In January 2006, New York Times writer Tim Neville published his account of our Galapagos Island Sea Kayaking trip as he accompanied our maiden voyage with sea kayak paddle in hand. Describing the magic of these unique islands with their oceanic geologic origins, rich sea life, diverse wildlife and intriguing natural history, he aptly captured how our Galápagos Island Sea Kayaking, Snorkeling and Hiking Adventure allows you to discover all this under your own power. Experience the peace and enjoyment of walking and paddling your way through this island paradise. For a wonderful narrative about this unique trip, we invite you to read his article Galapagos Unbound.

The Galápagos Islands have been a national park of Ecuador since 1959 and organized tourism here began in the 1960s, the islands remain a far-flung destination and a visit to them is but a dream for most. Because of their famed natural history and remarkable creatures, these remote islands are revered the world over. In the effort to preserve and protect the Galapagos, access to the islands is restricted and regulated. Most tours to the Galapagos are cruise based aboard yachts carrying from ten to 100 people. Our unique journey, the only one of its kind, allows our small groups to visit sites that are not on the main routes in the most environmentally-friendly manner imaginable - under your own power. We walk and sea-kayak where other, more intrusive modes of travel would not take us, and our reward is not only what we see but the pleasure of getting there. Ours is also the only adventure that gives you the opportunity to camp on island beaches and hike to the rim of a recently active volcano.

Few places on earth allow for such intimate contact with a dazzling array of wildlife as the Galapagos islands. Words cannot describe the intense wonder of exploring these oceanic islands where the birds and animals have little or no fear of humans. On this superlative adventure you'll play in the water with sea lions, get within a few feet of blue footed boobies, marine iquanas and the giant Galapagos tortoises. You'll watch pelicans and boobies dive for fish, snorkel in transparent water rich with fishes and, if you desire, swim with sharks.

Our sturdy, speedy, and stable expedition sea kayaks are for one or two paddlers and are specifically equipped for the conditions we encounter. All kayaking portions of the trip are supported by a panga, or small launch, to ensure everyone's comfort and safety. Although participants should have some paddling experience, we begin with practice and safety instruction. Our camping sites are approved, and we adhere to leave-no-trace ethics in all our excursions.

Our itinerary takes us to five islands that include a wealth of wildlife and ecosystems. Every journey is more than its destination, and we are thrilled to offer an experience in the Galapagos unlike any other. Join us!

Available Dates

Departing from Santa Cruz
	Fri. Nov 28, 2008	Book this date
	Fri. Dec 12, 2008	Book this date

Rate Details
Price is starting at:
USD: $3,390.00
CAD: $4,304 *fluxuates daily
Current CAD/USD Exchange Rate: 0.7877

New 2009 Rates
Adult: $3,690 US per person - 6 to 8 guests
Adult: $3,490 US per person - 9 to 12 guests

DAY 1 ~ Depart Home, Arrive Quito
Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met by a member of our staff and escorted to your hotel. Most flights to Ecuador arrive very late at night. Therefore, we have allowed for one extra day before heading to the Galapagos in case there are any international flight delays. This also allows for sightseeing in Quito.

Overnight Swissotel.

DAY 2 ~ ~ Quito Walking Tour
Today we will embark on a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage city, capital of Ecuador. The colonial town center is fascinating. Free time will be given in the afternoon for shopping. Later, we will have an evening meeting to prepare for the trip. Orientation meeting at 6:00 PM. Dinner on your own.

Overnight Swissotel (B,L).

DAY 3 ~ Quito – San Cristobal
Activities: Fly from Quito or Guayaquil, sea kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, beach camping
Wildlife: Sea lions, blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, and much more

In the morning, we will fly from Quito or Guayaquil to San Cristobal Island, the easternmost island in the archipelago. The island is one of the oldest in the chain, and thus its volcanic peaks are greatly eroded and vegetation is more abundant than on many islands. Upon arrival in the provincial capital and second-largest town in Galápagos, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, we will kayak from Puerto Baquerizo to Tijeretas Bay and back to Puerto, this will take about 1 hour and a half. Then we will go in our Catamaran to Puerto Grande to camp.

