Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Galapagos Islands & Quito

Land/Cruise cost includes National Park Fee and Galapagos Airfare.

The Galápagos archipelago is a distinctive world heritage site. Since Charles Darwin’s famous voyage, it has provided a wealth of information and inspiration for people throughout the world. The “Enchanted Islands” still continue to play an important role in our understanding of life on earth. Situated on the equator some 600 miles off the coast of South America, this remote volcanic archipelago remains much as it was millions of years ago. Over the course of centuries, animal and plant life from the Americas reached the islands and gradually evolved into new forms. Many of its species are unique to the rest of the world.

The Galápagos offer a way to magically step back in time, to visit an isolated, relatively untouched place where you can be at one with nature as nowhere else. Animals have no fear of humans — birds light on your arm, curious sea lions come to get acquainted, fur seals and penguins join you for a swim in the clear waters.

You will visit nurseries where young Galápagos sea lions cavort among the rocks under the watchful eyes of their mothers and the huge male beachmaster. You will see elegant red-billed tropicbirds with their long plumed tails, marine and land iguanas basking on black lava rocks, parrot and pufferfish, morays and Moorish idols, and brilliant Sally Lightfoot crabs. Blue-footed boobies show off their unique footwork and perform their graceful courting ritual. Throughout the islands are Darwin’s finches, whose unique adaptations helped to lead Charles Darwin to his revolutionary theory of evolution. At the world-famous Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz, you will be within arm’s reach of the galápagos themselves, the huge land tortoises for which the islands were named.

The Galápagos offer a good example in which tourism has been instrumental in preserving a fragile island ecosystem. While island groups throughout the world have had their wildlife and habitat devastated, the Galápagos have yet to lose a single native species. Nature tourism and the Galápagos Islands are now interdependent, relying on each other for survival.

Cathy and Gordon Illg are freelance photographers specializing in nature and outdoor recreation. For more than twenty years they have been searching outstanding locations for both scenic and wildlife photography. Their work has appeared in nearly all the major nature publications and prominent travel magazines, as well as earning numerous awards in Nature’s Best International Photographic Competitions. In 2003, they earned second place in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, and one of their participants also won an award in that contest with a photo taken on one of their tours.

They are more than just skilled photographers and instructors; they are also Certified International Tour Managers, which ensures that traveling companions will have a great time, regardless of where they are traveling and what they are doing. The job is particularly fulfilling when it involves bringing guests face to face with the great outdoors and the creatures that call it home.

If you are already an accomplished photographer, they will get you to the good locations, at the right times, and set you free. However, if you want help, they will provide as much instruction as you want. On most tours instructional presentations are provided, and participants are always encouraged to bring a sample of their work for a helpful, friendly critique or just to share with the group.

Itinerary

May 17: Home - Quito

Today fly to Quito, Ecuador. At 9,000 feet in elevation, Quito is one of the world’s highest capitals, and one of South America’s most historic and charming cities. Arrive this evening, and be taken to the 4-star hotel for the night. The Dann Carlton Hotel is graced with a veritable tradition of hospitality and top quality services. Right in the middle of Quito's tourist and business center, close by the historical downtown. Overnight Dann Carlton.

May 18: Ecuadorian Highlands

After breakfast your will drive up to the moorlands on the Northern slope of Pichincha Volcano, following the route of the hummingbird. Within thirty minutes your surroundings are transformed from the urban streets into lush greenery of the Ecuadorian highlands. The village of Nono is a small town where countryside people work at haciendas. In one of the country houses you will enjoy hiking possibilities and the chance to take photos of the beautiful scenery, hummingbirds, and Andean flowers. After lunch you depart to the Solar Museum of Intinan on the Equator, the museum is a small, privately-owned institution with fascinating exhibits on the indigenous awareness of the Equator.

Dinner is on your own tonight and can be experienced at a number of excellent and inexpensive restaurants within a few blocks of the hotel. Overnight Dann Carlton. (b, l)

May 19: Quito – Baltra, Galápagos / Bachas Beach

This morning we will fly from Quito to the Galápagos and begin our exciting week of discovery on board the private yacht Daphne. The flight lands on Baltra, where we will be met and escorted to the boat. We will take some time to get situated on board, while the crew takes care of formalities ashore. Next, we are on our way to visit nearby, Bachas Beach, on the west shore of Santa Cruz Island. Las Bachas are two small beaches, one of which contains the remains of a floating pier, a remnant of World War II activity in the islands. The shoreline and saltwater ponds behind the beach are a good habitat for blue herons as well as the occasional flamingo. The beach is a favorite nesting place for the green sea turtle, and we will have our first introduction to the Galápagos marine iguana.

