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Galápagos — West, Central and East Islands aboard the Monserrat

10 days, Quito to Quito

Map of the route for Galápagos — West, Central and East Islands aboard the Monserrat
Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Itinerary

Day 1Quito

Arrive at any time.

Booking pre- or post-trip accommodation is highly recommended to fully experience the city and take advantage of the optional activities available.

Opt to pre-book the "Quito City Tour & Equator Line" activity on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional on your tour.

Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group

Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

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Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow

Papallacta Hot Springs - Full Day Trip
Papallacta
70-100USD per person

Drive two hours out of Quito to Papallacta Hot Springs, located on the Cinnamon trail, (65km from Quito) which is the same route that Francisco de Orellana took in 1542 when he crossed the Andean mountain range in search of spices and gold, and discovered the Amazon River. Relax in hot springs of varying temperatures with views of the Antisana volcano. Opt to go hiking, horseback riding or get a spa service for an additional cost. Lunch and entrance fees to hot springs are not included.

Teleférico
Quito
9USD per person

Enjoy spectacular views of Quito from this sky tram up Volcán Pichincha. Choose to go for a hike at the top, or just come along for the ride.

Middle of the World
Quito
40-50USD per person

Drive 25km (16 mi) north of Quito to the Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Stand with one foot in each hemisphere, visit the Intiñan Museum which showcases the immense cultural diversity within this small South American country. On the 00°00’00” magnetic line at the museum experiment with gravity. Later, head up to the Pululahua crater view point, one of the two inhabited volcanic caldera in the world.

Quito City Tour
Quito
40-50USD per person

Take a tour of Quito to learn more about this beautiful city and its local culture. Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with stops at the golden Compañia Church, San Francisco Square, and the Panecillo, a towering statue of the virgin of Quito who looks out over a stunning view of the city.

Quito City Tour & Equator Line
Quito

Enjoy a city tour of Quito. Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with stops at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, La Compañia Church, San Francisco Square, Plaza Grande and the Panecillo, a towering statue of the virgin of Quito who looks out over a stunning view of the city. Drive 25km (16 mi) north of Quito to the Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

Please note that this tour starts at 8 a.m. and ends around 5 p.m.

Cotopaxi Volcano - Full Day
Cotopaxi – Alausí

Enjoy a spectacular 2 hour drive to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park to see the highest active volcano in the world (5,897m/ 19,347 ft). Visit a museum in the park and hike around a lagoon at the bottom of the volcano to learn about the flora and fauna found at this altitude. Continue by car up the volcano to the parking lot, at over 4,500m/14,763 ft. Walk for an hour and a half to the refuge and after a short break, continue to the glacier (if the weather holds out). Return to Quito in the early evening. **Park entrance fee is not included and is split among the number of travellers in the group**

Day 2Quito/Isabela Island

Fly to Baltra. Meet the guide and transfer to the boat. In the afternoon, sail to Mosquera Island and walk along the beach and observe the vast sea lion colonies.

Flights from Quito to Baltra depart between 6:40am and 9:40am depending on the day of the week. These will arrive into the Galápagos between 9:30am and 12:30pm with a short refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will generally arrive onto the boat in time for lunch on Day 2 before the afternoon activity.

The National Park charges a visitor fee of USD100, payable on arrival, which funds park maintenance and supervision in the Galápagos as well as ecological study, conservation, and infrastructure development in Ecuador's other National Parks. Entry fees and the funds they generate for the National Park System are among measures taken by the Ecuadorian government to protect its natural heritage.

Plane
Mariscal Sucre International Airport – Seymour Airport2h

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Mosquera Island Excursion
Mosquera Islet2h-3h

Wander along the beach and keep a look out for wildlife on land, in the air, and at sea. Relax on the sand or search for aquatic life in the tidal pools that dot the coastline.

Monserrat
Baltra Island – Isabela Island

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 3Isabela Island

Arrive at Puerto Villamil, home to the small community that lives on Isabela Island. In the morning, hike the Sierra Negra volcano, which has the largest basaltic caldera in the Galápagos. Visit Las Tintoreras and the tortoise breeding centre in Puerto Villamil in the afternoon.

In the morning, visit Las Tintoreras, a small island in front of Puerto Villamil. Its bay is known to be home to a colony of whitetip sharks. Check out the tortoise breeding centre to see some of the famous giant tortoises of the Galápagos.

Las Tintoreras Visit
Isabela Island

Take a panga across the bay to "Tintoreras" Shark Alley to observe the whitetip reef sharks found swimming in the channels between the rocks. Get a close-up view of pelicans, frigatebirds, and diving blue-footed boobies. Watch for manta rays and rare Galápagos penguins.

