Discover the breathtaking untouched wilds of the Galapagos Islands through the lens of your camera with world renowned Royal Geographic Society Fellow photographer Jonathan R. Green. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you’ll voyage through these legendary isles aboard the Eclipse, the most luxurious expedition vessel Galapagos has to offer. Under the expert guidance of Green, guests will learn the secrets of nature photography during hands-on workshops, interactive presentations, an underwater photo safari & detailed follow ups. Led by certified naturalist guides & Green, you’ll take incredible photos of giant tortoises, lizards, iguanas, penguins, blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, sea lions & more. This active adventure allows you to snorkel with large marine creatures, walk on pristine beaches, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, take in majestic sunsets & stargaze under the equatorial sky. Featuring enchanting hotels pre & post cruise, private transfers in Quito or Guayaquil, delicious meals & more – Luxurious & picturesque this extraordinary cruise will be a trip of a lifetime! Cruise Departure Dates (2012): May 21, Aug 13

Quito is Ecuador’s capital and has a setting of great natural beauty, overshadowed by the volcano Pichincha with its twin peaks of Ruco and Guagua. Quito is located at 2850m (9348 ft) above sea level, so some visitors may suffer from altitude sickness during the first hours after arrival. The city has preserved much of its Spanish colonial character, the cathedral in the Plaza de la Independencia (the oldest church in South America) and the many old churches and monasteries being among the most notable instances. Also in the plaza are the Municipal Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Palacio Presidencial. Many of the city’s famous churches and monasteries contain priceless examples of Spanish art and sculpture, particularly the Monasterio de San Francisco and the Jesuit church of La Compañía. Most of Quito’s colonial churches are located in the Old Town, parts of which have been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Upon arrival you will be met by our local representative who will help you locate your vehicle.

Enjoy a private airport transfer with a professional driver.

The Swissotel Quito is a large, grand establishment that promises a friendly, enjoyable experience. The 277 rooms are clean and well-appointed, with a bed so comfortable it will be hard to leave behind. The panoramic views of the city are just as addictive. An extensive breakfast is memorable for its array of fruits, breads, and meats and dairy. A positive environment of caring service and impeccably-maintained lobby space contribute to the hotel's appeal. The fitness facilities are excellent and offer a lot of options for those who are keen on working out. Also try out the tennis, squash, and racquet courts.

Overnight at Swissotel.

Baltra is a small flat island located near the center of the Galapagos. The island is very arid and vegetation consists of salt bushes, prickly pear cactus and palo santo trees. The Baltra airport was originally constructed by the U.S.military during World War II as a base to protect the Panama Canal from enemy attack. It is linked by bridge to Santa Cruz Island. It is the main airport for arrivals and departures from the Galapagos.

Enjoy a private airport transfer with a professional driver.

Take your flight from Quito to Galapagos via Guayaquil today. The flight duration is approximately 4 hours.
Please note: Flight rates and availability are subject to change until booking.

A fuel surcharge is applicable to all vessels cruising in the Galapagos and all flights to/from Galapagos. These surcharges are included in your booking.
Please note that fuel surcharges are subject to change without prior notice

The $100 entrance fee to the Galapagos Islands Park and the $10 Tourist card are included in your booking. Please note that the itinerary is a guide only -  the route and program vary according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety precautions and wildlife encounters.

Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you pass through an airport inspection point to insure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands. After this, a guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage, and escort you on a short bus ride to the harbor and then on board your cruise ship.

Arrive at Black Turtle Cove near Las Bachas Beach on the north coastline of Santa Cruz Island. This excursion provides passengers with a “dinghy” ride through the mangroves, during which the outboard motor is turned off to allow close observation of marine turtles, black and white-tipped reef sharks, spotted eagle rays and yellow rays.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Discover the Galapagos Islands on board the finest expedition vessel available. Ever since her arrival in Ecuador, the Eclipse has surpassed the other options available in the Galapagos Islands, offering unparalleled levels of comfort and service. She was converted specifically for upscale cruising in the islands, and was designed to meet the exacting demands of luxury travel. The Eclipse is the perfect base for any Galapagos experience; a generously proportioned ship with a small yacht atmosphere. Whether you are snorkeling with sea lions, watching a blue-footed booby feed its young, or following a giant tortoise through the forest, the Galapagos Islands will surpass all expectations. And there is no better way to enjoy the wonders of the islands, than on board the Eclipse.

