homepage - outings - national - brochure - 14510a

The Trip

"The natural history of these islands is eminently curious," wrote Charles Darwin of the Galápagos.

It is an apt description; from its unique landscapes to its comical birdlife, this volcanic archipelago has both puzzled and stunned its visitors for more than 400 years. Here, animals live without fear of human beings and are very approachable, due to their isolation from natural predators, a condition created by the very processes of evolution that first stirred Darwin to speculation in 1835. The Galapagos Islands are among the world’s foremost wildlife preserves, providing us with unique and amazing experiences.

In fact, a full 50 percent of the species here are not found anywhere else in the world. Such creatures include the three-foot-long vegetarian marine iguana, which is the only known sea-feeding lizard on Earth, and the Galápagos tortoise, which can grow to six feet in length, weigh 600 pounds, and live for 150 years. The archipelago also boasts Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea lions, lava lizards, and a prolific bird population that includes the magnificent frigate bird, Galápagos penguins, and the blue-footed booby, just to name a few.

Darwin, of course, was the archipelago's most famous visitor; his chapter on the Galápagos in The Voyage of the Beagle remains a classic, and is well worth reading. He made extensive collections of plants and animals, and observations of their natural history. This gave him sufficient material to support more than a quarter-century of research. Twenty-four years later, he published the classic The Origin of Species, which shook the foundations of biological thought and led to profound changes in man's philosophy of nature. These are the very islands that inspired Charles Darwin in 1835. We will visit the Darwin Research Center.

The Galapagos is a world-class destination! Darwin wasn't the only one to find inspiration in the Galapagos. During the whaling era, Herman Melville made landfall here, and he perpetuated the sailor's nickname: "the Enchanted Islands." The swirling fogs that surround the islands at certain times of year gave rise to the legend that these were floating islands.

Observe the dynamic landscape of this volcanic archipelago with its fascinating geologic features. Watch blue-footed boobies in a mating dance ritual. Witness frigate birds soaring just inches away. With our certified Galapagos Naturalist Guide, we can walk right through bird rookeries, observe the parting ritual of the albatross as it prepares to leave for its life at sea, watch the vegetarian marine iguana (the only known sea-feeding lizard on earth), photograph the Galapagos tortoise, and snorkel among the sea lions and penguins.

During our visit, we island-hoppers will have opportunities to do mild to moderate hikes to surreal lava flows and vista points, watch giant tortoises, explore tidal pools, snorkel, go birding, or hang out at the beach. On the mainland, we will visit the Guayaquil coastal area, explore colonial Quito in the highlands, stand exactly on the equator, and enjoy a unique cultural show.

Our home in the Galápagos will be a comfortable live-aboard motor yacht. With our naturalist guide, we will explore the different islands, as well as visit the Charles Darwin Research Station on the island of Santa Cruz. During our stopovers, we will take mild to moderate hikes to surreal lava flows and vista points, explore tidal pools, or snorkel in protected coves with sea lions, penguins, flightless cormorants, and tropical fish.

We also visit Quito, a World Heritage site, as well as Guayaquil. These are two of Ecuador’s largest and most fascinating cities.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Guayaquil, a modern city and the major sea port of Ecuador. You will be met upon arrival and transferred to the hotel. As most flights arrive late in the day we will not meet as a group this evening, but the leader will be at the hotel to greet you.

Day 2: After breakfast and a short orientation meeting we will have a city tour and museum, and some time to walk on the “Malecon” -- the famous river walk in Guayaquil. We will return to our hotel to relax and enjoy a welcome dinner.

Day 3: On to the Galapagos Islands! The flight to and from the Galapagos Islands is included in the trip price. Tickets for this flight will be issued to you at the Guayaquil Airport before we leave for the islands. After our flight from Guayaquil to Isla Baltra, we will meet our Certified Galapagos Naturalist Guide at the airport. We will collect our luggage and continue on to our floating home-sweet-home! We will board our comfortable motor yacht for the duration of our tour on these fascinating islands. Our lodgings while cruising around the islands will be double staterooms with private bathrooms. We'll feast on gourmet meals prepared by our dedicated staff on board our yacht.

