Close Encounters of the Best Kind

Cruise the Galápagos with MTS for an interactive journey through a real-life never-never land—hiking, swimming, snorkeling, sea kayaking, and watching a world where wonders never cease. See the islands in style on an MTS charter aboard one of our small, upscale yachts (12-16 passengers max) for up-close wildlife encounters you’ll never forget.

Activities

Easy yacht travel; nature walks; optional swimming, snorkeling, sea kayaking; maximum elevation 9,350' (Quito) ; Minimum age is 6

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy up close and personal encounters with wildlife in the world’s top nature destination, including snorkeling with sea lions and green sea turtles!
• The most comprehensive Galápagos experience available, with nature hikes, snorkeling, and sea kayaking excursions
• We do it right: 4 yachts to choose from, 5-star hotel in Quito, the best naturalist guides!
• A dedicated in-country staff to see to your every need

2010 PRICES
$3,995-$5,195 based on yacht + internal airfare and park fees
$427 internal airfare

NOTE: For information on yachts, including deck plans and additional photos, and itinerary specifics, call us at 1-888-831-7526 or email Nancy at nancyr@mtsobek.com 

Duration: 11 days Start Location: Quito End Location: Quito Best time to go: January - August, November - December

Itinerary

• Day 1 : Arrive in Quito

  Meet in Quito, Ecuador, and transfer to the five-star Swissôtel.

• Day 2 : Quito

  A free day in Quito to explore on your own or shop for handicrafts.

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  Day 3 : To the Galápagos Islands

  Fly to the Galápagos Islands. Board yacht and begin your Galapagos cruise.

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  Days 4 - 9 : Cruise among the “Enchanted Islands”

  Each day of your Galápagos tour contains magical moments of discovery, with a naturalist guide helping you see the wonders of the islands. The Galápagos cruise itinerary varies, but you'll visit a combination of islands: Plazas, North Seymour, Tower, James (Santiago), Bartolomé, Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Española (Hood), and Floreana. Each has its own special highlights: the soft, powdery sands, blue-footed boobies, and waved albatross colony at Española; great snorkeling and a volcano hike on Bartolomé; tide pools and fur seals on James; the giant tortoises in the highlands of Santa Cruz; flightless cormorants and hordes of marine iguanas on Fernandina.

• Day 10 : End Cruise and Return to Quito

  Motor back to the port. Transfer to the airport and fly (cost not included) to Quito via Guayaquil, arriving in Quito in the late afternoon. (Lunch is included on the flight.)

• Day 11 : Fly Home

  Transfer to the airport for homeward bound flight or join one of our extensions in Ecuador or Peru!

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  Swissôtel

  Quito, Ecuador

  This luxury hotel offers comfort and professional service in an excellent location close to the Old Town and the airport. Large, comfortable rooms and great views of the surrounding area from the top.

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  The Sagitta

  The Sagitta is a majestic 120-foot sailing yacht that caters to 16 passengers. She has ten air-conditioned cabins with private facilities, a sizable dining room, al fresco dining area, library, and lots of wonderful open and shaded space on her teak decks. Luxurious from stern to bow, she boasts three full masts, two decks, a library, a dining room, a salon, and a conference room with video.

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  Boat accommodation

  
  

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

• Greg Estes

  Born in the United States, Greg Estes first arrived in Galapagos in 1982 leading the Cambridge Darwin Centenary Galapagos Expedition to conduct research on the feeding ecology of marine iguanas. After graduating from the University of London, England, with an honours degree in Biology Greg’s research in Galapagos has encompassed a wide range of ecological projects, including studies on sperm whales and the endangered Galapagos petrel. Greg and his wife Thalia have retraced Darwin’s footsteps through Galapagos using information from his original notebooks and manuscripts of the famous voyage. Their research was published in “Notes and Records of the Royal Society“, September 2000 and was the basis of their book Darwin in Galapagos: Footsteps to a New World, published by Princeton University Press in 2009. Greg has served as a licensed naturalist guide of the Galapagos National Park Service since 1982 and continues to work as naturalist and expeditions leader in the islands. He is in high demand by university and natural history organizations alike and among the institutions he has guided/led are the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Stanford University, Princeton University, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, New York Audubon Society, New York Botanical Gardens. Greg has traveled extensively in North, Central and South America, and Europe and has worked as a naturalist in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic. His explorations have included an ascent of Cotopaxi in Ecuador, which is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.

