We provide authentic experiences to enhance your visit with an in-depth perspective of local life, people and culture.
The beautiful and spacious first class 3 masted Sailing Ship SAGITTA is 105 feet long, she offers accommodation for up to 16 passengers in 10 double cabins, each with private facilities. There is a conference room and library with video, as well as a bar and social areas on deck. There is a crew of 8 plus one naturalist guide. The accommodation includes all meals (Full Board), all transport, daily guided excursions, and the newly implemented Transit card of usd 10.00, but drinks and the Galapagos Park Fee of usd 100.00 per person are extra.There is snorkelling equipment available aboard but wetsuits (payable locally) need to be requested and ordered in advance so that they can be delivered to your hotel in Quito.
Wednesday - Wednesday
Wednesday:
Arrive at Baltra, Galapagos - North Seymour
Island
Flight to Galapagos to Baltra Island where you will start your
cruises abord the Motor Sailor Sagitta after a short drive to the
harbor.
North Seymour is an uplifted (as opposed to volcanic) island and
so is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are good
nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate
birds. Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in the
more open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges.
Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea
lions haul out onto the beach and can be found together with marine
iguanas.
Thursday:
South Plaza - Charles Darwin Station
Located on the east of Santa Cruz, the main characteristics on the
small island South Plaza 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.
The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic center 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. We 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 center, 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 survivor of the specific turtle species.
Friday:
Española - Bahia Gardner - Punta Suarez - San Cristóbal
Island
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. Afterwards we visit La Galapaguera at San Christobal
Island where we can observe giant turtles who are walking around
freely. At Puerto Baquerizo, the second largest port of the
Galapagos Islands, we will visit the informations center which
provides the visitor with an excellent overview regarding the
Galapagos' history and nature.Saturday: 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.
Sunday:
Isabela Island - Punta Moreno - Elisabeth Bay
The Island Isabela is very big and with its surface it almost
covers half of the land of the Galapagos archipelago. Situated at
this island is the Punta Morena, a young volcanic landscape with
numerous fresh-water pools at which Flamingos, Bahama Ducks and
otherbirds unite.
About 40 kms of Punta Moreno you will find the mangrove
bay Bahia Elisabeth 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
others.
Monday:
Isabela Island - Urbina Bay / Fernandina Island - Punta
Espinoza
This day we start day with the visit of Urbina Bay, a coastline
that has been 4 metres uplifted by an volcanic eruption. It is a
spectacular place to view coral reefs without needing to dive or
snorkel. The flightless cormorant, oversized iguanas and the rare
mangrove finch can be observed close by.
The Island Fernandina, which is the most western island of the
Galapagos, is a very interesting point to visit. The main
attractions of this island are its Lava-Cactuses and the on the
surface of the lava growing mangroves as well as numerous animals
such as sea lion colonies, penguins, the flightless cormorant and
the iguanas.
Tuesday:
Santiago - Puerto Egas/ Bartholome
From the visitor center 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.
Bartolome is a small island that has beautiful white sand beaches, luxuriant green mangroves and a colony of penguins. Activities will include swimming and snorkeling and a climb to the summit of the island for one of the most breathtaking views in all the Galapagos. From the summit you will have the best view of the often-photographed 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.
Wednesday:
Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon- Baltra - return
flight
At the Island Santa Cruz we will head for the hill Cerro Dragon,
which is an excellent spot for observing land lizards and
swallow-tailed gulls. Nearby is a lagoon where you can observe
flamingos. Transfer to Baltra to the Airport and flight back to
Guayaquil or Quito.
|
Itinerary A or B - 6 Days • 5 Nights |
||
|
|
High |
Low |
|
Double |
£1899 |
£1758 |
|
Single |
£2392 |
£2208 |
|
Itinerary C - 5 Days • 4 Nights |
||
|
|
High |
Low |
|
Double |
£2210 |
£2040 |
|
Single |
£2796 |
£2576 |
|
Combination of A, B & C - 15 Days • 14 Nights |
||
|
|
High |
Low |
|
Double |
£5045 |
£4621 |
|
Single |
£6471 |
£5920 |
SEASONS:
Low: Rest of the year
High: 13 Dec - 2 Jan
Prices shown are per person in a cabin for double or single occupancy including flights to/from Guayaquil, transfer in the Galapagos, accommodation, full board on the cruise and daily excursions with English-speaking naturalist guide. Galapagos Park entrance fee of USD120 per person is not included
This tour departs every Wednesday throughout the year.
Sagitta Specifications
Type
First class Motor Sailor
Length
120 feet L.O.D: 104 feet
Beam
22 feet
Draft
11 feet
Speed
9 knots under power
Engines
Twin SCANIA main engines 185 HP each / twin 40 KW generators 120V
& 240V A/C 60 HZ and 12V & 24V D/C /Furuno radar / GPS /
VHS & SSB radios / Two tenders with outboard motors / Two
colour TVs with video equipment and one computer
Crew
8 Plus Naturalist Multilingual guides
Accommodation
Ten air-conditioned double cabins / double lower and single upper
berths / en suite bathroom with hot and cold fresh water showers /
Deck salon / dining area / conference and video salon / deck
cockpit
Services & Safety
Equipment
Spacious sun decks / restaurant / bar and lounge / TV & VCR /
Beta and VHS / stereo system / library / snorkelling equipment
available on board / Two 20 passengers life rafts with all safety
equipment / Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) /
Smoke and fire detector / Overhead Sprinkler Fire System