Overnight at Eclipse.

Dry landing at the dark red-colored beach of volcanic origin, frequented by sea lions. It is often considered the geographic center of Galapagos because it has the most diversified volcanic rocks in all of the Islands. There is a short trail leading to a saltwater lagoon, a feeding ground for small colonies of Flamingos. Brown pelicans nest in the mangroves on the far side of the lagoon. It is also possible to spot boobies and 9 species of Darwin’s finches. Enjoy a dinghy ride by the reefs where you will have an excellent opportunity for snorkelling.

After a wet landing, visit the dark sand beach at Puerto Egas. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows, a good area for observing Hunting Herons, Great Blue Herons, Lava Herons, Oyster Catchers, and the Yellow Crowned Night Heron. You can see Marine Iguanas grazing upon algae beds at low tide, sharing space with Red Sally Light-Foot Crabs. There is a colony of Fur-Seal swimming in deep pools of cool water called “grottos”. This is an excellent spot for swimming and snorkelling in search of Octopus, Sea Horses, Starfish, and other sea life caught in the small tidal pools. From a safe distance you can observe Moray Eels, Hammerhead Sharks, White Tip and Galapagos Sharks, Golden and White Spotted Eagle Rays, Jacks, Wahoo, Tuna, Groupers, Red-Tailed and Dog Snappers, Sea Lions, and Sea Turtles.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Overnight at Eclipse.

On the northwest of Isabela, secluded Tagus Cove was in past centuries a favourite anchor for pirates and whalers. Old graffiti is still found on its walls. The vegetation in the area includes the unusual Palo Santo trees. These white-barked trees are leafless and look dead most of the year. They leaf out and spring back to life in the short wet season, which usually begins in Mar/Apr. An uphill hike through palo santo forest takes guests to the back of Darwin Crater, filled with salt water. Darwin is one of Isabela’s six volcanoes, a remarkable contrast to the lower islands to the east of the archipelago.

After a dry landing at Espinosa Point, you will be able to see the largest colony of Marine Iguanas mingling with Sally-light Foot Crabs, Galapagos Penguins, Galapagos Hawks and Sea Lions. It is also an opportunity to see the nesting sites of the Flightless Cormorants. Among the flora and the volcanic formations, you will see Brachycereus Cactus, “pa-hoe-hoe” lava, and other unusual lava formations. Lava flows are always viewed from a safe distance. The island has numerous mangrove beds extending into the sea, indicating a healthy and thriving eco-system.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Overnight at Eclipse.

Lying at the foot of Alcedo Volcano, south of Tagus Cove, is Urvina Bay (Urbina Bay) one of the best and the most recent example of geological uplift in the Galapagos. The visit begins with a wet landing on the white sand beach. Hiking trail ranges from easily passable during the dry season to mildly challenging requiring wading to pass during the rainy season. Flightless cormorants, pelicans, and marine iguanas are often seen on land, while rays and sea turtles can be viewed swimming near the surface of the bay.

The largest and one of the most volcanically active islands, Isabela provides habitat for five subspecies of giant tortoise - one for each of its five volcanoes. We will visit Punta Vicente Roca which has beautiful volcanic scenery, with amazing lava intrusions as well as a huge sea cliff. Wet Landing.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Overnight at Eclipse.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora, staffed with international scientists conducting biological research and conservation projects. Here you will see the Giant Tortoises that are part of the breeding program. Then take a stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora and enjoy a snack or the views across the harbour.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Overnight at Eclipse.