• Desiree Cruz

  Desiree Cruz loves Galápagos so much that she lives in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, she received her B.S. from the University of Guayaquil in biology with a specialty in botany. She has been a naturalist guide in Galápagos since 1987 and has served in several capacities for the Galápagos National Park Service, including Deputy Director. Desiree is fluent in Spanish, English, and German. She has worked with Sea Shepherd in Galápagos, an organization dedicated to protecting the marine reserve from poaching, and is an advocate for conservation in Galápagos. She balances her conservation work with the delight of sharing her love of nature and Galápagos with our trip members. Desiree is a “guide’s guide” and works part-time teaching naturalist guides in Galápagos.

• Luis Die

  Luis Die was born in Seville, Spain, and is a graduate of the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid with a degree in environmental biology. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and French and has guided in Galápagos for more than a decade. In addition to being a professional nature photographer, Luis is working on a Master’s Degree in geographical ecology and is active with conservation groups on the mainland. Luis is a born teacher and enthusiastically shares his knowledge of Galápagos with people of all ages. He lives in Quito with his wife and twin sons and is our head naturalist guide, working exclusively with Mountain Travel Sobek.

• Carlos King

  Carlos King has an abiding interest in biology and the wildlife of Ecuador. He earned a degree in environmental science from Southeast Missouri University and started guiding in Ecuador’s Amazon jungle in 1987. He became a Galápagos Naturalist guide in 1988 and has been guiding on the mainland and in the Enchanted Islands ever since. He lives in Quito, participating in conservation in the islands and on the mainland, and guides trips in Peru, Chile, and Galápagos throughout the year.

• Patricia Stucki

  Patricia Stucki has been guiding diving trips in Galápagos since 1999. A native of Switzerland and originally a journalist for the Swiss News Agency, Patricia started her career in guiding as a dive master in Honduras in 1995 and as a naturalist guide in Costa Rica. She is fascinated by wildlife, is a passionate teacher, and an active conservationist in the islands. As a resident of Galápagos, she will be able to give you an insider’s viewpoint of life in the islands. Patricia is fluent in English, German, and French.

• Fausto Rodriguez

  Fausto Rodriguez was born and raised in the countryside in the Central Andes. He grew up with nature, and developed a deep appreciation for it. In 1996, he fell in love with the Galápagos and officially became a Galápagos National Park naturalist. However, the same year, he relocated to London where he finished his degree in Languages and Tourism. He returned to Ecuador in 1999 and began guiding in the Islands. Fausto has a passion for wildlife, especially birds and mammals, as well as natural history, particularly geology, ecology and plant-life. He loves guiding and is always excited about beginning a new trip to the Galápagos—above all, he loves being in nature and meeting new people. Fausto also leads trips in Patagonia, Chile, Argentina, and Machu Picchu.

• Antonio Moreano

  Antonio Moreano was born in Quito, and has been a naturalist guide and dive instructor in the Galápagos for the past 15 years. He has vast experience as a Naturalist Guide, both above and below the water. He has assisted with the production of books, scientific studies biology of the Whale Shark, and five naturalist expeditions to Cocos Island in Costa Rica. With over 5000 dives, and having led nearly 500 cruises in the Galápagos, Antonio combines both the knowledge and the humor to make the trip a unique experience. His love for marine biology makes him the ideal person to get a full understanding of both the underwater life and natural history of the islands. In addition to his work as a guide, Antonio is very active in the conservation of the Galápagos, and the development of sustainable options for the local community.

photo credits: ©MTS Photo File