Built in 1990, elegantly furnished and slek upon the water, the Estrella de Mar is one of those ships that cruise the Galapagos Islands with style.
All cabins have windows, air conditioning and private baths. The yacht features a bar and comfortable dining lounge areas. Her ample sun decks provide wonderful open and shaded space to breathe in the salty sea breeze or enjoy the hot equatorial sun. The Estrella de Mar Cruises the Galapagos Islands in comfort, ease, and in a big way, yet at low cost.
Accomodation: 8 Double cabins with private toilet and shower. All cabins with air conditioning, bar, dinning room, living room, the social areas have direct view to the sea.
DAY |
ISLAND | PLACES |
MON |
San Cristobal |
AM: San Cristobal Airport PM: Lobos Island |
TUE |
San Cristobal |
AM: Pitt Point - Brujo Hill PM: Kicker Rock |
WED |
Española |
AM: Gardner Bay PM: Suarez Point |
THU |
Floreana |
AM: Post Office Bay PM: Devil´s Crown - Cormorant Point |
FRI |
North Seymour Bartolome |
AM: North Seymour Island PM: Bartolome Island |
SAT |
Genovesa |
AM: Darwin Bay PM: El Barranco |
SUN |
South Plaza Santa Fe |
AM: South Plaza Island PM: Santa Fe Island |
MON | Santa Cruz |
AM: Highlands Baltra Airport |
SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: LOBOS ISLAND
AM: Flight to Galapagos Transfer early to the airport for our flight to the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival in San Cristobal, meet our naturalist guide, who will assist with the transfer to the Estrella de Mar Yacht.
PM: Lobos Island
Snorkel right off the beach at peaceful Lobos Island, amid the families of sea lions and their inquisitive pups looking to play. Spot nesting frigatebirds and the famous blue-footed boobies resting on the shore. Be sure to bring your camera to catch some snaps at this prime wildlife watching haven.
SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: PITT POINT AND BRUJO HILL
AM: Pitt Point
Enjoy amazing wildlife watching and interesting geological formations on this fascinating expedition. Arrive at a quiet cove on the eastern tip of San Cristóbal to explore Punta Pitt. Made up of volcanic tuff substrate, it's the only site in the Galápagos where it's possible to see three species of boobies and two species of frigatebirds.
AM: Brujo Hill
Visit Cerro Brujo to explore its coastline, and look for wildlife on the beach, in the water, and in the air. Learn about the human and natural history of the area from the Galápagos CEO/Naturalist Guide. Take a refreshing dip in the turquoise water, and head out on a short walk to a freshwater lagoon – a great place to see flamingos.
AM: Kicker Rock
Embark on a snorkelling adventure at Kicker Rock, one of the most stunning landmarks in the Galápagos Islands that’s home to an incredibly diverse range of marine life that inhabits the nutrient-rich water. Explore the rock which rises 150m (492 ft) above the ocean's surface, and is divided into two parts by a narrow channel. See an array of sharks and fish that are drawn to the rock and provide for an exhilarating unique snorkelling experience.
ESPAÑOLA ISLAND: GARDNER BAY AND SUAREZ POINT
AM: Gardner Bay
Visit Gardner Bay's magnificent white sandy beach, home to sea lions and sea birds. Be sure to explore the beautiful turquoise water and its incredible sea life. Spot young sea lions and large schools of surprisingly big tropical fish, including yellow-tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, and bump-head parrot fish.
Head to Tortuga Rock and Gardner Bay for a spectacular snorkelling experience. Spot playful young sea lions and large schools of tropical fish, including yellow-tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, and bump-head parrot fish. Look for white-tipped reef sharks napping on the bottom.
PM: Suarez Point
Visit Suarez Point, one of most rich wildlife landing sites in the Galápagos. Be greeted by surfing young sea lions on arrival. Head to the trail to find many species of nesting sea birds, and, if lucky, see the waved albatross. Follow the path up to a cliff for great views over the ocean, and watch sea birds gliding in the wind.
