7 Night Cruise sailing from Baltra roundtrip aboard Athala II.

For those looking for a Galapagos adventure cruise in style, the 16-passenger Athala II provides a cozy small yacht atmosphere, comfortable accommodations, personalized service, a dedicated cruise director, and more; in order to offer the best service to our passengers and be aware of their needs.

This Motor Catamaran was specifically designed and built to cruise the Islands providing comfort and excellent stability for those looking for a Galapagos adventure cruise in style.

Detailed Itinerary:

SATURDAY ARRIVAL IN GALAPAGOS
Check-in to your cabin
Introductory briefing & safety drill
Lunch
Panga ride to Sombrero Chino Island
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Sunday's program
20:00 Welcome cocktail
20:15 Dinner

Sombrero Chino is a small islet near the southeastern coast of Santiago Island. Its name translated to English means 'Chinese Hat'; a name that makes perfect sense as soon as you take a look at its unique shape. There are various interesting geological formations which make this island a great visit for scenic photos, but there are also various marine species to observe such as very colorful sally lightfoot crabs and sea lions. Keep an eye out for different species of Darwin's finches as well.
Difficulty level: Easy.

SUNDAY - SANTA CRUZ & RABIDA ISLANDS
06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing at Cerro Dragon and swimming from beach, Santa Cruz Island
11:30 Back on board
12:00 Lunch
14:30 Wet landing on Rabida Island for beach activities, deep water snorkeling,
kayaking and excursion
17:30 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Monday's program
20:00 Dinner

The name Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) stems from the fact that it was one of the few sites on Santa Cruz Island
where a healthy population of land iguanas were found in 1975. After landing at a pier, a hike takes to you to
a salt water lagoon behind the beach, frequented by common stilts, pintail ducks and occasionally flamingos. A short walk up the hill leads you to a land iguana nesting site, with breathtaking views of the bay. You will have the chance to go swimming after the walk.
Difficulty level: Moderate.

Rabida is a small island with red volcanic rocks surrounding a beautiful red sand beach, where there is a colony of sea lions and a pelican nesting site. The trail leads to a salt water lagoon where shore birds can be seen. Rabida is considered to be one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos Islands, and you will also have the
opportunity to go kayaking or on a panga ride.
Difficulty level: Moderate.

MONDAY - ISABELA ISLAND
06:30 Wake up call
06:45 Breakfast
07:30 Dry landing at Port Villamil, Isabela Island
Various activity choices including excursion to the wetlands, snorkeling,
kayaking, visit to the tortoise rearing center and "Wall of Tears" and relaxing
at the beach. Lunch is served between activities, midday, on board the ship.
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Tuesday's program
20:00 Dinner

Isabela, the archipelago's largest island, formed by five volcanoes, is also one of the youngest and a marvelous world within itself. It is home to a small, laid-back
island town called Puerto Villamil. This quaint, friendly port is your home-base during a diverse and exciting day where choices for adventure and relaxation abound.

The Tortoise Breeding Center was created to protect animals in their first years of life from the threats of foreign species such as pigs and donkeys as well as to educate visitors and locals about the importance of the Galapagos giant tortoise.
Difficulty level: Easy.

The Wetlands of Isabela Island are located just outside of Puerto Villamil. They consist of lagoons, swamps, and mangroves and are home to a variety of unique bird species such as common stilts, whimbrels, white-cheeked pintail ducks, gallinules and other shore birds. The Wetlands can easily be reached by foot via beautiful trails that wind through the swamps.
Difficulty level: Easy

The Wall of Tears: A penal colony existed in Isabela between 1945 and 1959. Prisoners were forced to build this wall, stone by stone, in isolation, only to be asked to tear it down again and start over. This now historical site towering at 65 feet (25m) took the lives of thousands during its construction and remains as a vivid reminder of the past.
Difficulty level: Easy.

TUESDAY - FLOREANA ISLAND
06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing and excursion on Floreana Island, visits to the Baroness's
outlook point and Post Office followed by snorkeling or kayak
11:30 Back on board and lunch
15:00 Cormorant Point & Champion Islet with snorkeling or panga ride
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Wednesday's program
20:00 Dinner

Floreana is one of the Galapagos most famous, or shall we say, "Infamous" of islands due to many strange stories regarding past settlers. There are many wonderful and diverse sites to visit including Post Office Bay and the "Baroness's Viewing Point". Marine life also abounds in Floreana's coastal regions making it a fantastic site for snorkeling. Flamingos also populate the island and may be seen during your visit.

The Baroness's Viewing Point is the perfect place to take in the special environment that defines Floreana, and a great spot to talk and ponder regarding the intriguing history of the Baroness and her three lovers!
Difficulty level: Easy.

