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Eric/Flamingo/Letty: Yacht Details


Three identical first class cruising yachts

The Eric, Flamingo, and Letty are first class cruising yachts with identical characteristics, each taking a maximum of 20 passengers.   These vessels have an excellent and well-earned reputation for offering top-quality service, food, and guides, and have been pioneers in operating in an environmentally sustainable manner.  With two guides per yacht, guests also enjoy one of the best guide-to-guest ratios available.  Snorkeling equipment, wet suits, sea kayaks, and beach towels are provided at no additional charge.  Scuba diving is also offered as an option on all departures.  There are some departures designed specifically for families if you are traveling with children.

Day by Day Itinerary

BRIEF SUMMARY (for detailed island visits please scroll down)
7 night cruises run from Sunday to Sunday

Itinerary A
Sunday:          Arrive to San Cristobal / Playa Ochoa / Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock)
Monday:         San Cristobal:  Punta Pitt / Cerro Brujo
Tuesday:        Espanola:  Punta Suarez / Gardner Bay
Wednesday:    Floreana:  Punta Cormorant / Post Office
Thursday:       Isabela: Sierra Negra / Humedales or Tintoreras
Friday:           Bartolome / Santa Cruz: Highlands / Los Gemelos
Saturday:       South Plaza / Charles Darwin Research Center (Santa Cruz)
Sunday:         San Cristobal Interpretation Center / Cruise Ends

Itinerary B
Sunday:          Arrive to San Cristobal / La Galapaguera
Monday:         Genovesa:   Prince Philip’s Steps / Darwin Bay
Tuesday:        Santa Cruz:  Las Bachas / North Seymour
Wednesday:    Punta Espinosa (Fernandina) / Elizabeth Bay (Isabela)
Thursday:       Isabela: Urbina Bay / Tagus Cove
Friday:           Puerto Egas (Santiago) / Rabida Island
Saturday:       Santa Cruz: Highlands / Charles Darwin Research Station
Sunday:         San Cristobal Interpretation Center / Cruise Ends


Eric, Flamingo, Letty 7 night Galapagos Cruise Itinerary (A)

Sunday to Sunday


Day 1 Sunday Arrive to San Cristobal / Playa Ochoa / Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock)
Upon arrival to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal Island, the crew is waiting at the airport to escort you to your anchored yacht. After the welcome briefing, a buffet lunch, and safety drill, you set sail for Playa Ochoa where you will have a wet landing. Here, you can test the snorkeling equipment and at the same time swim with a small colony of sea lions. Behind the beach, there is a tidal lagoon where birds can be spotted including the rare Chatham mockingbird. At sunset, you cruise around Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido), a vertical tuff cone formation that abruptly juts up almost 500 feet out of the ocean. On the cliffs, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, and Magnificent Frigate birds can be spotted.

Day 2 Monday San Cristobal: Punta Pitt / Cerro Brujo
This morning, you will visit the northeast tip of San Cristobal Island. Punta Pitt, a tuff formation that serves as a nesting site for many sea birds including Blue footed, Nazca and Red-footed boobies, Frigate birds, Swallow-tailed gulls, and Storm petrels is considered to be a first class site for birds and equal to Genovesa (Tower) Island.

This afternoon you will visit Cerro Brujo (Witch Hill), a breathtaking white powder sand beach, said to be one of the most spectacular in Galapagos Islands and you will have an opportunity to snorkel or kayak right from this beach.

Day 3 Tuesday Espanola: Punta Suarez / Gardner Bay
This morning you will have a dry landing at Punta Suarez, Española (Hood Island), where you will witness the highest rate of endemic species in Galapagos. Sea lions noisily greet you as you land on their beach. From April to November, the waved albatross, found only on Española, perform their wild mating ritual. Colonies of blue-footed boobies engage in “sky-pointing” to show off for potential mates. Nazca boobies busily care for their young. Stunning swallow-tailed gulls are the only nocturnal gulls in the world. Red-billed tropicbirds take shelter under the cliffs. You will also find Darwin’s Finches, Galapagos Doves, and Galapagos Hawks. Here you can observe a unique species of marine iguana identified with traces of red and green colorings. Colorful sally light-foot crabs crawl along the shoreline near to the famous “blow hole”.

In the afternoon, you will have a wet landing on Gardner Bay, Española Island. Here you will walk along seemingly endless stretches of this white sandy beach where you’ll find large colonies of sea lions. There is no trail to follow so this is a chance to explore and you may find a Galapagos Hawk, Darwin’s Finches, or the Hood Mockingbird. You can swim with sea lions right from the beach, explore by kayak or just relax. There’s an excellent snorkeling site off Gardner Islet with a colorful diversity of sea life near Tortuga Rock where you can explore caves covered with invertebrates.

Day 4 Wednesday Floreana: Punta Cormorant / Post Office Bay
This morning you step ashore at Punta Cormorant, Floreana Island, one of the few populated islands in the Galapagos. Floreana presents a rich history with mystery and intrigue. Here you will follow a trail to a brackish lagoon, home of the pintail ducks, common stilts, and the pinkest Flamingos in the world. You will also wind your way past a rich variety of plants including Morning Glory, Cut Leaf Daisies, Palo Verdes, and Scalesia leading to a beach with powder soft sand. Sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand dunes and rays swim in the shallow water. After the walk, you will have an opportunity to snorkel at Devil’s Crown, a shallow sunken crater colonized by a brilliant array of colorful fish and corral.

