CRUISING THE GALAPAGOS (ISWB2010)

Hotels


Quito: Grand Mercure Alameda
Location: This hotel is centrally located in downtown and close to many attractions.Amenities & Services: The hotel features a restaurant, bar, laundry, business center, and fitness center.

Galapagos Islands: Santa Cruz
The 46-cabin Santa Cruz was built exclusively for Galápagos Islands cruising. Amenities & Services: The ship features a bar and Jacuzzi, along with an observation platform for dolphin and whale watching on the top deck. The dining room, lounge, and bar are elegantly appointed, as is the well-stocked library/ reading room. All cabins are outside and feature air-conditioning, private bathrooms, hairdryer, and safety deposit boxes. As an alternative to snorkeling, a glass-bottom boat offers another opportunity to observe marine life. The Santa Cruz has gained worldwide recognition for its excellent standards, including superb service, expert crew, the most knowledgeable multilingual Naturalist/guides, and menus that feature the very best international cuisine and celebrated Ecuadorian dishes.

Day 1:
Fly to Quito. Arrive late this evening.

Day 2:
Quito, Ecuador. Your included city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and later the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable Cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows. (B)

Day 3:
Quito–Baltra (Embarkation)–Santa Cruz. Fly to Baltra in the Galápagos. Upon arrival, transfer to Santa Cruz Island, where you will embark the Santa Cruz for your 4-night cruise. Your first stop takes you to Cerro Dragón, a bird-lover’s paradise, where stilts, pintail ducks, Darwin’s finches, Galápagos mockingbirds, and the endemic Galápagos flycatcher are regular sightings. This evening, a lecture led by your onboard Naturalist will prepare you for tomorrow’s adventure. (B,L,D)

Day 4:
Cruising: Bartolomé & Puerto Egas Islands. At Bartolomé Island, hike to the summit for a stunning view of two beautiful bays and fascinating formations of lava flows and spatter cones. You will also have the chance to snorkel with a chance to see Galápagos penguins in tropical waters. Cruise to Puerto Egas, known for its numerous shore birds, Galápagos fur seals, and marine iguanas. (B,L,D)

Day 5:
Cruising: Rabida & North Seymour Islands. On Rabida, stroll along the red-sand beach (due to high iron content from the volcanic material), observing sea lions, marine iguanas, Darwin’s finches, mockingbirds, and even greater flamingos! This afternoon, travel to North Seymour to explore for colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, and swallow-tailed gulls. The island’s shore teems with sea lions and marine iguanas as well. (B,L,D)

Day 6:
Cruising: Santa Cruz & Charles Darwin Research Center. Take a ride on Santa Cruz to the highlands where the endangered giant tortoises can be seen (seasonally) grazing on the pastures of local farms. The vegetation of the area includes the Scalesia Forest, which provides an outstanding area for bird watching. It is up here where amazing encounters with woodpecker finches have occurred. This afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the efforts and results to protect the Galápagos’ giant tortoises. Spend some time in the town of Puerto Ayora before returning to the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 7:
Cruising: San Cristobal Island (Disembarkation)–Quito. This morning, disembark in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where you will have free time before flying back to Quito for one more night in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B)

Day 8:
Quito–U.S. A morning flight allows for hometown connections. (B)

Don't miss our current specials: Pay Less For Your Second Vacation We charge you list price for your first vacation in the year, but for every additional Monograms vacation you take in the same year, you pay $35 under list. This discount does not apply if one of the vacations is a Monograms single city stay. Consecutive vacations can be booked with or without flights. Any flights between vacations cannot be reserved as part of the Monograms package. Discount for Young Travelers Share the pleasure of a Monograms vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of the below discounts on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must meet age requirements on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. Please ask your travel consultant for details. The following land-only discounts apply for Young Travelers: Free of charge:     * North America Driving Vacations & Hawaii Island Getaways—Accommodations for children ages 2–11 when sharing accommodations with two adults     * All destinations—Infants under 2 years of age sharing adult’s accommodations 50% discount:     * Europe vacations—Children ages 2–11 when sharing accommodations with two adults     * North America Single-City and Multi-City Getaways—Children ages 2–11 when sharing accommodations with two adults 10% discount:     * Vacations to China, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America—Children ages 2-17     * North America Rail Getaways—Children ages 2-11     * Europe vacations—Children ages 12-17     * North America Single-City and Multi-City Getaways—Children ages 12-17 Note: We require that children under 12 years of age share accommodations with an adult. Some restrictions apply, as noted in Terms & Conditions. For Young Traveler discounts please review our Terms & Conditions.
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/11/2010 - 9/18/2010	$3,269
9/25/2010 - 10/2/2010	$3,269
10/9/2010 - 10/16/2010	$3,269
10/23/2010 - 10/30/2010	$3,269
10/30/2010 - 11/6/2010	$3,269
11/6/2010 - 11/13/2010	$3,269
12/4/2010 - 12/11/2010	$3,269
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Ship
M/V Santa Cruz

Price Details US
Extra nights per person in Quito:in single room $118; in twin room $73; triple rooms not available

Related Tours
ISWA|Vacation with Upgraded Hotel PackageISXA|Start Your Vacation in Ecuador’s Tropical Forest

Pay Less For Your Second Vacation

Discount for Young Travelers

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