Camp Puerto Grande. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 ~ Cerro Brujo & Kicker Rock
Activities: Sea kayaking, swimming, snorkeling
Wildlife: Sea lions, blue-footed and masked boobies

We’ll get up to a camp breakfast and then prepare for head towards Cerro Brujo, Kicker Rock, and finally Isla Lobos, to snorkel with sea lions and see blue-footed boobies that nest here. After a picnic lunch on our boat we will go to Puerto Baquerizo to start our kayaking to Five Fingers Rock. We will kayak approximately three hours. Late in the afternoon we will be back in Puerto Grande for another evening of conversation and camaraderie under the Galapagos stars on our last night on the camp.

Camp Puerto Grande (B,L,D).

DAY 5 ~ San Cristobal – Isabela Island
Activities: Inter-island flight to Isabela, walking, swimming
Wildlife: Marshlands, mangroves, flamingoes

After breakfast, we will walk to Tijeretas view point for about one hour. We head to the airport late morning for an early afternoon flight to Isabela Island.

This seahorse-shaped island is the largest in the archipelago at 80 miles in length. Despite its remarkable beauty, Isabela is not a stop on most Galapagos cruises, making it a less visited site perfect for our adventures. Isabela was formed approximately one million years ago by the merger of six shield volcanoes: Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra, and Wolf, all but one of which are still active. Two of the volcanoes, Wolf and Cerro Azul, stretch above the cloud cover and are therefore arid on their upper flanks. Because it is a relatively young island, Isabela’s lava fields and surrounding soil do not have the varied vegetation zones of other islands. Despite this, the rich animal, bird, and marine life are beyond compare. Here there are more wild tortoises than on all the other islands combined. They roam freely in the calderas of the volcanoes.

Upon arrival on Puerto Villamil, the main town on Isabela, we check into Casa de Marita, a small and charming beachfront hotel. After lunch, our first stop is the Tortoise Breeding Center, an initiative of the National Park for the conservation of Isabela’s tortoises. Then we will visit the marshlands or humedales, where elevated walkways take us over tidal lagoons that include four mangrove species and provide habitat for flamingoes and numerous migratory birds. We will come back to the hotel walking through the beautiful white sand beach of Puerto Villamil.

Overnight hotel in Casa Marita or similar. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 ~ Isabela’s Sierra Negra
Activities: Hiking to a volcano’s rim, Sierra Negra caldera, fumaroles, afternoon swim
Wildlife: Short-eared owls, Galápagos hawks, finches, flycatchers and warblers

After breakfast this morning we drive to the highlands of Isabela for an entirely new view and feel of the Galapagos. After an hour, we reach the starting point of our hike up Sierra Negra that last erupted on October 22, 2005 and deposited a new and dramatic layer of lava. The caldera of this volcano is the second largest in the world, with a diameter of approximately six and a half miles. On our hike, which varies from 8-14 miles depending on the group, we can spot a variety of birds, including finches and flycatchers and if we’re lucky, the Galapagos hawk. From the rim of the caldera we hike to Chico Volcano to see fumaroles and the unusual lava formations, a striking visual record of the geological history of these islands. From our highest vantage points, enjoy views of Isabela’s other volcanoes and nearby islands. Return to our starting point of the hike and drive to town. Some may then enjoy a walk to the beach for a cool swim before dinner.

Overnight hotel in Casa Marita or similar. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 ~ Tuneles & Tintoreras
Activities: Tintoreras Island, swimming, snorkeling
Wildlife: Marine iguanas, sea lions, white-tipped reef sharks, blue-footed and masked boobies

In the morning, weather permitting, we’ll take a boat for roughly an hour to Los Tuneles: the most curious and remarkable lava formation which consists of arches and caves. We’ll walk along the shore and also snorkel in crystal clear water for an insight into the remarkable underwater world. We’ll have lunch and then head back into town to visit a small island called Tintoreras. This island is a unique volcanic formation. On its west face a primitive species of lichen flourishes in the moisture brought by the prevailing wind. Here we’ll find young marine iguanas and may see white-tipped reef sharks. In the quiet lagoon there are also boobies and if we’re lucky we’ll be able to spot the Galapagos Penguin. We may also have another chance to swim and snorkel with sea lions.