FLOREANA ISLAND: POST OFFICE BAY - DEVIL´S CROWM - CORMORANT POINT
AM: Post Office Bay
Visit Post Office Bay and learn about its unique history. In the late 18th century, English whaling vessels placed a barrel here to be used as a post office. Today, the box is used mainly by tourists, who may drop off and pick up unstamped letters to be carried to far destinations. Continue the tradition – leave a letter and take one to deliver (be sure it makes it to the correct location)
PM: Devil´s Crown
Enjoy an amazing snorkelling experience at the ‘Devil's Crown’, an old underwater volcanic cone just north of the Punta Cormorant. Spot large schools of tropical fish, rays, reef sharks, and sea turtles that make their home among the coral reef. Be sure you're a strong swimmer; the currents can be intense
PM: Cormorant Point
Visit Cormorant Point, the only landing site on Floreana Island, and discover two amazingly different beaches: one with green sand, coloured by olivine crystals, and another with white sand particles known as 'Flour Beach'. Spend the afternoon observing flamingos and other shore birds feeding in the lagoon. Spot penguins and marine iguanas at the water’s edge.
NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND AND BARTOLOME ISLAND
AM: North Seymour Island
Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). See blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks. Top off the excursion with a snorkel among sea lions and rays.
PM: Bartolome Island
Trek to the summit of the island for a clearer perspective of the islands' not-too-distant volcanic origins, and enjoy a view that is one of the best among the Galápagos. Spectacular vistas await, so bring your camera and snap away at the amazing panoramas
GENOVESA ISLAND: DARWIN BAY AND EL BARRANCO
AM: Darwin Bay
Walk along the white coral sands of Darwin Bay surrounded by bustling sea birds. Follow the trail and see nesting frigatebirds, gulls, and boobies. Be sure to bring your camera to take some snaps of your new feathered friends.
Visit this sunken caldera for a great snorkelling opportunity. See large schools of tropical fish swarming near the vertical walls, and, if lucky, see a manta ray or hammerhead.
PM: El Barranco
Visit "El Barranco" aka Prince Phillip's Steps located on the southern tip of the island for an amazing wildlife watching opportunity. Hike up the steps to see a sea bird colony that is full of life including the breeding grounds for red-footed boobies and masked boobies.
SOUTH PLAZA ISLAND AND SANTA FE ISLAND
AM: South Plaza Island
Visit South Plaza, one of the smallest islands in the Galápagos, which has one of the largest populations of land iguanas. Walk along a path through a cactus forest and view a combination of dry and coastal vegetation on this lively island, home to a wide range of fauna, including incredible birdlife. Spot red-billed tropicbirds and indigenous swallow-tailed gulls resting on the cliffs, and sea lions playing in the waters.
PM: Sant Fe Island
Visit Santa Fe for amazing wildlife watching opportunities. Hike towards the cliffs along the island's northern shore to view the forest of giant prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), which is home to endemic land iguanas. It is also one of the best locations to see sea turtles, swim with sea lions, and get a glimpse of a whitetip reef shark.
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND: HIGHLANDS
AM: Highlands
Head to Santa Cruz’s verdant highlands and the El Chato Reserve, a perfect place to see giant tortoises in their natural environment. Explore the reserve’s lagoon and lava tunnels, keeping an eye out for owls that often roost in the tunnels’ entrances. Check out Santa Cruz's lava tunnels, massive underground lava tubes found throughout the island that, in some places, extend several kilometres. Transfer to the airport for our flight to Quito or Guayaquil.
Important: Itineraries are unlikely to change significantly but are subject to change. Weather, wildlife breeding, safety concerns, instructions from the Galapagos National Park, specific abilities and interests of passengers as well as operational matters may cause your guide or captain to change the time or nature of visits. Your guide and captain will always endeavor to select the best itinerary within these limits.
Name | Estrella de Mar Yacht |
Year of construction | 1991 |
Type | Motor Yacht |
Category | First Class |
Length | 75 fts / 23mts |
Beam | 21 fts / 6mts |
Capacity | 16 passengers |
On bordo | sun decks, bar, comfortable dining lounge |
Max speed | 9 knots |
Crew | 7 and 1 naturalist guide |
Sefety and navegation | All safety equipment complies with international coast guard regulations |
Accommodation |
Deck Plans: 8 double cabins with window, private bath and A/C |