Active Galapagos Tour Details

12 nights / 13 days in total:  8 days on the Samba, 3 days on land in Galapagos, 2 days in Quito.  Flights to Galapagos, cruise, hotels, transfers and more included.

2013 Price:  $4,250

* Contact Heather if you have time only for the 8 day cruise. *

If the SAMBA is sold out during your prefered travel time, please contact Heather to discuss alternatives.

1.   DATES

2.PRICE DETAILS

PRICE INCLUDES:

• 8 day cruise on an upscale economy class ship (all meals, top quality naturalist guide, private double occupancy rooms, private bathroom, hot water, shower, air conditioning)
• Return flight Quito/Galapagos/Quito (or Guayaquil)
• 3 nights accommodation in an upscale boutique hotel (Mansion del Angel), with breakfast, on the continent (2 night pre-tour, and 1 night post-tour)
• 1/2 day tour of Quito - World Heritage colonial Andean city, and a visit to the "monument to the Equator"
• Host in Quito to help with transfers
• Airport transfers in Quito for the Galapagos departure and arrival
• Free use of kayaks (3) on-board the ship (used only at dedicated visitor sites)

• Snorkel, mask and fins
• Two additional nights in Puerto Ayora, (Hotel Fernandina)
• Most meals, as indicated in the itinerary
• CNH Tours advice on pre or post trip extensions in the region

• Our very own, personally written 60 page Galapagos Voyage Guide (electronic version)

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Tip for naturalist guide (sug. $60-$80/person), ship's crew (sug. $120-$160/person)
• Alcoholic beverages, drinks
• Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($100 - may change moderately)
• Transit control card ($10 per person)
• Trip insurance (always strongly recommended)
• Personal expenses
• Some meals, as indicated in itinerary

3. Your Naturalist Guides

You will enjoy top services from one of two guides on our Active Galapagos Cruises.  Both are passionate and extremely knowledgeable about Galapagos and about conservation.  They have a canny knack for conveying this passion to their guests and should be able to handle your most challenging questions. 

The Samba's principle guide is Juan Manuel Salcedo.   We believe that Juan is at the vanguard of a new generation of naturalist guides in Galapagos - he is promoting a new way to see the islands (see:  The Samba Way).  Juan carried out most of his studies in Ecuador, but also spent some time in Califorina obtaining a "skipper's" certificate.  

The Samba also enjoys the services of Fausto Rodriguez.   Born on the mainland, in 1990 his mother sent him on a two week holiday to Galapagos.  He met people there, made new friends and fell in love with the islands. He began working as a mate aboard different boats, leading Spanish speaking groups.  In 1996 he was officially certified as a Galapagos National Park naturalist guide.  After 3 years getting language and tourism degree in the UK, he returned to the islands and has since been a much sought after guide by the higher end tour companies.

Luiz Alfredo Rodriguez Carrera, otherwise known as Champi - a former neighbour of ours when we lived in the islands, will also be guiding some of our cruises.  Champi is a passionate Ecuadorian Naturalist Guide and dive instructor who was educated in Ecuador, the United States and France.  Champi has been hand picked in the past to accompany high end television production crews in the islands, and recently, Sir Richard Branson.   He is a recent past president of AGIPA, the Interpretive Naturalist Guide's Asssociation of Galapagos. 

Pictured from left to right:  Juan Manuel Salcedo and Fausto Rodriguez. We're still looking for a picture of Champi!

4.  ITINERARY

In 2010, the Galapagos National Park Service passed a new regulation requiring all cruise ships to shift from 7 day itineraries to 14 day itineraries.  Instead of cycling through their routes on a weekly basis, ships are now required to run through a 14 day cycle before visiting the same place again.   As a result, there will be fewer ships/people at any one visitor site at any given time.   This regulation will improve the visitor experience while reducing the visitation impact in the islands.   CNH Tours applauds the Park's decision, taken in the face of a great deal of resistance from several established cruise ship operators, who were loath to have to disrupt their well established routines.

The regulation was passed earlier in 2010, but ships had until January 2012 to begin implementing the new itineraries.   The Samba immediately recognized the value in this regulation and was among the first to submit its 14 day itinerary for Park approval.  It began implementing its new itinerary in February 2011.    Juan Manuel Salcedo was  heavily involved in this process.   He states:

"I worked hard to make sure as much as possible, that on both trips, (week 1 and week 2) our guests will get almost equivalent experiences in value of wildlife, geology and human history of the islands. No week is better than the other."

For those of you who's passion (and availability) may know no bounds, it is possible to join the Samba for a continous 2 week cruise.   Please let us know if you wish to explore this option.

SOUTH EAST:    Island diversity

# islands visited:  9

The Southeast itinerary will have you visit a great diversity of islands, from the tiny South Plaza, where the odd land/marine iguana hybrids thrive, to the "brought-back-from-the-brink" Española island, once overrun by goats and with only a handful of giant tortoises remaining.   You'll be among the very few people to see the waved albatross breeding colony, one of the world's rarest and most endangered species (from mid-April to end November).

CLICK HERE FOR THE DAY BY DAY SOUTH EAST ITINERARY

NORTH WEST:   Born of fire

# islands visited:  5

This itinerary takes you to the more remote reaches of the archipelago, and the most geologically active.   Volcanos frequently erupt here - and most of the land consists of wide expanses of sterile lava fields interspersed with small islands of life.   Waters are more nutrient rich and cooler - making for more diversity of marine life.  The flightless cormorant survives here, but in small numbers.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DAY BY DAY NORTH WEST ITINERARY