Ecuador & Galápagos Islands: Endemic Expedition

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Why You Should Go

The Galápagos archipelago, consisting of 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve, has been designated by UNESCO as a remarkable “living museum and showcase of evolution.” Located at the convergence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos boasts an abundance of marine life. The ongoing seismic and volcanic activity in the area provides an exciting opportunity for studying the creation and ever-changing nature of the islands. The unique combination of environmental conditions in this isolated archipelago has resulted in the highest levels of species endemism, meaning these species are found nowhere else on the planet. It’s important to note that certain exploration hikes can be challenging, such as the ascent of Prince Philip’s Steps on Genovesa Island. For visiting this site, we highly recommend the Endemic vessel as one of our top choices.

The 16-passenger Endemic is the Galápagos Island’s newest luxury catamaran, just launched July 8, 2018. Having scouted five luxury catamaran and yachts previous to this inspection, we can earnestly say the M/C Endemic has lived up to expectations as the premier catamaran in the archipelago. The interior boasts high ceilings, elegantly clean decor, and an airy atmosphere. With wall-to-wall windows, natural light seeps into every corner of its confines. This includes all eight cabin suites, which have private balconies, offering an unrivaled panoramic view of this equatorial paradise. For more information on the Endemic, click here for our scouting trip blog postThere are other luxury vessels we recommend for visiting the Galápagos, which you can read more about here.

Best Travel Time: Spring Summer Fall Winter

The Galápagos is great to travel year-round, but for a more in-depth weather guide, you can visit our blog here.

*The average cost of our fully comprehensive itineraries ranges from USD $4,000 – $6,000 per COUPLE per DAY. All of our private tour itineraries are inclusive of all luxury accommodations, private guide/driver throughout, meals as specified, INTERNAL air flights/rail/private transfers, & all taxes/service fees.

Galapagos land iguana at South Plaza Island
Land iguana, South Plaza Island

Sample Itinerary

6 Days

Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.

1

Day 1

Fly to Guayaquil + Arrive Guayaquil
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.

Upon arrival in Guayaquil, you will be privately transferred to the Hotel del Parque for your overnight stay.

Accommodations: Hotel del Parque

Cerro Santa Ana Guayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil's Old Town
2

Day 2

Fly Guayaquil/Baltra Island + Board the M/C Endemic
Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the airport for your flight to Baltra Island.

Upon arrival in Baltra, you will take a short ferry to Santa Cruz Island, where you will board the M/C Endemic. After boarding and a safety briefing, you will take a panga ride to Bachas Beach.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: The Endemic

Las Bachas beach
Sally Lightfoot crabs, Bachas Beach
3

Day 3

Cerro Brujo, San Cristobal Island
This gorgeous beach is the same shore that witnessed Charles Darwin’s first steps in the Galápagos in 1835. The beach is a large expanse, great for walking, with rewarding bird-watching, including blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigate birds, and a variety of shorebirds. Keep a lookout for sea lions as well. Special highlights include mockingbirds and lava lizards, both of which are endemic to this island and seen nowhere else in the Galápagos.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: The M/C Endemic

Blue-footed booby flying above the turquoise waters of Cerro Brujo beach in Galapagos
Blue-footed boobies diving, Cerro Brujo
4

Day 4

Gardner Bay & Punta Suarez, Española Island
Today you will start with a wet landing on a beautiful white coral sand beach guarded by a colony of sea lions. There are no trails, so you will stay along the shore where you may spot nesting sea turtles (January – May), Galápagos hawks, American oystercatchers, Galápagos ground doves, Hood mockingbirds, yellow warblers, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and three species of Darwin’s finches.

Punta Suarez (dry landing) is one of the most popular and attractive sites in the Galápagos. Due to Española’s isolation from the other islands, it has a collection of unique and endemic species to see.  The 15,000 – 17,000 pairs of albatrosses on Española represent almost the entire population of this species on the planet.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: The M/C Endemic

Galapagos sea lion
Seals on Española Island
5

Day 5

Santa Fé & South Plaza Island
Today you will disembark on the white sand beaches of Santa Fé, met by sea lions, and walk into a giant Opuntia cactus grove where endemic land iguanas reside. You may follow this with snorkeling or kayaking to fin rays, urchins, eels, and fish of all types.

