About 2 1/2 hours north of Quito lies Ecuador's most famous indigenous market, a mosaic of colors, ethnicities, and handicrafts, offering shoppers superb bargains for fine textiles, pantings, ceramic ware, Panama hats, and an incredibly fun market experience. The craft fair takes place every day on the main plaza, Plaza de Ponchos, although Saturday is its busiest day. The Otavalenos (people from Otavalo) have received world recognition for their weaving and craftsmanship.

The Chaski, royal messenger and steadfast communicator, who ran the enormity of an Empire, over the most rugged terrain to unite a people, symbolizes for us our difficult yet commited road to preserving our fragile cultural diversity. Join Chaski Antawa on a journey of sharing and communication to connect our worlds and celebrate our diversity.

Day 1: Quito - San Pablo Lagoon -Cotacachi - Otavalo
North of Quito we journey across the colorful valleys of Guayllabamba and Cayambe. Guayllabamba is rich in fertile soil and through effective irrigation systems has become an important producer of avocado and the local cherimoya fruit. Cayambe, traditionally dedicated to manufacturing milk and dairy products, has recently enjoyed an important boom in rose exportation. The breathtaking setting offers great photo opportunities and after two hours of travel through the riveting Andean countryside, we arrive to the province of Imbabura, visit Cuicocha crater lagoon and Cotacachi, a village that specializes in manufacturing leather goods. Overnight at a local hacienda.

Day 2: Ibarra - Chaski Antawa train - Salinas - Otavalo - Quito
Breakfast. Visit Otavalo, home to beautiful fabrics and world renowned for its craft fair and market, the largest in South America. Departing from Ibarra, the Chaski Antawa (or messenger train) travels on an early 20th-century railroad system that connects the northern Ecuadorian Andes and the Pacific Coast. Departing from Ibarra, the ride descends into the warm, dry valley of Salinas, across sugar cane plantations, magical landscapes, through tunnels and over bridges panning canyons and patchwork fields.
The 26-km stretch takes 2 hours to complete, as you plunge from 2200 m. to 1500 m. above sea level. Enjoy a unique lunch at the Salinas community restaurant, implemented in an effort to boost tourism in support of this fascinating area, with a vision of helping it become an important tourist destination. The menu has been carefully developed through a joint effort with the community and melds local savoir-faire with their high quality standards. Return to Quito.

Included:

Not included:

In the event that the train ride is not operating this portion will be done by car, van or bus.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday departures. Does not operate on Easter, Christmas and New Years.

Cruising the Galapagos Islands is a very special and unique experience. You can hike the trails as you spot blue footed boobies and giant tortoises.
Admire mysterious creatures like the armies of marine iguanas, flightless cormorant birds that have lost their ability to fly and penguins at the equator line and other species that are endemic to this paradise. The rich marine life is fascinating for those who like to practice snorkeling. A world as wonderful as the one above surface, colorful fish in schools, manta rays, sea turtles, hammer head sharks, whale sharks, and magnificent reefs.
The MY Coral I is a spacious motor yacht designed with teakwood and modern decorum to give a unique Galapagos tour an exclusive touch. Equipped with all the standards you would expect from a high-class yacht, the Coral is a modern ship in a timeless realm. The dining room and lounge demonstrate a refined taste and the yacht has three sun decks, one half-shaded, 2 separate social areas with a well equipped bar, TV and VCR, stereo, library, a well stocked bar, large picture windows, and best of all expansive observation decks with sun/shade areas, where during the day is the perfect spot for relaxation, at night the perfect place for meetings and barbecue. The size and agility of the operations, allow the Coral I to dock in close, even at the narrowest havens and shallow beaches, offering the most intimate experience with Galapagos wilderness.

As MY Coral I and MY Coral II sail together, there may be a chance of being confirmed on either one of these ships, considering both share the same departure dates and itineraries as follows:.

Choose from Cruise A or C options:

Day by Day Itineraries:

CRUISE A - 4 days / 3 nights

Day 1: Sunday - Baltra Airport / Santa Cruz: Arrival at Baltra airport. Welcome by naturalist guides and transportation on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board MY Coral I. Afternoon arrival at Santa Cruz Island. Dry landing. Continue to visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place. You will have the opportunity to meet Lonesome George, the last surviving specimen of his species and symbol of the efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment. It is an excellent place for visitors to be photographed with them. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and a variety of Darwin's finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works providing environmental education to communities and schools within the islands, and to tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands. You will also have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1h30m visit

Day 2: Monday - Santa Fe: Wet landing on a white sand beach surrounded by a sea lion colony; continue walking through an endemic cactus forest with a chance to search for the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, the largest in the islands and distinctively paler. This island is home to a number of endemic species including Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, rice rats, a variety of finches and one of the four species of Galapagos mockingbirds. Enjoy a deep-water snorkeling after the hike.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 1h30m walk
PM - South Plaza (Plaza Island)
Dry landing at the northern part of the Islet. The walk begins with an impressive cactus forest surrounded by land and marine iguanas. At its highest point, be on the look for tropicbirds and a bachelor sea lion colony. In South Plaza there is a large colony of the smaller sized land iguanas. The population is approximately 300 individuals. They feed on all kinds of vegetation, but during the dry season survive on the fruits and flowers of Opuntia cacti. Due to their proximity with marine iguanas, there is a chance to encounter the one and only Galapagos hybrid iguana.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2 hours walk