Overnight Hotel in Casa Marita or similar. (B,L,D)

DAY 8 ~ Isabela – Santa Cruz
Activities: Inter-island ride to Puerto Ayora, Kayak to Punta Estrada

After breakfast we will take the motor boat for a 2 and a half hour sail to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Santa Cruz, also called Indefatigable Island, is located in the center of the Galapagos Islands archipelago. It also the center of human activity in the Galapagos Islands, since the National Park Headquarters, the Darwin Research Station, and the largest settlement in the Galapagos Islands, Puerto Ayora, are all located in Academy Bay on the south side of Santa Cruz Island. Santa Cruz is the only island having a road that crosses its interior (running from Puerto Ayora in the south to the Itabaca Channel crossing in the north), thus providing tourists a rare opportunity to see the interior and higher elevations of a Galapagos island.

When we arrive in Puerto Ayora we will kayak for an hour and a half to Punta Estrada, a calm shallow water place where rays, mullets and sharks can be seen while kayaking along the rocky coast line. If we have time we will go to Tortuga Bay, which is a beautiful, very fine white-sand beach, where you can enjoy outstanding sun sets.

Overnight hotel in Puerto Ayora (B,L,D).

DAY 9 ~ Day Tour North Seymour & Bachas
Activities: Walking tour, snorkeling
Wildlife: Sea lions, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, land iguanas, marine iguanas

After breakfast today, we will drive to Canal de Itabaca where a small boat will be waiting for us to take us to North Seymour. On neighboring North Seymour we find the magnificent frigate bird, well-known for its glorious red pouch. During mating season, males inflate this pouch thrown back their heads, inflate the pouch and shake it to attract female frigates. Appropriately enough, the pouch resembles a heart, although it can reach the size of a soccer ball. Sharing the frigates’ nesting area on North Seymour are blue-footed boobies. While the frigatebird nests in saltbushes off the ground, the booby collects palo santo twigs to make ground nests. We will also see plenty of basking marine iguanas as well as a few land iguanas.

This site is also excellent for snorkeling, with many tropical fish, garden eels, mantas and even eagle rays. A real highlight is snorkeling with teenage sea lions that come to play with swimmers in the water. Imagine playing with an aquatic dog and you have the picture. We don’t touch the sea lions, but swimming and diving, they circle and swim with us in a playful manner.

Also during this trip we will travel to Bachas beach which is a beautiful long stretch of white sand and the surrounding interior lagoons where we may see the greater flamingo and many other bird species. There ay also be a chance to snorkel from this beach. By late afternoon we return to our hotel and everyone is on the deck for a sundowner to watch the sunset over the water.

Overnight Hotel in Angermeyer Waterfront Inn. (B,L,D)

DAY 10 ~ Santa Cruz Highlands & Return to Quito
Activities: Transfer to Baltra to catch the flight to Quito

After breakfast we will drive to the Santa Cruz highlands where we will see wild Galapagos Tortoises. These huge creatures weigh 200 to 500 pounds and are scattered all over the island. Then visit lava tunnels, these underground tunnels dug by hot lava twist, turn and intertwine while provide an exciting opportunity to view the immense effect of volcanic activity.

Return to Quito from Baltra where the main airport is, originally an air base built by the US Navy during WW II, this is a small, low island separated from the northwest corner of Santa Cruz by the narrow Itabaca Channel.

Enjoy a Farewell dinner.

Overnight Hotel in Quito (B,D).

DAY 11 ~ Depart Quito
Early morning transfer or continue with an extension.
We have an early wake-up and breakfast before the transfer to the airport for your international flight.

Please Note: The current trip we offer is somewhat different than the one we originally ran and is described in the New York Times. Due to changes in Park Service regulations effective in March 2007, we are no longer able to camp on the island of Baltra, so our trip now has two nights camping, rather than four. The Park Service regulates our land trips in much the same way they regulate the yacht-based trips. This change came about AFTER our color brochure was printed and explains the discrepancy between it and our current itinerary.