Sierra Negra Volcano Hike
Isabela Island1h-2h

Hike to the rim of the 10km (6 mi) wide crater of the Sierra Negra volcano, which has the largest basaltic caldera in the Galápagos. Trek across the moon-like landscape of the lava fields and fumaroles, and enjoy spectacular views looking north toward Fernandina and the rest of Isabela Island. The volcano last erupted in June 2018, making it the most recent eruption of the Galápagos. This hike is 7km in total (3.5 km each way).

Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Visit
Isabela Island1h-2h

Walk through the town’s wetlands to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. With the giant tortoise on its way to extinction in the late 1950s, this program was established to protect these noble creatures.

Monserrat
Isabela Island – Chinese Hat

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 4Chinese Hat/Rábida Island

Visit Chinese Hat for snorkelling opportunities and to observe the birds and sea lions. Take an afternoon excursion to Rábida to see a lagoon and sea lion colony.

In the morning, the boat arrives at a small uniquely shaped island off the southern tip of Santiago called Chinese Hat. Here it is often possible to see Galápagos penguins, and the marine life is fantastic for snorkelling. There is also a large sea lion colony as well as many marine iguanas that can be seen while walking amongst the volcanic scenery. Trek to see good views of the island's volcano.

Chinese Hat Visit
Chinese Hat1h-2h 1-2km

Explore Chinese Hat’s beautiful landscape and view many geological formations such as lava tubes and lava flows. Don't forget to bring your snorkel gear!

Snorkelling (Chinese Hat)
Chinese Hat45m-1h

Snorkel right from the white-coral sand beach and come face to face with playful sea lions and large schools of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for marine iguanas and penguins.

Rábida Island Visit
Rábida Island

Arrive at a red sand beach at Rábida to explore its trails. A short trail leads to a saltwater lagoon; another trail goes past the lagoon to the interior, where the revered palo santo trees grow. (When burned, the branches of this tree give off a pleasing aroma and ward off mosquitoes.)

Snorkelling (Isla Rábida)
Rábida Island45m-1h

Take a panga ride from the beach to a cliff wall that drops off into the water to find one of the best deep-water snorkeling spots in the islands.

Monserrat
Chinese Hat – Puerto Egas

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 5Puerto Egas/Santiago Island

On a morning excursion to Puerto Egas, walk on a dark sand beach studded with rock formations and tidal pools. Continue to Playa Espumilla, one of the most idyllic beaches in the Galápagos Islands, which boasts thick mangroves and sea turtle nesting sites. Head to Buccaneer Cove to witness the towering cliff wall rock formations.

Morning excursion to Playa Espumilla, one of the most idyllic beaches in the Galápagos Islands, which has thick mangroves and flamingo and sea turtle nesting sites. Continue to Puerto Egas to see the salt crater as well as a dark sand beach and tidal pools.

Santiago Island has seen its share of human activity from whalers and pirates over the years, and despite the introduction of goats to the island many years ago, the wildlife of Santiago has otherwise flourished and provides outstanding viewing opportunities. The island boasts marine iguanas, sea lions, fur seals, land and sea turtles, among others. Enjoy great wildlife viewing both on land and in the water.

Please be sure you are a comfortable swimmer. The "crown" provides protection from the open sea, but the water here can be rough and the currents strong.

Puerto Egas Visit
Puerto Egas

Explore the spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay. Spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife.

Snorkelling (Puerto Egas)
Puerto Egas45m-1h

Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach to explore Puerto Egas' interesting underwater world. Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reef sharks while snorkelling. After, visit the large tidal pool area – marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs are everywhere.

Playa Espumilla Visit
Playa Espumilla

Head to Playa Espumilla, one of the most idyllic beaches in the Galápagos Islands, which has thick mangroves and sea turtle nesting sites.

Buccaneer Cove Visit
Santiago Island

Jump into the panga and cruise alongside high cliffs and rock formations on this visit to Bucaneer Cove, which was a favourite hideout for pirates looking to stock up their boats with food and water. Spot sea lions relaxing on the beach and sea birds nesting in the cove – there’s lots to see at this site.

Monserrat
Puerto Egas – North Seymour

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 6North Seymour/Baltra Island

Visit North Seymour for guided walks to observe birds and wildlife, including vast sea lion colonies. Spend the afternoon exploring the Santa Cruz highlands.

Santa Cruz Highlands Excursion
Santa Cruz Island2h-3h

Visit the highlands of Santa Cruz and see the Galápagos giant tortoise in its natural surroundings. Explore the area and its incredible wildlife.

