
Not included in the price:
flights mainland to/from Galápagos (e.g. Quito – Galapagos – Quito USD 429.- per person), entrance fee to Galapagos National Park USD 100.- per person, migration card USD 10.- per person, beverages, tips, personal items, insurance.
NB Itinerary is subject to change without previous notice, due to weather conditions, operational matters, National Park Authorities advise, or Captain´s decision for passengers security.
If you need any additional information please write us:
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