Each day we will spend the mornings exploring an island, and then return to the boat for lunch. Early afternoons are for relaxing, as we sail on to the next destination for an afternoon shore excursion, and the possibility of snorkeling. Every evening after dinner the guides will brief us on the next day’s activities, the animals and habitats we will see, and the conditions we will encounter. (b, l, d)

May 20: South Plaza Island / Santa Fé Island

The Plaza Islands (North and South) were created by the uplifting of tectonic action. The vegetation belongs to the arid zone and is represented by annual plants such as Sesuvium and by Opuntia cactus. South Plaza is a good place for observing yellow-brown land iguanas, and a large colony of sea lions which inhabits the island. We will observe swallowtail gulls, tropicbirds, frigates, and blue-footed and masked boobies. From the steep cliff we may see turtles, rays, or sharks in the waters below.

Santa Fé Island is one of the most picturesque anchorages within the archipelago. Its beauty is best appreciated from the trail, which climbs the fault cliff that overlooks the southern half of the bay. This plateau is also the best place to find the large land iguanas that are endemic to this island. Often they can be seen beneath the imposing Opuntia cacti that are also particular to Santa Fé. There is another shorter trail along the shoreline where these giant cactus trees can be appreciated; near dusk this is a good area to glimpse the small endemic rice rats scurrying among the rocks and fallen pads. The two beaches are sleeping grounds for sea lions, and snorkeling near the small island by the entrance of the bay can be very rewarding. (b, l, d)

May 21: Española (Hood) Island

Today we discover Española Island, one of the oldest islands in Galápagos. Although stark in appearance, the island supports a variety of animal life. The beautiful sand beach at Gardner Bay is strewn with sea lions, where we can swim and snorkel. Punta Suarez, the western tip of the island, is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species that can be seen along its cliffs and beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds, Galápagos doves, and sometimes Galápagos hawks, can be seen. It also boasts the world’s only known nesting site of the waved albatross, which we will visit this afternoon. The Hood mockingbird is a particularly noticeable land bird, as it is very curious and bold towards people. Several types of reptiles, including the brilliantly colored marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island. When heavy swells are running, Punta Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting thirty meters into the air. (b, l, d)

May 22: Floreana Island

Floreana Island is probably best known for its rather colorful history involving buccaneers, pirates, whalers, convicts, and, later, colonists. In 1793, the Post Office barrel was established by British whalers as a means of sending letters to and from England. This goodwill tradition has been upheld over the years, and even today, visitors may drop off and pick up letters, without stamps, to be carried to far destinations.

Punta Cormorant, the northeast point of Floreana, has two highly contrasting beaches. The landing beach is of volcanic origin and composed of olivine crystals, giving it a greenish tinge. At the end of a short trail is a carbonate beach of extremely fine white sand. Formed by the erosion of coral skeletons and other marine organisms, it is used for nesting sites by green sea turtles. Situated between these two beaches is an extensive mangrove-fringed salt lagoon frequented by groups of flamingoes, pintails, stilts, and other wading birds. An old eroded volcanic cone called Devil’s Crown is located just off the tip of Punta Cormorant. Dotted with cacti, the lava stacks are popular roosting sites for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans, and frigates. Red-billed tropicbirds, brown noddies, and Audubon shearwaters nest in rocky crevices. The center of the crown is an outstanding snorkeling spot where many colorful fish, as well as sea lions, can be seen. (b, l, d)

May 23: Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island

Santa Cruz is the second most populated island, home of Academy Bay and the town of Puerto Ayora. Here we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to see the huge land tortoises, or galápagos, which once flourished on the islands. The populations were decimated in the early 1800’s by the whaling ships, which stopped here to fill their holds with fresh meat.

This afternoon we will take a bus up into the highlands of Santa Cruz, where we will find a very different kind of habitat than we have seen thus far, passing through an agricultural area, and then on to the higher elevations, a humid region of green hills and eroding volcanoes. Of interest here are the stands of scalesia forest, giant relatives of the sunflower, and Los Gemelos, deep craters of collapsed volcanic cones filled with lush vegetation. (b, l, d)

May 24: Barranco / Darwin Bay

Barranco or Prince Philip’s Steps is an extraordinary, steep path that leads through a seabird colony full of life, up to cliffs that are twenty-five meters high. At the top, the trail continues inland, passing more seabird colonies in a thin palo santo forest. Leaving the forest you can overview a rocky plain. You get a view of masked and red-footed boobies, great frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropicbirds, and hundreds of storm petrels at the edge of the cliff. The storm petrels here are different from any others in the world because they fly around during daytime. To avoid predators they only return to their nest holes at night.