In the 18th century whalers passing through the islands placed a wooden barrel on Floreana Island for use as an unofficial mail box. The tradition continues today as
visitors leave addressed postcards in the barrel and sort through left mail to deliver at home. This is one of the archipelago's most famous spots. Don't forget to look in
your logbook for your postcards! For the adventurous a visit to a lava tunnel is included. This tunnel has been kept untouched and completely natural, so please, watch your step!
Difficulty level: Easy to difficult (lava tunnel)

A great site for bird-watching, Cormorant Point has a large lagoon where everything from Flamingos to stilts and pintail ducks can be observed. The beach nearby is also quite special and known as: The "Green Beach" named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand.
Difficulty level: Easy.

WEDNESDAY - SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND
06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Disembark at Cerro Brujo for excursion, beach activities,
snorkeling and panga ride
11:30 Back on board and lunch
15:00 Disembark at Isla Lobos for excursion, on the way sail by Kicker Rock Islet
17:30 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Thursday's program
20:00 Dinner

Located on the north coast of San Cristobal Island, this eroding tough cone offers a fantastic landscape as well as wonderful swimming and snorkeling experiences. Cerro Brujo's gorgeous beach is home to many sea lions and it's also the coast where Charles Darwin first stepped on in
the Archipelago!
Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.

Isla Lobos is named after its large colony of sea lions (also called "lobos", or wolves in Spanish). Usually visitors may have close encounters with sea lion pups,
especially while snorkeling. However, this small islet offers much more including blue footed boobies, frigates and even a glimpse at the second type of sea lion species found in Galapagos: the Fur Sea Lion.
Difficulty level: Easy.

THURSDAY - SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing at Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island to visit the Charles Darwin
Station, afterward bus ride to the highlands of Santa Cruz to see wild giant
tortoises
13:00 Back on board & lunch
15:30 Afternoon at leisure
18:00 Back on board
19:30 Briefing on Friday's program
20:00 Dinner

On your visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station you will gain insight into the huge efforts being made by
scientists, guides, rangers and park managers to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see the famous Galapagos tortoises that are the islands' namesake. Difficulty level: Easy

After the visit we drive to the green highlands of Santa Cruz, where you will visit a tortoise reserve to search for giant tortoises in their natural surroundings.
Difficulty level: Easy to moderate.

FRIDAY - ESPAÑOLA ISLAND
06:45 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Dry landing at Punta Suarez, Española Island
11:00 Back on Board
12:00 Lunch
14:30 Wet landing at Gardner Bay on Española Island for swimming and snorkeling
from the beach or kayaking
16:30 Deep water snorkeling
18:00 Back on board
19:15 Departure briefing
19:45 Farewell cocktail
20:00 Dinner
21:00 Please settle your bills

Punta Suarez is one of the most popular and attractive sites in the Galapagos. Due to its isolation from other islands, it has a high proportion of endemic fauna.
A few steps inland from the landing site, groups of Española marine iguanas bask in the sun. Further inland, Nazca and blue-footed boobies nest near the trail,
Galapagos doves peck around unaware of visitors and finches go about their day to day business. The trail continues
towards a blowhole, which is a fissure in the lava where water spurts high into the air like a geyser. The cracks in the cliffs are home to swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds. Further up the cliff in an area of low-lying trees you will find waved albatrosses nesting. The 15,000 to
17,000 pairs of albatrosses on Española represent almost the entire population of this species on the planet. They perform one of the most spectacular courtship rituals of the animal world.
Difficulty level: Difficult

Gardner Bay offers the chance to enjoy a wonderful white sandy beach. It is home to one of the most important
colonies of sea lions, and it is also a nesting site for sea turtles. Throughout the afternoon there are opportunities for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking.
Difficulty level: Easy

SATURDAY DAPHNE ISLAND & DEPARTURE
05:45 Optional wake up call by phone
06:00 Circumference ride around Daphne Major with briefing by your guides from
the M.C. Athala's deck
07:00 Back on board for breakfast. At the same time, the crew will take the
luggage to check it at the airport.
07:30 Breakfast
08:15 Disembark

Daphne Major is located between Santa Cruz and Santiago Islands and is a spectacular bird-watching as well as
scientific research site. A select handful of scientists have long studied bird life on these islands, especially Darwin's finches. Your guide will point out the bird-life as
well as explain some of the important research carried out on the islands from the vantage point of the yacht's deck, as visitors are not allowed to walk on these islands due to their very fragile nature.
Difficulty level: Easy.

You will then be transferred to Baltra Airport.