This afternoon you will visit Post office Bay, not the most scenic, but probably the most famous sites in Galapagos. Here is where a post barrel was put into use in the late 18th Century by English whaling vessels. You are invited to leave a post card and to pick up any mail from your home area.

Day 5 Thursday Isabela: Sierra Negra Volcano / Humedales or Las Tintoreras
Today you will visit the Sierra Negra Volcano, located in the Southwest portion of Isabela, and considered the oldest and largest volcano on the island. From the town of Puerto Villamil, you will travel 45 minutes by motorized vehicle followed by some hiking. Along the way, you will usually spot the Vermillion Flycatcher, Galapagos Martins, Whimbrels, and Galapagos Hawks. You will visit a hidden gem on Isabela Island called Los Humedales which translates to “wetlands” or Las Tintoreras, a lagoon for snorkeling and where eagle rays and sea turtles can be spotted. At Humedales, there are trails from which you find all four species of mangroves, secluded sandy beaches with rocky shores, and natural pools from where you can view migratory birds including Whimrels and Semi-palmated Plovers as well as mating Flamingos. You stop at the tortoise breeding center located in the town of Puerto Villamil where you can encounter giant tortoises, the namesake of the islands.

Day 6 Friday Bartolome / Santa Cruz: Highlands / Los Gemelos
Today you disembark at Bartolome Island, where it seems like you are walking on the moon. This young Island is inhospitable to most plants and animals. After a dry landing, you will proceed to climb 30 minutes up stairs leading to the summit of a once active volcano. Along the way, you will have opportunities to pause to marvel at lava bombs, spatter cones, and cinder cones. From the top of the wooden stairs, you can gaze out across the island for a panoramic view of the island and “Pinnacle Rock”, an eroded tuff cone. Crystal clear water is an invitation to snorkel from the beach or Zodiac with schools of tropical fish and Galapagos Penguins.

Later, you travel by bus to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. The scenery gradually changes as you wind your way through all seven of the vegetation zones found in the Galapagos. Here, you will visit the tortoise reserve at “Las Primicias” one of the private farms in the highlands where you encounter giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Later you will visit Los Gemelos, Spanish for “The Twins”, a pair of large pit craters where you will find the bright red male vermilion flycatcher.

Day 7 Saturday South Plaza Island / Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz)
Today you visit South Plaza Island, a small geological uplift with tall cliffs offering spectacular views. After a dry landing, the trails will lead you through Prickly Pear cactus or Opuntia and Sesuvium. Here you can find the Galapagos Land Iguana feeding on cactus leaves. Toward the end of the hill, you will encounter a colony of bachelor sea lions. The dominant bulls are in various stages of recovery from battles lost over prime beach territory. You also may find Swallow tailed gulls, Shearwaters, and Red-billed tropicbirds who build their nests along the cliffs.

In the afternoon you will visit the Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena (formerly the Charles Darwin Research Station). Scientists from all over the globe work at the station and conduct biological research from anatomy to zoology. You will then stop at Van Straelen Hall where there are exhibits and a short video presentation. Visitors can see the tortoise and land iguana corrals. Afterward, you will have the opportunity to walk through the town of Puerto Ayora, the social heart of the islands.

Day 8 Sunday San Cristobal Interpretation Center / Cruise Ends
This morning, the ship drops anchor at San Cristobal Island for the end of the cruise around the Galapagos Islands. You visit the Interpretation Center opened in 1999 where you can gain a more complete understanding of the natural and human history of the Islands. After the visit you will be escorted to Baltra airport for your return flight to the Ecuadorian mainland.



Eric, Flamingo, Letty 7 night Galapagos Cruise Itinerary (B)

Sunday to Sunday


Day 1 Sunday Arrive to San Cristobal / La Galapaguera
Upon arrival to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal Island, the crew is waiting at the airport to escort you to your anchored yacht. After the welcome briefing and safety drill you will travel by bus into the interior of San Cristobal to visit La Galapaguera Cerro Colorado, where the National Park has established a breeding program for the tortoises and set up an information center for visitors. Along the trail, you may find the San Cristobal (Chatham) mockingbird and Calandrinia plant, both endemic to this island. Here, you will see the terrestrial tortoises living in their natural habitat but also learn about their origin and threats by introduced animals.

Day 2 Monday Genovesa: Prince Philip’s Steps / Darwin Bay
Today you will spend the entire day on Tower Island (Genovesa), considered to be one of the most spectacular Islands in Galapagos for bird species. This morning, you will have a dry landing at Prince Philip’s Steps. Red-footed boobies nest here in Palo Santo trees and Nazca (formerly masked) boobies nest near the trail. In an open lava field, you will find storm petrels in large numbers. If you are lucky, you will see the elusive short-eared owl.

