Since 1980
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Since 1980
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BOATS
Evolution Grace
GALAPAGOS HOTEL PROGRAMS
(Manu, P.Maldonado, Iquitos)
Ariau Lodge, Eco-Park, Amazon ViIlage, Acajatuba, Guanavenas
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GALAPAGOS - THE M/V LEGEND Guests can enjoy interiors with marine details and original pieces of art that talk about the nature of the Islands, all cabin have been decorated with paintings of Galapagos species. Fully carpeted 9 Balcony Suites, 4 Luxurious Legend Suites, 24 Junior Suites, 17 Standard plus cabins and 3 Standard (inside cabins), with ocean views allow you to enjoy the sea without leaving your cabin. Take your time at your private bathroom, where you will have fresh hot and cold water to refresh yourself and a hair dryer for extra comfort. Other amenities in your cabin are safe deposit boxes, television and Legend special touches.
More information about the Legend Cabins please
click here
THE LEGEND HAS 4 DECKS:
Moon Deck:
Upper most deck where you will find The Observatory and 9 Suites. Sky Deck:
Swimming Pool, Auditorium, Fisherman's Bar, Chess Corner, Museum, Open Restaurant,
Passenger Lounge, Dinning Terrace, Dolphins Deck Earth Deck:
28 Suites,
Library,
Boutique , Guides Research Center , Hammock Terrace Inside Bar, Medical services, Dinning Room, 15 Superior Outside Cabins
Technical Specifications:
GALAPAGOS CRUISE -
M/V LEGEND
Not Included: International airfare or local airfare Guayaquil or Quito to Galapagos $450-525; US$100 Galapagos National Park Tax and US$10 Immigration Card to enter Galapagos. Single Supplement: Add 50%. For Christmas, New Years & Easter Holiday add 80% (Triple occ. 20% discount). Children under 12 -sharing cabin with 2 adults 25% Dry Dock Coral I : TBA FUEL CHARGE FOR GALAPAGOS CRUISES: Depending on fuel cost. Please call us at 1-800-327-0080 or email us at tara@taratours.com for an update.
ITINERARIES 2012 Legend DEPARTURE DATES FOR 2012: CRUISE A: Jan.30, Feb.13, 27: Mar. 12, 26; Apr. 9, 23; May 7, 21; Jun. 4, 18; Jul. 2, 16, 30; Aug.13, 27; Sep.10, 24; Oct. 8, 22; Nov. 5, 19; Dec. 3, 17, 31 CRUISE B: Feb. 2, 16; Mar. 1, 15, 29; Apr. 12, 26; May 10, 24; Jun. 7, 21; Jul. 5, 19; Aug. 2, 16, 30; Sep. 13, 27; Oct. 11, 25; Nov. 8, 22; Dec. 6, 20 CRUISE C: Feb. 06, 20; Mar. 5, 19; Apr. 2, 16, 30; May 14, 28; Jun. 11, 25; Jul. 9, 23; Aug. 6, 20; Sep. 3, 17; Oct. 1, 15, 29; Nov.12, 26; Dec. 10, 24 CRUISE D: Feb 9, 23; Mar. 8, 22; Apr. 5, 19; May 3, 17, 31; Jun. 14, 28; Jul. 12, 26; Aug. 9, 23; Sep.6, 20; Oct.4, 18; Nov. 1, 15, 29; Dec. 13, 27 CRUISE A Monday Departures 4 day/3nights
Day 01 Monday
CRUISE B Thursday Departures 5 day/4 nights
Day 01 Thursday AM Arrive San Cristobal and transfer to The Legend. PM Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristobal) The tortoise preserve was built in 2002 this 12 hectare preserve is located in a dry forest and was constructed to preserve the San Cristobal subspecies of tortoise (Geochelone chathensi). The San Cristobal tortoises are seriously threatened by introduced animals (wild goats, rats and cats), which the park has been working to eradicate. The tortoise preserve and captive breeding program was developed to insure the continuation of the subspecies. Return to the ship Day 02 Friday AM Gardner Bay (Espanola) Gardner Bay, is on the northeastern tip of Hood Island, facing the Gardner islets, we’ll find a large white stretch of white sand beach. The site is favored by the sea turtles for nesting, and sea lions for snoozing. Also good snorkeling. PM Suarez Point (Espanola)
Dry landing. Visitors will learn
more about the lava terrain and cross the inactive lava fields. Day 03 Saturday AM Post Office (Floreana) Here is Post Office Bay...where 18th century whalers opened an unofficial post office in a barrel. It’s been in service ever since and the cost of postage has not gone up a single cent. Here is where the flamingos nest on towers of mud, but not before showing off their exquisite pink color circling the lagoon and landing PM Cormorant Point (Floreana)
Wet landing on a greenish colored
sand beach. Visitors will hike from the black mangrove beds to a large, brackish
lagoon, which holds one of the biggest flamingo populations in the Galapagos.
