You can design your own itinerary by choosing whether you want a Galapagos Cruise or a holiday based in the Ecuador mainland, and then adding extensions. Select the extensions you would like and click the red button to see full details of the holiday you have chosen.
The Galapagos Explorer II is a comfortable cruise ship which carries 100 passengers in 50 double cabins. The ship has a restaurant, several bars, a library, a solarium, a jacuzzi, a massage suite and medical assistance. The large, comfortable cabins have air conditioning and are all outward facing and have minibars, internal tv, telephones and en-suite shower rooms. Classic suites are located on the lower decks and have portholes. Premium suites are on a higher deck and have 3 picture windows. Deluxe suites are similar to premium suites but on a higher deck. The larger Renaissance suites either have a balcony or panoramic windows overlooking the bow of the ship.
From 2012 the Galapagos Explorer will operate this 7-day cruise itinerary on alternate weeks. For the 2011 itinerary please contact us.
Saturday: Fly to Santa Cruz; Santiago
Sunday: Bartolome, Espumilla Beach
Monday: Isabela, Fernandina
Tuesday: Isabela
Wednesday: Floreana (Post Office Bay)
Thursday: San Cristobal (Giant Tortoise Sanctuary)
Friday: Fly to Quito
From 2012 the Galapagos Explorer will operate this 5-day cruise itinerary on alternate weeks. For the 2011 itinerary please contact us.
Tuesday: Fly to San Cristobal
Wednesday: Española (Gardner Bay)
Thursday:Santa Cruz, Rabida
Friday: Santa Cruz, South Plaza (Charles Darwin Research Centre)
Saturday: Fly to Quito.
Full Galapagos Explorer specification
A buffet breakfast is served from about 7am, before you prepare for your first excursion of the day. As the ship sails at night, you are already close to the island that you will be visiting. On Monday mornings, off the north coast of Isabela, there is a good chance for spotting whales, and a guided talk is possible from the observation deck at 6am on this day.
For excursions to the islands, you will be in group of maximum 16 people, led by an experienced naturalist guide.
For the first excursion of the morning, departure times are staggered to ensure that groups do not all bump into each other constantly when on the excursion. You will then board pangas for the short trip to the island. You will have either a wet or a dry landing, and then explore the island. The guide will explain the flora, fauna and geology of the island as you walk. As each island is different, each excursion will focus on different aspects of the Galapagos Islands. After you have explored the island, you will usually have an opportunity to snorkel off the beach. This may be snorkelling with sea lions, tropical fish, or even with marine iguanas and penguins. If you do not want to go snorkelling, the Galapagos Explorer has a glass bottomed boat, although what you can see is quite limited.
You return to the Galapagos Explorer in the late morning, for a shower and change before lunch is served. After lunch, you will sail to the next island, and you will have time for a rest, or maybe to look out for dolphins or frigate birds from deck.
At around 3pm, you will again take a panga ride for your second excursion of the day. You return to the ship in the late afternoon, where you have time for a drink before dinner as the guide explains the itinerary for the next day. After dinner, you can relax in the piano bar or on deck. The guides also present talks on the Galapagos Islands, and during December to April, when nights tend to be clear, there are nightly stargazing lectures on the top deck, with visual aids to enhance the sightings.
The yacht will usually sail at night to make sure you arrive at the next island early the next morning.
All our holidays include flights from the UK; transfers and hotels in Quito; flights to the Galapagos Islands; Galapagos National Park entrance fee of US$100; Galapagos transit card fee of US$10.
The Galapagos Explorer cruise includes all transfers in the Galapagos; all meals on board, drinking water, tea, coffee; all excursions in the islands led by English-speaking certified naturalist guide. There are zodiac boats for wet and dry landings and a glass bottomed boat. The guides also give lectures on stargazing from December to April, when skies are clear.
Snorkelling equipment and wetsuits are available for hire at an additional cost. Alcoholic and soft drinks are available for sale on board. Tipping the boat crew and guide is usually well deserved, and expected. About US$18-20 per passenger per day is suggested.
For more information about the Galapagos Explorer, visit www.galapagosexplorer.com