Catamaran Archipell

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ROUTE A

ITINERARY A / 8D – 7N

The 8 day south-western tour aboard the catamaran Archipel I gives you an extensive overview of the Galapagos Islands. You will have the chance to combine the circumnavigation of the Isabela Island with excursions in the most southern points of the archipelago. You will also be able to snorkel with sea lions in the Loberia and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Virgin Fernandina & isolated west coast of Isabela make you eye-witness of evolution
• Breeding programs of emblematic Galapagos giant tortoises
• Unique tidal channel with whitetip reef sharks & rays
• Not to be missed highlight South Plaza (land iguanas & giant cactus forest)

DAY 1 / MONDAY

• AM: Arrival at San Cristobal Airport
• PM: Interpretation Centre and Frigatebird Hill snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 2 / TUESDAY

• AM: Santa Fe kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: South Plaza

DAY 3 / WEDNESDAY

• AM: North Seymour panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Chinese Hat kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 4 / THURSDAY

• AM: Twin Craters – El Chato Reserve
• PM: CC Fausto Llerena

DAY 5 / FRIDAY

• AM: Moreno Point (Isabela) panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Urbina Bay snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 6 / SATURDAY

• AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina) snorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Vicente Roca Point panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 7 / SUNDAY

• AM: Puerto Egas (Santiago) kayak galapagos islands snorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Rabida kayak galapagos islands panga ride galapagos islands snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 8 / MONDAY

• AM: Black Turtle Cove kayak galapagos islands panga ride galapagos islands snorkeling galapagos islands
• Transfer out to Baltra Airport

ROUTE B

ITINERARY B / 8D – 7N

Our 8-day itinerary aboard the yacht Archipel I allows you to combine the seabird colonies of Mosquera and the exclusive Genovesa with the spectacular volcanic islands Bartolome and Charles Darwin Research Station. Moreover, you will have the chance to explore Española, the most southern point of the archipel and swim with sea lions in the Loberia, on Isla Floreana.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Snorkelling with sea lions and colourful reef fish (Lobos Islet)
• Breeding colony of American flamingos on Floreana
• Spectacular volcanic landscapes just born out of fire & pioneer colonization
• Breeding program of emblematic Galapagos giant tortoises

DAY 1 / MONDAY

• AM: Arrival to Baltra Airport
• PM: Bachas Beach snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY2 / TUESDAY

• AM: Prince Philip Steps (Genovesa) kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Darwin Bay (Genovesa) kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 3 / WEDNESDAY

• AM: Bartholomew panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Sullivan Bay (Santiago) snorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 4 / THURSDAY

• AM: Twin Craters – El Chato Reserve (Santa Cruz)
• PM: CC Fausto Llerena (Santa Cruz)

DAY 5 / FRIDAY

• AM: Cormorant Point – Devil’s Crown (Floreana) panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Baroness Lookout – Post Office Bay (Floreana) kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 6 / SATURDAY

• AM: Gardner Bay (Española) panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Suarez Point (Española)

DAY 7 / SUNDAY

• AM: Pitt Point (San Cristobal) kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• PM: Witch Hill (San Cristobal) kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands

DAY 8 / MONDAY

• AM: Lobos Islet (San Cristobal) panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
• Transfer out to San Cristobal Airport

[tabby title=”ACTIVITIES”]

ROUTE A

Monday

AM: Arrival at San Cristobal Airport (SCY)

Arrival at San Cristobal Airport and transfer in. You will have to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee and your luggage will be inspected.

PM: Interpretation Centre and Frigatebird Hill

The Interpretation Centre gives a perfect explanation of this unique archipelago. Its exhibition helps you learn what makes this archipelago so unique. Information panels, pictures, documents, maquettes, and dioramas tell background and conservation stories about the islands.

• • • Activities: snorkeling galapagos islands

Tuesday

PM: Santa Fe

Santa Fe is home to a number of endemic species like the Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos snake, Galapagos mockingbird, rice rats and one of the two species of lands iguanas of the islands

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

AM: South Plaza

Despite its small size, some of the most interesting and outstanding species of the Galapagos are found here. There are several hybrid iguanas- a result of crossing a male marine iguana and a female land iguana.

