The Galapagos Islands
An In-Depth Experience of Nature's Magic
May 10 to 23, 2010

Imagine exploring a tropical archipelago rich in charismatic wildlife totally unafraid of you or your camera. This special expedition caters to the pace of nature lovers and photographers, following an incredible itinerary that offers maximum time in the field to one of the world's most intriguing natural history destinations. Travel with two of the best resident natural history guides in the Galapagos Islands plus a fantastic crew and captain as you experience endemic land birds, breeding boobies, albatross, penguins, sea turtles, sharks and much more!

Giant Tortoise

At a Glance

Cost: $5,200 per person, double occupancy. Review cost details.

Group size: 16, plus two leaders.

Boat: Tip Top IV 16-passenger sailing yacht.

Leaders: Elizabeth (Ely) Coral-De Backer and Etienne De Backer.

Conditions: A non-smoking safari for people who are very interested in wildlife (mammals, birds and reptiles) and spending the maximum time in the field.

Update: This itinerary was updated in June 2009. View the plain text version, great for printing!

Synopsis:

Note: All routings and visitor sites in the Galapagos Islands are subject to change by the Galapagos National Park in an attempt to minimize traffic and impact on all visitor sites.

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Detailed Itinerary

May 10, Monday: Flights to Quito
Arrive in Quito by the evening of Monday, May 10. At the Quito Airport, we will have a transfer agent there waiting for you, no matter what time your flight arrives, for your transfer from the airport to the hotel. Stay one night at the Hotel Alameda. Dinner on your own this evening if not served on your flight. If you would like to arrive earlier than May 10, we can arrange your airport transfer, which we will also cover, and book extra nights at the Hotel Alameda (cost approximately $120 per room, including breakfast, quoted 2008).
Lodging: Hotel Alameda (also called the Grand Hotel Mercure Alameda Quito)

May 11, Tuesday: Flight to Galapagos, Embarkation and First Landing at at Isla Mosquera
After an early breakfast, fly from the Quito Airport via Guayaquil to the Baltra Airport in the Galapagos Islands on TAME (flight times and exact fare to be determined by January 2010). It is necessary to arrive at the Quito Airport at least two hours before the flight. The flight stops in Guayaquil and arrives in the Galapagos in time for a half day at our first landing site, the delightful little sand island of Mosquera. Meet our resident naturalists, Ely and Etienne, on arrival at the Baltra Airport. Each visitor then pays the National Park fee of US$100 (cash). Transfer by bus to the Baltra dock and board the sixteen-passenger yacht, Tip Top IV, our home for this glorious adventure to the best landings in the Galapagos. After lunch, go ashore at Mosquera, a lovely introduction to the uninhibited curiosity of Galapagos wildlife. Many Galapagos Sea Lions congregate on this low, sand spit island, and we'll be at our leisure to watch and photograph their playful antics. Perhaps find a pup, just born, nursing for the first time, or photograph a proud bull male in the golden evening light. Mosquera is also a nesting site for the world's rarest gull, the Lava Gull, a Galapagos endemic.

Be back on board for a welcome cocktail and first dinner onboard. The chef on the Tip Top IV serves international cuisine and is happy to prepare special dishes to fulfill dietary requests as well. Meet all the members of this very friendly, professional crew this evening, including the captain, first mate, engineer, chef and his assistant, waiter and two sailors. In the late evening or early morning, we will travel to Santiago Island, to find ourselves in the morning anchored and ready for landing.

Snorkeling

May 12, Wednesday: Sullivan Bay, Isla Santiago (James), and Sombrero Chino
This morning we will visit the surreal landscape of the Sullivan Bay pahoehoe lava flow. The lava here dates from 1897 and remains virtually un-eroded. The flow retains a rainbowed patina that adds color to a study of natural flow, form, and pattern. Located on the southeastern coast of Santiago Island, the fourth largest island in Galapagos, Sullivan Bay is the foot of the largest lava flow in the Galapagos. We can see rusted ochre cinder cones and beautiful black pahoehoe (ropy lava flows). After the walk, we'll be off for snorkeling in an excellent spot to see penguins, and perhaps even a White-tipped Reef Shark (harmless, but always exciting). Snorkeling in the Galapagos is a very enjoyable experience with many beautiful species of tropical fish to discover along with the chance of seeing sea turtles and rays. This is a great place for the first snorkel of the trip in calm, protected waters. Ely and Etienne will assist you in the techniques of snorkeling if you have not yet tried this wonderful sport, which we equate to "birding underwater".

