The Galapagos Conservation Trust invites you to join them on their

2016 GALAPAGOS SUPPORTER CRUISE

23 April - 02 May HIGHLIGHTS

Exploring Quito, the best preserved city in Latin America

Visiting the Galapagos Islands’ Museum of Natural History

Hiking to the summit of Bartolomé

Observing the pristine landscape of Fernandina

Watching seabird colonies in Buccaneer Cove, an old pirate hideout

Snorkelling with penguins and turtles near Isabela

Kayaking around Tagus Cove, home to penguins and flightless comorants

Walking through swathes of sea lions on Lobos Island

Calling in to see the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre at the Charles Darwin Research Station

Descending into a lava tunnel on Santa Cruz OVERVIEW

DAY 1 - 23 APRIL - QUITO Arrival into Quito and stay at the Cosona de la Ronda

DAY 2 - 24 APRIL - QUITO Tour of Quito’s historical centre

DAY 3 - 25 APRIL - SAN CRISTOBAL Fly to Galapagos and settle into life on the Majestic - Visit to the Interpretation Center

DAY 4 - 26 APRIL - SOUTH PLAZA and NORTH SEYMOUR Sea lion colonies of South Plaza - Bird and marine life of North Seymour

DAY 5 - 27 APRIL - BARTOLOME and SANTIAGO Pinnacle Rock and summit of Bartolome - Snorkelling with Galapagos penguins - Buccaneer Cove

DAY 6 - 28 APRIL - FERNANDINA and ISABELA Pristine ecosystem of Fernandina - Flightless cormorant breeding colony on Espinosa Point - Vicente Roca Point

DAY 7 - 29 APRIL - ISABELA Urbina Bay - Tagus Cove - Lake Darwin

DAY 8 - 30 APRIL - SANTIAGO and RABIDA James Bay - Rare bird species on Rabida

DAY 9 - 01 MAY - SANTA CRUZ Charles Darwin Research Station - Highlands of Santa Cruz

DAY 10 - 02 MAY - SANTA CRUZ Lobos Island - Return to mainland Ecuador DAY BY DAY

DAY 1 (SATURDAY 23 APRIL) QUITO

• You will arrive into Ecuador’s capital city, Quito to meet your fellow guests, as well as GCT’s President, Monty Halls, and Chairman, Dr Mark Collins, the trip’s guest speakers.

• You will stay at the Cosona de la Ronda, located in the beautiful Historic Centre of Quito.

DAY 2 (SUNDAY 24 APRIL) QUITO

• Your adventure truly begins today as you explore the historical city of Quito. Founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca settlement, Quito spreads across an Andean valley and is fringed by volcanos - a remarkable setting for the country’s capital city. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, it is considered the best preserved city in Latin America.

• You will take a ride on the TelefériQo, a gondola lift running from the edge of the city centre up the east side of Pichincha Volcano for stunning views from Cruz Loma.

• In the afternoon, you will enjoy a traditional Ecuadorian lunch at almost 0° latitude before exploring the old town on a walking tour. DAY BY DAY

DAY 3 (MONDAY 25 APRIL) SAN CRISTOBAL

• In the morning you will be collected from the hotel and taken to Quito airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. On arrival into San Cristobal airport you will be met by a staff member from the Majestic and transferred to the yacht where you will have time to settle into your cabin before enjoying lunch on board and a welcome briefing.

• The afternoon will be spent at the Interpretation Center which opened in 1998 as part of the “Plan of Interpretation and Environmental Education for the Galapagos Islands” project. You will visit the Museum of Natural History, where you will learn about the volcanic origins of the Archipelago, ocean currents, climate and the species colonisation of the Islands. You will then move through to the Human History Exhibition, which chronologises significant events in Galapagos’ recent past including their first recorded discovery and human colonisation.

DAY 4 (TUESDAY 26 APRIL) SOUTH PLAZA and NORTH SEYMOUR

• In the morning you will head to South Plaza Island, a small island covered in Opuntia cacti and home to one of the largest Galapagos sea lion colonies. It is also a great place to observe colourful red and yellow land iguanas.

• You will spend the afternoon on North Seymour where you will be able to see blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds which are abundant here. You may also have the opportunity to with sea lions and the colourful fish before returning to the Majestic. DAY BY DAY

DAY 5 (WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL) BARTOLOMÉ and SANTIAGO

• You will visit Bartolomé in the morning, home of the famous Pinnacle Rock. The volcanic island has a variety of red, orange, black and even green lava formations. You will have the opportunity to take a trail of stairs to the summit of the extinct volcano (about 30 to 40 min- utes) where you can enjoy one of the best views of the Islands. You will also visit a beautiful beach surrounded by the only vegetation growing on this barren island. The beach is perfect for snorkelling and you may see a wide variety of marine life, from Galapagos penguins to harmless reef sharks.

• In the afternoon you will visit Espumilla Beach and Buccaneer Cove. Espumilla Beach is a lovely location where you can see herons and Sally Lightfoot crabs and snorkel with the marine life. Buccaneer Cover is an old pirate hideout and a great location to observe seabirds and enjoy the dark red sandy beach.

DAY 6 (THURSDAY 28 APRIL) FERNANDINA and ISABELA

• In the morning you will visit the island of Fernandina, the youngest island in Galapagos. No foreign species have ever invaded here, resulting in one of the world’s most pristine island ecoystems. Access to this site is extremely restricted by the Galapagos National Park and you will be one of the lucky few that visit. The volcano “La Cumbre” dominates the landscape, with lava fields reaching straight down to the ocean.

