Guantanamera

Built in 2000, Guantanamera is one of the small yachts, at 75 feet long taking 16 passengers. 6 double cabins have upper and lower berths, 2 cabins have double beds; all cabins have private bathrooms (toilet, shower, sink). The yacht is fully air-conditioned, and includes a dining room and bar, small library, TV, VCR, stereo, large sundeck, diving platform, diving equipment and snorkeling equipment.

Use these Activity Level Ratings as a general guide to help determine which of our adventures is best for you. Your perception of level of difficulty may vary from ours according to your own level of fitness and travel experience. Whether or not you stay in your comfort zone on the trip you select may also be influenced by the pacing we build into the itinerary, and your own preparation for the trip. While relatively high elevations are unavoidable when you're traveling in the Andes Mountains, we may judge a trip as "moderate" so long as passengers have sufficient time for acclimation. Our detailed trip itineraries give much more information about what you can expect. If you are unsure which trip is best for you, please call us. We'll help guide you toward the right fit.

Moderate

These adventures involve fairly easy travel. There is no camping: you sleep in hotels and country inns each evening. Trips may include short hikes and/or walks of two to three hours. Our itineraries include excursions in passenger mini-vans, over roads with many curves and potholes. Elevations rarely exceed 12,600'. At Machu Picchu and other Inca sites, we climb and descend relatively steep stone staircases. Trips to Amazon lodges involve travel by boat and canoe, plus hikes on forest trails at a moderate pace. In the rainforest, you may encounter rain, mud, and pooled water. Trips to the Galapagos include optional hikes on sometimes uneven rocky and/or slippery terrain. Passengers must get into and out of dinghies on beaches and at docks.

Active

These adventures include more hiking than in our moderate trips. You negotiate a variety of terrain, at elevations no more than 15,000'. Some trips include long days of overland travel. You sleep comfortably in hotels each evening.

Strenuous

While we rate all of our treks as strenuous, there is a substantial range of challenge between the easiest and the most demanding of our treks. Expect to hike 6-8 hours each day over steep and rugged terrain. You may hike to elevations of 17,000', with options to hike higher from several camps. Many include camping multiple nights at relatively high elevations. On most treks in the Andes, night-time temperatures can drop below freezing on one or more nights. On our Inn to Inn based treks, you'll spend each evening in a comfortable mountain lodge.

Extreme

Our toughest treks are suitable for those that enjoy a good physical challenge. You trek (and in some cases climb) over steep, rugged terrain at high elevations with substantial altitude gains. Some glacier travel requires knowledge of basic climbing techniques including use of crampons, ice axe, and ropes. These trips are in remote wilderness areas and include camping as high at 17,700'. Successful summit bids top out at 18,871' (Nevado Pisco), 19,347' (Volcan Cotopaxi) and 20,945' (Nevado Ausangate).

Departures Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, weekly, all year

5 & 8 Day Cruises

2009 Rates, per person, double cabin

5 Days, Wed-Sun (last night spent at hotel in Galapagos): $1,605

5 Days, Sun-Thu: $1,756

8 Days, Sun-Sun & Thu-Thu: $2,510

Galapagos Airfare, round-trip from Quito or Guayaquil: $325 to $420 depending on the routing and season, subject to change.

Additional Fees:

Galapagos Park Fee: $100/person

INGALA Toursit Card: $10

No Children's Discount

5 & 8 Day Itineraries

ITINERARY A -- 5 days/4 nights (Sunday to Thursday)

Day 1 Sunday

AM: Arrive Baltra Airport, transfer to yacht

PM: Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

Day 2 Monday

AM: Plazas Island

PM: Santa Fe Island

Day 3 Tuesday

AM & PM: Espanola Island: Point Suarez & Gardner Bay

Day 4 Wednesday

AM & PM: Floreana Island: Cormorant Point, Devil's Crown and Post Office Bay

Day 5 Thursday

AM: Santa Cruz Island: Charles Darwin Station

PM: Baltra Airport for return flight to mainland Ecuador

ITINERARY B -- 5 days/4 nights (Wednesday to Sunday) **last night spent at hotel in Puerto Ayora**

Day 1 Wednesday

AM: Arrive Baltra Airport, transfer to yacht.

PM: Santa Cruz Island: Tortuga Bay **(overnight at a hotel in Puerto Ayora)**

Day 2 Thursday

AM & PM: Santa Cruz Island: Charles Darwin Station & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Day 3 Friday

AM: Rabida Island

PM: Bartolome Island

Day 4 Saturday

AM & PM: Genovesa Island

Day 5 Sunday

AM: North Seymour Island

PM: Baltra Airport, return flight to mainland Ecuador

(A 4-DAY/3-NIGHT TRIP IS AVAILABLE ON THIS PROGRAM, Thursday to Sunday, all nights on board).

ITINERARY C -- 8 days/7 nights (Sunday to Sunday & Thursday to Thursday)

Day 1 Sunday

AM: Baltra Airport, arrival and transfer to yacht

PM: Santa Cruz Island: Bachas Beach

Day 2 Monday

AM: Plazas Island

PM: Santa Fe Island

Day 3 Tuesday

AM & PM: Espanola Island: Point Suarez & Gardner Bay

Day 4 Wednesday

AM & PM: Floreana Island:  Cormorant Point, Devil's Crown and Post Office Bay

Day 5 Thursday

AM & PM: Santa Cruz Island: Charles Darwin Station & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Day 6 Friday

AM: Rabida Island

PM: Bartolome Island

Day 7 Saturday

AM & PM: Genovesa Island

Day 8 Sunday

AM: North Seymour Island

PM: Baltra Airport, return flight to mainland Ecuador

Included in the cruise rate:

Accommodation in double cabin, all meals on yacht, soft drinks and purified water, services of bi-lingual guide leading twice-daily island excursions, evening lectures on Galapagos & next day's itinerary briefing, transfers from Galapagos airport to yacht and return to airport. (on 5-day Wed-Sun itinerary, last night spent at hotel in Puerto Ayora included, but dinner not included.)

Not included:

International Airfare; internal airfare from Quito or Guayaquil to Galapagos, but these tickets are issued by the yacht and provided to passengers in Quito. Galapagos Park fee and INGALA Tourist card; Bottled beverages and alcoholic beverages; tips to guide and staff; airport taxes, insurance, laundry and other personal expenses.

Length: 75.5 feet/23 m

Beam: 21.5 feet/6.5 m

Type: Motor cruiser

Safety: Meets or exceeds International Coast Guard regulations

Crew: 6 staff plus 1 bilingual naturalist guide

Speed: 10 knots

Guantanamera has 6 double cabins with upper and lower berths and 2 double cabins with double beds. All cabins have private bathrooms (toilet, shower, sink) and are fully air conditioned.

• 5 & 8 Day itineraries
• 16 Passengers
• Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday Departures
• 75.5 feet long
• Motor-cruiser
• Naturalist cruises