After lunch, our afternoon landing will be at Sombrero Chino, a small island that resembles a Chinaman's hat. This "Geologist's dream come true" has many volcanic features covered with colorful pioneer vegetation including lava tubes, patches of black basaltic lava, and pahoehoe lava flows. Galapagos Sea Lions will play along the coastline, and a Galapagos Hawk may hunt lava lizards right before our eyes.

May 13, Thursday: Puerto Egas, Isla Santiago (James), and Isla Rabida
A walk along the tidepools of Puerto Egas at low tide reveals a fascinating and photogenic intertidal zone, where oystercatchers hunt for exposed crustaceans and Marine Iguanas graze on exposed algae. At our walk's end, we will look down on beautiful blue and green grottos formed by collapsed lava tubes, perfect hideouts for Galapagos Fur Seals. Here it is enchanting to watch and photograph not only fur seals, but bright red-orange Sally Lightfoot Crabs, hunting herons, and sometimes a swimming sea turtle in the underwater lava tubes. This site offers a great diversity of ecosystems and geological strata, as well as great snorkeling along underwater lava tubes that hide any number of large marine creatures. Over lunch, we travel south to anchor at Rabida (Jervis), a small island with dark red volcanic soil. After our second snorkel of the day, we will enjoy a short walk including a visit to a pelican colony where young birds can be viewed at close range. The deep red beach with sea lions and pelicans lit by gorgeous afternoon light makes for a dramatic scene.

May 14, Friday: Cerro Dragon, Isla Santa Cruz, and Isla Seymour Norte
We land after breakfast at Cerro Dragon, a small hill with a wonderful view on the north coast of Santa Cruz Island. A trail here leads from the beach to the arid interior through a saline lagoon where we hope to see flamingos. Past Palo Santo forest, we will come to prime habitat for nesting Land Iguanas. The Charles Darwin Research Station has been reintroducing iguanas here, so their populations are now in good health and growing. The intensive efforts to eradicate goats and reintroduce native species are paying off with a healthier environment, as we will see here.

Over lunch, we will travel to the lovely wildlife highlight of North Seymour. We'll have until sunset to wander past many breeding Blue-footed Boobies and a large colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds. Some males will be in full display, calling for females with their dramatic inflated red throat pouches, an unforgettable sight with fabulous photography opportunities. We will also see Galapagos Sea Lions, Marine Iguanas, Lava Herons, Brown Noddies, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and Lava Gulls. The endemic Palo Santo and low bushy-type Opuntia plants add to scenery that surrounds the amazing abundance of Galapagos wildlife.

Travel to Genovesa this evening in the outer archipelago. Before dark, it's possible to sight marine mammals and seabirds from the open deck. After dark, look for phosphorescence from ctenophores (comb jellies) and other plankton on the surface of the water. If you're lucky, and still awake, you may even see these tiny invertebrates glowing on dolphins as they bow-ride with the boat after dark. Normally, however, everyone is ready for a good night's sleep soon after talking over the day's highlights and hearing about what to expect the next day at Genovesa.

Red-billed Tropicbird

May 15, Saturday: Isla Genovesa (Tower): AM Prince Phillip's Steps; PM Darwin Bay
We anchor in Darwin Bay, a huge flooded volcanic caldera, for two landings today at Genovesa Island. The walls of the caldera provide wonderful ledges for Galapagos Fur Seals, a very rare fur seal that we will find along their haulout area only in the vicinity of the stone stairway, known as "Prince Philip's Steps". There are also nesting sites for Red-billed Tropicbirds along the caldera walls. Hike up the steps for very photogenic Red-footed and Masked booby colonies on the walk to the Wedge-rumped (Galapagos) Storm-Petrel colony. These three species need the open ocean for feeding so they tend to nest on the outer archipelago. The largest Red-footed Booby nesting site in the islands is here on Genovesa. They are adapted to hunting far out to sea and can only rear a single young every two years. By contrast, Blue-footed Boobies fish shallow water close to their nests and raise two or three young in a brood if conditions allow. We will also keep a sharp eye out for the elusive Short-eared Owl, which hunts during the day for petrels by hiding within the colony.

