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If your passion is wildlife and nature but you like the good life. This is the ship - indulge yourself as you cruise and enjoy the bird tours and wildlife ashore in the Galapagos Islands.
The Options are...
8
Days / 7 Nights - Monday to Monday or from Thursday to Thursday
5 Days / 4 Nights - Thursday to
Monday
4 days / 3 Nights - Monday to Thursday
The itinerary will be based on the following, but may vary according
to conditions, national park regulations and volume of traffic
in the landing areas. Map
Sunday -
Santa Cruz Highlands & Charles Darwin Research
Station (Santa Cruz Island)
Disembark and take a bus to the highlands of Isla Santa Cruz. There are many places of interest such as the twin craters of Los Gemelos and Cerro Crocker. This is an opportunity to see the vegetation (ferns and sedge) and maybe the vermillion flycatcher or short eared owl. Return to the port for a walk through the little town to appreciate the handicrafts. We return to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we land at the pier of the National Park for a visit to the Charles Darwin Station and its interpretive centre. At the research station you will see hatchling and young tortoise in the Baby Tortoise House. The big guys are seen face to face in a walk-in enclosure, but remember "look only, no touching". In other areas of the station you will see the famous Darwin's finches.
Monday - Baltra Airport & Cerro Dragon (Santa Cruz Island)
If you are joining today you will fly from mainland Ecuador (Quito or Guayaquil) by air and arrive on Isla Baltra at approximately 12:00 hrs. Your guide conducts you to the bus and after a 5km ride to the pier, we pass pelicans as we board the vessel. As the vessel sets off, you are provided with the first briefing session and lunch.
If you are leaving the cruise today you will spend the morning at Bachas Beach and after lunch you will be taken to Baltra Airport.
After lunch we go a short distance west to Isla Santa Cruz's north coast for an excursion to Cerro Dragon and surrounding area. There are a number of lagoons here and you will see flamingos and some large iguanas. You may have time for a forest walk with plenty of birds to be seen. Return to the ship for dinner.
Tuesday - El Barranco & Darwin Bay (Genovesa or Tower Island)
We visit the most northerly island of the Galapagos, usually referred to as Tower Island. Probably the best place for seeing sea birds with many red footed booby and the masked booby. There are some great places to snorkel and you will see plenty of seals and sea lions, plus the odd hammer head shark. A hike to the plateau above Darwin Bay will excite the birders amongst you as there thousands of storm petrels and the odd short eared owl.
Wednesday - Punta Suarez (Espanola or Hood Island) & San Cristobal Island
While you have slept we have sailed to the most southerly island of the archipelago. This island is not often visited by the smaller boats. Awake to Punta Suarez on Isla Espanola (Hood). We make a landing and walk along lava beds where we will observe unique colonies of marine birds, including albatross (May - December). There is time for those who would like to swim and/or snorkel. Return to the vessel for lunch as the ship heads for San Christobal. See the rare chatham mockingbird which only exists here and plenty of frigate birds. Return to the vessel for dinner and our nightly briefing session.
Thursday - Baltra Airport & Bartolomé Island
Joiners and leavers today for the 5 day and 8 day cruise. Isla Baltra. In the afternoon the vessel sails to Isla Bartolome. At about 15:00 hrs we make a landing and walk to the top of the island, and return for a dingy ride around the Tower to observe Galapagos penguins. Optional: time for those who would like to swim and/or snorkel. We return to the vessel for dinner and our nightly orientation about what we have seen and will see the following day.
Friday - Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island) & Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)
The Legend is one of a small number of vessels that visits the far flung Isla Fernandina (Narborough), the youngest and most visually impressive of all the islands. Punta Espinosa is the landing point and here you will see the Galapagos' greatest concentration of marine iguanas, plus Galapagos penguin, flightless cormorant and sea lions.
after lunch we arrive at Isla Isabela (Albermarle) and land at Tagus Cove on the west coast. Splendid views of the active volcanos that made this island are best seen from the west of Isla Isabela and only the larger ships can make this journey. Tagus Cove is a great place to see the Galapagos penguin and the flightless cormorant as well as many other sea birds.
Saturday - Urbina Bay & Punta Moreno (Isabela Island)
We continue southwards down the west coast and spend some time at Urbina Bay which was formed in 1954 by an uplift of the sea bed. You will see more wildlife on the shore and in the shallow waters there will be rays and turtles. Lunch on board as we sail further south to Punta Moreno. The area is young and many plants and insects are pioneer varieties. You should see flamingos, white cheeked pintails and common gallinules.