Xpedition to Galapagos - List of Shore Execursions?

[Kittycat]

We are busy planning our a trip on the Xpedition and wondered if anyone has a list of the different shore excursions which are offered. I know there are three different intensities, but I'm just checking what we might see at each stop.

[sceneisle]

Kittycat: We sailed on the Xpedition 06/26/05 through 07/02/05. As the Baltra airport was closed for resurfacing, our itinerary was not the usual one (landed on Isla San Cristobal). Here is a list of our shore excursions:

 

06/26 (Embarkation day) - Dry landing at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Crustibal). Visit to a human history museum followed by a short walk on the main street of Puerto Baquerizo.

 

06/27 - Circumnavigation of Kicker Rock (Zodiac ride only). Cerro Brujo (wet landing on beach; swimming, snorkeling, birding). Zodiac ride along cliffs of Cerro Brujo. Dry landing at Espanola Island (hike to Puerto Suarez). Zodiac ride along coastline of Espanola Island.

 

06/28 - Dry landing at Puerto Ayora (bus ride to highlands of Santa Cruz). Hike to Tortuga Bay Beach. Charles Darwin Research Station. Wet landing at Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz); hiking/searching for land iguanas and Darwin Finches. Advanced snorkeling from Zodiac. Coastal exploration by Zodiac.

 

6/29 - Wet landing (Santa Cruz); short hike along beach for flamingos. Swim/snorkel at beach. Wet landing at Bachas Beach, snorkeling. Bartolome Island hike and snorkel at Bartolome Beach. Coastal exploration by Zodiac (Bartolome).

 

6/30 - Dry landing at Tagus Cove (Isabela), long hike and Zodiac ride. Snorkeling from Zodiac. Dry landing at Espinosa Point (Fernandina); hike and Zodiac.

 

07/01 - Dry landing at James Bay (Santiago); 4 KM hike to volcanic cone, swim/snorkel from beach. Wet landing Rabida Island, beach walk, swimming/snorkeling.

 

07/02 - Dry landing on North Seymour; 1 mile hike. Explore coastline by Zodiac. Snorkel from Zodiac. Dry landing at Puerto Ayora. Same excursions as those listed on 06/28 (takes two days to do all excursions offered on Santa Cruz).

 

Most of the hiking excursions are offered in the form of high or medium intensity (just means the high intensity hikes are longer in length/duration). Each island is a little different, with respect to the topography, and types of birds, animals & plants present. You will see tons of Blue-footed Boobies, land and sea iguanas, cormorants, seals, penguins......the list goes on and on. These creatures are so docile, you actually have to be careful not to step on them.

 

If you're interested, here's a link to our photos:

http://sceneisle.myphotoalbum.com

(2 albums for the Galapagos, 1 album for the Xpedition and 1 album for Quito).

 

Hope you enjoy the Galapagos as much as we did!

[ChefPeg]

sceneisle- Thank you so much for posting the link to your incredible pictures. I just booked Galapagos this evening for next year and I thought I was excited before. Your pictures got me all worked up. I loved them! I can see I am going to have a wonderful time.

Again, thank you very, very much. The pictures were terrific.

 

Peggy

[Sail With Me]

I agree with Peggy, the pictures are awesome! We booked the 11 night trip for December 2007 with our friends Peggy and Tom. Peggy sent me your slide show last night and I am so thrilled that we are all going!

 

Thanks for making us all so excited!!!!!!!!!

 

Karen

[sceneisle]

Karen & Peggy: I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. The Galapagos Archipelago is truly the most incredible place I've ever experienced.

[VancouverWeddingCruiser]

I just came back from the Xpedition and the naturalists told us that the itinerary will be changing in July/August. Apparently every 2 years, boats will receive new itineraries (to give operators opportunities to go to different islands) and it's time for the Xpedition. It sounded like Celebrity will know what the new itinerary will be in June but won't change until later in the summer. One of the naturalist told us that Tagus Cove is slated to be closed for the next several years (for environmental reasons) so it will not be on the new itinerary. Our itinerary was the same as sceneisle's except we landed in Baltra, thus no visit to a museum. We went straight from the airport to the dock.

 

There are 3 levels of excursions but a high intensity excursion does not mean that you will see more animals than a low intensity one. At times it could mean seeing different animals especially more sea life as the low intensity excursions primary use the zodiac.

 

There was so much to see and by far it is the most amazing place we've been to! One day we hope to go back!

 

Linda

[Kittycat]

Sceneisle, thanks for shring your fantastic photos - we can't wait to go! We've been researching this trip for over a year as it's to be a special holiday next year and the brochures have now been released, so it's off to the Cruise Club we go.