Galapagos Tourist Class Yacht Cruises

Motor Yacht Angelito - 8 Day Cruise

General Description:
The Motor Yacht Angelito (built 1992) is almost a floating mini-hotel in the Galapagos Islands with its four sundecks, an elegant well-lit dining deck with bar and handsome wooden interior.

Each cabin has upper and lower berths and is attached to its own full-bath with hot shower. Its superb service is ensured by the fact that one of Angelito's owners always skippers the craft. Fully air-conditioned and meeting all standard safety regulations, this little angel of a yacht tours through the Galapagos islands with ease.

Motor Yacht Angelito - Specifications
Type	Motor Yacht
Length	70 feet
Beam	22 feet
Draft	8 feet
Speed	10 Knots
Engines	2 D346 TA Caterpillar 485 HP; 2 Generators 220/110 Volt AC
Safety Equipment	Completely safety equipment according with the International Coast Guard regulations
Accommodations	16 Passengers in 8 double cabins with upper and lower berth all cabins with private Bathroom
Facilities	Hot Water Showers / dining-room / Snorkelling equipment / Solarium / VHS / TV / Air conditioning / small library
Crew	7 Plus Naturalist guide II Spanish / English and German

Motor Yacht Angelito - 8 Day Cruise

YTINERARY:
01 Sunday: Arrive at Baltra, Galapagos - North Seymour Island
The flight from Quito (via Guayaquil) to the Galapagos is approximately 2 ½ hours on a Boeing 727. Upon arrival at Baltra travellers pass through an airport inspection point to insure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands and to pay the park entrance fee of $100US (unless prepaid). Guides will meet you, collect your luggage and escort you on the short bus ride to the harbour. There our yacht crew will welcome you onboard. After departure and lunch, the first island visit is made.

North Seymour is an uplifted (as opposed to volcanic) island and so is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are good nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate birds. Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in the more open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea lions haul out onto the beach and can be found along with marine iguanas.

02 Monday: Plazas South- Santa Fe
Located on the east of Santa Cruz, the main characteristics on the small island South Plaza are the Opuntia cacti and the carpets of red sesuvium, a succulent plant that turns green in the rainy season. The cactus is the main food staple of land iguanas, which are usually found resting in the cacti´s shade. The island contains one of the largest sea lion colonies on the Galapagos. You will see swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds nesting, and boobies roosting on the south cliff of the island.

Santa Fe has one of the most beautiful coves of all the visitor sites in the archipelago. A turquoise lagoon with two small white sand beaches are protected by a peninsula where sea lions rest. A trail runs along side the coast and then crosses through an Opuntia Forest. These prickly pear cacti are the largest ones on Galapagos. The Santa Fe species of land iguanas are larger and of a paler yellow than on the other islands. After the hike you can swim or snorkel in the bay accompanied by sea lions.

03 Tuesday: Española Island-Punta Suarez-Gardner Bay
One of the oldest of the islands, Española is small and flat with no visible volcanic crater or vent. Punta Suarez is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Española Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks. Several types of reptiles, including the brilliantly colored marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island. When heavy swells are running, Punta Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering oceans sprays shooting 30 feet into the air.

Gardner Bay is on the eastern shore and has a magnificent beach. This beach is frequented by a transient colony of sea lions, and is a major nesting site for marine turtles. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes sea turtles and sharks. On a trail leading to the western tip of the island you'll pass the only nesting sites in the Galapagos of the waved albatross, huge birds with a 6-foot wingspan. These huge birds nest here from April to December and represent the majority of the world's population of this species.

Motor Yacht Angelito - 8 Day Cruise

04 Wednesday: Floreana - Cormorant Point / Devil's crown / Post Office Bay
Floreana Island is perceived as one of the most exotic Islands of the archipelago. At Cormorant Point you land on a green olivine sand beach. Following a 100 m long path you will soon reach a lagoon with flamingoes, white-checked pintail ducks and other shorebirds. The trail goes on to a white beach made of soft ground coral. This is the green sea turtle's nesting place. North of Cormorant Point an eroded volcano, Devil's Crown, is a snorkelling delight. To the west, Post Office Bay keeps the legendary post barrel that whalers used to post their mail in.

05 Thursday: Santa Cruz/Estacion Charles Darwin - Highlands
Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, with the largest population of the 4 inhabited islands (approx 10.000). Santa Cruz is also the only island where six different zones of vegetation can be seen: Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia, Miconia, and Pampa Zones. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based here. We will have an opportunity to visit some of the best scientists of their kind. Scientists, park rangers and park managers among others, who make huge efforts to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site, conduct the conservation of the islands. The station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing centre, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this island will probably be Lonesome George. He is the only surviver of his species.

The lush landscape of the Santa Cruz highlands is a welcome contrast with the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. Points of interest are the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative visit. The trip to the highlands ends with a visit to the Twin Craters. The vegetation around these is very special and is renowned for its approximately 300 fern species and the many sunflowers.

06 Friday: Rábida- James Bay - Puerto Egas
In the morning you'll do a trip to the beach of the small volcanic island Rabida. A small path leads to a small lagoon very popular with flamingos. On the way there you pass many pelicans nesting in the bushes. The beach is also considered as one of the most beautiful snorkel places in Galápagos and also frequently visited by many sea lions due to its fish wealth. From the visitor center at James Bay on the island Santiago a small path leads you south along the coast. Passing by the ruins of a former salt mine company and the many inhabitants of the bank area, like sea lions, lizards, herons, and crabs, you arrive at the famous fur seal grotto, the best place on the Galápagos to observe these elegant animals.

07 Saturday : Bartholome - Sullivans Bay
Arriving at Bartholome we will ascend a lookout point from where you can admire the spectacular panorama of the Sullivan Bay and the famous needle shaped rock, the so called Pinnacle Rock. The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some fine snorkeling spots from which you can discover the marvelous underwater world with a good chance of encountering penguins or the softly gliding sea turtles. Later on you will anchor at Santiago Island's wonderful Sullivan Bay. At your arrival sea lions will stick their heads out of the water to welcome you. During turtle hatching season, these beaches are covered with little turtles. The main attraction of the bay is the broad, about 100 years old stream of lava and its bizarre surface.

08 Sunday: Tortuga Point- Baltra - flight back
Before leaving the Galapagos Islands you will visit the mangroves of Tortuga Point. Transfer to Baltra and from there return flight to Quito or Guayquil.

Motor Yacht Angelito - 8 Day Cruise

Prices 2008:
Price 8 Day Cruises USD 1.950.- Per Person
Price 5 Day Cruises USD 1.255.- Per Person
Price 4 Day Cruises USD 795.- Per Person
Charter 8 Day Cruise Price USD 30.360.-

Included in the price:
All transfers, cruise on board the Motor Yacht ANGELITO in double accommodation with all facilities, all meals during the cruise, multilingual naturalist guide, purified water free to drink, coffee or tea.

Not included in the price:
Flights mainland to/from Galápagos USD 410.-, Galápagos entrance fee to Galápagos National Park USD 100.-, beverages, tips, personal items, transfers and in Quito.