Days 4-9: We will spend these days cruising and exploring the various islands. At each stop our local naturalist guide will show us the wildlife, explain the history and geology of the area, and lead us to the better snorkeling and hiking areas.

We will visit the islands of: Santa Cruz (Indefatigable), Floreana (Santa Maria), Espanola (Hood), San Cristobal (Chatham), Santa Fe Island (Barrington), Plaza Sur Island, North Seymore and Bartholomew. (Note that that most islands have two names: English and Spanish. It depends on which source you consult.)

At Santa Cruz, we can observe giant tortoises in the wild, as well as Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, Galapagos rails and paint-billed crakes. We can visit Los Gemelos, Spanish for The Twins. This is two volcanic depressions (a pair of craters approximately 90 feet deep) on the highest part of Santa Cruz -- a good place to see the Galapagos hawk and barn owl. The surrounding forest is full of birds, such as the vermilion flycatcher or the yellow warbler. This island is also where the Charles Darwin Research Station is located. The iconic tortoise "Lonesome George" passed away on June 24, 2012 at about 100 years old (they can live to 200 years). We will visit this station and learn of the research and preservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands.

On Floreana Island is a hill with a historic pirate cave. Near there, The National Park Service built a corral where you can see an abundance of Galapagos tortoises (from various islands). On the West side of Floreana, many sea sponges, sea iguanas and sea lions can be seen. There is a small lake where flamingos and ducks nest. We will find nice snorkeling opportunities here, too. Post Office Bay is located at the Northern end of Floreana Island. It got this name because in 1793, Captain James Colnett installed an empty rum barrel so that it could serve as a post office for the whale-catching boats that frequented the Galapagos Islands. Today, our visitors use it as a tradition. You can send a letter or post card to yourself and see how long it takes to arrive!

The southernmost island, Española (Hood), is one of the richest wildlife locations in the Galapagos. Located on the western tip is a rocky point that sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in Galapagos. It is also home to a magnificent blowhole that can shoot water 50 to 60 feet in the air, providing amazing opportunities for spectacular pictures. A 1.5-mile hike provides incredible views along the cliffs, through Blue Footed Booby colonies, and a beach with sea lions and marine iguanas. This island has its own species of animals, such as the Española Mockingbird, the Española lava lizard and the Española Marine Iguana. Its rocky shores make this site a great place for snorkeling, with the possibility to spot the harmless white tipped reef shards. Gardner Bay is the breeding site of nearly all of the world´s 12,000 pairs of Waved Albatrosses.

On San Cristobal Island is an eroded antique cone, which shows itself as a majestic and monumental sight, with many forms and contrasts. It is home to sea lions, blue-footed boobies, masked (nascar) boobies and magnificent frigate birds. We will visit the Interpretation Center, opened in 1998 as a phase of the project "Interpretation and Environment Education Project." You will enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation. The conservation efforts represent the movement to protect the wildlife and natural environment through means of population and tourist control. This will emphasize the importance of the Galapagos ecosystem fragility and its protection.

South of the archipelago and between Santa Cruz and San Cristobal, with a beautiful bay protected by natural formations against the wave strength by a rocky front is Santa Fe Island. It has two small beaches abundant with sea lions. Snorkeling is good, since white fin sharks, gold and leopard mantas, sea turtles and different types and sizes of fishes are found here. From the highest part of the island, one can observe the most beautiful views of the bay. You will see a good amount of cactus, the feeding source of the Santa Fe Island exclusive land iguanas. Lava lizards, terrestrial pigeons, chaffinches, fly-trappers and hawks are found here, too.

Plaza Sur Island is located east of Santa Cruz Island. The succulent plant, common in Plaza Sur, is the second favorite food of land iguanas. Land iguanas on Plaza Sur are smaller than those at other sites. Throughout the island are several hybrid iguanas, a result of crossing a male marine iguana and a female land iguana. These iguanas are unique, recognizable at first glance by their black or gray color, with a land iguana's crest, but face and tail of the marine iguana. There are also about 1,000 sea lions that inhabit this island.

