Galapagos Cruises and Tours La Pinta

Yacht LA PINTA offers a relaxed yet lavish expedition atmosphere, with plush outside cabins; the highest standards of service; the very best international cuisine plus celebrated Ecuadorian dishes, and all the amenities that make the Galapagos Expedition a trip of a lifetime.

Observation Lounge	Observation Lounge
Dining Room	Dining Room

Our associates offer and expertly handle an environmentally friendly operation in the Galapagos National Park and is the pioneer of reliable and high-quality tourism in Ecuador. LA PINTA follows strict international standards in relation to safety at sea and the understanding of the unique environment of the archipelago, to support its conservation, taking all the precautions not to alter the integrity of the ecosystems.

Spacious public areas in the Boat Deck include a large Observation Lounge and Bar, which can be used for outdoor dining; a smaller outside Sky Bar towards the stern, fore and aft observation decks, an exercise room, Jacuzzi and a well-stocked Natural History Library-Conference Room.

The Upper Deck occupies the middle of the vessel, with 20 comfortable double or twin-bedded staterooms, plus 4 triple cabins (the third person must be under 12), all with ocean view, private facilities, personal safe, individually controlled AC, fine linens and duvets and the added touches of a select contemporary decoration.

At the Main Deck is a window-lined Dining Room, with open seating and no formal dress requirements; the Reception Area, Boutique and Doctor’s Office. The Galley and crew quarters are also located in the Main Deck.
 

Facilities:

• Dining Room
• Boutique
• Doctor’s Office
• Outside Sky bar
• Natural History Library / Conference Room
• Observation Lounge & Bar
• Wellness: Jacuzzi and exercise room
• 24 cabins in total: 20 comfortable double or twin-bedded staterooms plus 4 triple cabins.
• Twin beds can be converted to Queen size beds and 6 connecting cabins will be available for family accommodations.

All cabins have ocean view, private facilities, personal safe, individually controlled AC, hair dryers, biodegradable bathroom amenities, telephone, fine linens and duvets and added touches of a select contemporary decoration.  

Friday

Baltra Island
Morning arrival to Baltra Island by TAME flight and immediate transfer to the dock to board Yacht LA PINTA.   Welcome introductory briefing, and lunch.

Las Bachas (Santa Cruz Island)
The sand at Las Bachas is made of powdered coral, which makes it white and soft, and a favorite site for nesting sea turtles.  The Sally Lightfoot crabs are abundant on the lava rocks along the water's edge.  Flamingoes, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and whimbrels can be observed. Next day’s expedition plan and Welcome cocktail

Saturday

Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)
This morning brings us to the youngest island, Fernandina.  Disembark (dry landing) for a one-mile walk.  Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with lots of wildlife.  Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their space with sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorant.  Lunch on board.

Punta Moreno (Isabela Island)
Punta Moreno has a low-lying rocky shoreline surrounded by black and red mangrove lagoons, and abundant shore birds.  It offers close views of volcanoes Alcedo, Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul. It has a desolate and pristine landscape of impressively immense black lava flows and an extraordinary and unusual arid-zone vegetation.   Darwin's finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds, penguins, cormorants, brown pelicans and blue-footed boobies can be seen. Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.

Sunday

Post Office Bay,  Champion Islet (Floreana Island)
Possibility to snorkel from the pangas around Champion Islet or a ride on the glass-bottom boat.  Return on board and navigate to Post Office Bay.  Wet landing at the historic barrel that served as a post office, to learn about the human side of the islands, its early inhabitants and the adventures of pirates and whalers.  Lunch on board.

Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island)
After breakfast, disembark at Punta Cormorant (wet landing) for an easy walk to see the flamingos that inhabit a brackish-water lagoon, and other birds like ducks, stilts, sandpipers, etc.  Return to the beach and possibility to swim; there is great snorkeling at this site or kayak from the beach.  Next day’s expedition plan and dinner

Monday

Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill) (Santa Cruz Island)
The north shore of Santa Cruz Island hosts Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill).  Dry landing and a walk that includes a brackish water lagoon frequented by lagoon birds, including stilts, pintail ducks, sandpipers, sanderlings, and more. Further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western area of the archipelago. This area is a natural nesting site for land iguanas, which is constantly monitored and assisted by the Charles Darwin Research Station. The arid-zone vegetation can be a rewarding location for bird watching, where Darwin’s finches, Galápagos mockingbirds, the endemic Galápagos flycatcher, and yellow warblers are regular sightings. 