The island is best known for its endemic plants like the Galapagos millwork,
passion flower and button mangrove. Day 04 Sunday AM Highlands (Santa Cruz) Drive up to the lush highlands, including the Scalesia (an endemic giant daisy tree) forest and the twin pit craters Los Gemelos. The trip to the highlands includes the islands’ most-famous reptile: the giant tortoises in their wild habitat. What a privilege to see an endangered species roving in this lush environment. The vermilion flycatcher will delight all participants with its scarlet feathers against an emerald green forest. Look for the Darwin’s finches of the highlands (most of them from the tree-finch group), particularly the famous Woodpecker Finch. Return to the ship. PM Charles Darwing Research Station Travelers will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, staffed with
international scientists conducting biological research and conservation
projects. Here you can admire the giant tortoises that are part of the breeding
program. Day 05 Monday AM Daphne Cruise around Daphne Island for some bird watching opportunities including nesting blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, Finches, masked boobies, short-eared owls, Galapagos martins, red-billed tropicbirds, frigatebirds,herons and some tropical birds PM BALTRA Afternoon arrive at Baltra. Transfer to the airport for flight to Guayaquil
CRUISE C Monday Departure (Mon-Thu) 4 day/3 nights
Day 1: Monday - Baltra Airport Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
PM - Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz) Wet landing on the north side of Santa Cruz; behind the beach lie two small flamingo ponds with iguanas, coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native and endemic vegetation, red and black mangroves, salt bushes, and much more. This beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but then spend 3 or 5 years without breeding. At this paradisiacal site we will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago, once property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. That is why the beach is called “Bachas” because the word “barges” in English was hard to pronounce for the local people. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: sandy Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling/swimming
Day 2: Tuesday – South Plaza (Plazas Island) Dry landing on the northern part of the Islet. The walk begins with an impressive cactus forest surrounded by land and marine iguanas; as we reach its highest point, be on the lookout for tropicbirds and a bachelor sea lion colony. In South Plaza there is a large colony of the smaller sized land iguanas. The population is approximately 300 individuals. They feed on all kinds of vegetation, but during the dry season survive on the fruits and flowers of Opuntia cacti. Due to their proximity with marine iguanas, this is the only place on Earth where we will find the Galapagos hybrid iguana. Difficulty level: intermediate. Type of terrain: rocky Duration: 2 hours walk
PM - Santa Fe Wet landing on a white sand beach surrounded by a sea lion colony; we continue walking through an endemic cactus forest as we search for the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, the largest in the islands and distinctively paler. This island is home to a number of endemic species including Galapagos Hawk, Galapagos Snake, rice rats, a variety of finches and one of the four species of Galapagos mockingbirds. Deep-water snorkeling. Difficulty level: intermediate Type of terrain: rocky Duration: 1h30 walk
Day 3: Wednesday – Pitt Point / Pitt Islet (San Cristóbal) Wet landing followed by a high intensity hike on rocky terrain. The trail includes an olivine beach of 90 meters long and a path that climbs to the top of a volcanic tuff, through several magnificent viewpoints. This is probably the only site where the three booby species of the Galapagos can be seen together: Nazca, Blue-footed, and Red-footed; as well as two species of frigatebirds and a sea lion colony; it is also excellent for dinghy rides and snorkeling, where a good range of sea birds can be observed. Difficulty level: difficult Type of terrain: rocky Duration: 2h30 walk
PM – Cerro Brujo (San Cristóbal) Wet landing. Cerro Brujo is an eroding tuff cone that at several locations is composed of AA lava formations, and a beautiful white sand beach, great for snorkeling and sunbathing. We visit a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen: Black-necked Stilts, Ruddy Turnstones, Whimbrels, other sandpiper species and White-cheeked Pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal and the adjacent coast. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: sandy Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling
Day 4: Thursday – Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristóbal) Dry landing in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Passengers visit the San Cristóbal giant tortoise Breeding Center to learn about the National Park’s conservation programs. Passengers will also have the opportunity to visit the port village, have a drink or shop for arts and crafts and other souvenirs. Difficulty level: intermediate Duration: 40 minutes bus drive to the Reserve / 1 hour visit
San Cristóbal airport After the visit you will go straight to the airport for return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.
