This famous archipelago straddles the equator 600 miles (1000 km) off the coast of Ecuador, and it is home to 24 endemic bird species. It is not just the hope for a few lifers that draws birders here, but the chance to get up-close and personal with wild animals that are still unafraid of humans; you can feel as if you are a participant in nature rather than just a spectator. The stark volcanic scenery is beautiful in its own right and some visitors find themselves returning again and again.

The Galapagos Islands are a photographer’s dream, and millions of photographs have been taken of nesting Waved Albatrosses, dancing boobies, displaying frigatebirds, and even the drab but fascinating finches endemic to the islands. We will explore these amazing islands from a medium-sized motor yacht which holds 16 passengers in comfort. All cabins have private bath and air conditioning. Plenty of food and juice are provided during the family-style meals, and snorkel gear is available. Please note that this itinerary is subject to change based on national park regulations.

Day 1: Arrival in Quito. You arrive in Quito and are transferred to a hotel for the night.

Day 2: Baltra and Bachas. We begin our tour with a two-hour flight to the island of Baltra. After completing entry formalities, and meeting our local guide, we have a short transfer to the yacht, and we may even see Lava Gull, White-vented Storm-Petrel, and Brown Noddy even before getting on board. After lunch, it’s a short crossing over to Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island, where we’ll have our first taste of the Galapagos wildlife. Nearby scrub has Small and Medium Ground-Finches, and a series of lagoons often have a small colony of American Flamingos. This is one of the few almost reliable sites for the Galapagos Martin, and we hope to see it here right off the bat.

Day 3: Santa Cruz. We take a short trip by bus to the higher elevations of Santa Cruz Island, stopping at various sites for Galapagos Rail, Paint-billed Crake, Giant Tortoise, and some great sinkholes. The climate becomes more humid the higher we climb, and we’ll take a walk through a wet Scalesia forest, which is a very cool experience in itself. Here we’ll be looking for many of the scarcer Darwin’s finches, such as Woodpecker Finch, Vegetarian Finch, and Large Tree-Finch. After we have nailed these endemics, we shall return to the Charles Darwin station, where the more hard-core can try to photograph the finches around the buildings while others enjoy having fun with the tortoises or buying souvenirs. In the evening we set sail for San Cristobal.

Day 4: San Cristobal and Española. The coastal area of San Cristobal does not have the beauty of areas visited later on the trip, but the scrub does have the endemic San Cristobal Mockingbird. Once we find it, we’ll return to the boat and then head off to Española. Punta Suarez is a magical place; while the highlight has to be the wonderful Waved Albatross, all but a few of which nest only here, there is lots to see. Usually a fearless flock of Hood Mockingbirds is waiting for us as we land, scampering curiously around our feet, and often a pair of Galapagos Hawks looks on nearby. Nesting Nazca Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, and Swallow-tailed Gulls add to the fun, and we should see out first Large Cactus-Finches as well.

Day 5: Floreana. This island was devastated by settlers and introduced predators in the 1800’s, but luckily the two endemics managed to survive. Medium Tree-Finch is found only in the higher elevations of the island, and we’ll hire a funky-looking bus to take us up there. Once that one’s in the bag, we’ll head back to the yacht and cruise over to Champion Islet. This is one of the two tiny islands that support the last sixty or so Charles Mockingbirds left on the planet. While it is prohibited to land on the islands, we can take skiffs along the shore and get great views of the mockers. There should be time for some snorkelling a the Devil’s crown, then after dinner we cruise over to the large island of Isabela.

Day 6: Isabela. Waking early, the more intrepid birders might want to get up-close and personal with Galapagos Penguins by going swimming with them. Along with the penguins are the seriously funky looking Flightless Cormorants, and even more bizarre marine iguanas chomping away at the seaweed below. Later we will head over to Punta Moreno, where the fresh lava flows are yet to be colonized by plants, giving the area an eerie lunar feel. In the afternoon, we cruise north through the Bolívar Channel, which offers some of the best pelagic and whale watching of the trip.

