Galápagos: Wildlife Wonderland

•   Four nights aboard M/V Santa Cruz, built exclusively for Galpagos Islands cruising

Day 1: Arrive in Quito, Ecuador
A transfer is included from Mariscal Sucre International Airport to the Swissôtel Quito. After your flight to Ecuador, get a good a night’s sleep so you’ll be rested and ready for your family's unforgettable Galápagos tour.
Overnight: Swissôtel Quito, Ecuador
Meals Included:

Day 2: A train ride to the Quito countryside
It's all aboard for a train ride* today through the countryside of Quito, Ecuador. You'll be "mooved" by a visit to a dairy farm, alive with cows, horses and llamas; you'll see the ecosystems that thrive here during a hike in the moorlands and you'll be able to taste farm-fresh cheese and vegetables during lunch at a local hacienda. Back in Quito, join us for a welcome dinner as we tell you what's ahead on your Galápagos tour.
Overnight: Swissôtel Quito, Ecuador
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Board your ship as your Galápagos tour begins
The cruise part of your family’s Galápagos tour begins today when you fly to the volcanic island of Baltra and board your expedition ship, the M/V Santa Cruz. Your first shore excursion features a ride ashore on a panga to the island of Santa Cruz. On a guided hike around a saltwater lagoon today, look for flamingos, pintail ducks, sandpipers and stilts; join our expert naturalists for an informative briefing back aboard ship this evening.     
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Tropical penguins and a lava walk
At Bartolomé Island, hike up to the summit and drink in amazing vistas of its volcanic features and the neighboring islands. Ride a panga around Pinnacle Rock, then meet sea lions, sea turtles and tiny tropical Galápagos penguins – only found here – "face-to-face" as you view a panorama of life underwater from a glass-bottomed boat or while snorkeling in the warm, clear water.  Roam the black lava landscape of San Salvador Island with our expert naturalists, and look for friendly Galápagos fur seals; this Galápagos tour is a great way to see these friendly mammals up close. And keep an eye peeled for marine iguanas, lizards that are only found in the Galápagos – they look like swimming dinosaurs!
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Finches and friendly sea lions
Meet Darwin's finches and other rare birds today on Rabida (Jervis) Island, with its red-colored beaches.  Chart a course for North Seymour Island where you can explore sandy beaches teeming with sea lions and swallowtail gulls. Tonight you'll find out more about the Galápagos at an ECO (Explore, Conserve, Observe) Moment with our shipboard naturalists.
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Giant tortoises on Santa Cruz
Travel into the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a chance to see giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island to see and learn about the famous Galápagos tortoises. Have your picture taken with them – these gentle giants aren’t at all camera-shy. Say hello to Lonesome George, an elderly tortoise thought to be one of the last of his sub-species; your visit here will be a fond memory of your Galápagos tour.
Overnight: Cruising aboard M/V Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Galápagos tour ends and you fly to Guayaquil
Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center on San Cristóbal Island; your Galápagos tour comes to an end when you disembark M/V Santa Cruz and fly to Guayaquil on the mainland. Join us this evening for a poolside farewell party as Tauck's Galápagos tour and cruise comes to a close.
Overnight: Hilton Colón Guayaquil, Ecuador
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Homeward bound
Galápagos tour ends: Guayaquil. A transfer from the Hilton Colón Guayaquil to Guayaquil International Airport is included. You should allow a minimum of 2½ hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Don't miss our current specials: Special Air Savings - Learn More Hurry! Air Savings End March 26! Special International Air Savings – Europe Book and deposit summertime departures of the following Tauck journeys to Europe by March 26, 2010 and save $2,000 per couple off Business Class Air ($1,000 off per person) from select U.S. cities. Savings are valid for travel between June 29 and September 5, 2010, subject to availability: •Treasures of the Aegean – 14 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit •Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome – 11 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Le Ponant •Switzerland – 11 days featuring travel along Tauck’s scenic Yellow Roads •Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence & Rome – 10 days in Italy with all multiple-night stays •Paradors of Northern Spain – 14 days exploring culturally rich Iberia •The Best of Ireland – 13 days featuring iconic cultural treasures of the Emerald Isle •A Week In… Ireland – 8 days with a 2-night stay at Dromoland Castle •A Week In… Spain – 8 days from Barcelona to Andalucía, Seville and Madrid •A Week In… Scotland – 8 days with 2- and 3-night stays in Loch Lomond, Inverness & Edinburgh •Spain and Portugal – 14 days of Iberian pleasures and culinary treasures •Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley – 13 days showcasing joie de vivre •A Week In… London & Paris – 4 nights at a grand hotel in London and 3 nights in Paree •Castles & Kings: London to Paris – An 8-day family vacation alive with royal traditions Deposit must be paid at time of booking and certain restrictions apply. Valid on new bookings only and not combinable with other promotions; ask for details. Tauck Tour Deals Traveling with a group of friends or family can add to the joy of any journey. Book a group of 10 on any Tauck land journey or cruise and the 11th guest travels FREE. Book a group of 8 on any Tauck Bridges family adventure and the 9th guest travels FREE Tauck Single Specials For those seeking singles tours, we are pleased to offer special values on select departures to our guests who choose to travel solo. You can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you are among like-minded travelers and will have all the day-to-day details handled for you! While everyone is welcome, on these select dates we offer special arrangements to those traveling solo at a reduced cost. Tauck Single Specials in North America Best of the Canadian Rockies Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island Charleston/Savannah Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia San Fransisco, Sonoma & Napa Valleys Tauck Single Specials in Europe A Week in Ireland A Week in Spain Mediterranean Discovery Istanbul and the Black Sea Treasure of the Mediterranean Cruising Mediterranean Shores The Blue Danube Holland Belgium in Spring Strasbourg to Prague Serenade The Rhine and Moselle Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat Budapest to the Black Sea Classic Italy Bellissima Northern Italy Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome A Week in Paris and Provence Tauck Singles Specials in Latin America Panama Canal & Costa Rica
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
3/13/2010 - 3/21/2010	$4,190
3/20/2010 - 3/28/2010	$4,190
4/10/2010 - 4/18/2010	$4,190
6/26/2010 - 7/4/2010	$3,990
7/3/2010 - 7/11/2010	$3,990
7/17/2010 - 7/25/2010	$3,990
7/31/2010 - 8/8/2010	$3,990
8/7/2010 - 8/15/2010	$3,990
8/14/2010 - 8/22/2010	$3,990
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.