After a snorkel and lunch, the grand finale of this very special day at remote Genovesa is the landing at the small beach in Darwin Bay. Genovesa's four species of Darwin finches, the Large Ground Finch, Large Cactus Finch, Small-beaked Ground Finch and Warbler Finch, show huge variation in bill size. All four species can be found here at this landing, making it one of the two most outstanding sites that we will visit for Darwin finches, the other being the Highlands of Santa Cruz. Noted evolutionary biologist Rosemary Grant has done much of her research on Darwin finches here at Darwin Bay. Also here, boobies and Great Frigates nest with unparalleled density. Following the cliff edge, we will find ourselves in a fly-way for incoming boobies and frigates, an ideal opportunity for photographing these magnificent birds in flight. They are ceaseless with aerial displays of kleptoparatisim as they "dog-fight" along the cliffs for scarce nesting material. Tonight, we'll travel west to Isabela.

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May 16, Sunday: Punta Vicente Roca, Isla Isabela and Punta Espinoza, Isla Fernandina
The northwest tip of Isabela Island sits at the edge of a sharp drop into deep, nutrient rich waters, where Punta Vicente Roca is located. So while cruising Punta Vicente Roca we will be on the lookout for marine mammals and very unusual gigantic Sunfish. Here in the western part of the archipelago in the deep waters off the shelf there is the possibility of seeing Orcas, Pilot Whales, and larger species such as Sperm Whales. A study by Hal Whitehead, with the help of World Wildlife Fund, found Sperm Whales particularly abundant in an area 250 km long and 150 km wide west of Isabela Island where the Cromwell Current, traveling eastward below the Equator, meets land. It is likely that the whales find high densities of squid, their favorite food, in this region. Whitehead found that, like elephants, male Sperm Whales roam between female/calf groups, instead of one male dominating a harem. En route to Fernandina, we travel some of the best whale watching water in the Galapagos due to the cold, deep water on the western side of the archipelago.

Across the calm Canal Bolivar, separating Isabela from Fernandina, we will find one of the highlights of the trip at Punta Espinoza. Fernandina is known as one of the world's most pristine islands, where no known introduced animals have become established. Here we will observe and photograph the largest of the Marine Iguanas sunning in piles by the hundreds along with Flightless Cormorants, Galapagos Hawks, Galapagos Penguins, and Brachycereus cactus growing directly out of bare rock that still seems like fresh lava. Snorkeling is no longer allowed to protect the rich basalt coastline covered with algae that the Marine Iguanas depend on for their food. This evening the Tip Top IV will be mostly at anchor, as our landing tomorrow is not far, just down the west coast of Isabela.

May 17, Monday: Isla Isabela: AM Urvina Bay; PM panga ride in Elizabeth Bay
In 1954, a portion of the coast of Isabela lifted out of the sea so suddenly that fish and even a sea turtle were trapped high and dry on a freshly changed coastline. We will explore this unusual site at Urvina Bay at the foot of Volcan Alcedo. One can find rocks full of bleached shells and massive coral heads now far from the sea. Here also live giant iguanas of both species, land and marine, as well as a few Giant Tortoises, the species for which the Galapagos Islands were named. At Urvina Bay, we will be snorkeling in some of the coldest water of the trip, but there is also great potential for discovery.

After lunch, we arrive at Elizabeth Bay one of the most spectacular locations for panga cruising in the archipelago. We will join the swimming sea turtles as we cruise this paradise, following channels through the verdant green mangrove forests. Here the endemic Flightless Cormorants and the marvelous Galapagos Penguins are in their prime habitat. Tonight, the Tip Top IV will cruise through rich whale feeding areas on the way to Floreana.