North Seymour Island
Afternoon disembarkation (dry landing) for a walk along the coast and the interior of the island, observing bird colonies of blue footed boobies, frigate birds, swallow tailed gulls and also sea lions and marine iguanas. Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.

Tuesday

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
After breakfast, disembark (dry landing) to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, an Scalesia forest and the twin pit craters geology formation, Los Gemelos.   From December to mid-April a visit to see the giant tortoises in the wild may be included, if weather conditions are good.   Lunch at one of the farms in the highlands.

Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens, an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds.  Then a stroll along the main street of Puerto Ayora before embarking on Yacht LA PINTA.  Naturalist's briefing and dinner.

Wednesday

Sullivan Bay (James Island)
Sullivan Bay is on the east coast of Santiago just across Bartolome Island,. We land on a white coral sand beach and begin our walk over lava that flowed less than 100 years ago. This is the perfect place to see and feel the volcanic origin of Galapagos. This site is most interesting for the geography of the lava flows, the intricate squiggles, cracks, and designs of the liquid lava as it solidified. After 110 years, life is starting to return to the flows, with occasional tufts of grass and cactus growing in the cracks. Optional panga ride, Glass-bottom boat or snorkeling is possible

Puerto Egas (James Island)
Wet landing for a mid-length walk.  Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows. This is a great opportunity to see land and marine birds.  At low tide, marine iguanas graze upon the algae beds and there is a colony of Galápagos fur seals.  Opportunity for snorkeling and swimming from the beach. Next day’s expedition plan and dinner.

Thursday

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal or Chatham Island)
Disembark at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This small attractive port is the provincial capital of the Galápagos Islands (population 4,000), along a crescent-shaped bay. This morning we visit the breeding center for tortoises (La Galapaguera) at Cerro Colorado, including a 45-minute bus ride. Seeing the semi-saddle back shape of the tortoises can be a great way to understand adaptation to dry-tropical environments.  The rewarding fauna of this island may not only be the giant tortoises, since many island-specific endemics are found here.  It includes mockingbirds, lava lizards, and the vermilion flycatchers.  Return to Yacht LA PINTA for lunch.

Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)
In the afternoon, A dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers will bring us to Cerro Brujo for a wet landing at a white coraline beach .  The beach is a great open walking area, with rewarding birdwatching.  There are seabirds like blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigate birds, and some shore birds. Also, look for Galapagos sea lions. Highlights ashore include the Chatham (San Cristobal) Mockingbird, Chatham Lava Lizard; both species are endemic to this island, and seen nowhere else in Galapagos. We may also spot Yellow Warblers, Galapagos flycatchers.These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos.  Farewell cocktail and departure briefing.

Friday

Baltra Island
After breakfast, departure to the port and airport to take the flight back to the continent.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Itineraries and program are subject to change without previous notice due mainly to readjustment of the National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes or safety reasons.

Dry landing: passengers step from the dinghy onto rocks or a dock.

Wet landing:  as the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, passengers step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.

 

Upper Deck: 24 cabins in total
20 comfortable double or twin-bedded staterooms. Twin beds can be converted to Queen size beds and 6 connecting cabins will be available for family accommodations.
4 Triple cabins (the third person must be under 12)

Built: 1983
Refurbished: 2007
Length: 63 meters (207 feet)
Beam: 12 meters (39.37 feet)
Gross Tonnage: 1541
Speed: 12-14 knots
Capacity: 40 guests
Cabins: 24 outside cabins, all similar, in the same deck.
Approximate size 15 square meters (162 square feet).
Guides: 3 Certified Galápagos Naturalists
Crew: 25 plus M.D Officer

Reservations