• • • Activities:
    • Difficulty: Easy

Wednesday

AM: North Seymour

North Seymour is another highlight of your cruise. In the archipelago’s most extensive seabird breeding colony you can walk just a short distance from frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies.

• • • Activities: panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

PM: Chinese Hat

Though recently born out of the fire the volcanic islet Chinese Hat does not appear to be any more inhospitable than Bartolomé and lunatic Sullivan Bay. This tiny, rusty-coloured islet just begins to sprout. You arrive just in time to witness the next chapter about colonisation by pioneers!

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Thursday

AM: Twin Craters – El Chato Reserve

El Chato Reserve is a protected area and official part of the Galapagos National Park. It extends from Cerro El Chato as far down as the southwestern coast of Santa Cruz Island, where females lay their eggs.

• • • Activities:
    • Difficulty: Easy

PM: CC Fausto Llerena

A tour at Fausto Llerena Breeding Center you can see the tortoises of Española Island, ending in the tortoise exhibit corral. Tortoises of this corral are accustomed to humans; it is an excellent spot to be photographed with them!

• • • Activities:
    • Difficulty: Easy

Friday

AM: Moreno Point (Isabela)

Fresh, promising greens of pioneer vegetation contrast strongly with the dead, pitch-black lava flow that once reached the ocean at Moreno Point.

• • • Activities: panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Moderated

PM: Urbina Bay

On Isabela nature seems to hunt for the largest. The exceptional coastal plain at Urbina Bay attracts prehistoric giants in the wild, such as the largest land iguanas.

• • • Activities: snorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Saturday

AM: Espinoza Point (Fernandina)

At Fernandina, you will find some of the most bizarre animal species, products of natural selection. Among them is the flightless cormorant, which after thousands of years isolated here lost the ability to fly and turned its wings into fins.

• • • Activities: snorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

PM: Vicente Roca Point (Isabela)

We will enter a dark cave below a spectacular arch, accompanied by the roaring echoes of the waves. The calmer waters inside are well-protected and are a great place for snorkelling amongst various species of sharks, penguins, seahorses and the giant mola-mola.

• • • Activities: panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Sunday

AM: Puerto Egas (Santiago)

Puerto Egas is historical, and the favourite site on Santiago for wildlife lovers; and it’s even the best place in the archipelago to observe Galapagos fur seals.

• • • Activities: snorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Moderated

PM: Rabida

Upon landing at this remarkable red beach, you will usually be greeted by a large bachelor colony of Galapagos sea lions.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Monday

AM: Black Turtle Cove

Black Turtle Cove: At 08:30 AM your last adventure takes place en route to the airport, exploring Black Turtle Cove from the dinghy. The quiet lagoon and surrounding mangrove forest enable the observation of sea turtles and sharks. The visit ends at 09:00 with the disembarking at Baltra airport.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Transfer out to Baltra Airport

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to Baltra, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.
We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

ROUTE B

Monday

AM: Arrival at Baltra Airport

Arrival at Baltra Airport and transfer in. You will have to pay your Galapagos National Park entrance fee and your luggage will be inspected.

PM: Bachas Beach

Around noon you will embark on the Archipel cruise. Your cabins will be assigned, and lunch will be served. Your afternoon excursion will be at Bachas beach, a lovely bay with soft, white coral sand that is visited by sea turtles. Besides leisure time there, you could visit a lagoon to observe flamingos. Return onboard after 2-hours.

• • • Activities: snorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Tuesday

AM: Prince Philip’s Steps (Genovesa)

Not only because of its historical English name (Tower) Genovesa has a royal touch. Follow in the footsteps of Prince Philip – Galapagos lover for many years – and visit this favourite birding spot with the largest breeding colonies of red-footed and Nazca boobies, and look for a remarkable short-eared owl that hunts on foot!.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

PM: Darwin Bay (Genovesa)

As one of the outer islands and most exclusive places on the Galapagos, Genovesa is well worth last night’s longer navigation. This compact site in the heart of its flooded crater shows the extreme varied coastal ecosystems of the Galapagos in miniature; nearly too much for a single day.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Wednesday

AM: Bartholomew

This tiny volcano islet is just recently born out of fire. Enter its wild romantic setting of spatter cones and craters, and see the most famous panorama of the Galapagos.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

PM: Sullivan Bay (Santiago)

Sullivan bay is incomparable to any other visitor’s site; setting foot at the recently solidified lava flow is like landing on the moon!