May 18, Tuesday: Isla Floreana: AM Punta Cormorant and Devil's Crown; PM Post Office Bay
Floreana is known for its excellent snorkeling, especially at the dramatic submerged volcanic cone known as Devil's Crown. We normally see many rays, sea turtles, jacks and other tropical fish. Either before or after an excellent snorkeling experience, we will land behind Punta Cormorant for a walk along the flamingo lagoon in search of teal and shorebirds alongside the flamingoes. The plant life is unique with another species of the endemic composite Scalesia. The sand on Floreana contains a large proportion of fine olivine crystals, a glassy volcanic mineral, giving it an olive-green tone. The waters around Floreana are great for dolphins so keep your eyes open! These waters are also rich with seabirds, such as Waved Albatross, three species of storm-petrels, Audubon's Shearwaters and large flocks of diving boobies. After lunch we'll stop briefly at Post Office Bay, where you can follow in the whalers' tradition of dropping a letter or postcard in the box and taking one to deliver for someone else who already was here. Then we will head east for wonderful, amazing Española!

Marine Iguana

May 19, Wednesday: Isla Española: AM Gardner Bay; PM Punta Suarez with Waved Albatross
Gardner Bay on Española (Hood Island) is one of the most beautiful beaches in all of the Galapagos. Sea lions populate the surf while the remarkably brave Española Mockingbird pecks at your shoelaces. We can photograph shorebirds and playful sea lions, look for the Large Cactus Finch (which looks very different from the subspecies elsewhere), or just walk the beautiful beach. After enjoying the morning on the beach, we'll explore the fine snorkeling nearby at Tortuga Rock, where sea lions playfully show off their aquatic prowess. A large diversity of fish can also be found congregating along the steep cinder cone reef walls.

At Punta Suarez, we will get to experience one of the great highlights of the Galapagos: the Waved Albatross. In the afternoon they tend to be most active, so it is the best time of day to make our landing and we hope to find them active with courtship behavior. Observing and photographing the beautiful Waved Albatross in an unforgettable experience, and with luck we will be witness to a courtship dance. In May, the albatross are well into their breeding season. Young adults and birds that have recently paired will be displaying, a most enticing expression of the lifelong bond that their breeding and survival depends upon. We will also find the fearless Española Mockingbird, Blue-footed and Masked Boobies, Swallow-tailed Gull, Galapagos Hawk, Marine Iguana (a red and black race unique to this island), Lava Lizard, sea lions, beautiful seascapes, a blowhole and much more. The albatross become more active as the afternoon wanes, so we will extend our stay as long as possible.

May 20, Thursday: Isla Santa Cruz: AM Charles Darwin Research Station; PM to the Highlands
In order to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station beside the bustling small town of Puerto Ayora, we will anchor in Academy Bay. At the east end of town sits the research station, the center of evolutionary science and conservation in the Galapagos. We will see the many resident tortoises, hopefully including the famous Lonesome George (last surviving tortoise of the Isla Pinta race), along with intimate looks at the captive breeding programs that are working to return the Galapagos to a more pristine, pre-colonization state. In the research station we will have one of our best opportunities to photograph tortoises up close. We will also have some free time in Puerto Ayora to explore, shop, or treat ourselves to an ice cream. At lunch onshore in Puerto Ayora, enjoy talking with Jacqueline DeRoy, Tui DeRoy's mother, who is a silversmith and one of the original settlers in Puerto Ayora.

In the afternoon, we travel to the Santa Cruz Highlands to seek some of the elusive island endemics in beautifully unique habitats. We will explore Los Gemelos in the highlands, two incredible volcanic sinkholes surrounded by tall Scalesia forest. This is excellent habitat for some of the highland Darwin finches. The genus Scalesia is a classic example of adaptive radiation in the plant world, a parallel to the Darwin finches. The elegant tall Scalesia tree evolved from beach composites, essentially the world's largest daisy. Here it is possible to see the shy Galapagos Rail, Short-eared Owl, Large and Small Tree Finches, Vegetarian Finch, and Woodpecker Finch, the famous tool user. We will also walk through wonderful lava tubes left from Santa Cruz's active volcanic island-building days. Dinner this evening will be at one of the restaurants on Santa Cruz while our crew enjoys time with their families, as most of them live in Puerto Ayora.