• On the Bolivar Channel that divides Isabela and Fernandina, you will land at Espinosa Point. After walking past a colony of marine iguanas and a group of sea lions, you will reach the island’s highlight: the flightless cormorant nesting site. This area also provides a great opportunity to see Galapagos hawks. DAY BY DAY

DAY 6 (THURSDAY 28 APRIL) (continued) FERNANDINA and ISABELA

• The afternoon will be spent on Isabela, the largest island in the Archipelago which is formed of six volcanos and is shaped like a seahorse. You will visit Vicente Roca Point which is com- prised of two separate coves full of spectacular marine life. On an afternoon snorkel, keep an eye out for seahorses, green turtles and the oddly shaped ocean sunfish.

DAY 7 (FRIDAY 29 APRIL) ISABELA

• In the morning you will go to Urbina Bay, located at the base of Alcedo Volcano on the west coast of Isabela. This area experienced a major uplift in 1954, causing the land to rise by over 16 feet. The coast expanded half a mile out to sea, leaving marine life stranded on the new shore. A great place for snorkelling, keep your eye out for turtles, rays and a variety of tropical fish.

• You will spend the afternoon in Tagus Cove, across the Bolivar Channel from Fernandina. This spot has been frequented by ships since the 1800s, using the area as an achorage site. A long winding trail will take you past Lake Darwin to a ridge on Darwin Volcano which has spectacular views. Punta Tortuga, just north of Tagus Cove, is another lovely beach surrounded by mangrove forest. DAY BY DAY

DAY 8 (SATURDAY 30 APRIL) SANTIAGO and RABIDA

• In the morning you will go to Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay, which is home to Galapagos hawks and quick-footed lava lizards. A trail here leads to the coastline with beautiful pools and grottoes full of fauna. You may even see the elusive Galapagos fur seal. This is another great snorkelling site, with impressive underwater topography and a wealth of marine species.

• Rabida is your destination for the afternoon, a volcanically varied and very colourful island with more great snorkelling. An easy hike will take you from Rabida’s famous maroon beach to a stunning lookout to enjoy the views. The island is a birdwatchers delight as some of the rarest species are found here, including Galapagos flycatchers, hawks, brown pelicans and nine varieties of finch.

DAY 9 (SUNDAY 01 MAY) SANTA CRUZ

• You will spend today on the island of Santa Cruz. Your first stop will be the Charles Darwin Research Station, where you will visit the giant tortoise breeding centre. This is home to tortoises ranging from tiny hatchlings to adults over four feet long.

• Your afternoon excursion takes you from Puerto Ayora to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands, easily reached by bus, are a stark contrast to the barren and dry lowlands,and are dominated by forests of Scalesia. You will also visit a half mile long underground lava tunnel, a unique and memorable experience.

• In the evening, you can relax and enjoy a special farewell dinner for your last night aboard the Majestic. DAY BY DAY

DAY 10 (MONDAY 02 MAY) LOBOS ISLAND

• On your last morning, you will visit Lobos Island (meaning “Sealion Island”). This appropriately named island is ripe with noisy, playful sea lions who will welcome you to their home. It is also a good place to watch blue-footed and Nazca boobies.

• After visiting Lobos Island, you will transfer to the San Cristobal airport to catch your flight back to the mainland.

This itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the Ecuadorian Government and the Galapagos National Park Service Authorities.

For travel advice and further information about travelling to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, visit galapagosislands.com LECTURES

During your time aboard the Majestic you will have the opportunity to attend a selection of lectures by guest speaker Monty Halls, GCT’s Chairman Dr Mark Collins, and the Majestic’s expert guide who will accompany you for the entirety of your Galapagos trip. Lectures will cover a range of topics related to the Islands, their wildlife and the conservation challenges they face. Lectures are entirely optional.

Monty Halls is a TV presenter, marine Dr Mark Collins is a tropical ecologist biologist, expedition leader and professional trained at Oxford University, Imperial College diver. He has presented a number of and the Open University. His 40-year career successful series including the BBC’s began with research in the savannas and and The Fisherman’s forests of East and West Africa and Southeast Apprentice. He first visited the Galapagos Asia, including numerous scientific Islands whilst filming for Channel 5’s Great expeditions. Later he became executive Ocean Adventures in 2005 and has been director of environmental and international fascinated by them ever since. After serving organisations. As well as Chairman of GCT, as an Ambassador of GCT for many years, Mark is Vice-Chair of Earthwatch (UK) and Monty took on the role of President at the a member of the Darwin Initiative Expert start of 2015. Committee. PRICES and FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information or to make a booking, please contact GCT by phone (020 7399 7440) or email ([email protected]).

Cruise and Quito Package: £4,950 per person

Price includes:

• Airport transfers on mainland Ecuador • 2-night accomodation in Quito, including breakfast • Welcome drink • Ingala control card for Galapagos • Return flights from Quito to San Cristobal • 8-day cruise aboard the MY Majestic, including meals • Airport transfers in Galapagos • Airport assistance in Quito and Galapagos • Daily excursions with English speaking National Park Guide • and snorkelling equipment • Kayaks

Price excludes:

• Return flights to Ecuador • Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks • USD 100 Galapagos National Park entrance fee • Travel / Medical insurance • Gratuities • Personal expenses

Please note, a deposit of £2,000 per person is required to secure your booking. The outstanding sum is payable no less than three months before departure date. The Majestic

The Majestic is an incredible way to visit the Galapagos Islands with superior comfort, accommodation and first class service.

A motor yacht designed and built specifically to cruise around the Archipelago, theMajestic has nine double cabins and ample social areas, including a superb sundeck with a large Jacuzzi. Soak up the sun on the loungers during the day and take a dip in the Jacuzzi on a starlit night.

Enjoy first class dining and refreshments in the bar, dining room and social area, or retire to your luxury cabin for a siesta before your next adventure. All cabins include en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning and hot water.

For more information, visit majesticgalapagos.com The Majestic