Characteristics:
The yacht Motor Yacht Darwin was built in 1995 in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos.
| Motor Yacht Darwin |
| Type |
Motor Vessel |
| Category |
Tourist Superior |
| Capacity |
16 people |
| Length |
60 feet |
| Beam |
18 feet |
| Speed |
9 knots |
| Crew |
6 people + 1 English speaking naturalist guide level III, with 15 years of experience. |
Navigation, communication and safety equipment:
1 motor dinghy for 20 guests; 2 inflatable life rafts for 20 guests; Beacon radio, 46 life-jackets; flashes and signals.
Fire and smoke detector; complete fire system.
Kenwood VHF and SSB, HF radio with 70 channels, Furuno radar 10 ft; compass barometer, speed and distance log, helm indicator, EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon).
The DARWIN has a certificate granted by the ISM.
Accommodation and Facilities:
Eight big double cabins with air conditioning, private bathroom and hot/cold water. Comfortable dining room, living room, bar and sundeck.
Our chef will delight you with his delicious national and international cuisine; also, we can offer vegetarian meals for those passengers who require it (please be sure of letting us know while making your cruise reservation about your diet preferences, so we can take care of it adequately).
In this section we offer you the different itineraries we currently operate with our boat; please remember that these are subject to change depending on certain conditions. To get the route of the itinerary of your preference, click in the following links:
Itinerary:
Monday: Baltra - Santa Cruz Island – Highland
After arrival at Baltra you will be brought to the island Santa Cruz where your adventure starts. Afterwards you will visit the highland of Santa Cruz. The lush landscape of the Santa Cruz highlands is a welcome contrast to the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. Points of interest are the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative visit. The trip to the highlands ends with a visit to the Twin Craters. The vegetation around these is very special and is renowned for its approximately 300 fern species and the many sunflowers. B/L/D
Tuesday: Rabida / Santiago - Puerto Egas
In the morning you’ll do a trip to the beach of the small volcanic island Rabida. A small path leads to a small lagoon very popular with flamingos. On the way there you pass many pelicans nesting. The beach is also considered as one of the most beautiful snorkel places in Galápagos and also frequently visited by many sea lions due to its fish wealth.
From the visitor centre at James Bay on the island Santiago a small path leads you in southern direction along the coast. Passing by the ruins of a former salt mine company and the many inhabitants of the bank area, like sea lions, lizards, herons, and cancers, you arrive at the famous fur seal grotto, the best place at Galápagos in order to observe these elegant animals. Afterwards you will visit the dark sand beach at Egas Port. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows; the surrounding area is good for spotting and observing hunting herons, great blue herons, lava herons, oyster catchers, and the yellow crowned night heron. You can enjoy the sight of marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds at low tide sharing space with red sally light-foot crabs. There is a colony of fur-seals here that swim in deep pools of cool water called “grottos”. At this beach you can swim and snorkel in search of octopi, sea horses, star fish and other exciting sea life. B/L/D
Wednesday: Bartolome – Sombrero Chino
Arriving at Bartolome 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. Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat) owes its name due to its shape and is located just of the southeast tip of James Island. The landscape is dominated by volcanic rubble, including sharp outcroppings, cracked lava formations and very fragile lava tubes which break when you step on them. B/L/D
Thursday: North Seymour – Bachas
After breakfast you will start to visit North Seymour, which is an island popular for giving shelter to Frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies and endemic black Lizards and within the bank area by cliff crabs and sealions. Afterwards you will go on to the deserted, picturesque beach Las Bachas at the northern shore of Santa Cruz invites you for a swim in the crystal-clear water or to relax in the sun. B/L/D
Friday: Plazas - Santa Fe
Located on the east of Santa Cruz, the main characteristics on the small island Plazas are the Opuntia cacti and the carpets of red sesuvium, a succulent plant that turns green in the rainy season. The cactus is the main food of land iguanas, which are usually found resting at the cactu's shade. The island contains one of the largest sea lion colony of Galapagos, swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds nesting, and boobies roosting on the south cliff of the island.
Santa Fe has one of the most beautiful coves of all the visitor sites in the archipelago. A peninsula where sea lions rest protects a turquoise lagoon with two small white sand beaches. A trail runs along side the coast and then crosses through an Opuntia Forest. These prickly pear cacti are the largest ones in Galapagos. The Santa Fe species of land iguanas are larger and have a paler yellow than on the other islands. After the hike you can swim or snorkel in the bay in company of sea lions. B/L/D
Saturday: Española - Punta Suarez / Gardner Bay
Española is the southernmost island of the archipelago, and being so isolated, a high percentage of its fauna is endemic.
Punta Suarez, on the western coast of the island, is one of the most popular and attractive places in Galapagos. Sea lions, the picturesque marine iguana, blue footed and masked boobies nesting next to the trail are found there. This is also the only place in the world where the waved albatross nests. Along the cliffs there is spectacular view of a fantastic blowhole. Gardner Bay has a beautiful white sand beach to be shared with sea lions and curious mocking birds. Española is the southernmost island of the archipelago, and being so isolated, a high percentage of its fauna is endemic.
Punta Suarez, on the western coast of the island, is one of the most popular and attractive places in Galapagos. Sea lions, the picturesque marine iguana, blue footed and masked boobies nesting next to the trail are found there. This is also the only place in the world where the waved albatross nests. Along the cliffs there is spectacular view of a fantastic blowhole. Gardner Bay has a beautiful white sand beach to be shared with sea lions and curious mocking birds. B/L/D
Sunday: Floreana - Pto. Cormorant / Devil's crown / Post Office Bay
Floreana Island is perceived as one of the most exotic Islands of the archipelago.
At Punta Cormorant 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. The trail goes on to a white beach made of grinned coral, so it looks like flour. This is the green sea turtle’s nesting place. North of Punta Cormorant and eroded volcano, Devil´s Crown, is a snorkel’s delight. To the west, Post Office Bay keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers used to send their mail. B/L/D
Monday: Santa Cruz Island- Charles Darwin Station – Baltras
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, with the largest population of the 4 inhabited islands (approx 10.000). Santa Cruz is also the only island where six different zones of vegetation can be seen: Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia, Miconia, and Pampa Zones. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based here. You will have an opportunity to visit some of the best scientists of their kind. Scientists, park rangers and park managers among others, who make huge efforts to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site, conduct the conservation of the islands. The station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing centre, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this island will probably be Lonesome George. He is the only surviver of the specific turtle species. Afterwards you will be taken through the Itabaca Channel to Baltra from where you will fly back to the mainland. B/-/-
B= Breakfast L=Lunch D= Dinner
Prices 2008:
Price 8 Day Cruises USD 2.000..- Per Person
Price 5 Day Cruises USD 1.250.- Per Person
Price 4 Day Cruises USD 1.000.- Per Person
Our services include:
Bilingual guide level III (English-Spanish), accommodation and all meals on board (breakfast, lunch and dinner), tours to the islands.
It is not included:
Galapagos roundtrip tickets, Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($100.00 per person), additional drinks, personal expenses, snorkeling equipment ($10.00 per cruise), International flight airport tax (USD 41.- per person).
If you need any additional information please write us:
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South America 