Day 3: Tuesday - Rabida: Visit Wet landing. Dark-red sand covers these unique beaches; Rabida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting Brown Pelicans are found from July through September and nine species of the famous Darwin's finches can be seen. Take a dinghy ride along cliffs to observe nesting seabirds, and snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling / 1 hour dinghy ride
PM - Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz)
Wet landing on the north side of Santa Cruz; behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes, and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but then spend 3 or 5 years without breeding. At this paradisiacal site you will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago, once property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. That is why the beach is called 'Bachas' because the word 'barges' in English was hard to pronounce by the local people. Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming

Day 4: Wednesday - Daphne: Circumnavigate the islet of Daphne, an eroded tuff cone formation that was created by successive volcanic activity, for an opportunity to see Darwin's finches, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and Brown Noddies. Afterwards, transfer to Baltra airport to catch your flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

CRUISE C - 4 days / 3 nights

Day 1: Sunday - Baltra airport / Santa Cruz: Arrival at Baltra airport. Welcome by naturalist guides and transportation on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board MY Coral I. Afternoon arrival at Santa Cruz Island. Dry landing. Continue to visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place. You will have the opportunity to meet Lonesome George, the last surviving specimen of his species and symbol of the efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment. It is an excellent place for visitors to be photographed with them. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and a variety of Darwin's finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works providing environmental education to communities and schools within the islands, and to tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands. You will also have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1h30 walk

Day 2: Monday - Cormorant Point / Devil's Crown / Champion (Floreana): Wet landing on an olivine green sand beach. Hike from the black mangrove beds to a brackish lagoon, which usually holds one of the largest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features some endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. The trail continues to a beautiful white-sand beach, one of the most important nesting sites of Green Pacific Sea Turtles. It is important to avoid walking in the water due to the Sting Rays that may be hiding in the sand, which can be dangerous if accidentally stepped on. From the beach one can spot sea turtles, Blue-footed Boobies plunging into the water, and small reef sharks floating along the shoreline in search of food. This coral-sand beach marks the end of the trail. Head back to the olivine beach of landing to swim or snorkel amongst sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions and, on a good day, white-tipped reef sharks. A small colony of penguins resides on Floreana and can sometimes be observed as well.>
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy and walk on a flat terrain
Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling
PM - Post Office (Floreana)
Wet landing. Located on the north side of Floreana, the bay is so-named because in 1793 Captain James Colnett installed a wooden barrel which served as an informal post office for sailors passing through, who would take letters with them to their destinations. Today, visitors continue the tradition by placing unstamped postcards inside the barrel that should reach their destinations for free. It can take weeks, months, even years, not arrive at all, or even arrive before you! At Floreana, you may also encounter Darwin's finches, Yellow Warbler and lava lizards. Great snorkeling opportunities with Green Pacific Sea Turtles as well, this island is best known for its endemic vegetation: Scalesia villosa, Lecocarpus pinnatifidus, and Galapagos milkwort.
Snorkelers can practice on the main beach among playful sea lions. Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 30 minutes walk / 1 hour snorkeling

Day 3: Tuesday - Gardner Bay / Gardner and Osborn Islets (Espanola): Wet landing on a beautiful white coral sand beach guarded by a colony of sea lions. There are no trails, so we stay along the shore where we can spot Galapagos Hawk, American Oystercatcher, Galapagos Dove, Hood Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and three species of Darwin's finches: a subspecies (Geospiza fuliginosa) of the Large Cactus Finch, which is similar to the large ground finch, the Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) and the Warbler Finch (Certhidea Olivacea) which is another endemic subspecies. Swimming and snorkeling offers a great variety of Galapagos marine animals: King Angelfish, Creole Fish, Damsel Fish, parrot fish, manta rays, and White-tipped Reef Sharks.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: sandy
Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling
PM - Suarez Point (Espanola)
Dry landing. An island of geological interest to explore volcanic formations and a riveting wildlife: large sea lion colonies and seabirds including Espanola mockingbird, Nazca boobies and the spectacular red billed tropic bird. You will also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the colorful sally lightfoot crabs. A somewhat lengthy hike will bring you among Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies, right up to nesting grounds that sometimes overlap the trail. Other birding favorites include Galapagos Dove, Galapagos Hawk, Swallow-tailed Gulls and the world's largest colony of Waved Albatross, an unequivocal highlight during mating season (May-December). Admire the island's dramatic backdrop, featuring the famous Soplador, a seaward blowhole that shoots water at some 23 m. (75 ft.) in the air.
Difficulty level: difficult
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2h30 walk

Day 4: Wednesday - Interpretation Center and Tijeretas (San Cristobal): Dry landing in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, capital of the Galapagos Islands. Visit the Interpretation Center, an excellent place to learn about Natural History in the Galapagos. The Museum of Natural History displays information on the volcanic origins of the islands, their remoteness from the continent, ocean currents, climate, the arrival of the different species and their colonization, among other points of interest. The human history is also showcased, chronologically narrating the most significant events related to the discovery and colonization of the islands.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat
Duration: 1 hour visit
Continue to Tijeretas Hill for a high intensity walk through beautiful landscapes ending with a magnificent view nearby of a large frigate bird colony.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Duration: 1 hour visit
San Cristobal Airport
After this last visit, continue to San Cristobal airport to catch your flight to Guayaquil or Quito.

Please note:

Your itinerary is subject to change in the event of weather conditions, seasonal changes, and safety concerns, rerouting of the ship or Galapagos National Park policies.

Your 3-night cruise includes:

• Rountrip transfer hotel-airport-hotel.
• Accommodation aboard the M/Y Coral I.
• English/Spanish speaking guides.
• All meals scheduled on board.
• Briefing and Lecture services.
• 2 Daily visits to the islands conducted by multilingual naturalist guides, sightseeing, snorkeling opportunities, and transfers in the islands.
• Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee, Migration Control Card

Not included:

• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, tax, gratuities, travel insurance, use of snorkeling equipment.