North Seymour Island has saint sticks and salty scrublands. Frigates nest over these plants. Blue-footed boobies profit from these conditions, since there are big spaces among their bushes so that they can reproduce. The seagulls have their nest at the seashores. Marine iguanas can be found there, too.

Home of the famous Pinnacle Rock, Bartholomew Island consists of an extinct volcano with a variety of red, orange, black and even green volcanic formations. A trail of stairs leads to the summit of the volcano, boasting one of the best views of the islands. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and possible sightings of the Galapagos Penguin. It is a very young island, geologically speaking.

Although our exact itinerary is not guaranteed, we expect to cruise to these islands.

Day 10: This morning we travel back to Baltra. We leave our island paradise by plane this afternoon and fly to Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. Ecuador is famous for its lovely woolens, handicrafts, and works of leather, so shoppers can spend quality time exploring the different shops. After checking into our hotel, there may be time to explore Quito and go shopping before dinner.

Day 11: We will tour colonial Quito, a World Heritage site. Then we'll head about 14 miles north of the city to stand exactly on the equator and visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the Equatorial Monument. Then we’ll return to Quito for the evening, and enjoy our farewell dinner together in one of Quito’s fine restaurants.

Day 12: It will be time to say good-bye to this lovely country for now. Transportation to the Quito airport is provided.

Please note, the trip starts in Guayaquil, and ends in Quito. Make your airline reservations with different start and end cities.

Occasionally, changes may occur in the trip -- either in advance or during the trip. Please be aware that we will make every attempt to stay within this itinerary. However, if weather, equipment, Galapagos National Park Services or any other condition, circumstance or situation causes a change, please be flexible and respect the decision of the leader. The safety of the group is our number one concern. While wildlife on the Galapagos Islands is tremendous, we cannot guarantee that you will see all species listed as examples.

Getting There

You need to arrive in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on or before day one. Our trip ends in Quito, Ecuador. Many airlines fly to both cities and allow "open-jaw" excursions into one city and out of the other. Contact the leader before making your final arrangements. The flight to and from the Galapagos Islands is included in the trip price. Tickets for this flight will be issued to you at the airport when you leave for the islands. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the ending date of this trip. If you don't have a passport, apply for one as soon as possible.

Accommodations and Food

All meals and lodgings are provided. Our yacht will be our home while we are in the Galapagos. It sleeps 16 passengers. Each stateroom has bunk beds and a private bath. There are common areas such as the dining area, sitting area, and lounge area on deck. Although the staterooms are not large, the other areas have ample space and are comfortable.

When we are not on our yacht, we will be in centrally located hotels in Quito and Guayaquil.

Vegetarians can easily be accommodated both on the yacht and the mainland of Ecuador.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderate trip and can be undertaken by anyone in good health and physical condition.

If you have health or walking concerns, here is more information that will assist you in evaluating this trip. The expression "OSHA hasn’t been here" applies. As you know, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates safety standards in America. There is no OSHA in Ecuador. Even a walk in a progressive, busy city like Quito can be an adventure in itself. The Quito streets are uneven and hilly. You will find sidewalks with unmarked holes, and exposed wires and pipes that often will trip residents as well as visitors. Steep stairs may not have handrails. This is not unusual in foreign countries.

For the Galapagos Islands, it is common to find the trails uneven, hilly, and rocky. Some are on loose lava. Even visits to the Charles Darwin Research Station will require walking on dirt trails and boardwalk.

You must have the ability and agility to handle transporting your own luggage to and from buses, airports, and boats. Hopefully, this is incentive to pack light! You will need to maneuver sufficiently to board boats, ranging from smaller shuttle boats and water taxis to larger boats.

We go from our yacht home to shore in pangas (rubber boats) and land where there are no docks. We get out of the pangas in a few inches of water and walk to the beach.

You must be reasonably steady and sure-footed enough to negotiate the various transitions and walks that this trip relies upon to experience this unique environment.

