Embarking on an Extended Adventure: Quito and the Galapagos Islands Aboard the Seaman Journey

Upon arrival at Quito airport, you will meet with your guide, who will transfer you to your hotel.
Situated in a circle of Andean peaks, Quito is the world’s second-highest capital, with arguably one of the finest settings in the world. Originally settled by the Quitu tribe in the first millennium, Quito was an important part of the Inca Empire, before being destroyed and re-founded by the Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Benalcázar in 1534.
The colonial center – declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 – is one of the largest and best-preserved in Latin America. It is home to excellent museums, churches, and art galleries.

Early in the morning and right after breakfast, you and our local guide start the travel tour at the downtown area, well known as Quito Colonial. You start your journey along the “churches ́ trail” by visiting first the cathedral. In the cathedral, you learn about its history and the guide explains the internal
design of the cathedral such as the “mudejar ́s" influence on its first stage, the area with 3 longitudinal wings, and a small transversal wing behind the choir.
After finishing the round in the cathedral, we have a short walk to the church La Compania along with the guide’s expertise. The guide will enlighten you with history and fun facts of every place, in this case La Compania. Its decoration is based on muslin features and the altars are covered by gold leaf along with faces and birds carved. It is considered as an architectonic jewel in the American baroque style. It also has a religious value, because the rest of Saint Marianita of Jesus is located there, and according to some, she was the protector of the city.
Afterwards, we visit San Francisco, which is famous for the Cantuña story. San Francisco is well known due to its legends and stories, which make the place culturally wealthy. At the San Francisco church, there is a local hand craft store called Tianguez, where you can find a variety of items from the Ecuadorian
culture. Here, you can buy postcards, books, Ecuador in music, natural products, and even get a coffee with Humitas (which is sweet corn tamale) offered at the local Café Cantuña located at the Plaza San Francisco.
Around midday, you head to “Mitad del Mundo”, a monument at the equator line that passes through our country.
You may choose to either visit the Ethnographic or the Inti Ñan Museums, both located near the monument. Along the way, we will stop for a traditional Ecuadorian lunch (optional and not included).
After the tour, you will return to your hotel.

The guide will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the airport.
You will enjoy 4d/3n onboard the Seaman Journey yacht. Once in Santa Cruz, passengers must go through an inspection point at the airport to make sure that no foreign plants or animals are being introduced to the archipelago. Also, this inspection point is where passengers have to pay for the entrance to the Galapagos National Park.

Our guide will assist you with luggage and transfer you to the bus for the ferry crossing at Itabaca Channel. Another bus will then take you to Ranch Manzanillo for the first visit. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, light clothing, a waterproof jacket, sunscreen, and bring a camera and insect repellent. A picnic lunch and a short walk are included before boarding the Motor Catamaran. Please follow instructions for the itinerary. Luggage will be sent directly to the Seaman Journey yacht. Santa Cruz offers excellent opportunities to observe wild Galapagos Tortoises. In addition to tortoise tracking, explore lava tubes, sinkholes, and craters in the highlands before moving on to the M/C Seaman Journey.

AM: FERNANDINA ISLAND, MANGLE POINT
Explore Mangle Point off the eastern coast of Fernandina, renowned for superior snorkeling and scenic rides in a panga or zodiac through mangrove groves. A short hike of about 1/2 mile is optional. Look out for sea lions, tortoises, pelicans, rays, and various bird species during your ride.

PM: PUNTA MORENO
Discover Punta Moreno on the north coast of Isabela Island, nestled between the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes. Follow a trail along a Pahoehoe lava flow into a network of coastal lagoons, teeming with diverse bird species amidst lakes and mangroves.

