Queen of Galapagos Catamaran

Highlights

• Sail aboard an elegant 16 passenger catamaran
• Take in the unique landscape from one of the large balconies on board the Queen
• Walk along island trails and come up close to a blue-footed booby or a marine iguana
• Stop at the Charles Darwin research station for an insight into the amazing Galapagos archipelago

The Queen of Galapagos Catamaran travels through the Galapagos Archipelago on a year-round basis. We recommend booking at least 3 months in advance to ensure availability. The Queen of the Galapagos combines luxury, privacy and comfort in the marvelous setting of the Galapagos Islands. Choose between 4-day, 5-day and 8-day itineraries. Contact us for prices at info@eviactive.com. There is never a bad time to visit the Galapagos Islands.

Description

The Queen is one of the most comfortable, elegant and luxurious catamaran cruise ships in the Galapagos Islands. It is ranked as a first class boat. The Queen hosts 16 passengers and is therefore also suited for private charters or reunions. The cabins, living rooms and bathrooms are elegantly appointed and all have great balconies for you to enjoy the stunning views throughout your journey.
This luxury catamaran has a big and spacious suite (owner’s suite), a double matrimonial cabin and 7 double cabins with twin beds; all of them have a private bath with a hot tub. Each cabin also has full air conditioning and temperature control and all of them have huge picture windows that allow you to have a wonderful view of the Islands while you are resting in your cabins. There is plenty of space on board where you will find a workspace for reviewing your day’s travels or referencing field guides for information about wild life in the Galapagos Islands.

Each cabin has a wonderful balcony providing stunning views for your journey through the archipelago. The Queen has one large owner’s suite and 7 double cabins. Each cabin has picture windows, is fully air-conditioned and temperature controlled. You’ll experience a world of wildlife, unique landscapes and unforgettable memories. Capacity 16 passengers.

As part of the 8 crew members on board the Queen of Galapagos has a Category III Naturalist Guide who will be in charge of your visits to each island, providing you educational activities, general information, and scientific points of view, bringing out the animal lover and ecologist in you. The true entertainment is the Darwinian experience.

Activities

On your vacation aboard the Queen of the Galapagos you will enjoy activities that will allow you to participate in guided hikes, snorkeling, swimming, optional diving, wildlife observation, and bird watching. Each activity permits you to experience the closest and most intimate encounters with the unique nature of these islands.

Snorkeling: Experience the wonders of the Galapagos marine reserve like sea lions, sharks, turtles, penguins, and marine iguanas flopping around the water. Snorkeling can be enjoyed year-round in the warm waters surrounding the archipelago. While the weather remains relatively constant throughout the year, the water is warmest between December and June.

Hiking: Get close to nature through our guided hikes. Witness truly spectacular landscapes of different geological formations, wildlife observation and bird watching from an up front and personal view. Encounter the unique and fearless animals from very short distances – one of the most fascinating aspects of your visit to the Galapagos Archipelago. The Galapagos Islands are a bird watcher’s dream: 29 of the 58 resident bird species are endemic, such as the Darwin Finches, the Flightless Cormorant, and the Red footed Booby, and the Frigate bird.

Only available for 8 day/7 night itineraries.

Day 1 Monday

AM: Fly to San Cristobal Island is the 5th largest and most iconic island of the Galapagos archipelago.

PM: Lobo Island literally translates to “sea lion” island. This is where you’ll see and hear noisy, frolicking sea lions at their best.

Day 2 Tuesday

AM: North Seymour Island is a great place for sitings of the blue-footed booby.

PM: Mosquera Island is one of the smaller islands with no real walking paths. Narrow sandy beaches and tide pools are home to pelicans, sea lions, and many other happy animals.

Day 3 Wednesday

AM: Chinese Hat is one of the younger islands named for the conical shape formed by volcanic growth. The island is home to marine iguana and sea lions.

PM: Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island is a treat with large white sandy beaches that offers easy access for swimming in the warm waters surrounding the island.

Day 4 Thursday

AM: Charles Darwin Station, Santa Cruz Island. The Charles Darwin research station provides environmental and biological research related to the Galapagos Islands, the animals, and their habitat. This is a not-to-be-missed educational stop.

PM: Highlands, Santa Cruz Island

Day 5 Friday

AM: Cormorant Point, Floreana Island is known for it large pink flamingos and their lagoon habitat. The beach is a distinctive green color resulting from the olivine crystals in the sand,

PM: Post Office Bay, Floreana Island is located on the northwest shore of Floreana. It is one of the few spots in the archipelago that is visited for its human history instead of its animal habitat and geographic history. In the late 1700s, whaling was an important industry and ships were often away from their home ports for as long as 5 years. The bay is highly accessible and therefore became an important stopping spot for many ships and whalers. In 1793, British navigators placed a large wooden barrel on shore at Post Office Bay as a place to leave messages and mail for homeward-bound sailors to pick up and deliver once they returned home.

Day 6 Saturday

AM: Suarez Point, Española Island offers a dry landing and an island that offers great viewing of the blue-footed booby, the hood mockingbird and the Galapagos Hawk. This stop involves a 3 kilometer walk.

PM: Gardner Bay, Española Island is only a half hour by boat from the Suarez point but the scenery is totally different. Here, you are treated to turquoise water and white coralline sandy beaches. Swim next to herds of sea lines basking in the sun – but don’t take their spot. These sea lions are very territorial.

Day 7 Sunday

AM: Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island is the only site in the Galapagos Islands where it is possible to see all three species of boobies and 2 species of frigates nesting. The reason is that the geographic location offers enough food eliminating competition between creatures. The blue footed boobies nests in the interior (rare in the cliffs), red-footed boobies nest on bushes and masked boobies nest in the cliffs.

PM: Sleeping Lion, San Cristobal Island is a rugged and craggy rock area of San Cristobal. Here you’ll see lots of, you guessed it, sleeping lions.

Day 8 Monday

AM: Junco / Galapaguera, San Cristobal Island has the only fresh water lake in the Galapagos Islands. This is a great place to hike and explore.

PM: Return to mainland Ecuador.

PLAN A TRIP

INCLUDED: Prices are quoted in US dollars and include all meals aboard the luxury yacht, unlimited coffee, tea and water, all transfers in the Galapagos, accommodation with private facilities, all excursions as mentioned in the itinerary (itinerary subject to change) with English speaking naturalist guide class 3, snorkeling equipment, kayak equipment. Single supplements apply.

NOT INCLUDED: Airfare, Galapagos National Park entrance fee (currently USD 100 pp), Transit Control Card (currently USD 10 pp); wet suit rental, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, personal expenses, tips to guides. There is a suite surcharge of $300.00 for the owner’s suite.

B= breakfast included, L=lunch included, PicL=picnic lunch included, D=Dinner included
All bookings through Garth Allen Marksted Travel, Quebec Licensee.

** A National Park fee of $110 U.S. per person is payable in Ecuador and is never included in the pricing.