Accessible Galapagos

Arrive to Quito. Transfer to hotel and rest. Quito Holiday Inn Express D

Holiday Inn Express

After breakfast transfer to the Quito airport with a short flight 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador to the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the administrative capital of Galapagos on the island of San Cristobal. You'll arrive just in time for a late lunch before we venture to the beach in search of wildlife at a place called La Loberia.
The Loberia is a known sea lion hang out and where we will be able to watch sea lions sun bathing, playing and vying for our attention. If you can't wait to get in the water, this is your first opportunity. As the sunsets, we'll make our way back to town and get ready for a welcome dinner of fresh fish and island cuisine at a small local restaurant. Hotel will be Blue Marlin. It is a new hotel, with 8 double rooms in main floor. Access to rooms and bathrooms with wide doors. Air conditioning in all rooms. Bathroom has a bath tub, with grab on bars along the walls. We will use a bath chair to go into the tub, and a telephone shower.

Meals: B, L & D

Today we travel by boat (4 hour boat ride) between San Cristobal to Isabela island. Arrive to Isabela at noon. Check in hotel and in the afternoon we'll head to the pier for a kayak. We'll tour the shallow bay in search of the Galapagos Penguin - the only penguin found north of the equator. We also keep a sharp eye out for rays and turtles gliding near the surface. Return to hotel before sunset. Transfer from boat to docks are done manually. No electric lifts or similar.
We use our off road wheelchairs and safely transfer you into the boat. Once inside the boat you are transfered into regular seat. Breakfast is along the way (at 8h00 am). Hotel we use is the Red Mangrove. Good access to rooms in hotel, 70 cm wide doors. Grag on bars in showers. Access to shower has 15 cm wall around the shower, but we can use bathroom chair to go into the shower. Same use of telephone shower. We also have now a beach wheelchair to access the beach and the ocean as well.

Meals: B, L & D

Along a mangrove-lined path of a coastal lagoon walkway, we'll learn about the poison apple tree and hopefully have a chance to see pink flamingos before arriving at Isabela's Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. The center has almost a thousand giant tortoises training for life on their own! Watch as baby giant tortoises learn how to mingle, eat, and navigate over the rocky terrain without flipping themselves over! Afternoon visit to the highland part of the island to observe a stunning sunset at Isabela OR afternoon free to enjoy the beach, go into the ocean....we will provide assistance for activities.

Meals: B, L & D

We will travel by boat from Isabela island to Santa Cruz island (2 hour boat ride). At Santa Cruz we will have lunch and a visit to the famous Charles Darwin Research Station. We will learn about the efforts done at Charles Darwin Station and get know a little bit of Santa Cruz. At mid afternoon we will continue our boat ride to San Cristobal (2 hours boat ride). Arrive to San Cristobal late afternoon. Check in hotel and rest of the afternoon-evening to rest. Dinner on your own. We will suggest a couple of good restaurant options for you!! Transfer from boat to docks are done manually.

Meals: B & L

Today is all about the water, the shoreline and an amazing array of wildlife above and below the surface. With the smell of sunscreen wafting through the air and full water bottles by our side, on the boat we go. We'll cruise along the coast identifying shore birds like the Magnificent Frigate Bird and famous Blue-footed Booby. Our first stop is in a channel beside Isla Lobos or Sea Lion Island. You can stay on board and keep a sharp eye out for marine iguanas venturing into the sea in search of lunch - these are the only sea going iguanas in the world! Or, if you're keen, we'll don our snorkel gear take to the water in search of damselfish, puffer fish, and, hopefully, curious sea lion pups. From there we continue to Kicker Rock or Leon Dormido as it's known by the locals to explore the final remains of a tuff cone rising over 143 meters out of the ocean. If Kicker Rock were a building, it would have almost 50 floors high! The rock is home to a large population of Blue-footed Boobies and Nazca Boobies that have taken up residence on the ledges and shelves. From on board you can watch crabs scurrying along surface and see a magnificent wall of barnacles and sponges reveal themselves each time the tide recedes.

Below the surface, along the edge and through the channel of this drastic compact ash formation, we will be on the hunt for sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, chocolate chip starfish, and, with any luck, a Galapagos Shark or two. Don't worry; they won't be as interested in you as you are in them. Puerto Grande, a beautiful beach accessible only by boat, is our final stop for the day. After lunch on board, feel free to spend your time swimming in the turquoise water, snapping photos of Kicker Rock in the distance, or simply relaxing on the boat.
Note: Wetsuits, fins, mask and snorkels are provided for you. If you prefer to bring your own, please do so. If you have a new mask it should be cleaned properly and used beforehand to make sure it isn't going to fog up when you are on the hunt for that perfect underwater fish photo. If you wear glasses - you cannot wear your glasses with a mask. You can wear contacts or visit a dive shop to get a corrective lens mask if necessary.
Transfer from boat to docks are done manually. No electric lifts Return to San Cristobal around 16h00. Last night in town. Galapagos Blue Marlin B L D

This morning starts with an educational visit the San Cristobal's Interpretation Center - one of the best in the world. We will learn about the history and mystery of the archipelago from its discovery and what makes it so special, to Charles Darwin's visit and the present day efforts to protect this amazing World Heritage site. Afterwards, there's an optional short hike to an overlook of Kicker Rock, the town, and Tijeretas you may enjoy that offers great photo opportunities. Check out hotel and transfer to airport to catch flight back to Quito
Arrive to Quito mid-late afternoon. Transfer to hotel for our last night in Ecuador.

Transfer to the airport in time for your flight home.

General Observations
Tour visits 3 islands

1. Hotels in Galapagos present good accessibility to move around the hotel. Bathrooms are possible to use, specially the one at Isabela.
2. We provide assistance throughout the tour for activities
3. We provide assistance to go in and out boats at all ports and locations. Quito Holiday Inn Express B L D

About the tour: • Galapagos program is a tour that combines a bit of adventure, culture, nature and leisure.
• It is an all-inclusive basis tour. All meals, transportation, accommodation, guide and activities included.
• Hotels throughout the Galapagos present a good level of accessibility. Some have roll in showers, some have small (5 inches) step to get into showers, grab on bars, but in general they adapt their facilities to host people using a wheelchair.
• Re guides, we provide bilingual certified guides for all activities throughout the tour.
• Re assistants or help. We do recommend clients to use a manual chair, since the entire country is not 100% accessible, therefore we will provide one assistant per client to assist with the wheelchair when needed. This will only be for tours and activities, NOT personal activities or duties

About the clients: • Client must be able to do individual or assisted manual transfers into bus seats, shower chairs and others