Your day will end at South Plaza Island.  Being a smaller island, you will notice more interactions between terrestrial and marine animals. A carpet of succulents serves as groundcover for a grove of luminescent, green prickly-pear cacti. Yellow-grey land iguanas sit beneath, waiting patiently for pears to drop. Along the coastline, one finds frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls, and shearwaters gliding in the thermal air currents that form along the cliffs of this small but amazing island.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodations: The M/C Endemic

Swalllow Tailed Gull
Swallow-tailed gull, South Plaza Island
6

Day 6

Charles Darwin Research Station & El Chato Reserve, Santa Cruz Island + Fly Home
Disembarking the Endemic, you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and its famous tortoises and lizards within an impressive giant, prickly-pear cactus forest. This is the headquarters for scientific investigation, conservation, and the National Park administration on the islands.

Time permitting, after your visit to the research station, you will drive to the green highlands of Santa Cruz, located to the northwest of Puerto Ayora, where you will find El Chato Reserve. The reserve is one of the best places in the islands to observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat.

Following your tour, you will be transferred to the Hotel del Parque to rest and then to the airport for your onward flight home.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel del Parque (pre-departure day-use room)

tortuga_charlesdarwinstation_1014
Giant tortoise at the research station

Hotels

Opened in January of 2017, this historical, 44-room, luxury, boutique hotel is our new favorite property in Guayaquil! This hotel is located in the lush Guayaquil Historical Park in the upscale Samborondón area of the city. Hotel del Parque offers a surreal and calming oasis from the noisy city center. Originally conceived in 1891, the building served as a homeless shelter for the elderly and disabled. The rooms are spacious, including extra-large bedrooms with modern bathrooms. Among the amenities is the amazing restaurant, Casa Julian, which overlooks the hazy Daule River. The hotel offers an outstanding spa service, located in the chapel’s bell tower, with spectacular 360° views over the gardens.

Hotel del Parque

View More Info >>

Opened in January of 2017, this historical 44-room luxury, boutique hotel is our new favorite property in Guayaquil! This hotel is located in the lush Guayaquil Historical Park in the upscale Samborondón area of the city. Hotel del Parque offers a surreal, calm oasis from the noisy city center. Originally conceived in 1891, the building served as a homeless shelter for the elderly and disabled. The rooms are spacious, including extra-large bedrooms with modern bathrooms. Among the amenities is the amazing restaurant, Casa Julian, which overlooks the hazy Daule River. The hotel offers an outstanding spa service, located in the chapel’s bell tower, with spectacular 360° views over the gardens.

The 16-passenger Endemic is the Galápagos Island’s newest luxury catamaran, launched on July 8, 2018. We can earnestly say the Endemic has lived up to expectations as the premier catamaran in the archipelago. The interior boasts high ceilings, elegantly clean decor, and an airy atmosphere. With wall-to-wall windows, natural light seeps into every corner of its confines. This includes all eight cabin suites, which all have private balconies, offering an unrivaled panoramic view of this equatorial paradise. Please note, there are no laundry services available aboard the Endemic.

For more information, read our full blog post here.

The M/C Endemic

View More Info >>

The 16-passenger Endemic is the Galápagos Island’s newest luxury catamaran, just launched July 8, 2018. We can earnestly say the M/C Endemic has lived up to expectations as the premier catamaran in the archipelago. The interior boasts high ceilings, elegantly clean decor, and an airy atmosphere. With wall-to-wall windows, natural light seeps into every corner of its confines. This includes all eight cabin suites, which all have private balconies, offering an unrivaled panoramic view of this equatorial paradise. Please note, there are no laundry services available aboard the Endemic.

For more information, click here.

Request Custom Itinerary

1

Thank you for your interest in Kipling & Clark. We look forward to serving you!


Please note we specialize in global private luxury travel, including private guides and drivers throughout,

high-quality accommodations, inclusive of safari lodges and ryokans, in-country rail/air, and all taxes/service fees.


Dependent on destination and seasonality, our comprehensive private tour costs are upward of USD 5K-6K per couple per day.

                                         (312) 351-3121

                            rlynch@kiplingandclark.com



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Location

Overview

Temperature
Highs: Low 70’s
Lows: High 50’s
Area
272,045 SQ KM
105,037 SQ MILES
Capital
Quito
Population
16.5 Million
Language
Spanish & indigenous languages
Currency
US Dollar

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