Discover the Galapagos aboard this 210 ft, 48 passenger expedition vessel that, ever since the Eclipse’s arrival, has been a leading option for comfort in Galapagos. Maintains a small-ship atmosphere while affording spaciousness throughout.
Discover the Galapagos aboard this 210 ft, 48 passenger expedition vessel that, ever since the Eclipse’s arrival, has been a leading option for comfort in Galapagos. Maintains a small-ship atmosphere while affording spaciousness throughout.
Discover the Galapagos aboard this 210 ft, 48 passenger expedition vessel that, ever since the Eclipse’s arrival, has been a leading option for comfort in the Galapagos. The Eclipse maintains a small-ship atmosphere while affording spaciousness throughout and the added amenities afforded by a larger ship.
Saturday: Arrive to Baltra / North Seymour
Sunday: South Plaza Island / Santa Fe Island
Monday: San Cristobal: Punta Pitt / Cerro Brujo
Tuesday: Floreana: Post Office / Punta Cormorant
Wednesday: Isabela: Elizabeth Bay / Punta Moreno
Thursday: Santa Cruz: Charles Darwin Research Center / Highlands
Friday: Espanola: Gardner Bay / Punta Suarez
Saturday: Mosquera Islet
Saturday: Arrive to Baltra: Black Turtle Cove
Sunday: Rabida Island / Puerto Egas (Santiago) Monday: Fernandina: Tagus Cove / Punta Espinosa
Tuesday: Isabela: Urbina Bay / Punta Vicente Roca
Wednesday: Santa Cruz: Charles Darwin Research Center / Highlands
Thursday: Tower Island: El Barranco / Darwin Bay
Friday: Bartolome / Cerro Dragon (Santa Cruz)
Saturday: Bachas Beach
The Eclipse offers a great option for those looking for a bit more space than can be found on the smaller yachts, while still preserving a small ship atmosphere. Another point to mention while you are planning a Galapagos Islands cruise is that this ship’s larger size increases stability causing a smooth ride.
Knowmad has vast knowledge and operations in Ecuador; this is a private trip and we are happy to modify excursions, accommodations, and the flow of the itinerary to perfectly suit your travel style and interests.
COSTS
Inquire with a Knowmad trip specialist for price information.
Not included Park fees (about $110 per person).
INTERNATIONAL Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. You may arrange your
international airfare.
REGIONAL If booked by Knowmad, internal airfare for this trip (Quito/Baltra/Quito) averages $475, however this is an approximation and the airfare is subject to change upon booking. If you would like to arrange your own regional flights, please consult us prior so we can verify the departure and arrival times.
Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Signing up is easy. Call us at 612-315-2894 or email [email protected] and reserve your spot. Or simply download our registration form, fill it out, and send it back to us along with your trip deposit. Please refer to registration form for terms & conditions.
Owing to their location at the Equator, the Galapagos do not have a lot of seasonal variation. Temperatures average in the 70s-80s F (21 – 30 C) year round, with January to April being slightly warmer. The climate is quite dry, with the majority of precipitation coming between January and April.
Although there is slightly more precipitation between December and May than during other parts of the year, it is also the sunniest time of year with brief drizzles and rain clouds moving on quickly. The water is warmer during this time of year making swimming and snorkeling more comfortable, however there aren’t quite as many fish as other times of year. December through May is the breeding season for land birds, so it’s a great time to see unusual mating rituals. Also, if you are a turtle lover this is the time to be here as it’s when you can watch sea turtles nesting on the beach and in March through May you can often see land tortoises searching for mates. Sea lions also mate in this season and males can be seen sparring. The other benefits of this season are much calmer seas and blooming flowers making the islands their most colorful. And you will be more likely to find discounts on cruises available during these months. All in all, there are many benefits to Galapagos travel no matter which month you choose.
Prior to your departure, you are provided a detailed pre-trip information packet including a recommended pack list, information about the regions you’ll be visiting, suggested readings, up-to-date health information including any recommended vaccinations and more.