AM: ISABELA ISLAND, URBINA BAY
Discover Urbina Bay at the base of Alcedo Volcano on Isabela's west coast, where a significant uplift in 1954 raised the land over 16 feet. Experience unique snorkeling opportunities in this area. The path starts with a wet landing and spans approximately 3200m, showcasing diverse terrain including sand, pumice, lava, coral, and vegetation. Keep an eye out for iguana burrows and red and blue lobsters. Encounter Darwin's finches and land iguanas, along with the occasional sighting of Galapagos tortoises. Enjoy the abundant vegetation, including chamomile and Rosewood, and don't miss the endemic cotton Darwin flowers.

PM: ISABELA ISLAND, TAGUS COVE
Explore Tagus Cove west of Darwin Volcano on Isabela Island, historically favored by pirates and whalers who left inscriptions dating back to the 1800s. The name originates from a British warship that visited in 1814. Encounter volcanic rocks, including lapilli or petrified rain, shaped by past eruptions along the trail.

AM: FERNANDINA ISLAND, ESPINOZA POINT
Explore Espinoza Point, renowned for its large colonies of marine iguanas and unique species such as the flightless cormorant, Galapagos penguin, Galapagos hawk, and Galapagos snake.

PM: VICENTE ROCA POINT
Discover the breathtaking scenery of Punta Vicente Roca, one of the most impressive spots in the Galapagos Islands. Marvel at high cliffs, tuffstone formations, and spectacular marine life, including seahorses, sea turtles, and the intriguing Mola-mola or sunfish. Enjoy a Panga Ride and Snorkeling to encounter penguins, blue-footed boobies, terns, sealions, sea turtles, stingrays, and pufferfish.

AM: SANTIAGO ISLAND, PLAYA ESPUMILLA
Visit Espumilla Beach on the northern coast of Santiago Island in James Bay. Witness the effects of past El Niño phenomena, which led to sedimentation in one of the lagoons, causing the disappearance of a flamingo colony. Explore the palo santo forest and observe nesting baby turtles.

PM: PUERTO EGAS
Explore the black sand beach of Puerto Egas on the west side of the island, formed by volcanic tuff deposits. Learn about the failed salt exploitation project that left behind abandoned infrastructure.

AM: RABIDA ISLAND
Explore Rábida Island, known for its unique red-colored rocks and sand, caused by the oxidization of porous volcanic material. Take a short trail walk to a coastal lagoon where you can observe land birds such as finches, doves, yellow warblers, and mockingbirds, as well as a colony of flamingos.

PM: CHINESE HAT (SOMBREO CHINO)
Visit Chinese Hat, a small islet located off the southeastern tip of Santiago Island. Marvel at its distinctive shape resembling a Chinese hat when viewed from the north. Explore lava formations and geological features such as lava tubes and flows. Encounter sea lion colonies, marine iguanas, and Galapagos penguins amidst the stunning landscape.

AM: SANTIAGO ISLAND, SULLIVAN BAY
Explore Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island, also known as James or San Salvador Island. Located in the west-central part of the Galapagos archipelago, Santiago is the fourth largest island. It is volcanically active, with young flows and cones visible along the south, west, and east coasts. The island consists of two coalesced volcanoes: a shield volcano on the northwest end and a low, linear fissure volcano on the southeast end.

PM: BARTOLOME ISLAND
Visit Bartolome Island, located across from Sullivan Bay. With an altitude of 114 meters, it offers stunning vistas of volcanic cones, lunar-like craters, lava fields, and the iconic Toba pinnacle eroded by the sea. Despite minimal vegetation, the island boasts two beautiful beaches where marine turtles nest, along with a small colony of Galapagos penguins at the base of the pinnacle.

AM: BACHAS ISLAND, SANTA CRUZ
Explore the two small beaches of Bachas Island, located west of Turtle Cove. The soft, white sand, composed of decomposed coral, serves as a favored nesting site for sea turtles. One beach is home to a small brackish water lagoon, where flamingos and coastal birds like black-necked stilts and whimbrels can occasionally be spotted. The other beach, longer in length, features two abandoned barges from World War II, remnants of the strategic use of Baltra Island by the USA to protect the Panama Channel. After the morning excursion, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the mainland.