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MAA
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS PRE-TRIP
July 1-7, 2008
Here is the schedule
for the MAA 2008 Pre-Trip to Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
We have reserved spaces on board the 100-passenger M/V Galapagos Legend
for the voyage.
DAY 1 - USA
TO QUITO, ECUADOR
Tues July 1
Fly USA to Quito
on American or Continental Airlines. Arrive Quito in the evening and transfer
to Hotel Hilton Colon. Quito is a charming city with excellent hotels
and services, situated at 9,000 feet in a high Andean valley surrounded
by snow-capped volcanoes.
DAY 2 - QUITO,
ECUADOR
Wed July 2
Breakfast at hotel. Morning Quito city tour, including the Old City, a
UNESCO World Heritage site, a colorful mix of Spanish architecture, gilded
colonial churches, historic plazas, markets, and quaint shops. Lunch on
your own. Afternoon at leisure. Welcome dinner. (B,D)
DAY 3 - QUITO
TO GALAPAGOS - BARTOLOME ISLAND
Thurs July 3
Morning transfer to Quito airport for flight to Galapagos. Board M/V
Legend for 5 days/4 nights. Lunch on board ship. Introduction to
the ship and safety drill. Excursion to Bartolome Island to discover the
undersea life while snorkeling, and take a walk to the summit of Bartolome
for a spectacular view. Enjoy sunset at Bartolome over the Galapagos Islands.
Welcome dinner on board ship. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 - GALAPAGOS
- URBINA BAY & PUNTA ESPINOSA
Fri July 4
Breakfast on board ship. Morning visit to Isabela Island’s Urbina
Bay, an area of uplifted coral from the 1954 earthquake which is now populated
by large land iguanas. There may be possible sightings of young Galapagos
tortoises and Darwin’s finches. Lunch on board ship. Afternoon excursion
to Punta Espinosa, an extraordinary location for marine iguanas, green
sea turtles, and sea lions, with vistas of the famous volcanoes of Isabela
Island -- Wolf, Darwin, Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul. Dinner on
board ship. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 - GALAPAGOS
- SANTIAGO ISLAND (JAMES BAY) & RABIDA
Sat July 5
Breakfast on board ship. Morning excursion to Puerto Egas (James Bay)
on Santiago Island. Here we will look for blue-footed boobies, sally lightfoot
crabs, marine iguanas, and fur seals, and have an opportunity to explore
the undersea life while snorkeling and swimming. Lunch on board ship.
Afternoon excursion to the beautiful shore of Rabida Island, with dramatic
red cliffs, mangroves, sea lions, and slopes covered by silver-trunked
palo santo trees. Zodiac cruise along the shore and look for blue-footed
boobies, frigatebirds, and brown noddy terns. Dinner on board ship. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 - GALAPAGOS
- SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (Puerto Ayora)
Sun July 6
Breakfast on board ship. Special morning visit to the Charles Darwin Research
Station to learn about the Galapagos tortoise breeding program, and see
the famous Galapagos tortoises. See the community of Puerto Ayora, and
zodiac back to the ship anchored in Academy Bay (named after the California
Academy of Sciences expedition). Lunch on board ship. Afternoon visit
to the highlands of Santa Cruz to see Galapagos tortoises in the wild.
Farewell dinner on board ship. (B,L,D)
DAY 7 - GALAPAGOS
(BACHAS BEACH) TO LIMA
Mon July 7
Breakfast on
board ship. Morning excursion to spectacular Bachas Beach, where white
sands edge flamingo lagoons. Look for boobies flying overhead, see green
sea turtles, and snorkel. Return to ship and prepare to disembark. Transfer
to Galapagos Airport. Return flight to Guayaquil, Ecuador. Snack on flight.
Take TACA flight Guayaquil to Lima, Peru. In transfer to Hotel. Passengers
have dinner on their own. (B,L aloft)
The Quito/Galapagos
pre-trip for all participants will include:
- Group in transfer
July 1.
- Hotel Hilton Colon
July 1 and 2, 2008, based on twin share of a Deluxe Room. All participants
without a roommate must pay the single supplement of $150 (total for
the 2 nights).
- Breakfast buffet
at the Hilton Colon July 2 and 3.
- Quito half-day
city tour July 2 and welcome dinner.
- Transfers to the
Quito Airport for Galapagos flight July 3.
- Air tickets from
Quito to Galapagos, with return to Guayaquil per person.
- Galapagos National
Park Tax
- Accommodations,
meals, and activities on board M/V Legend in the cabin category
of your choice based on twin share (two to a cabin).
Participants can
register twin share and we will assign a roommate.
Very limited single accommodations are available; please inquire about
the cost.
TOTAL PACKAGE
COST PER GALAPAGOS PRE-TRIP PARTICIPANT:
Superior
Twin Cabin $3,150 per person + air Guayaquil/Lima $275*
Junior Suite $3,560 per person + air Guayaquil/Lima $275*
Legend Suite $3,760 per person + air Guayaquil/Lima $275*
Balcony Suite $4,030 per person + air Guayaquil/Lima
$275*
The Superior Twin Cabins are on the same deck as the dining room and are
very comfortable, but have portholes instead of windows. The Junior Suites
are larger & have two large picture windows. The Legend Suites are
larger still, and have a sitting area & windows. The cabins on the
top deck are Balcony Suites with private terraces. Cabins have either
double beds or twin beds; bathrooms are identical. The entire ship is
quite comfortable.
Galapagos
Pre-trip Excludes: Independent transfers; tips to staff and naturalists
on board ship; any personal costs of any sort (room service, use of internet,
phone, fax, laundry, alcoholic beverages, sodas, bottled water, Ecuador
Airport Departure Tax ($37.90 per person as of 5/28/07); anything not
explicitly listed as included in the tour package. Costs are subject to
unavoidable increases in fuel costs for the ship.
Deposit &
Cancellation Policy: An immediate deposit of $500 per person
is recommended to confirm your preferred cabin category on the Galapagos
Pre-Trip, July 1-7, 2008. Phone Lisa Kolbe, MAA
(202) 293-1170. Deposit is refundable until 6 months before departure,
less a $100 per person cancellation fee. Within 6 months of departure,
it is nonrefundable. The final payment is due 150 days before departure
(February 1, 2008) and is nonrefundable. Trip cancellation insurance will
be offered which will protect passengers in the event of unexpected medical
problems. Passengers with pre-existing medical conditions can be protected
by purchasing the insurance within 14 days of the date on their confirmation
letter. This would allow you to get reimbursed for your trip payments
by the insurance company.
*Air Fares for participants
taking both the Peru Expedition and Galapagos pre-trip may be confirmed
through our air consolidator. Air fare on American Airlines from Miami
to Quito, with return from Lima is approximately $650 base fare + tax
of approximately $175 per person + $35 per person ticketing fee. Attractive
add-on fares will be available (approximately $100 from New York, $170
from Boston or Chicago, $230 from Los Angeles, or $250 from San Francisco).
In addition there is one flight on TACA Guayaquil to Lima, Peru, at $275.
Air fares are subject to change.
Questions?
Please call:
Lisa Kolbe,
MAA
Phone (202) 293-1170
Fax (202) 293-3412
or
Marisa Eide,
Betchart Expeditions Inc.
Phone (800) 252-4910
Fax (408) 252-1444
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