The Isabela CruisePlease go to the 2006 cruises index
A 14 day holiday including a 7 night Galapagos cruise
and 4 nights in Quito
Cruise the Galapagos Islands in style on the elegant Isabela
II, recognised as one of the finest vessels currently operating
in this area. The islands are one of the world's greatest
travel destinations, with a unique natural history and
a wealth of fauna found nowhere else on earth. Charles
Darwin sailed here in 1835 and his observations set the
stage for the development of his famed theory of evolution.
The cruise is aboard the small ship, Isabela II, which
was completely refurbished in 2000 to provide quality accommodation
for just 40 passengers. Fully air-conditioned and carpeted
throughout, the Isabela II has a large saloon and bar area,
a spacious dining room, separate reading room and games
room and a large sun deck with jacuzzi. All cabins have
twin beds with private shower and WC.
Holiday
BWH590
The Isabela Cruise for 2005
|
| Departure Date |
Price
per person |
Single
Room supplement |
| Jan 1, 15; Feb 5 |
£3745 |
£730 |
| Apr 2, 9, 16, 23 |
£3530 |
£543 |
| Apr 30; May
14: Jun 4; Oct 22 |
£3480 |
£543 |
| Jun 25; Oct
29; Nov 5, 12 |
£3760 |
£730 |
| Jul 16, 23, 30; Aug 6, 20,
27 |
£3865 |
£730 |
| Sep 3, 10; Nov 19 |
£3550 |
£543 |
| Dec 3, 10 |
£3570 |
£543 |
|
| |
| 4 Days £630 - Locally escorted |
| Day 13 |
Board the Autoferro,
a unique specially-constructed bus that runs on the
rail tracks, taking you through the awesome 'Avenue of
Volcanoes', passing Cotopaxi (19,700ft) on our way to
the colonial city of Riobamba. Overnight at the Hosteria
Abraspungu (or similar).
Meals: B, L, D. |
| Day 14 |
Today's highlight is undoubtedly the decent of the spectacular
'Devil's Nose' switchbacks, a masterpiece of railway
engineering. From Alausi we continue by bus, via th
eInca ruins of Ingapirca, to Cuenca. Stay at the Mansion
del Alcazar Hotel (or similar).
Meals: B, L, D |
| Day 15 |
A full
day of sightseeing in and around Cuenca.
Meals: B, L, D |
| Day 16 |
Morning
excursion to Cajas National Park, home to many species
of birds. In the afternoon fly back to Quito. Stay at
the Hilton Colon Hotel.
Meals: B, L |
| Day 17 |
Morning departure by KLM via Amsterdam
to London |
| Day 18 |
Arrive London Heathrow in the morning |
| Single Room Supplement :
£100 |
| This extension holiday is
operated by agents Metropolitan Touring, and the day-to-day
itinerary is adjusted from time to time according to local
conditions. |
Check
availability of this cruise
 Back
to main Galapagos Islands page
|
Check
availability of this cruise
Back
to main Galapagos Islands page
| |
DAY 1
|
Evening departure
from London Heathrow by KLM via Amsterdam to Quito. |
DAY 2
|
On arrival
in the morning you will be met by a representative and
taken to the Hilton Colon Hotel. Afternoon free. |
| DAY 3 |
At leisure
in Quito. Our agents will be pleased to offer you a variety
of optional excursions.
Meals: B |
| DAY 4 |
Fly across
the Pacific Ocean to the Galapagos Islands and embark
on the Isabela II in time for lunch. Shore excursions
in the islands are by small dinghies or ‘pangas’.
Safety precautions are paramount and each passenger is
provided with a life-jacket. Landings are either ‘wet’
or ‘dry’. Wet landings are usually on a beach,
and you step out of the pangas into shallow water; at
the dry landing stages you walk ashore onto rocks or steps.
This afternoon you begin with a dry landing on North Seymour
Island, an excellent location for viewing sea-lions, and
also frigate birds. Welcome cocktail party offered by
the Captain.
Meals: B, L, D |
| DAY 5 |
Casual dress
is the order of the day throughout the cruise, and you
should always have your swimming costumes at the ready,
as there are many opportunities for swimming and snorkelling
(equipment provided). Hood Island is today's destination,
and at Gardner Bay there will be time to spend time in
the clear turquoise water, perhaps even swimming with
sea-lions, while at Punta Suarez we can see blue-footed
boobies, masked boobies, lava lizards, marine iguanas,
and most famous of all, the waved albatross, unique to
Hood Island (except for the January and February departures,
when the waved albatrosses are usually absent).
Meals: B, L, D |
| DAY 6 |
The island
of Floreana, which we visit today, is studded with small
volcanic cones ? more than 50 within an area of only 80
square miles. There are often pink flamingos in the brackish
waters of the lagoon, and there is also a good chance
of seeing other wading birds such as black-necked stilts,
oystercatchers and whimbrels.
Meals: B, L, D |
| DAY 7 |
Today is spent
at Santa Cruz Island, which houses the Charles Darwin
Research Station, staffed by international scientists
working on biological research and conservation projects.
Here we see the famous giant Galapagos Tortoises, which
are bred at the Station. In the afternoon travel into
the island's interior where you may see these endangered
creatures in the wild.
Meals: B L D |
| DAY 8 |
A wet landing
on a coral beach brings you to Tower Island, home to thousands
of birds, most notably frigate birds, red-footed boobies
and storm petrels. You then cruise in your pangas beneath
the cliffs of Darwin Bay, the rim of a collapsed volcano,
to see fur seals and an abundance of sea-birds including
the red-billed tropicbird. In the afternoon climb Prince
Philip’s Steps (a steep ascent of 90 feet) to an
area where you may see the short-eared owl.
Meals: B L D |
| DAY 9 |
One of the
most popular visitor sites this morning - Punta Espinosa
on Fernandina Island, where you will see the greatest
concentration of marine iguanas, found in their thousands
on rocky shoreline. Afternoon landing at Urbina Bay on
Isabela Island, a nesting site for the brown pelican and
flightless cormorant.
Meals: B L D |
| DAY 10 |
Morning brings
a wet landing on the dark volcanic sands of Puerto Egas
on James Island to visit the Fur Seal Grotto. In the afternoon
we reach Bartolome Island, where we view the striking
Pinnacle Rock. There are further opportunities for swimming
or snorkelling, or riding in a glass-bottomed boat.
Meals: B L D |
| DAY 11 |
In the morning
fly back to Quito for a stay at the Hilton Colon Hotel.
Meals: B |
| DAY 12 |
At leisure.
Meals: B |
| DAY 13 |
Morning departure by KLM
via Amsterdam to London.
Meals: B |
| DAY 14 |
Arrive London
Heathrow in the morning. |
| Please note
that the itinerary can be subject to change due to local
conditions. |
| The
cruise price includes |
| • |
Scheduled flights |
| • |
U.K. Airport Passenger
Duty and Passenger Service Charge |
| • |
Private transfers from
airport direct to your hotel (and v.v.) in Quito
|
| • |
First class centrally-located
hotel in Quito. |
| • |
First class cruise of the islands
on the Isabela II |
| • |
Daily programme of activities and
shore excursions during the cruise |
| • |
English-speaking expert naturalist
guides during the cruise |
| • |
Informal explanatory lectures every
evening during the cruise |
| • |
Galapagos National Park entrance
fee (US$100). Many other tour companies charge this
separately |
| • |
11 full breakfasts, 7 lunches and
7 dinners |
|
|