El Barranco (a.k.a. Prince Philip’s Steps) is a memorable site located on the flat area above the cliffs in Darwin Bay. After a challenging scramble up a rocky crevasse, the rest of the trail is very easy.

The first part of the trail wends through some scrubby trees and brush where you’re likely to see some boobys (of all three varieties if you’re lucky), Frigatebirds and Galapagos doves. The trail then continues to a long stretch of rocky dune, on the ocean side of which it’s possible to see the Short-eared Owl. Although the Short-eared Owl is fairly common in Galapagos, they’re only seen at a handful of visitor sites, so make the most of the opportunity! They’re hard to spot, so be patient and stay close to the guide. If you have binoculars or a major zoom lens for your camera, this is the place for it.

Genovesa Island is known as Bird Island, because of the large and varied bird colonies which nest here. There are an abundance of frigatebirds and it is among the best place in the archipelago to see Red-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Swallow-tailed Gulls, storm petrels, tropicbirds, Darwin's finches, and Galápagos Mockingbirds.

Prince Philip's Steps is an extraordinary steep path that leads through a seabird colony full of life, up to cliffs that are 25m high. At the top, the trail continues inland, passing more seabird colonies in a thin palo santo forest. Leaving the forest, you can overview a rocky plain. The storm petrels here are different from any others in the world because they fly around during daytime. To avoid predators, they only return to their nest holes at night.

The smallest Marine Iguana in the archipelago lives here.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Overnight at Eclipse.

Bartolomé Island is situated across Sullivan Bay. It has an altitude of 114 meters, from where we can observe one of the most beautiful sceneries of the Galapagos Islands such as: Volcanic cones, lunar-like craters, lava fields, and the famous Toba formed pinnacle eroded by the sea. There is very little vegetation on this island. It has two breathtaking beaches where sea turtles exist and at the base of the pinnacle, as well as a very small colony of Galapagos penguins.

After a dry landing, you will walk to a salty lagoon behind the beach. Here you may see pink flamingos. Continuing on the trail up to Dragon Hill, which offers a beautiful view of the bay. You will also encounter a large colony of reintroduced land iguanas [hence the name, Dragon Hill] and a Scalesia tree forest. Returning to the shore, you will take a ride in a panga [Zodiac] boat to Venice Islet, to observe marine animals such as golden rays, sharks and sea turtles in the calm waters of the coves, as well as the land iguanas.

Naturalist's briefing on the next day's activities followed by dinner on your cruise ship.

Overnight at Eclipse.

Quito is Ecuador’s capital and has a setting of great natural beauty, overshadowed by the volcano Pichincha with its twin peaks of Ruco and Guagua. Quito is located at 2850m (9348 ft) above sea level, so some visitors may suffer from altitude sickness during the first hours after arrival. The city has preserved much of its Spanish colonial character, the cathedral in the Plaza de la Independencia (the oldest church in South America) and the many old churches and monasteries being among the most notable instances. Also in the plaza are the Municipal Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Palacio Presidencial. Many of the city’s famous churches and monasteries contain priceless examples of Spanish art and sculpture, particularly the Monasterio de San Francisco and the Jesuit church of La Compañía. Most of Quito’s colonial churches are located in the Old Town, parts of which have been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Disembark at Bachas Beach (wet landing), on the north side of Santa Cruz Island. Here you will encounter sea lions, marine iguanas, and sea turtles. You will have the opportunity to swim at this white-sand beach.

Upon arrival at Baltra Airport, you pass through an airport inspection point to insure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands. After this, a guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage, and escort you on a short bus ride to the harbor and then on board your cruise ship.

Fly from Galapagos to Quito via Guayaquil on Aerogal. The flight duration is approximately 4 hour.

Enjoy a private airport transfer with a professional driver.

Overnight at Swissotel.

Enjoy a private airport transfer with a professional driver.

A departure tax must be paid upon departing Ecuador through the Quito airport. The payment must be made in cash and the cost is of USD$44.30 per person. Subject to change without notice.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).