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Itinerary
Journey to the Galapagos Islands January Cruise 2021
Date:
January 30, 2021 - February 09, 2021
Meeting point:
Palm Beach, FL (KPBI)
Length:
11 days / 10 nights
Mileage:
3,410 NM
Day 1 - Saturday, January 30: West Palm Beach, Florida → Boscobel, Jamaica → Cartagena, Colombia (525 + 485 Nautical Miles)
We will meet at Signature Flight Support FBO of Palm Beach Int. (KPBI) for a briefing about the forthcoming flight. Our flight today will bring us over Cuba before landing in Boscobel, Jamaica to refuel. We will continue on to Colombia – one of the most ethnically diverse nations in South America, for our visit to Cartagena.
Undeniably one of Latin America’s most beautiful cities, Cartagena is lost somewhere in time between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, with the Caribbean Sea as a sparkling backdrop.
Sir Francis Drake laid siege to the city but the fortress walls and cannons remain, making the area within the old walled city a living museum.
There will be time to relax before we enjoy a well-deserved welcome cocktail and dinner.
Hotel : Sofitel Santa Clara
Welcome cocktail and Dinner included
Day 2 - Sunday, January 31: Cartagena, Colombia
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cartagena is a city with a wealth of character and well-preserved colonial architecture. With restored mansions, horse-drawn carriages and Old World-style plazas, it is a perfect walking city.
With our local guide, we will enjoy a walking tour of the historic walled old town as we discover the hidden history of this colonial city. See Puerta Del Reloj (Clock tower entrance), a symbol of Cartagena, the Plaza San Pedro Claver with its stunning church, and Plaza Bolivar.
After lunch our tour continues with a drive to visit the impressive Castillo San Felipe. Built in the 17th century to protect the city from marauding invaders, it is the largest Spanish fortification in the Americas. Next, see the 17th century Convent of La Popa, a beautiful convent building that sits atop the highest point in the city, commanding spectacular views of the bay, old town, and Caribbean Sea beyond.
Hotel : Sofitel Santa Clara
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 3 - Monday, February 1: Cartagena, Colombia → Guayaquil, Ecuador (795 Nautical Miles)
Fly to Guayaquil, Ecuador – Gateway to the Galápagos Islands. Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city and an important trade center.
Strategically located in the downtown commercial and banking heart of the city, the Hilton Colon Guayaquil is only a short transfer from the airport.
Hotel : Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 4 - Tuesday, February 2: Guayaquil, Ecuador to Baltra, Galápagos (commercial flight)
Morning: Embarkation
Today we will fly via commercial airline (ticket not included) to Baltra in the Galápagos. Upon arrival we will transfer to our vessel.
Afternoon: Charles Darwin Research Station
The Charles Darwin Research Station provides an unmissable opportunity to find out about the vital work that is being carried out to preserve the archipelago’s ecosystems.
One element of this is a significant breeding program for Galápagos tortoises, whose numbers have been in decline since the 1970’s. These captivating enormous reptiles are very accustomed to humans, so be sure to bring your camera for some close-ups.
Hotel : Elite Luxury Catamaran
Lunch and Dinner included
Day 5 - Wednesday, February 3: Galápagos Islands
Morning: Prince Philip's Steps/El Barranco
El Barranco, also known as Prince Philip’s Steps, is a rocky stairway that will lead you past a colony of nazca and red-footed boobies up to a plateau of dried lava. Continuing through the thin Palo Santo forest and looking out over the plain, visitors are often treated to sites of storm petrels launching out over the ocean.
A panga ride or kayaking/paddle boarding along the edge of the cliffs provides a good chance to see the elusive Galápagos fur seals nestled on the rocks. Snorkeling is a great activity if you fancy a dip with a variety of shark species.
Afternoon: Genovesa – Darwin Bay
Darwin Bay has a small sand and coral beach that provides the perfect spot for snorkeling, kayaking or paddle boarding in calm, sheltered waters in the company of hammerhead sharks, rays and a plethora of colorful reef fish. Onshore, a short trail leads along a tidal lagoon and mangroves, home to a variety of land bird species, including Nazca and red-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls.
The trail culminates at a viewpoint that offers a stunning view overlooking the cliffs and the bay below.
