Galapagos Tourist Class Yachts

General Description:
The Valkiria is a 15.5 m first class catamaran offering a unique itinerary and multi-sport options...

This new adventure cruising around the Galapagos is a great alternative to the typical tour in the Galapagos. The Valkiria offers options not usually offered on other cruises. We combine the natural wildlife of the Galapagos islands (such as swimming with sea lions, observing blue footed boobies or frigate birds nesting areas and incredible underwater life while snorkeling) with other unique options on many of the islands.

Built in france, this beautiful Privilege designed by Philippe Jeantote is a charming sail catamaran for cruising around the Galapagos in style, this beautiful yacht accommodates 10 guests in 5 large double cabins with full size beds each with toilets and showers, indoor and outdoor dining areas, full navigational equipment which features all US and EU communication and safety required electronics, a solar panel which makes it completely ecological with all instruments and systems working on battery.

The S/C Valkiria is the perfect choice for a luxurious trip in the Galapagos. Whatever you requirements are sailing, surfing visiting all ports or just relaxing, Valkiria is your choice.

This new adventure cruising around the Galapagos is a great alternative to the typical tour in the Galapagos, finally new options have been opened and new areas that were never visited before are available during this cruise.
We combine the natural wildlife of the Galapagos islands such as swimming with sea lions, observe blue footed boobies or frigate birds nesting areas, incredible underwater life while snorkelling.

Visit the top of volcanoes most of which are still active and took part of the formation of these islands which is not available on any regular cruise, all this plus the unique experience of seeing how the human population in this islands live and interact with nature in harmony, learn how people arrived, how they survive and what locals do in Galapagos.

Our operational days are flexible and we can start any day of the week and adjust to your requirements.

ITINERARY:

Day 1
Fly to Baltra island where our guide will pick you up and take you to the yacht. After a quick stop in Puerto Ayora and lunch on board we will move on to Punta Estrada and Bahia Divine, a calm shallow water place where rays, mullets and sharks can be seen while kayaking along the rocky coast line. Back on board: dinner and navigation to Isabela Island.

Day 2
Isabela island the largest and one of the youngest in the Galapagos and it is one of the most beautiful islands. After breakfast and approximately an hour bus ride we will get to Sierra Negra volcano which is still active and in October 2005 gave us the most recent volcanic eruption in Galapagos. A horse back-riding journey along the crater of the volcano will fulfil every expectation, normally we find giant tortoises on the way. This day we will have a box lunch on the volcano rim and then we start trekking on a trail of lava to “volcan Chico” a smaller cone of Sierra Negra. We will walk on a large lava flow and fortunately we might see fumaroles and an incredible landscape from the top. Late in the afternoon we will return to the yacht and dinner.

Day 3
Puerto Villamil on Isabela island has the second smallest population in Galapagos with around 1500 inhabitants is still pristine and untouched. Breakfast and zodiac ride to "tintoreras" grotto, small shallow channels in between lava flows with sandy bottom in which we usually find white tiped reef sharks. Isabela also has penguins’ populations and normally we find them swimming with us, after this visit we go back on board. Lunch and in the afternoon we will have a 30 minutes walk to the "muro de las lagrimas" a wall of lava rocks made by inmates from an old penal colony established on the island. To finish our day we can relax on the miles long white sand beach right in town with many shore birds and marine life, after dinner we sail to Floreana.

Day 4
Breakfast on board. In Floreana Island we will visit Puerto Velasco Ibarra, the smallest town in the Galapagos with a population of around 60 people. Box lunch and car ride to the highlands of Floreana where pirates and whalers used volcanic caves as hiding places. Back on board dinner and navigation to San Cristobal.

Day 5
Breakfast and navigation to Kicker Rock-León dormido, an old tuff cone eroded by the ocean and now serves as nesting place for frigate birds, blue footed boobies and nazca (ex masked) boobies, tropic birds and of course this magnificent volcanic formation. Kayaking around Kicker Rock-León dormido will complete our visit. Lunch on board and visit to Puerto Grande for snorkelling and relaxing, back on board for dinner and navigation to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

Day 6
After breakfast we will drive to “El Junco” lagoon (the only natural source of fresh water in the islands, frigate birds feed on the fish in the lagoon, lots of land birds such as Darwin’s finches and mocking birds can be found.) Along with a spectacular view coming down from “El Junco”, we will have an easy hike through Cerro Verde (a small traditional village where we will have lunch) to “La Galapaguera” which is a part of the Galapagos National Park where we will be able to find a great number of giant tortoises in its natural habitat, in other words a privilege of our journey. After exploring the surroundings we will walk to “Puerto Chino”. A beautiful and pristine beach will be the perfect spot for a laid back afternoon where you can snorkel, swim or simply relax. Back in the bus we will start our drive back to Puerto Baquerizo to join the yacht. Dinner and sailing to Puerto Ayora.

Day 7
Breakfast and bus ride to “Los Gemelos” a pair of craters (sink holes) in the middle of the Scalesia zone, scalesias are endemic trees only found in Galapagos and they create a great nesting area for Darwin’s finches as well as many other land birds such as flycatchers, doves etc. Bike downhill to “Los Túneles” where we will walk and explore in the darkness, these magnificent, thrilling and enormous empty lava flows, these tunnels run underneath the ground for kilometres (this walk will take approximately 1 hour). Lunch and then we continue biking to “El Garrapatero” a beautiful beach where small lagoons are home of flamingos. A refreshing activity will complete our day, swimming. Our last stop will be Puerto Ayora where we will give back the bikes and join the yacht. Back on board: dinner and if you wish we can go back to Puerto Ayora to enjoy the nightlife of this charming town.

Day 8
Santa Cruz Island is the centre of tourism in Galapagos, with a population of about 15000 has a large variety of sites to visit, of course our first stop after breakfast will be the world famous Charles Darwin Research Centre where all the efforts to protect and preserve the native and endemic animals are developed; we will also find Giant tortoises rearing programs and of course Lonesome George. After this visit you will have a bus ride to the airport to catch your flight back to main land: Quito or Guayaquil.

Prices per person for 2008:
Price 8 Day Cruises USD 2.225.- Per Person
Charter 8 Day Cruise Price USD 22.250.-
Charter 5 Day Cruise Price USD 14.375.-
Charter 4 Day Cruise Price USD 11.250.-

Price includes:
All transfers, 8-day cruise on board of the Sail Catamaran Valkiria in double accommodation with all facilities, all meals during the cruise, multilingual naturalist guide, purified water free for drink, coffee or tea.

Not included:
Flights mainland to/from Galápagos USD 410.- Galápagos National Park entrance fee USD 100.-, Beverages tips, personal items, transfers and meals in Quito, International flight airport tax (USD 41.- per person).

Sail Catamaran Valkiria Deck Plan

Sail Catamaran Valkiria Itinerary

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