The Eclipse has 24 spacious, fully air-conditioned staterooms, with either a queen or twin bed configuration, plus 2 single cabins.
Every cabin boasts either picture windows or large portholes, providing a view of the surrounding waters. All the ship’s twin beds can be converted to king-size beds upon request.
The Eclipse features a library, boutique, lounge and infirmary with a doctor on board at all times. One of the most popular areas on board is the observation/sun deck, ideal for stargazing, whale watching, or simply lazing in the Jacuzzi. In addition to the elegant indoor dining room, there is an al fresco dining area, where you can enjoy the islands’ spectacular scenery. All meals are served as a buffet style with all soft drinks included.
Accommodations: 24 cabins
Max Number of Passengers: 48
Construction: 1982
Type: Motor Vessel
Length: 210 feet
Cruising speed: 12 knots
Crew: 31, plus 4 naturalist guides
7-night cruise with Espanola
Day 1 Saturday
AM – Fly to Galapagos, meet guide and transfer to your ship.
PM – Dry landing on North Seymour Island where fauna abounds and you’ll soon find yourself surrounded by frigates and blue footed boobies and possibly iguanas and sea lions as well. Welcome cocktails and a delicious dinner awaits back at the ship.
Day 2 Sunday
AM – After breakfast head to South Plaza Island by zodiac where you hike through a large opuntia cactus forest spotting land iguanas, a massive colony of sea lions, endemic plants, Nazca boobies, and myriad other birdlife.
PM – Explore Santa Fe island and its many animals on a relaxed hike before returning to the beach for snorkeling with sea lions, sunbathing, kayaking or a panga (zodiac) ride.
Day 3 Monday
AM – Visit Punta Pitt on eastern San Cristobal Island, a great place to see blue footed and Nazca boobies. Hike up to a plateau for big views of the landscape below. Also enjoy kayaking, snorkeling and panga rides at the beach.
PM – Head to Cerro Brujo, an eroding cone that has a wonderful beach, abundant sea life, and clear waters – excellent opportunity for snorkeling, swimming and kayaking. Also possible to see two species of halophytes (rare plants that grow in high salt content soils).
Day 4 Tuesday
AM – Dry landing on the Galapagos’ most famous, or “infamous”, island – Floreana. Visit Post Office Bay and the “Baroness’s View Point”, great spots to learn about the mysteries of Floreana’s early settler or adventure inside a massive lava tunnel as well as enjoying great snorkeling on Floreana.
PM – Snorkeling at Champion Islet before an excursion so Cormorant Point, a great spot for bird watching where it’s possible to see flamingos, pintail ducks and more.
Day 5 Wednesday
AM – Panga ride to Elizabeth Bay mangroves, one of the outermost points of the Galapagos. In this sheltered cove we’ll explore by zodiac a wonderful mangrove ecosystem that is refuge to many sea turtles, rays, boobies, penguins, herons and more.
PM – Visit iconic Moreno Point which has some of the most incredible scenery in Galapagos on the west coast of Isabela Island. Explore the rocky shores and tide pools for more wildlife.
Day 6 Thursday
AM – Dry landing on Santa Cruz Island for a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station to gain insight into the conservation efforts in Galapagos as well as seeing the Galapagos tortoise rehabilitation project before hiking in the lush highlands to spot the giant tortoises in their natural surroundings.
PM – Explore Puerto Ayora town on your own or choose from other optional activities.
Day 7 Friday
AM – Swimming and snorkeling from the beach or kayaking in Gardner Bay. This white-sand beach is an important site for nesting sea turtles and sea lions and makes for more great snorkeling, swimming and kayaking. Deep water snorkeling possible before lunch.
