CAU > Seminars and Study Tours > Ecuador and the Galapagos; Family Cruise

Ecuador and the Galapagos; Family Cruise

December 23, 2005-January 3, 2006

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We are indeed delighted to be returning to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Beautiful, historic, and fascinating—a great destination for youngsters as well as adults—this amazing archipelago is a perfect place to savor and explore the workings of nature and the discoveries of science. Here, following Charles Darwin's footsteps, we'll encounter primeval terrain and the bird and animal communities that inspired Darwin's revolutionary ideas about natural selection and the evolution of species. Aboard our cruise ship, the M.V. Santa Cruz, with Cornell counselors organizing the kids on land and in the water, delightful Ecuadorian naturalist guides leading our daily island forays, and a terrific team of Cornell faculty sparking and challenging us, you and your family will be sure to enjoy a memorable expedition.

Two fine Cornell faculty members will lead us. Ichthyologist and evolutionary biologist Amy R. McCune is an associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. Amy's husband, ornithologist and ecologist David W. (Wink) Winkler, is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. With their expertise and teaching talents, Amy and Wink will help us examine the creatures and habitats of the islands, the adaptation of the Galapagos' famed birds, iguanas, tortoises, and marine mammals to their surroundings, the great evolutionary discoveries and debates that began with Darwin's The Origin of Species and continue unabated today, and the conservation challenges that face the fauna and flora of this, and most other, oceanic islands.

Our voyage will begin with a two-day stay in Quito, Ecuador, set spectacularly in the Andes. From the Hilton Colon, our comfortable, centrally located hotel, we'll explore the city's extensive sixteenth- and seventeenth-century colonial district and spend a day in the surrounding countryside as well, visiting the wonderful Indian market town of Otavalo, stopping at the Equator for a good album snapshot and taking in the Andes' splendid volcanic scenery along the way. Then we'll be off by air to the Galapagos Islands, where we'll board the very comfortable Santa Cruz (which accommodates ninety passengers).

For the next week, we'll sail among the islands of the Galapagos, making several landings each day, never needing to wear anything dressier than a bathing suit or shorts and a T-shirt. Be prepared to be awed by the stark beauty of the islands, by the variety and uniqueness of their flora and fauna, and, above all, by the animals' approachability. Having no instinctive fear of humans, the local bird, seal, and iguana residents let folks like us wander freely among their (sometimes huge) colonies (adult and junior photographers will enjoy more close-up photo-ops than you can imagine). At some points we'll climb to the rims of extinct volcanic craters; in other places we'll snorkel from beaches. Our terrific Cornell counselors and our master of the waterfront, Frederick W. DeBruyn, director of aquatics at Cornell, will keep youngsters eight years and older well engaged and safe.

You'll discover quickly that the islands are surprisingly varied. Bartolomé, with its towering craters, jagged volcanic heaps, and swirls of hardened lava encircling a spectacular beach, seems almost extraterrestrial. Isabela Island is a great place to see brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies, the flightless cormorant, and, with a bit of luck, one of the world's few penguin colonies outside Antarctica. On Punta Suarez (Hood Island) we'll walk along black lava beaches past huge iguana colonies, nesting cormorants, and tidal pools surrounded by families of sea lions. We'll observe North Seymour Island's impressive colony of frigate birds and visit San Cristobal's breeding center for Galapagos tortoises and the Charles Darwin Research Center on Santa Cruz Island, where we'll visit the enormous, mild-mannered tortoises for whom the islands are named. Reluctantly, at week's end, we'll bid farewell to the Santa Cruz and the boobies, fly back to Quito for a final overnight and closing festivities, and depart for home.

Singles, couples, and families are all welcome to join the expedition. Youngsters age eight and older may take part; we'll organize into age-appropriate groups (teens and preteens) when we gather in Quito and during the cruise. Counselors will be on hand throughout, but we expect families to oversee all their members at the start and end of each day. Also note that all young people on the trip must be able to swim.

The M.V. Santa Cruz is a comfortable, informal ship. Its public areas, including the dining room, lounge, and sun deck, are spacious and flexible. The cabins are pleasant, nicely furnished, and comfortable. The ship is air-conditioned, meals are tasty and plentiful, and the crew is delightful. Think of the Santa Cruz as a top-end expedition vessel, easy to enjoy, and perfect for getting to know everyone.

Adult program fees start at $5,990 (per-person, double-occupancy), depending on the cabin you select. The special rates for children ages eight through seventeen range from $3,490 to $5,990, depending upon with whom they room. Program fees include all accommodations, day trips, site visits, most meals in Quito and all meals aboard ship, round-trip airfare between Quito and the Galapagos Islands, full escort services, emergency medical-evacuation insurance, daily youth activities and supervision, and the full educational program. Tips to the ship's crew will be at your discretion. There will be a group airfare offered between New York (or Miami) and Quito, but you are free to make your own international air arrangements.

This is not a strenuous trip, but we will be at high elevations in Quito, we'll be making wet landings on many islands, and we'll be walking over uneven terrain. We do not expect rough seas to be a problem, since we will be sailing in short hops from island to island. We will send you cabin selection information as soon as you register.