Hotel : Elite Luxury Catamaran
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 6 - Thursday, February 4: Galápagos Islands
Morning: Santiago - Espumilla Beach / Buccaneer Cove
Espumilla beach, located on the northern coast of Santiago island, is an exquisite white sand beach, whose name refers to the meringue-like trails of foam left by the lapping of the waves. Sally Lightfoot crabs are in abundance here and as a result, it is common to see predatory birds such as hawks, herons and pelicans.
This idyllic location is perfect for snorkeling or kayaking/paddle boarding amongst a raft of marine life, including species of octopus, eels and sharks. Buccaneer Cove has an interesting history as it is where sailors, buccaneers and whalers frequently anchored their vessels in search for food and water. In more recent times, it has become an important nesting site for turtles and is also popular with sea lions.
A panga ride along the eroded shoreline provides views of intriguing rock formations that provide excellent ledges for boobies, pelicans and gulls.
Afternoon: Egas Port
Egas Port was once the site of a salt mine, but now this impressive black sand beach is an excellent location for snorkeling and observing shorebirds, Sally Lightfoot crabs and marine iguanas.
A stroll along the wide trails inland leads you past tidal pools and rocky volcanic formations known as grottoes where it is possible to spot fur seals enjoying a spot of shade.
Hotel : Elite Luxury Catamaran
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 7 - Friday, February 5: Galápagos Islands
Morning: Santa Cruz - Bachas Beach
Bachas Beach is a glorious white sand beach on which the remnants of a rusted barge, thought to have been abandoned by the Americans during WWI, can be seen. It is a popular nesting site for turtles, so if you go for a snorkel, you might find yourself sharing the water with these wonderful creatures.
The beach is also full of vibrant Sally Lightfoot and hermit crabs and elegant pink flamingos that frequent the salt water lagoon behind.
Afternoon: Twin craters and the Highlands of Santa Cruz
The best way to appreciate these remarkable, almost identical crater-like holes, caused by the collapse of empty lava chambers, is to take the trail that leads up and around the rims.
From this vantage point, one can revel in the beauty of the surrounding highlands, lush with ferns and an abundance of Scalesia trees.
Here, Bird enthusiasts can also enjoy spotting the distinct red feathers of Vermilion Flycatchers, Darwin’s finches, Galapagos doves and, with a bit of luck, an endemic short-ear owl.
Hotel : Elite Luxury Catamaran
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 8 - Saturday, February 6: Sal Cristobal, Galápagos to Guayaquil, Ecuador (commercial flight)
Morning: San Cristobal - Kicker Rock
Kicker Rock, is an iconic feature of the Galápagos that has been formed over time by the erosion of the cone of an extinct volcano.
The channel that runs between two imposing shards of rock is often described as one of the most thrilling sites for snorkeling and diving where it is common to see spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, marine iguanas, Galápagos sharks and even hammerhead sharks.
Afternoon: Our time aboard the Elite comes to an end. We disembark on San Cristobal Island, where we will transfer to the airport to take the commercial flight (not included) to Guayaquil.
Upon arrival to Guayaquil, we transfer to the Hilton Colon Guayaquil.
Hotel : Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 9 - Sunday, February 7: Guayaquil, Ecuador → Panama City, Panama (665 Nautical Miles)
We will retrieve our planes and fly to Panama. Enjoy a scenic approach to Panama City including a beautiful view of the Panama Canal.
Hotel : Waldorf Astoria Panama
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 10 - Monday, February 8: Panama City, Panama
After breakfast we will depart for our full-day sightseeing tour including a one-hour tour on the Panama Canal with the pleasure to enjoy the vegetation and wildlife (monkeys).
Continue to the Miraflores Lock where you will be able to watch ships entering the lock and discover the new museum where you will have the opportunity to enter the Lock on a simulator. A buffet lunch will be served at the Miraflores Restaurant offering a great view of the canal.
In the afternoon, we will continue our tour including the Old City with the most important sites.
Hotel : Waldorf Astoria Panama
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Day 11 - Tuesday, February 9: Panama City, Panama → Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands → Key West, Florida → Home (625 + 315 Nautical Miles)
We will transfer to the airport and fly to Key West to clear US Customs. There will be an optional technical stop in Grand Cayman to refuel.
Breakfast included