PM – Punta Suarez on Espanola Island is one of Galapagos most isolated and popular islands with a high proportion of endemic fauna. Groups of Espanola marine iguanas bask in the sun, Nazca and blue-footed boobies lie near the trail, and other wildlife go about their day seemingly oblivious to passers by. Continue hiking to ‘the blowhole’, a fissure in the laver where water spurts high into the air like a geyser. The 15,000 plus albatrosses on Espanola represent almost the entire population of the species on the planet. Not only is their 11-foot wingspan impressive, but their courtship ritual is one of the most spectacular in the animal world.
Day 8 Saturday
AM – Option for an early morning visit to Mosquera Islet for whale watching. After breakfast transfer to the airport and onward.
7 night cruise with Genovesa
Day 1 Saturday
AM – Fly to Galapagos, meet guide and transfer to your ship.
PM – After lunch take a panga (zodiac) ride to Black Turtle Cove. One of the most beautiful marine sites in the Galapagos, it’s a complex maze of tranquil salt-water inlets surrounded by three different species of mangrove making it a nursery for sea turtles, rays and sharks as well as a nesting site for sea birds. Welcome cocktails and a delicious dinner awaits back at the ship.
Day 2 Sunday
AM – Snorkel and swim at Rabida Island. With red volcanic rocks surrounding a red sand beach with nesting pelicans and a sea lion colony, the island contains a salt-water lagoon with abundant shore birds and is also one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galapagos. Snorkel, kayak and explore.
PM – Visit Puerto Egas on Santiago Island. Landing on a black sand beach, walk through the dry interior and through to the coast and tidal pools. Amongst other species, see marine iguanas, possibly the Galapagos hawk, fur sea lions. After your walk you can take time to swim or snorkel from the beach where you can see colorful fish, sea lions, turtles, rays and possibly reef sharks.
Day 3 Monday
AM – Hike on Tagus Cove – once an anchoring place for pirates, buccaneers and whalers – to Darwin Volcano for an incredible view of the lake-filled crater. After the morning hike kayak or panga ride along the shores and channels where it’s possible to encounter dolphins and whales. Deep-water snorkeling is also an option this morning.
PM – Dry landing at Fernandina Island, one of the entire world’s most pristine and dynamic ecosystems. With lava fields stretching towards the ocean, this narrow piece of land off La Cumbre Volcano has some of Galapagos’ most unique species including the flightless cormorant, Galapagos snakes, marine iguanas, penguins and the Galapagos hawk.
Day 4 Tuesday
AM – Arrive by panga to a black sand beach at Urbina Bay on Western Isabela at the foot of Alcedo Volcano and observe sea turtle nesting sites, flightless cormorant’s and Darwin’s finches and massive land iguanas. Watch for Galapagos tortoises feeding on the dense vegetation.
PM – Great snorkeling at Punta Vicente Rock where you usually see turtles and countless tropical fish. For non-snorkelers, take a panga ride and learn about Galapagos’ spectacular geological formations and spot more wildlife along the shores.
Day 5 Wednesday
AM – Dry landing on Santa Cruz Island for a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station to gain insight into the conservation efforts in Galapagos as well as seeing the Galapagos tortoise rehabilitation project before hiking in the lush highlands to spot the giant tortoises in their natural surroundings.
PM – Explore Puerto Ayora town on your own or choose from other optional activities.
Day 6 Thursday
AM – Dry landing on Genovesa Island. The northernmost island naturalist cruises visit; this extremely remote island is home to literally millions of birds including red footed boobies, frigates, swallow-tailed gulls and endemic owls. Hike up through a Palo Santo forest to a plateau for wildlife spotting and photos.
PM – Panga ride to Darwin’s Bay Beach to hike through lush mangroves where red footed boobies nest. Snorkeling is a must here as sharks, colorful reef fish, rays and tortoises are all common.
Day 7 Friday
AM – Snorkel at Pinnacle Rock where penguins are usually seen as well as a variety of sea life.
