On this great multisport adventure, you will kayak crystal clear ocean waters, go horse back riding, hike to volcano rims, snorkel with majestic marine life, bike the islands, see great wildlife and scenery, and even have time to relax on the boat and on white sand beaches!
Until now multisport tours have been only been done on very small fast boats without the minimum safety and survival equipment. They also used outboard motors runing on gasoline, which according to international regulations is not allowed to transport tourists.
NOW things have changed. Our boats for these multisport activities now run with all communication and safety equipment, great comfort and service for all live-aboard or land based trips.
If you are thinking of having an out of this world multi adventure tour, the S/C VALKIRIA awaits you. Built in France, the S/C Valkiria is a beautiful catamaran designed by Philippe Jeantote. This yacht accommodates 10 guests in 5 large double cabins with full size beds. Each cabin also has a private bathroom with a toilet and shower.
This boat truly allows you to travel in comfort while enjoying all of the splendid adventures that the Galapagos have to offer.
Highlights
Swim, hike, bike, kayak, ride, and enjoy the Galapagos Islands!
Combine traditional Galapagos sight-seeing with exciting adventure activities.
Live aboard the first class S/C Valkiria. ...view more details
Abbreviated Itinerary
Day 1: Fly from Ecuador mainland to Baltra Island: Punta Estrada and Bahia Divine. Travel to San Cristobal Island.
Day 2: San Cristobal: El Junco lagoon, La Galapaguera, Puerto Chino.
Day 3: Kicker Rock - León dormido. Puerto Grande and travel to Floreana.
Day 4: Floreana: Puerto Velasco Ibarra, travel to Isabela.
Day 5: Isabela: Sierra Negra, Volcan Chico
Day 6: Isabela: Puerto Villamil, Muro de las Lagrimas
Day 7: Santa Cruz: Puerto Ayora, Charles Darwin Research Centre
Day 8: Baltra and visit to the Gemelos. Flight back to main land: Quito or Guayaquil .
Why should I choose this trip? What makes it better (different) than other trips?
We combine the natural wildlife of the Galapagos islands such as swimming with sea lions, observing blue footed boobies or frigate birds' nesting areas, and seeing incredible underwater life while snorkelling with kayaking and horsebackriding around the islands. This is a more exciting version of the traditional Galapagos Islands tours. ...view more details
What kind of person will enjoy this trip?
This trip is great for the slightly more adventurous travel who wants to participate instead of just observing. ...view more details
Day 1
Flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra Island , where our guide will pick you up and take you to the yacht. After a quick stop in Puerto Ayora and lunch on board we will move on to Punta Estrada and Bahia Divine , a calm shallow water place where rays, mullets and sharks can be seen along the rocky coast line,blue footed boobies and frigates are also found on the cliffs,snorkelling . Back on board: dinner and navigation to San Cristobal Island.
Day 2
After breakfast we will drive to the highlands and walk to El Junco lagoon (the only natural source of fresh water in the islands, frigate birds feed on the fish in the lagoon, lots of land birds such as Darwins finches and mocking birds can be found.) Box lunch and visit to La Galapaguera which is a part of the Galapagos National Park where we will be able to find a great number of giant tortoises in its natural habitat, in other words a privilege of our journey. After exploring the surroundings we will walk to Puerto Chino , a beautiful and pristine beach will be the perfect spot for a laid back afternoon where you can snorkel, swim or simply relax. Dinner.
Day 3
Breakfast and on the way sightseeing visit to Kicker Rock - León dormido, an old tuff cone eroded by the ocean and now serves as nesting place for frigate birds, blue footed boobies and nazca (ex masked) boobies, tropic birds and of course this magnificent volcanic formation. Box lunch and visit to Puerto Grande for snorkeling . A fter dinner we sail to Floreana
Day 4
After having breakfast on board we will go by car to the highlands of Floreana , where pirates and whalers used volcanic caves as hiding places. Box Lunch, back in town we will visit Puerto Velasco Ibarra , the smallest town in the Galapagos with a population of around 100 people. We'll have dinner on board and navigation to Isabela.
Day 5
Isabela island the largest and one of the youngest in the Galapagos and it is one of the most beautiful island. After breakfast and approximately an hour bus ride we will get to Sierra Negra volcano, which is still active and in October 2005 gave us the most recent volcanic eruption in Galapagos. From here we start with a horse back-riding journey along the crater of the volcano, this experience will fulfill every expectation. Normally we find giant tortoises on the way. After we continue with a trekking on a trail of lava to volcan Chico , walk on a large lava flow and fortunately we might see fumaroles and an incredible landscape from the top. Today we will have a box lunch and the afternoon we'll have it free to enjoy the beach.