• • • Activities: snorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Thursday

AM: Twin Craters – El Chato Reserve (Santa Cruz)

El Chato Reserve is a protected area and official part of the Galapagos National Park. It extends from Cerro El Chato as far down as the southwestern coast of Santa Cruz Island, where females lay their eggs.

• • • Activities:
    • Difficulty: Easy

PM: CC Fausto Llerena (Santa Cruz)

A tour at Fausto Llerena Breeding Center you can see the tortoises of Española Island, ending in the tortoise exhibit corral. Tortoises of this corral are accustomed to humans; it is an excellent spot to be photographed with them!

• • • Activities:
    • Difficulty: Easy

Friday

AM: Cormorant Point – Devil’s Crown (Floreana)

Here you may have the only opportunity in the east to spot Galapagos penguins from the dinghy or a flamingo lagoon. Devil’s Crown offers one of the best snorkelling spots in the Galapagos due to the coral reef in its centre, which attracts a lot of marine life.

• • • Activities: panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy – Moderate

PM: Baroness Lookout – Post Office Bay (Floreana)

Bring your postcards and post them in the peculiar traditional barrel on this historic site that seems to be located at the end of the world. These might arrive home quicker than you!

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Saturday

AM: Gardner Bay (Española)

Being one of the crown jewels of the Galapagos, Española gives you the exclusive opportunity to become an eyewitness of evolution.

• • • Activities: panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Moderated

PM: Suarez Point (Española)

Española’s west tip is a true birdwatcher’s and photographer’s dream. Feel as though you’re within an exciting nature documentary, and hike a short distance from some of the most colourful marine iguanas.

• • • Activities:
    • Difficulty: Easy

Sunday

AM: Pitt Point (San Cristobal)

Two wind sculptured tuff cones at Pitt Point constitute the easternmost end of the Galapagos and were the first sight of land of HMS Beagle with Darwin aboard.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Moderated

PM: Witch Hill (San Cristobal)

Enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the lovely setting of Witch Hill’s crescent-shaped natural beach of soft powdery sand.

• • • Activities: kayak galapagos islandspanga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy – Moderated

Monday

AM: Lobos Islet (San Cristobal)

The Lobos Islet’s beach harbours a colony of Galapagos sea lions. As in other colonies in the archipelago, you can approach nurturing females within a few metres. In the breeding season, this colony is also visited by territorial males, defending and mating the harem on their part of the beach.

• • • Activities: panga ride galapagos islandssnorkeling galapagos islands
    • Difficulty: Easy

Transfer out to San Cristobal Airport

Assisted by the naturalist guide and some crew members, the dinghy will bring you and your luggage to San Cristóbal, where we will take the airport shuttle. Your guide will accompany you to the check-in counters in the departure hall.

We expect you to return home with stunning pictures and unforgettable lifelong memories!

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Galapagos: Closer to nature than ever before!

• Stay fit and refreshed and fully enjoy all activities (included in cruise price)!
• Have a more intimate nature experience (max. 16 passengers).
• Expert naturalist guide brings nature even more to life.

Unique routes through the Galapagos

• Each of our three easily combinable itineraries give a different, but excellent perception to the Galapagos.
• Optimal use of your travel time on the Galapagos:  visit 2 sites a day!
• Guaranteed departure dates with flexible duration (4-14 nights, Monday and Thursday).

Comfort at the right price

• Stable and wide motor catamarans (the Galapagos pioneers) with space to enjoy your cruise.
• Twin and double cabins with low beds and clean private facilities .
• Cosy and lounge and Sun Deck with solarium and a shaded terrace.

ARCHIPEL I CABINS SPECIFICATIONS

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Route A

Route B

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