May 21, Friday: AM Isla Plaza Sur; PM Baltra and return flight to Quito
Our final morning in the Galapagos will be at the wonderful little island of South Plaza. This geologically uplifted island is vegetated with the distinctive red mats of sesuvium, along with prickly pear cactus, both being the food base for the Land Iguanas. Enjoy a beautiful walk along the sea cliffs to see Swallow-tailed Gulls, shearwaters, and Red-billed Tropicbirds in flight. Sea lions may have even climbed the steep terrain to sun themselves at the edge of the cliff.

We must reluctantly depart for Baltra and our return flight to Quito, arriving back on the mainland in the late afternoon. This evening, we'll have a special Ecuadorian farewell dinner at a restaurant on Panecillo Hill for a spectacular view of Quito, followed by a short "Quito-by-Night" tour.
Lodging: Hotel Alameda

May 22, Saturday: Free time to enjoy Quito
You will have a full day to explore beautiful Quito. We would be happy to arrange a city tour or a day trip to one of the local sites for you. Please contact us for descriptions of possible activities for this day or if you would like more information about longer post-trip extensions. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Lodging: Hotel Alameda

May 23, Sunday: Flights homeward
Arrive at the Quito Airport more than two hours before flight to check-in. All airport transfers are included.

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Costs

Costs, Payments and Cancellations: Upon receiving your deposit, we will send complete trip materials. Deposits are refundable before the final payment date, except for $150. The $150 May go toward another tour if a reservation is made within six months of the departure date of this trip. There are no refunds given after the final payment date. Trip cancellation insurance applications are available. Trip options, if any, and singles are extra.

Governmental Tax: Effective June 1, 2008 the government of Ecuador added a tax to all vessels purchasing in excess of 4,000 gallons of fuel per month. Oil being one of Ecuador's primary products on the world market, they have always previously opted to subsidize prices within the country, rather than tax them. The current tax on our departures is $24 per day, or $260 total per person for the voyage. This fuel tax is included in the trip price. While we truly hope there will be no further taxes, we cannot be sure where the government's new policy will go next. We reserve the right to charge for cost increases, including changes in fuel tax, that occur between the date this itinerary is printed and the date of travel.

Not Included:

• Airfare - is not included in the tour price. You make your own flight reservations from your home to Quito; depending on origin, this airfare is approximately $900 from the United States. We make the flight reservations for the Quito-Baltra (Galapagos Islands) round trip on your behalf; the cost of this flight is approximately $350 (quoted November 2008 and subject to change) and is added to your final trip balance.
• Dinner and lunches are not included in Quito, except for dinner on May 21. Alcoholic beverages are not included, however all bottled non-alcoholic beverages onboard are.
• Gratuities: Tipping is, of course, discretionary, however we suggest budgeting a total of $250 per participant for gratuities. This would include roughly $200 for the voyage (or about $18 per day for 11 days). This covers both the crew and guide, Ely. Our Tour Leader (not a tipped position) Etienne will collect the gratuity at the end of the trip in Galápagos and divide it accordingly. The Quito Airport porters and the hotel porters are covered, as well as tips for the service at the farewell dinner. On the Quito tour we recommend a $5 tip for the half-day tour ($4 to the guide, and $1 to the driver).
• The Galapagos National Park fee of $100, plus $10 tourist fee, and the airport departure tax of approximately $40 from Ecuador are also not covered.

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Other Details

Reservations: Please contact us to assure space availability and to let us answer your questions. Then, fill out our reservation form, and mail it to us with your deposit:

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris
20800 Kittredge Road
Saratoga, CA 95070
Toll Free: (800) 527-5330
Local: (408) 741-5330
Fax: (408) 741-0358
Email: info@cheesemans.com

Our Leaders, Etienne (ET) and Elizabeth (Ely)

Leaders: Etienne De Backer and Elizabeth Coral-De Backer are an outstanding husband and wife team. They will give daily lectures on natural history and gather onboard in the evenings to recount the day's wonderful encounters and enlighten you with expectations for the landings and possible snorkel the following day. They will ensure that you are ashore by 6:30am to enhance viewing and photographic opportunities, rather than at 8:30am as with most groups. They have both led photo-oriented tours and will do their utmost to get you ashore for the best morning light and stay out on the afternoon landings for the best late afternoon action. They understand that you are eager to enjoy maximum time possible on the landings and out snorkeling, while staying within the time allowed by the National Park for each landing and snorkel. They are very conscientious about following the guidelines set up by the National Park to protect the unique Galapagos habitats and all the amazing endemic species that thrive there.