Cruise aboard the expedition ship, M / V Santa Cruz, to islands time forgot and experience a wildlife wonderland beyond compare. Imagine coming nose-to-nose with a giant tortoise, sunbathing with iguanas and swimming with friendly sea lions. See birds wearing bright red and blue “shoes”; crabs dressed in red and yellow shells; and “prehistoric lizards” that dive in the sea for their supper. ECO Moments and daily shore excursions with on-board naturalists offer exciting opportunities to discover a living laboratory that takes you back more than a million years. • = Cruise day Day 1. Arrive Quito, Ecuador Tour begins: Swissôtel Quito. A transfer is included upon arrival in Quito from Mariscal Sucre International Airport to the Swissôtel Quito. Get set for adventure in and around Ecuador’s capital city early tomorrow morning! Day 2. All aboard for a look at la vida local in Quito On a ride aboard the Chiva Express* you’ll visit a dairy farm to meet cows, horses and llamas, hike through the moorlands and have lunch at a local hacienda. Dine on farm-fresh cheese and just-picked vegetables and sample your choice of homemade desserts – sweet! Learn to play some traditional games or go exploring before returning to Quito. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner this evening. Meals BLD • Day 3. Cruise to islands time forgot Hop on a plane for a flight to Baltra Island, the starting point for your Galápagos Islands expedition* aboard M / V Santa Cruz. Your first stop is Santa Cruz Island, home to eight different species of Darwin’s Finches, symbol of evolution in the Galápagos. Put on your hiking shoes for a guided walk around a saltwater lagoon; look for pintail ducks, flamingos, stilts, and sandpipers. Back aboard the ship, gather round our naturalists for an informative briefing. Meals BLD • Day 4. See marine animals & walk on lava We’ll take you on a hike up to the summit of Bartolomé Island for great views of the neighboring islands and volcanic features like lava tubes and tuff cones. Then we’ll take a closer look at one of the island’s best places to see tropical Galápagos penguins, sea lions and sea turtles when we climb aboard a panga for a ride around Pinnacle Rock. You’ll have a chance to meet these animals face-to-face from a glass-bottom boat or on a snorkeling adventure. All of the islands were created from volcanoes – join our expert naturalists for a walk atop the black lava shores of San Salvador (Santiago or James) Island. Meals BLD • Day 5. Finches, frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies Prepare to get wet when we wade ashore on the red beach of Rabida (Jervis) Island, where you may be welcomed by a colony of noisy sea lions. This island is studded with volcanic craters that mockingbirds and Darwin’s Finches call home. Your cruise continues to North Seymour Island for a dry landing; the island is known for its colonies of blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds. Share an ECO (Explore, Conserve, Observe) Moment aboard ship tonight with our on-board naturalists, a fact-filled way to end the day. Meals BLD • Day 6. Charles Darwin & tortoises Head to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a look at the giant tortoises that have captured the imaginations of travelers for centuries. Here’s your chance to see them in their natural environment, along with bright red Vermilion Flycatchers who are often just as curious about you as you are about them. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to hear about the ongoing conservation efforts to preserve the ecosystems and wildlife – and see more tortoises. Meals BLD Day 7. Disembark ship and fly to Guayaquil San Cristóbal Interpretation Center on San Cristóbal (Chatham) Island is a great place to learn even more about the natural history of the Galápagos and is the last stop on your cruise. Disembark ship for a flight back to the mainland and a farewell dinner, poolside! Meals BD Day 8. Homeward bound Tour ends: Guayaquil. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Hilton Colón Guayaquil to Guayaquil International Airport; allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in. Meals B

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