After lunch, sea kayaks are available to paddle along the shoreline. Keep a lookout for the beautiful red-billed tropic bird that is usually seen in a crevice. A snorkeling opportunity is offered along the inner rim of the volcanic crater. You land on Darwin Bay, a coral sand beach where swallow-tailed and lava gulls gather near the tide pools. Afterwards you pass through a forest of Optuntia cactus and mangroves where colonies of great frigate birds nest. The males inflate their red-throated pouches to attract females as they fly overhead. The trail leads through a rich inter tidal zone where you can find a wide diversity of animal life. You will also have the opportunity to swim at the beach with the sea lions.

Day 3 Tuesday Las Bachas (Santa Cruz) / North Seymour
This morning, you will visit Las Bachas, which is the Spanish translation for “barges.” There is a long stretch of a soft white-sand beach and interior lagoons where we have the chance to see flamingoes. There is also a wonderful chance to snorkel here from the beach. A remnant of the U.S. presence from World War II, a floating pier, is found here.

This afternoon, you disembark on the island of North Seymour, a small geological uplift. After a dry landing, you follow a trail that leads to swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies, and the endemic land iguanas. Here you also find the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds found in Galapagos. As you stroll along the beach, you might be able to observe sea lions body surfing the northern swells.

Day 4 Wednesday Punta Espinosa (Fernandina) / Elizabeth Bay (Isabela)
This morning you will have a semi-wet landing at Punta Espinoza, located on Fernandina Island, the youngest in the Galapagos. Recent lava flows formed by an active volcano stretch their way around the coast. Hundreds of Marine Iguanas, the largest colony in Galapagos, bask in the sun along the rugged shoreline. Here you can observe sea lion harems with resident bulls carefully guarding their territory. Flightless Cormorants build their nest on this point and Galapagos Hawks fly overhead.

After lunch, you will cross Bolivar Chanel where you often spot whales or dolphins riding in the wake of the boat. You will then visit Elizabeth Bay, on Isabela Island, by zodiac. You start with a visit to a secluded cove lined with large red mangrove trees. Here, turtles, rays, and shore birds can be seen. You next motor to the rocky islets known as “Las Marielas”, where a colony of nesting Penguins, Flightless Cormorants, and giant Marine Iguanas are found.
Eric, Flamingo, Letty (B,L,D)

Day 5 Thursday Isabela: Urbina Bay / Tagus Cove
Today you will disembark at Urbina Bay on Isabela Island, where you will find four miles of its coastal seabed with marine life exposed due to a dramatic uplift in 1954 when the volcano erupted. The marine remnants of coral skeletons, some of them waist-high, are visited after a wet landing on the beach. The Brown Pelicans and Flightless Cormorants nest here. Giant Marine Iguanas can also be seen along the coast.

In the afternoon you will have a dry landing at Tagus Cove, located on the western part of Isabela. During the walk, you will discover a salt-water lagoon, a scenic overlook with a spectacular view of the ocean, lava fields, and volcanic formations. Graffiti dating back to the 1800′s is written on the rocky cliffs. You will explore the coves by Zodiac or kayak to find Galapagos Penguins, Boobies, Pelicans, and other seabirds.

Day 6 Friday Puerto Egas (Santiago) / Rabida Island
Today you will walk along the shoreline at Puerto Egas, Santiago (James) Island, looking for octopus, starfish, and other sea life caught in the tide pools. At low tide, you can catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they feed on exposed green algae. Be on the lookout for great blue herons, lava herons, American oystercatchers, and yellow-crowned night herons. Your walk ends at the grottos, deep pools of clear water where you encounter fur sea lions once on the verge of extinction. Before returning to the yacht, you can snorkel or kayak.

In the afternoon you disembark on Rabida (Jervis) Island, located off James Island. Rabida sports the most diversified volcanic rocks of all the islands and is considered the geographic center of Galapagos. The dark red sand beach originated from the erosion of volcanic stones. You will follow a trail that leads to a salt water lagoon, and observe Greater Flamingos as they feed. Brown Pelicans nest in the mangroves at the far side of the lagoon. After the walk, there is time for snorkeling.

Day 7 Saturday Santa Cruz: Highlands / Charles Darwin Research Station
Today you will travel by bus to El Chato in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. The scenery gradually changes as you wind your way through all seven of the vegetation zones found in Galapagos. Here, you will visit the tortoise reserve at “Las Primicias” one of the private farms in the highlands where you can encounter giant tortoises In their natural habitat. You next visit the Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena (formerly the Charles Darwin Research Station). Scientists from all over the globe work at the station and conduct biological research from anatomy to zoology. You also visit the Van Straelen Hall where there are exhibits and a short video presentation. Afterward, you will have an opportunity to walk through the town of Puerto Ayora, the social heart of the islands.

Day 8 Sunday Interpretation Center / Cruise Ends
This morning, the ship drops anchor in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal for the end of the cruise around the Galapagos Islands. You visit the Interpretation Center opened in 1999 where you can gain a more complete understanding of the natural and human history of the Islands. After the visit you will be escorted to Baltra airport for your return flight to the Ecuadorian mainland.

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