Etienne De Backer, who has a doctorate in biology plus a decade of work experience in his native Belgium, set out in his mid-30's to further explore the world. His adventures took him through numerous countries and across the seven continents, with the Galapagos Islands ultimately becoming his new home in 1985. Since that time Etienne has been a licensed guide or expedition leader on nearly every yacht in the Galapagos, in addition to lecturing and leading groups in the rainforest and on Antarctica. He speaks five languages. Etienne's wife and son are licensed Naturalist Guides in the Galapagos as well. Elizabeth Coral-De Backer, Etienne's wife, was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. In 1980, following college, she moved to Puerto Ayora in the Galapagos Islands, where she has made her home since that time. Originally working with the Galapagos National Park in the introduced plant eradication programs, she then went to work at the Charles Darwin Research Station, accompanying herpetologists, ornithologists, and botanists in their fieldwork. She began guiding in 1982 and is fluent in four languages, and conversational in an additional four. She met her husband, Etienne, in 1985 and they live and work together in Galapagos.

The Tip Top IV

Yacht: The Tip Top IV carries 16 passengers in ten cabins. Each cabin with private bathroom (toilet, shower, wash basin and vanity), locker and drawers. Bar, dining room, saloon and sun deck. All cabins and public areas are fully carpeted. Berths slide together to make a double bed if requested. View the deck plan and more details.

Flight Information: Arrive in Quito no later than the evening of May 10. Most flights to Quito arrive in the evening. An American Airlines' flight leaves Miami at 4:50pm and arrives in Quito at about 9:00pm. There is also a flight from Dallas and connections on Continental via Houston to Quito. Please contact us if you would like to arrive earlier than June 3. We can arrange your airport transfer, which we will also cover, and book extra nights at the Hotel Alameda. For your flight home on May 23, American Airlines has morning departures from Quito that arrive in Dallas or Miami in time to connect with flights homeward. Continental also has a good flight schedule via Houston. The round trip flight from Quito to the Galapagos on TAME will be arranged by Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris. The cost of this flight ($350, quoted November 2008 and subject to change) is added to the final trip balance. The times and exact fare for the TAME flights will be determined by January 2010.

Travel Insurance: There are many types of travel insurance, including emergency medical insurance (cheap) and trip cancellation insurance (expensive). Be sure to compare benefits and exclusions carefully so you will purchase the policy that you desire and need. Read our recommendations and requirements.

Seasickness: Don't let a fear of seasickness prevent you from signing up! Read our suggestions for coping with seasickness.

Non-smoking Policy: We have a strict non-smoking policy - smoking is not permitted at any time during our tours.

Mailing List: If you would like to be on our mailing list or request information, please use our online information request form or contact us to give us your name, address, email address and phone number. Please note we will never share your personal information with anybody!

Responsibility: Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris, Saratoga, California, act only as agents and shall not be responsible or become liable for any delay incurred by any person in connection with any means of transportation, nor for the loss, damage, or injury to person or property by reason of any event beyond the control of the agency or default of such agency suppliers. We reserve the right to cancel the tour prior to departure in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour unless arrangements are made at the time of booking. All rates are based on current tariffs, exchange rates and fuel prices and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein. By sending your initial deposit, you agree to accept our payment schedule as a contract. If payments are still outstanding two weeks after the due date, your space may be forfeited. Baggage is at the owner's risk.

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is registered as California Seller of Travel #2063050-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is a participant in the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation (TCRC). In event of a client canceling where a refund is applicable in accordance with the schedule above, or in the event that CES needs to cancel the trip, all payments for transportation or travel service not provided to the client shall be promptly refunded, unless the client instructs us otherwise in writing. All client payments are deposited into a trust account in accordance with California law. If for any reason a valid refund is not forthcoming, the client may request reimbursement from the TCRC within six months of the scheduled end of the tour. Please feel free to ask us for more information.

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All material © Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris.
All photos © Doug or Ted Cheeseman, unless otherwise credited.
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