Darwin Bay Beach is a coral beach where a 750 meter trail takes you through seabird colonies. There is also the possibility to take a panga (Zodiac) that is often accompanied by sea lions. You are able to see the cliffs from the seaward side, which are home to a large red-footed booby colony. The red-footed booby is the smallest kind of booby and the only one to actually build a nest up in trees or on the cliffs to protect it from predators. (b, l, d)

May 25: Santiago / Bartolomé Island

Your first stop today will be at Santiago Island, historically a favorite stop for pirates and whalers. Exciting wildlife-viewing opportunities here include a fur seal grotto, a lagoon that is home to pink flamingos, and the chance to see Galapagos Hawks and Vermillion Flycatchers. Puerto Egas, with its black sand beaches, was the site of a small salt mining industry in the 1960’s; a hike inland to the salt crater is an excellent opportunity to spot land birds such as finches, doves, and hawks.

This afternoon, you will visit Bartolome, which lies off the east coast of Santiago Island, and is most likely the first island in the Galapagos to have risen from the sea. It is highly volcanic and is dotted with recent craters, appearing most barren, colorful, and primeval. The swimming beach is white sand, backed by a bit of shade. Those who choose to snorkel should find the waters here most interesting; Galapagos penguins have become regulars here, and if present, may take the opportunity to swim with you as you snorkel. From time to time, green sea turtles nest at night on these beaches as well. (b, l, d)

May 26: North Seymour Island / Baltra – Quito

Making your way back to Baltra Island today, you will then catch the flight back to Quito. Your local guide will meet you at the airport and you will have a brief tour on the winding streets of Colonial Quito. This city reflects the Indian and Spanish culture, which dates back to the sixteenth century and is an important World Heritage Site of plazas, churches, and cathedrals. Some of your stops may include Independence Square with its Presidential Palace, the dazzling gold-leafed La Compania Church, and the San Francisco Square. Begun in 1535, it is located on the site of the Inca palaces of Auqui Francisco Tupatauchi, son of Atahualpa, who ruled the northern half of the Inca Empire.

This evening enjoy a farewell dinner at a fine restaurant that specializes in Ecuadorian fare. Overnight Dann Carlton Hotel. (b, d)

May 27: Quito – Home

We will be taken to the airport this morning for flights home. (b)

Accommodations

Single rooms may not be available while on the Galapagos cruise portion of the tour. The single room supplement charge is for Quito only. Please contact our office regarding possible availability on cruise, surcharge is approximately 35% of tour cost.

Guides

Please contact us for more details.

Food & Drink

Please contact us for more details.

Notes

What to Expect

Our trip to the Galápagos will give us wonderful opportunities for photographing birds, reptiles, seascapes and volcanic landscapes. Wildlife is easy to approach, and has virtually no fear of humans at all. You can get within feet of a nesting bird or inches away from a resting marine iguana. Long telephoto lenses are not often required.

There are some restrictions for Galápagos visitors. We must abide by the national park rules and heed the advice of our guide. Although approaching birds is easy, discretion must be used to avoid having a bird abandon a nest. The rule is that you should not get closer than two meters from a bird (although a mockingbird might fly right up and perch on your lens).

We are restricted to staying on the trails, a regulation that is quite important. This restriction, however, does not cause much of a sacrifice to our photography. If you see an interesting animal in the distance, chances are you will see the same animal around the next corner next to the trail. Tripods can be used, but again they must be used on the trails. Flash is not allowed.

We must wait until first light to venture onto the islands; and we must be off well before dark. But we should have plenty of time for lingering and photographing what we like. Our boat holds sixteen passengers. We only need twelve to have exclusive use of it, which we hope to get. In this case, we will have as much time as we like in each location. If we don’t have twelve, there may be others with us. This should not hamper our photography, but our guide will need to take their interests into account as well.

Each day, there will be ample time for photographic instruction on board the boat, as we rest during island visits after lunch. Our naturalist guide will also give us briefings in the evening about the next day's activities and the natural history of the island we'll visit. Our guide will also give on-shore talks about biology, geology, and conservation.

Pack as much as you can into your carry-on luggage, of course. There is usually plenty of space in the overhead compartments. Pack tripods and other less fragile equipment in the check-in luggage. If you have any questions about weight limitations, let us know.

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $4,995 US Dollars based upon minimum of 8 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $225; single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

General Tour Info (includes, excludes and other details)