Day 7: Fernandina. Mangrove Finch has begun very difficult to see in recent years, since it’s last stronghold at Black Turtle Beach on Isabela has now been closed to visitors. However, our November 2008 tour had what now appears to be the first documented record of Mangrove Finch from Fernandina since the early 1970's, and we saw it again on our 2009 trip. We'll still need a lot of luck, though, as it is a critically endangered species.. We’ll also search small brackish pools for flamingos, ducks, and a good chance of Galapagos Martin cruising overhead. In the afternoon we set sail for Genovesa, the longest crossing of the trip.

Day 8: Genovesa. Genovesa is simply fantastic. Huge numbers of seabirds nest on the island, including Great Frigatebird, Swallow-tailed Gull, Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel, and three species of booby: Nazca, Red-footed, and Blue-footed. This is a great place to see some of the harder finches like Sharp-beaked Ground-Finch and Large Cactus-Finch, as well as Galapagos Hawk and the endemic subspecies of Short-eared Owl.

Day 9: North Seymour. We have a long journey back from Genovesa, but we shall arrive at North Seymour before we wake up. This is our best chance for land iguanas, and there are breeding colonies of Magnificent Frigatebird and Blue-footed Booby. Later we return to Baltra for our flight back to Quito.

Day 10: End of tour. You depart on morning international flights or join another Ecuador tour.

TOUR INFO:

CLIMATE: Warm and overcast, occasionally sunny and hot. Water temperature can be surprisingly cool during this season.

DIFFICULTY: Fairly easy. Most trails are flat, but a few are a bit steep. The terrain is rough and rocky. It is necessary to transfer from the yacht to shore with small boats called pangas to reach many landing sites, and some of the landings are "wet" landings, where you have to wade from the panga onto the beach.

ACCOMMODATION: See below for a photo of the yacht that we have chartered for 2010 and 2011, the Fragata. Cabins are small, but have A/C and private bath. Some cabins have bunk beds, others have normal beds. Single rooms cannot be guaranteed on the yacht without paying for an extra berth. If space is available at the time the tour runs, we will give out single rooms. The single supplement for the two nights in the hotel in Quito is $70 (2010 rate).

Amazon pre-tour extension (6 days)

Day 1: Arrival in Quito. You arrive in Quito and are transferred to a hotel for the night.

Day 2: Quito to Sani Lodge. We'll transfer to the airport for a short flight to the city of Coca in the Ecuadorian Amazon, then board a boat for a three hour journey down the Napo river to the Challuayacu River. Here we switch to dugout canoes for the last delightful 30 minutes to Sani Lodge, located on the edge of a magical lake and surrounded by Amazonian rainforest. This lodge will be our base for four nights. It has ten screened cabins each with private bathrooms.

Days 3-5: Sani Lodge. With three full days at Sani Lodge we have time to bird all the best areas. One of the star attractions is the 100 ft. high canopy tower built around an ancient kapok tree. From our high perch we can look down on gangs of araçaris, a multitude of oropendolas, flocks of brilliant tanagers, and plenty of other canopy species. We have the chance to visit the clay licks nearby, which attract a legion of parrots, as well as a nearby trail that goes through excellent terra firme forest hosting a variety of antbirds, manakins, jacamars, trogons, among many others. Walking trails and canoeing beautiful channels allows us to experience the flooded várzea forest, home to some of the rarest and most-wanted species in the area. Zigzag Herons hoot at dawn and dusk, Rufous-tailed Flatbills give their mournful cry, and Orange-crested Manakins trill from overhead perches. The nightbirding around the lodge is superb. Crested, Black-banded, and Spectacled Owls are frequently seen, and the local guides often know roosting places for Great, Common, or Long-tailed Potoos.

Day 6: Sani to Quito: We'll go by boat upriver to Coca and catch a flight back to Quito, likely arriving by early afternoon. You can explore the city, or relax in preparation for the Galapagos trip that starts tomorrow. Night in Quito.

TOUR INFO:

CLIMATE: Hot and humid, with rain likely.

DIFFICULTY: Fairly easy. The terrain is flat, but there is a fair amount of walking on forest trails in a very humid climate.

ACCOMMODATION: Good, but not luxurious. Cabins are quite comfortable with screens, good beds, and private bathrooms. Electric power and hot water is limited as they rely on solar energy.