Day 6
Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island has the second smallest population in Galapagos with around 1800 inhabitants is still pristine and untouched. Breakfast and zodiac ride to tintoreras or white tip sharks grotto, small shallow channels in between lava flows with sandy bottom in which we usually find white tipped reef sharks. Isabela also has penguins populations and normally we find them swimming with us, after this visit we go back on board. Lunch and in the afternoon we visit to the muro de las lagrimas a wall of lava rocks made by inmates from an old penal colony established on the island. To finish our day we can relax on the white sand beach right in town with many shore birds and marine life .
Day 7 Puerto Ayora during the morning and alter breakfast we go to the highest part of the Island for a bike ride and will be able to observe tortoises in its natural habitat. After lunch we visit the world famous Charles Darwin Research Centre where all the efforts to protect and preserve the native and endemic animals are developed; we will also find Giant tortoises rearing programs and of course Lonesome George .
Day 8
After breakfast on our way to the airport we stop at Los Gemelos a pair of craters (sink holes) in the middle of the Scalesia zone, scalesias are endemic trees only found in Galapagos and they create a great nesting area for Darwins finches as well as many other land birds such as flycatchers, doves etc Baltra and visit to the Gemelos. After this visit we drive straight to the airport to catch your flight back to main land: Quito or Guayaquil .
Itinerary subject to change depending on weather conditions,park authorities, navy authorities and hotels availability,
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Overall Rating:
1 customer review
Destination:
4.0
Activity:
3.0
Equipment:
1.0
Food:
2.0
Guides & Service:
4.0
Provider Rating: 9 trip reviews
Equipment:
2.7
Food:
2.7
Guides & Service:
4.2
Social & Environmental Responsibility:
3.4
Trip Rating:
Destination:
Equipment:
Activity:
Food:
Guides & Service:
boat was pretty uncomfortable
by LP, Experienced,
Dec 06, 2007
We were not given the cabin we were promised but instead were given a different cabin than the one we had requested and put on our invoice/voucher. We could not sleep in the other cabin and were uncomfortable, so we left the boat a couple days before the trip ended and stayed at a hotel on one of the Islands and didn't go back to the boat again. This is not what we negotiated or paid for and it prematurely ended my trip. I paid for Cabin A – and it feels a bait-and-switch by Aida Maria.
The captain, crew and guide were quite nice indeed, and we greatly enjoyed the wildlife and adventure.
Each of the five double rooms has a private bathroom. There is also ample group space, including a bar, lounge, small library, and deck space to relax on.
Lodging Types
7 Nights Yacht
Average number of rooms in boat/lodge/hotel average
5 or less
Lodging capacity (Average)
10
Details
What special equipment will we use on this trip? Tell me about it.
Complete navigation and safety equipment, 1 dingy with 10 hp outboard motor,life raft,Radar,Gps,Echo sounder,auto pilot, and class 1 life jackets.
Tell me about the guides on this trip
You will be taken care of by a crew of four. On your excursions, you will be led by a bilingual naturalist guide.
Maximum Age
None
Weather
From month to month there are some differences in what you can see in the islands, however ,the differences in the experience itself are small,for example, from April to December you can see the waved albatrosses but not many sea turtles,the rainy season (December to May) is when land birds are mating and in the Dry season (June to November) sea birds have their mating season.
The average year-round temperature is 24°C
Yachts - Ships - Live Aboard Boats
Boat Length
48 ft.
Travel Provider
Provider Name
Aida Maria Travel
Why should I choose this provider?
Aida Maria Travel/Galapagostours has been providing world class naturalist cruises for over 30 years. The company's roots stem from when the current owner's grandfather arrived in the islands in the 1940´s. Now with a new fleet of boats, which include the First Class Yacht Eden, Premium class Aida Maria, and Tourist Class Rumba, Aida Maria Travel offers tours around the Galapagos for all budgets.For our clients with special interests we have implemented a new line of first class products,the S/C Valkiria and M/Y Maverick to cover multi activities adventure tours and a mixture of the natural wonders of the Galapagos with the local culture.
Our fleet offers a great variety of options for naturalist and special interest cruises in the Galapagos Islands. Nature, advenutre and supreme comfort will be always part of a once in a life time journey.
Provider FAQ's
When is the best time of the year to go to Galapagos?
Absolutely the most frequently asked question. Darwin said it all:
Considering that these islands are placed directly under the equator, the climate is far from being excessively hot; this seems chiefly caused by the singularly low temperature of the surrounding water, brought here by the great southern polar current. Excepting during one short season, very little rain falls, and even then it is irregular.
CHARLES DARWIN, 1845
From month to month there are some differences in what you can see in the islands, however ,the differences in the experience itself are small,for example, from April to December you can see the waved albatrosses but not many sea turtles,the rainy season (December to May) is when land birds are mating and in the Dry season (June to November) sea birds have their mating season.
The average year-round temperature is 24°C
What should I bring in my trip?
We recommend you to pack comfortable light clothes, shorts, T-shirts, swimsuits ,good hiking shoes are required to walk over the lava rock paths as well as sandals(flip flops-tevas) for wet landings and easy walks.