PM – Hike along spatter and tuff cones, dormant lava flows, and lava tubes to the highest point of the island. View Sullivan Bay from the summit. More opportunities for relaxing at the beach and snorkeling following the hike. For those who prefer not to hike, take a panga ride; common wildlife at the site include sea lions, reef sharks, rays, and pioneer plants.
Day 8 Saturday
AM – Landing on its soft, white sand derived from decomposed coral, explore Las Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island, a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. Observe flamingos and other coastal birds such as black-necked stilts and whimbrels at a small brackish lagoon behind the beach. Transfer to the airport and onward.
Ecuador contains nearly every ecosystem imaginable on the planet within a relatively small country (roughly the size of Colorado). Visits can include cloud forest, Andean Highlands, historic haciendas, remote indigenous communities, volcanoes, Amazon Jungle and colonial cities to name a few. We suggest browsing our Continental Ecuador itineraries for Galapagos trip extension ideas, as no Galapagos cruise is complete without at least a few days exploring mainland Ecuador.
This incredibly vast archaeological site – lost to the world until well into the twentieth century – is perched amidst Andean peaks and lush cloud forest making it as breathtaking as it is intriguing. Arrive by train or by a day’s hike on the Inca Trail.
Planning a trip to South America might seem a little overwhelming at first. Knowmad offers door-to-door trip planning: first, we listen, and then we help you navigate the seasonal differences and itinerary options, resulting in a holistic, seamless, and custom-crafted experience, all at a guaranteed best value.
The simplest way to get started is to give us a call at 612-315-2894or to fill out this short form so we can learn more about your travel preferences.
Journey through the rugged and otherworldly terrain of Southern Bolivia, exploring lagoons, volcanoes and Uyuni salt flats before ending in the capital of La Paz, perched atop the Andes Mountains, stopping at the historical rich communities of Potosi and Sucre along the way. Ideal connection with Chile’s Atacama Desert or start and finish in La Paz.
You and your team did such a wonderful job and I can’t thank you enough. Our guide, Celinda, was incredible, extremely knowledgable and passionate about the Andean people and the Incan culture/ruins. We learned more than I could’ve imagined to. We loved the picnic, the climb up Waynapicchu, Machu Picchu and the ruins tours, the cooking class and the trip to the Amaru community!
By traveling alongside Knowmad you will be taking part in culturally and environmentally sustainable travel. You will be spreading the love, and the wealth. You will be doing Good Works. Learn more about Knowmad’s eco-travel efforts.
The Knowmad team put together the trip of a life time for us. Everything was perfect, from the guides to the accommodations to the activities, and your extensive knowledge of the area and personal relationships with the people we met in Chile were invaluable. We can’t recommend Knowmad highly enough.
After traveling to Chile two years ago with Knowmad Adventures there was no question as to who was going to help plan my trip to Peru! Thank you so much to Knowmad Adventures. The places they recommended, connections, and knowledge of these regions were impeccable. I highly recommend using Knowmad Adventures to plan your next trip to Peru or Chile!
Our trip was everything we dreamed it would be and more. Your group did a great job everywhere we went. We especially loved our guide Paula, and Explora was top notch too. All perfect.
Please don’t ever change the way you operate. You fulfill lifelong dreams and provide people with the chance to live what they thought could only be read about.
You put together a one-of-a-kind vacation for my group that I’ll long remember and enthusiastically recommend. I thank you and look forward, with much anticipation, to my next adventure with you.
We got back last night and I must say that the organization of the entire trip was AMAZING. We all loved Peru and thanks to Knowmad we even enjoyed it a lot more. Thanks a lot Jordan for everything as we had sooooo much fun. I’ll definitely recommend you to anybody that wants to experience Peru.
Journey through the rugged and otherworldly terrain of Southern Bolivia, exploring lagoons, volcanoes and Uyuni salt flats before ending in the capital of La Paz, perched atop the Andes Mountains, stopping at the historical rich communities of Potosi and Sucre along the way. Ideal connection with Chile’s Atacama Desert or start and finish in La Paz.
