For expert help planning your South America vacation, call a travel specialist at 1-800-942-3301
| Galapagos: Wildlife Wonderland Special Holiday Departure
An 11-Day tour starting from $5,145
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About This Tour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special December 2008 Holiday Departures of our Family Galápagos Cruise Adventure – Galápagos: Wildlife Wonderland becomes an 11-day journey with a 7-night Galápagos cruise! Get set to explore the world’s most wondrous group of islands aboard the expeditionary ship, M/V Santa Cruz. Come nose to nose with a giant tortoise, sunbathe with iguanas and swim with sea lions as you discover animals found nowhere else! December 20 and 27, 2008 only! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Featured Dining: 10 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches & 9 Dinners
Unique and Distinguished Hotels in the Best Locations: Night 1, 2 Hilton Colon Guayaquil: Guayaquil, Ecuador Night 3-9 Aboard M/V Santa Cruz : Cruising Galápagos Islands Night 10 Hilton Colon Guayaquil: Guayaquil, Ecuador Insightful Tour Directors: During your travels, you have the pleasurable advantage of being with a Tauck Tour Director who is fully knowledgeable about the destination, its history and its culture. You can relax knowing that you are accompanied by a professional who manages the flow of events... a problem-solver (in the unlikely event a problem should arise)... an insider who saves you precious time... and a friend who will help transform your trip into a truly memorable journey. Every Travel Expense is Included When you travel with Tauck, you’ll save up to 40% on the cost of traveling the same itinerary on your own. What’s more, virtually every major travel expense is included: Along with most meals, your hotel accommodations, cruises, sightseeing, admissions to museums, galleries and theaters – even taxes and port charges – are built into the price of your trip. Guests are often delightfully surprised at how much is included. You can practically leave your wallet at home! A Tauck vacation offers you both superb quality and extraordinary value.
1. Arrive Guayaquil, Ecuador
Tour begins: Hilton Colon Guayaquil. A transfer is included from Guayaquil International Airport to the Hilton Colon Guayaquil; most flights from the U.S. arrive late at night. 2. Sightsee Historic Guayaquil Get your first glimpse of South American animals and birds during a visit to Guayaquil’s eight-acre Historical Park, a colorful ecological park divided into three different zones. Meals BLD 3. Cruise to Islands Time Forgot Fly to Baltra Island to board your expedition ship, M / V Santa Cruz. The first stop on your Galápagos cruise is Santa Cruz Island, which is located near the center of the archipelago. See unique wildlife up-close during a panga ride and an inland hike up Dragon Hill. Meals BLD 4. Meet Tropical Penguins, Walk on Lava Hike to the summit of Bartolomé Island, and take a panga ride around Pinnacle Rock, a great place to see penguins; look for marine life from a glass-bottom boat or go snorkeling. Walk atop black lava shores on San Salvador (Santiago or James) Island. Meals BLD 5. Birds and the Galápagos Tortoise Make a wet landing on the red beach of Rabida (Jervis) Island, where mockingbirds and Darwin’s finches reside. Cruise to Santa Cruz to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and say hello to Lonesome George, thought to be the last of his kind. Enjoy an ECO (Explore, Conserve, Observe) Moment aboard ship tonight. Meals BLD 6. Blue-Footed Boobies and Iguanas Travel into the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, a great place to look for giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Visit the volcanic island of North Seymour later today, one of the few uplifted islands in the Galápagos Archipelago, where you may spot colonies of blue-footed boobies and frigate birds, as well as playful sea lions and marine iguanas. Meals BLD 7. San Cristóbal Island Explore San Cristóbal (Chatham) Island and visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center to learn about the history of this wildlife wonderland. Enjoy an ECO Moment tonight. Meals BLD 8. Hood & Floreana Islands Walk atop the lava landscapes of Hood Island to view unique birdlife, sea lions and the famous blow hole. See flamingos at a natural lagoon on Floreana Island. Meals BLD 9. Fernandina & Isabela Islands See marine iguanas on a one-mile walk on Fernandina; they share the shore with sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs and hawks. Snorkel along the cliffs of sunken Ecuador Volcano this afternoon at the northern tip of Isabela Island, then cruise by panga to look for flightless cormorants. Meals BLD 10. Disembark Ship / Fly to Guayaquil Disembark on Baltra Island and fly back to the mainland. Join us for a farewell dinner tonight, poolside at your hotel. Meals BD 11. Homeward Bound Tour ends: Guayaquil. A transfer is included from Hilton Colon Guayaquil to Guayaquil International Airport; you should allow a minimum of 2 1⁄2 hours for check-in. Meals B
7 nights aboard M / V Santa Cruz, the only ship built exclusively for Galápagos Islands cruising
Licensed Naturalist Guides of Galápagos National Park accompany shore excursions and lead ECO Moments (Explore, Conserve, Observe) on the ship, focusing on geology, evolution and oceanography Entrance fee to Galápagos National Park – $100 Value! Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about marine and terrestrial conservation in the islands On-tour air included Private Tauck Shore Excursions, averaging two daily All gratuities to Tauck Directors and ship staff included Cruise Aboard the M/V Santa Cruz The 46-cabin M/V Santa Cruz is the only ship built exclusively for Galápagos Islands cruising and has gained outstanding recognition for its excellent standards. The entire ship is air-conditioned, and was recently renovated. Staterooms vary by deck and size, but all have similar standards for amenities, comfort and style. The ship provides ample public spaces, including a sun deck with a bar and Jacuzzi, along with an observation platform for dolphin and whale watching. Meals feature international cuisine and Ecuadorian dishes; there is a lounge, bar and library/reading room. A team of Galápagos naturalists are on-board the Santa Cruz; they share their knowledge throughout the cruise, give presentations, and accompany landings. Landings are made by panga (Zodiac-style rafts), and include dry and wet landings. All prices are per person, in US dollars.
Upper Deck Inside Triple Occupancy $5460 Single Occupancy $8290 Main Deck Standard Triple Occupancy $5590 Quadruple Occupancy $5590 Single Occupancy $8630 Upper Deck Standard Triple Occupancy Single Occupancy $8960 Boat Deck Standard Triple Occupancy $5955 Single Occupancy $9675 Boat Deck Superior Triple Occupancy N/A Single Occupancy $10,210 Boat Deck Junior Suite Triple Occupancy $6345 Single Occupancy $10,580 Boat Deck Master Suite Triple Occupancy $6790 Single Occupancy $11,810 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||