Walks can range from a few miles to 5-6 miles on uneven terrain and rocky surfaces. While we will stop often for viewing wildlife, you will need to have a walking pace that's steady enough to keep up with the group.

The berths on the boat are bunk beds. All cabins are double occupancy and have a small private bathroom.

The average land temperature will be about 70-80 degrees. Quito, at 9,400 feet of elevation, will have cooler temperatures, and light showers are normal. The seawater temperature remains a fairly constant 70 degrees.

The minimum age for this trip is 12.

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your trip leader.

Equipment and Clothing

As this is a moderate trip, with full accommodations provided by the yacht, there are not any special equipment requirements. We do have many opportunities for snorkeling. The snorkeling gear is not provided, but can be rented from the yacht. To assure the best fit, you are encouraged to bring your own, if possible. Some type of light wet suit will help with comfort and warmth while snorkeling. The water is typically in the 70-degree range. Your general casual clothing for warm-weather hiking and boating will work fine. You will receive clothing and packing list suggestions from the leader before the trip departs.

The leader will carry a first-aid kit for emergency use. You should provide your own personal first-aid kit for minor needs such as bandages, moleskin, insect repellent, sunscreen, etc. You should consult your physician for recommended current immunizations.

References

• Moore, Yui DeRoy, Galapagos Islands Lost in Time. Penguin Books.
• Brower, K., Galapagos: The Flow of Wildness. Sierra Club/Ballantine Books.
• Darwin, Charles, The Voyage of the Beagle. Doubleday Books.
• Darwin, Charles, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
• Harris, M., Field Guide to the Birds of Galapagos. Taplinger Books.
• Schichor, Michael, Michael's Guide to Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela. Inbal Travel Ltd.
• Rachowiecki, Rob, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands: A Travel Survival Kit. Lonely Planet Books.
• Jackson, Michael H. Galapagos: A Natural History Guide. This is the best general guide to the history, geology, and plant and animal life of the islands.
• Melville, Herman. The Piazza Tales. Darwin wasn't the only one to find inspiration in the Galápagos. During the whaling era, Herman Melville made landfall here, and he perpetuated the sailor's nickname: Los Encantadas or "the Enchanted Islands." Melville delivers a metaphor-rich, almost hallucinatory account of the archipelago's history, filled with misstatements, speculation, and poetry.

Conservation

Conservation problems exist even though the Galapagos National Park is protected and monitored by the Ecuadorian government. Buccaneers captured tens of thousands of tortoises for fresh meat on their voyages, bringing the population to the edge of extinction. Fur seals were exploited and nearly driven to extinction as well. Fishermen vie for reduced marine harvests and seek short-term profits in the taking of endangered species or overfishing. Currently, a very serious problem is the fishing of sharks for the ever-popular shark-fin soup in Asia.

The Galapagos has an unfortunate legacy of introduced animals and plants detrimental to the native creatures. Goats compete with native tortoises and iguanas, making food less available and destroying native vegetation. Predators, such as dogs and cats have seriously depleted native populations by killing native animals and raiding the nests of the birds, iguanas, and tortoises. Introduced plants have spread, particularly in the moist highlands, and compete with native vegetation. People have hunted large numbers of animals in the past and have cleared great areas of native vegetation for agriculture and ranching purposes. We will visit the Darwin Research Center and observe how the conservation personnel have been actively trying to boost the threatened populations of endangered species. Tortoise nests are protected, and eggs and young are brought to Santa Cruz to be raised in captivity, then released once they are no longer susceptible to predation.

Trip Price

This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader.

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.

Staff

Margie Tomenko has been a Sierra Club member for more than 20 years, and has led trips for more than 15 years. Among the highlights are the Galapagos, Belize, Costa Rica, and various rafting and sailing trips. One of her favorite hobbies is scuba diving, so she truly enjoys viewing wildlife both above and below the water! She has been to the Galapagos five times, and is very excited to share this magical place with you. "It is so incredible to have wildlife practically pose for pictures!" If you have questions, or just want to chat about the Galapagos, please feel free to contact her.

E-mail: sierraclubmargie@comcast.net

---

General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback