Depart in the morning by British Airways flight to Miami. At Miami, continue by American Airline to Quito. On arrival in the evening, you will be met and transferred to the Hilton Colon Hotel. Stay here for 2 nights.

Morning sightseeing in Quito including a visit to the Equatorial Monument.

Fly to the Galapagos Islands (3 hours, tickets issued locally) and embark on the M/V Eclipse. The captain and his crew will welcome you aboard and demonstrate the safety procedures. Afternoon visit to the white sand beach of Las Bachas on Santa Cruz Island, a major nesting site for sea turtles. On shore, see marine iguanas and flamingos in the lagoon.

In the morning visit James Island and its black sand beaches at Puerto Egas and Buccaneer Cove; the island is good for spotting finches, doves and hawks and also seeing fur seals. The afternoon is spent at Bartolome, a small island with beautiful white sandy beaches, green mangroves and a colony of penguins.

Morning visit to Dragon Hill on the northern side of Santa Cruz Island where it is possible to see land iguanas, Darwin finches and yellow warblers. Vegetation here includes Palo Santo trees and cacti. Afternoon visit to the small island of Rabida, noted for its unusual reddish beaches. A wet landing is made here and you can take a short walk to a lagoon where we should see flamingoes and pelicans.

The morning is spent at Fernandina Island, where flightless cormorants, sea lions and marine iguanas can be seen. Later, sail to Isabela Island, visiting Tagus Cove. A hike to Darwin Lagoon offers superb views of Darwin and Wolf volcanoes.

Spend further time on Isabela Island visiting Elizabeth Bay taking a panga ride through mangroves to see rays, turtles and sea lions.

Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. Here you can see the famous giant Galapagos tortoises that are bred here. In the afternoon visit the highlands where you may see these endangered creatures in the wild.

Today, we visit Hood Island. Gardner Bay has a great beach, frequented by a transient colony of sea lions and is a major nesting site for marine turtles. On the western tip of the island is located the only nesting site in the islands of the huge waved albatross (sighted from April to December). At Punta Suarez see many species of seabirds. Marine iguanas also inhabit this island.

Black Turtle Cove, is a fitting finale to the cruise. This beautiful marine site is a maze of salt-water inlets surrounded by three different species of mangrove and home to sea turtles, rays and sharks. Later, fly to Quito (tickets issued locally). Stay 2 nights at the Hilton.

At leisure. Optional sightseeing can be booked locally.

After an early breakfast, transfer to Quito airport. Fly on American Airlines to Miami and from Miami, continue by British Airways flight to London Heathrow.

Morning arrival at Heathrow.