Curious Traveller Presents The Best Of Galápagos
Explore Ecuador's Treasures - Galápagos & Quito Afloat
Specialist Tour 16–27 March, 2017
Calling on their experience from several previous Galápagos journeys, Curious have curated a unique quality trip that is guaranteed to make the heart sing. Although every trip to the Galápagos is extraordinary, there's actually a great deal of variation in the experience you can have, and what you'll see.
Currently, more than 100 boats take tours around the Galapágos. Only three meet Curious Traveller's very particular criteria for size, comfort, accessibility and itinerary. The Curious Traveller experience enables access to the absolute pick of places at the time of year when the best is on show. The carefully selected, comfortable vessel – Seaman Journey – has easy on and off access for the many daily excursions, including walks, snorkeling and small boat rides to get up close to the islands' amazing geology and littoral zone plants and animals.
The Galapágos "green" season is a period of life and plenty. Lowland shrubs and trees such as the palo santo are in leaf and the abundant flowers are in blossom. The mesmerizing waved albatross return after months at sea, meet up with their partners and perform their extraordinary, detailed acquaintance ritual. It's also when the blue-footed boobies get their groove on, brighten up their delightful feet and tap dance their way into each other's hearts. Sea turtles are hatching, newborn sea lion pups are exploring, frigate birds are nesting and the Darwin's finches are making the most of the season.
The planned March Curious Traveller trip of course covers iconic Galápagos favourites: marine iguanas, sea lions, giant tortoises and sally lightfoot crabs. Land bird species such as Darwin's finches and Galápagos mockingbirds will feature throughout, and we'll see Galápagos tortoises at breeding centres on San Cristóbal island and at the Charles Darwin research station.
The water's warm, and days are sunshiny bright. The Curious Traveller group is small, with a maximum of 16 people (including your Curious expert hosts Ian and Gail as hosts).
Upon return to mainland Ecuador the group will stay in the celebrated old town of Quito – the first built environment to be World Heritage listed by UNESCO. It's a great place to spend a couple of days exploring the architecture, lesser-known food spots and the artisanal markets in this cosmopolitan city nestled among Andes volcanoes.
Cost and booking info
11 day trip - 16-27 March 2017
$US6650 per person, twin share. Maximum group size 14 people, plus hosts.
Booking enquiries
Call 03 6234 4918
Email info@curioustraveller.com.au
About Curious Traveller's expert hosts
In the past seven years Ian Connellan and Gail MacCallum have been exploring South America and once or twice a year take like-minded guests to share the amazing places they've discovered. They have visited all of the accessible Galápagos islands and this year have chosen the trip that they believe represents the best the magical archipelago has to offer. Gail delights in the bird species, with the delightfully kooky blue-foots holding the closest place in her heart, while Ian, a decades' experienced photographer, can provide advice for catching iguanas and albatross in best light, while setting light-hearted challenges – some still unachieved, such as the perfect still frame of the famous marine iguana salt-sneeze.
Both Ian and Gail have worked for more than 20 years as writers, photographers, editors and publishers for organisations such as Australian Geographic, Reader's Digest and Lonely Planet. They've been exploring for decades as well – and bring science, fun and inexhaustible curiosity to every adventure.
The trip is aimed at curious people who
· Would like an authentic experience of a country and its residents, both human and wildlife.
· Have a particular interest in nature, ecology and conservation.
· Would like to take amazing holiday photos that capture the unique magic of the islands.
About Curious Traveller
www.curioustraveller.com.au/
www.facebook.com/pages/Curious-Traveller
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