CRUISE D Thursday Departures (Thu-Mon) 5 day/4 nights
Day 1: Thursday – San Cristóbal airport Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to San Cristóbal (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend. PM – Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill (San Cristóbal) Dry landing in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, capital of the Galapagos Islands. Passengers visit the Interpretation Center, an excellent place to learn about Natural History in the Galapagos. The Museum of Natural History displays information on the volcanic origins of the islands, their remoteness from the continent, ocean currents, climate, the arrival of the different species and their colonization, among other points of interest. The human history is also showcased, chronologically narrating the most significant events related to the discovery and colonization of the islands. Difficulty level: easy Duration: 1 hour visit
Tijeretas Hill involves a high intensity walk amidst beautiful landscapes and a magnificent view at the foot of a frigatebird nesting colony. Difficulty level: high Duration: 1 hour visit
Day 2: Friday – Gardner Bay, Gardner & Osborn islets (Española) Wet landing on a beautiful white coral sand beach guarded by a colony of sea lions. There are no trails, so we stay along the shore where we can spot Galapagos hawks, American Oystercatchers, Galapagos Ground Doves, Hood mockingbirds, Yellow Warblers, lava lizards, marine iguanas, and three species of Darwin’s finches: a subspecies (Geospiza fuliginosa) of the Large Cactus Finch, which is similar to the large ground finch, the Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) and the Warbler Finch (Certhidea Olivacea), another endemic subspecies. Swimming and snorkeling offer a great variety of Galapagos marine wildlife: king angelfish, Creole fish, damsel fish, parrotfish, manta rays, and white-tipped reef sharks. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: sandy Duration: 1 hour walk / 1hour snorkeling.
PM - Suárez Point (Española) Dry landing. An island of geological interest, we explore volcanic formations and a riveting wildlife: large sea lion colonies and seabirds including Española mockingbird, Nazca Boobies and the spectacular Red-billed Tropicbird. You will also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and the colorful Sally Lightfoot Crabs. A somewhat lengthy hike will bring you among Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies, right up to nesting grounds that sometimes overlap the trail. Other birding favorites include Galapagos Dove, Galapagos Hawk, Swallow-tailed Gulls and the world’s largest colony of Waved Albatross, an unequivocal highlight during mating season (May-December). Admire the island’s dramatic backdrop, featuring the famous Soplador, a seaward blowhole that shoots water some 23 m. (75 ft.) in the air. Difficulty level: difficult Type of terrain: rocky Duration: 2h30 walk
Day 3: Saturday – Post Office (Floreana) Wet landing. Located on the north side of Floreana, the bay is so-named because in 1793 Captain James Colnett installed a wooden barrel which served as an informal post office for sailors passing through, who would take letters with them to their destinations. Today, our visitors continue the tradition by placing unstamped postcards inside the barrel that should reach their destinations for free. It can take weeks, months, even years, not arrive at all, or even arrive before you! We may also encounter Darwin’s finches, Yellow Warbler and lava lizards. Great snorkeling opportunities with Green Pacific Sea Turtles as well, this island is best known for its endemic vegetation: Scalesia villosa, Lecocarpus pinnatifidus, and Galapagos milkwort. Snorkelers can practice on the main beach among playful sea lions. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: sandy Duration: 30 minutes walk / 1 hour snorkeling
PM – Cormorant Point (Floreana) Wet landing on an olivine green sand beach. We hike from the black mangrove beds to a brackish lagoon, which usually holds one of the largest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features some endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. The trail continues to a beautiful white-sand beach, one of the most important nesting sites of Green Pacific Sea Turtles. It is important to avoid walking in the water due to the Sting Rays that may be hiding in the sand, which can be dangerous if accidentally stepped on. From the beach one can spot sea turtles, Blue-footed Boobies plunging into the water, and small reef sharks floating along the shoreline in search of food. This coral-sand beach marks the end of our trail, and we head back to the olivine beach we landed on to swim or snorkel amongst sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions and, on a good day, white-tipped reef sharks. A small colony of penguins resides on Floreana and can sometimes be observed as well. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: sandy and walk on a flat terrain Duration: 1 hour walk / 1 hour snorkeling
Day 4: Sunday – Cerro Mesa Reserve (Santa Cruz) Dry landing. First ecological reserve of the region, it’s possible to observe numerous endemic plants, 7 subspecies Darwin’s finches, Vermillion Flycatcher. From there you will be able to see Baltra, Santiago, Isabela, Santa Fé, Daphne Islands. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: flat & steep Duration: 35 minutes drive / 1h30 walk
El Garrapatero (Santa Cruz) El Garrapatero is a wide bay with multiple sandy beaches. Behind the beach is an area with a fresh water lake where you can come across pink flamingos, herons, mockingbirds, White-cheeked Pintail ducks, sally lightfoot crabs, oystercatchers and occasionally marine iguanas can be found. Difficulty level: easy Type of terrain: sandy Duration: 50 minutes drive / 1h30 walk
PM – Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz) Dry landing. We visit the Station where the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding program takes place and you will have the opportunity to meet Lonesome George, the last surviving specimen of his species and symbol of our efforts to preserve the fragile Galapagos environment. It is an excellent place for visitors to be photographed with them. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and a variety Darwin’s finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works providing environmental education to communities and schools within the islands, and to tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands. You will also have some free time to visit the town and shop for souvenirs.
Difficulty level: intermediate Type of terrain: flat Duration: 1h30 visit
Day 5: Monday - Daphne We circumnavigate the islet of Daphne, an eroded tuff cone formation that was created by successive volcanic activity, for an opportunity to see Darwin’s finches, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Swallow-tailed Gulls, Brown Noddies. Afterwards, you will go straight to the airport for return flight to Guayaquil or Quito.
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