For shore excursions comfortable clothing is a must, preferably easy drying shorts, bathing suit, hats, enough sun screen, tennis shoes, windbreaker/rain jacket, binoculars, camera and lots of film.
Traveling Alone?
No problem,there are two ways you can visit the islands alone,since we operate our own boats we are in charge of the cabins asignment,actually half of our guests are couples and the other half are singles,if you are willing to share a double cabin we will guarantee that the other person in your cabin if of your same gender,if you are not willing to share please contact us for more information and prices.
Do I need a passport or visa to go to Ecuador and Galapagos?
A passport is required,most North American and European countries citizens do not require a visa in advance ,this is issued on arrival for a maximum of 3 months. Your travel agency can advise you of any visa requirements for your particular country when traveling to Ecuador.
Are vaccinations required?
To visit the Galapagos Islands there are no vaccinations neither required nor recommended. If you,are anyway planning to spend more time in Ecuador, especially in the rain forest or amazon area, vaccinations and inmunizationsis strongly recommended. Since this varies from time to time please consult with your local health office (or the Institute for Tropical Diseases) several weeks before your trip.
How are the Flights to the Galapagos Islands?
The flight time depends you departing city ,this Flights to the Galapagos leave from Quito making a stop in Guayaquil so you don't have to necesarily board in Quito to get from Quito to Guayaquil takes about thirty minutes and about one and a half hours from Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands. All flights leave from 7am to 11am in the morning and return between 1pm and 5pm.
How about luggage restrictions on the airplanes?
Only one suitcase 20kg and one carry-on piece are allowed on the plane.
What currency do we use in Galapagos and Ecuador?
Since the year 2000 the Ecuadorian government adopted the US Dollar as the national currency so if you already live in a country where You use them you can just bring them alone,otherwise make sure you exchange money before arrival.
How are the comunications facilities on board and on the islands?
During your Galapagos cruise regardless of the extent,you most likely will visit one of the inhabited islands,most likely Puerto Ayora which is the largest town in the Galapagos,there you can find many internet cafes as well as phone booths to make international calls,while you are onboard you will be able to receive urgent messages inmediately.
Can we smoke on the Islands or on the boat?
One of the main rules for visitors to the Galapagos is that it is not allowed to smoke on the islands. On the boats, however, you can smoke on deck but not in the inside social areas,for sure not in the cabins.
What is the electricity on the boat?
The Aida Maria,Eden,Rumba and Guantanamera have 110v outlets in all the cabins and bathrooms,please keep in mind that the sockets are the american type(flat - not round) so you migh want to bring an adaptor if you have different shaped sockets in your country.
Is there a dress code on the boats?
No dress code is applied on board our Galapagos yachts. The only requirement for lunch and dinner is to wear shoes or sandals.
What is the payment policies ?
Once you have decided to book a cruise 30% deposit is required and after that you will receive a time limit for making the full payment,we will send you the details for making a wire or internet payment to our bank account.
What is included in the price?
Double accommodation with private bathrooms (or single if requested) ,All meals on board ,Guided visit to the islands with english speaking guides ,bottled pure drinking water , coffe and tea at the bar any time, trasnportation in the islands, direct support from our office.
Not inlcuded
Round trip tickets to Galapagos US$ 390.00 per person (subject to change without prior notice) ,galapagos entrance fee US$ 100.00 for per person ,children under 12 years of age US$ 50.00 as well as students with valid international student ID,tips and personal expenses.
Provider Policies
Cancellation Policies
INDIVIDUAL PASSENGERS
• A 25% DEPOSIT must be accomplished within the next 5 days after confirmation to keep spaces.
• NON REFUNDABLE in case of cancellation.
COMPLETE PAYMENT must be credited in our bank account 60 days prior sailing date*
LAST MINUTE BOOKINGS (within 45 days prior departure)
• Full payment is mandatory within the next 5 days after confirmation.
• NON REFUNDABLE in case of cancellation.
In case of cancellation between 31 to 60 days prior sailing date, the penalty fee will be 50% of the cruise rate.
In case of cancellation within 30 days prior sailing date, the penalty fee will be the TOTAL cruise amount and a 25% fee will be charged for the air ticket.
CHARTERS & GROUPS
• A 30% DEPOSIT must be accomplished within the next 5 days after confirmation to keep spaces.
COMPLETE PAYMENT must be credited in our bank account 60 days prior sailing date*
In case of cancellation between 31 to 60 days prior sailing date, the penalty fee will be 50% of the cruise rate.
In case of cancellation within 30 days prior sailing date, the penalty fee will be the TOTAL cruise amount and a 25% fee will be charged for the air ticket.
*FAILURE TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF A CONFIRMED BOOKING BASED ON THE TIME FRAMES GIVEN, SPACES WILL BE RELEASED AUTOMATICALLY AND CONSEQUENTLY THE BOOKING CANCELLATION.
Detour, The Adventure Travel Marketplace - Galapagos Multisport Adventure on the S/C Valkiria