North Seymour Island Visit
North Seymour

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). Depending on the season, see blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks.

Monserrat
Baltra Island – South Plaza

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 7Islas Plaza/Santa Fé Island

Land at South Plaza in the morning for wildlife spotting opportunities and a walk through the cactus forest. In the afternoon, take a guided walk around Santa Fé to observe wildlife and plentiful marine iguanas.

South Plaza Island Visit
South Plaza Morning

Visit South Plaza, one of the smallest islands in the Galápagos, which has one of the largest populations of land iguanas. Walk along a path through a cactus forest and view a combination of dry and coastal vegetation on this lively island, home to a wide range of fauna, including incredible birdlife. Spot red-billed tropicbirds and indigenous swallow-tailed gulls resting on the cliffs, and sea lions playing in the waters.

Sante Fé Hiking
Santa Fé Island Afternoon

Lace up your hiking boats to explore the island's flora and fauna. Trek toward the cliffs along the island's northern shore to see a forest of giant prickly pear cacti (Opuntia). See endemic land iguanas lounging in their favourite forest, and feasting on Opuntia pads and fruit.

Monserrat
Islas Plaza – Punta Pitt

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 8Punta Pitt/Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Morning landing at Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island to observe the marine iguanas and seabirds along the beach. Head to La Galapaguera for opportunities to see giant tortoises and enjoy a snorkelling excursion.

Punta Pitt Visit
Punta Pitt

Enjoy amazing wildlife watching and interesting geological formations on this fascinating expedition. Arrive at a quiet cove on the eastern tip of San Cristóbal to explore Punta Pitt. Made up of volcanic tuff substrate, it's the only site in the Galápagos where it's possible to see three species of boobies and two species of frigatebirds.

Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado Visit
San Cristóbal Island

Get up close to giant tortoises at the Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, an area of land reserved for the repopulation of these magnificent ancient creatures. Learn about the life cycle of the tortoises at the small breeding centre and interpretation centre.

Snorkelling (Punta Pitt)
Punta Pitt

Snorkel around Punta Pitt Island and spot schools of fish swimming below. On the shore admire the nesting birds and sun bathing seal lions.

Monserrat
La Galapaguera – Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Board the spacious 20-person vessel and enjoy the amenities while cruising to your next destination. Spend time on the top deck lounge and bar, indulge in a meal with new friends or relax in the indoor air-conditioned areas.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 9Puerto Baquerizo Moreno/Quito

Explore the port town of Puerto Baquerizo, the capital of the Galápagos. Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Centre before the flight back to Quito.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Quito. The flight will arrive into Quito between 2:30pm and 5:30pm with a refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will arrive back at the hotel in the early evening in time for dinner.

Interpretation Center Visit
San Cristóbal Island1h-2h Morning

Learn about the history of the Galápagos Islands from the very beginning of their volcanic origins through to today’s conservation efforts. Tour the Human History exhibit to learn about the islands’ discovery and colonization, and discover the natural history and variety of flora and fauna that make the Galápagos so fascinating.

Plane
San Cristóbal Island – Quito3h

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Flights from San Cristobal to Quito depart between 11:30am and 1:30pm depending on the day of the week. These will arrive into Quito between 4pm and 5:40pm with a refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will arrive back at the hotel in the early evening in time for dinner.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 10Quito

Depart at any time.

Departure Day

Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

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Optional Activities - Day 10 HideShow

Quito City Tour & Equator Line
Quito

Enjoy a city tour of Quito. Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with stops at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, La Compañia Church, San Francisco Square, Plaza Grande and the Panecillo, a towering statue of the virgin of Quito who looks out over a stunning view of the city. Drive 25km (16 mi) north of Quito to the Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

Please note that this tour starts at 8 a.m. and ends around 5 p.m.

Teleférico
Quito
9USD per person

Enjoy spectacular views of Quito from this sky tram up Volcán Pichincha. Choose to go for a hike at the top, or just come along for the ride.

Cotopaxi Volcano - Full Day
Cotopaxi – Alausí

Enjoy a spectacular 2 hour drive to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park to see the highest active volcano in the world (5,897m/ 19,347 ft). Visit a museum in the park and hike around a lagoon at the bottom of the volcano to learn about the flora and fauna found at this altitude. Continue by car up the volcano to the parking lot, at over 4,500m/14,763 ft. Walk for an hour and a half to the refuge and after a short break, continue to the glacier (if the weather holds out). Return to Quito in the early evening. **Park entrance fee is not included and is split among the number of travellers in the group**

Meals included:

Breakfast

Galápagos — West, Central and East Islands aboard the Monserrat

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