Named after Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, the Grace Galapagos yacht is an 18-passenger Galapagos boat that gives guests an admixture of comfort and prestige. The charming sailing vessel features a one-of-a-kind and exquisite ambiance that makes for an interesting tour through the highly favored Galapagos Islands. With its air-conditioned rooms, Jacuzzi, telephone communication and other modern social amenities fully in place, get prepared for the most awesome Galapagos trips. Since 2014, the Grace Galapagos yacht has run an alternating 8-day comprehensive range of itineraries that extends all through the best of the Islands.
Grace Yacht Cabins: This boat offers 2 master suites, 2 twin suites and 5 staterooms which can have one queen size bed or two full size beds as you would prefer. All cabins are very spacious and all have a place for storage, a safety box, hairdryer, large windows, amenities and plenty of space.
Upon arrival we board M/Y Grace where you will have lunch and a quick briefing en route to our first visitor site: Daphne Major Islet.
We will circumnavigate Daphne Major Islet which is home to a variety of birds including Galapagos martins, blue footed boobies, nazca boobies, short eared owls, red billed tropic birds among others.
Morning visit to Santa Fe Island, the best snorkeling - with its crystal clear waters. Certainly one of the best locations to see sea turtles, swim with sea lions and get a glimpse of the Galapagos White-tipped Shark.
Afternoon visit to South Plaza, one of the smallest yet most colorful islands in the Galapagos. Yellow land iguanas wander through bright red carpet weed, waiting from prickly pears to drop from green cactus.
Our first visit is to Prince Phillips Steps, the best Galapagos landing site to see red-footed boobies, comically perched by wrapping big red feet around tiny branches. The snorkeling at the foot of the steps is amazing with large, brightly colored tropical fish taking on a neon quality against the black lava background.
After lunch, take time to kayak beside the walls of the sunken caldera before our afternoon visit to Darwin Bay to see tropic birds and frigates.
In the morning, we visit Punta Espinoza, a narrow spit of land, where a number of unique species, such as marine iguanas, sea lions, flightless cormorants, herons, egrets and Galapagos hawks can be seen in close proximity.
We walk on a stretch of three miles (5 km) of the marine reef that has been uplifted by as much as 13 feet (4 meters) out of the water. A highlight of this excursion are the giant land iguanas and giant tortoises.
A morning visit to Tagus Cove on Isabela Island, the green algae underwater pastures of the cove offer the chance to snorkel with marine iguanas, sea turtles, penguins and sea horses.
In the afternoon, we visit Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Snorkeling is incredible here as a result of the nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt Current that bathe the western side of the archipelago.
The trail passes over a tiny hilltop through a sparse Palo Santo forest before looping back to the beach. Galapagos finches and Vermilion fly catchers inhabit the area.
Afternoon visit to James Bay, where we land on a black beach with intriguing eroded rock formations. A trail leads to a series of crystal-clear grottos with a natural bridge formed of broken lava tubes. Snorkeling offers encounters with Green Sea Turtles and tropical fish.
In the morning, we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to visit the Giant Tortoise and Land Iguana Breeding and Rearing Program. Afternoon visit to the Highlands, our destination is the Tortoise Reserve, where we will have chances see these animals in the wild.
Today your Galapagos cruise comes to an end, but before we bid farewell to the Grace we visit the Galapagos National Park Visitor Centre that presents a comprehensive exhibit of the islands’ natural history, human interaction, ecosystems, flora & fauna. From the Centre, a short trail arrives at Frigate Bird Hill, where both “magnificent-frigates” and “great-frigates” can be seen in the same colony.
Upon arrival, we board M/Y Grace where you will have lunch and a quick briefing en route to our first visitor sites: Isla Lobos.
This is where you'll have your first chance to share the water with a playful colony of the "wolves of the sea". From lobos we should have views of Kicker Rock takes the form of a sleeping lion, but from another angle you can see that the rock is split, forming a colossal tablet and, piercing the sea, a great chisel ready for etching.
In the morning, we visit Punta Suarez where you will witness the largest variety of marine iguanas in the Galapagos, masked boobies and blue-footed boobies nesting along the cliff’s edge, as well as the famous waved albatross.
In the afternoon we visit Gardner Bay, a magnificent long white sandy beach, where colonies of sea lions laze in the sun, sea turtles swim offshore, and inquisitive mockingbirds boldly investigate new arrivals.
In this morning of your Galapagos cruise tour, we visit Post Office Bay, where in 1793 British whalers set up a barrel as the island‘s Post Office, to send letters home on passing ships. The tradition continues to this day, simply by dropping a post card into the barrel without a stamp.
Afternoon visit to Punta Cormorant, which offers two highly contrasting beaches. Late afternoon snorkeling at Champion Islet, which is home to a myriad of marine species including a variety of pencil sea urchin, wrasses, angelfish and amberjacks.
In the morning, we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to visit the Giant Tortoise and Land Iguana Breeding and Rearing Program. Here we used to find Lonesome George (now deceased), the last of his particular race of tortoise.
In the afternoon, we are off to the Highlands of Santa Cruz, our destination is the Tortoise Reserve, where we will have chances see these animals in the wild, walk through lava tubes and see the Gemelos, twin collapsed craters.
In the morning, we visit Las Bachas, a sandy white-coral beach that is a major egg-laying site for sea turtles. The name Bachas refers to the remains of landing craft left here at the end of WWII.
Chinese Hat Islet, a fairly recent volcanic cone, has the shape of a down-facing Chinese hat for which it is named. On the rocky shoreline of nearby Santiago island, Galapagos penguins dot the coast.
In Rabida island, we hike up a tiny peninsula for a wonderful view of the beach and lagoon. Sea caves invite exploration further down the coast.
Afternoon visit to Sullivan Bay, one of the most outstanding volcanic sites in the Galapagos. In the nearly 100 years since the Sullivan Bay Flow, only a few plants like Mollugo and Lava cacti have managed to take root in this harsh environment. fish.
In the morning, we visit Bartolome Island, famous for Pinnacle Rock, where we will see Galapagos Penguins and sea lions. We will also hike a trail to Bartolome’s summit where you will be rewarded with spectacular views of Pinnacle Rock.
Afternoon visit to North Seymour, a good nesting site for frigate birds and Blue-footed boobies. You might have to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana; blue-footed booby nests sit beside the trail.
Today your Galapagos cruise finishes, but before we bid farewell to the Grace we visit Black Turtle Cove, a mangrove estuary on the northern shores of Santa Cruz Island. We visit the cove via panga (local dinghy) but with the engines turned off. Many rays, sea turtles, pelicans and other wildlife live among the mangroves.
Next we return to the airport where we began our journey in the Galapagos for the flight back to the Ecuadorian mainland.
Best Price GuaranteedTYPE Motor Yacht / Expeditions Vessel
L.O.A 145 feet / 44 meters
BEAM 22.1 feet / 7 meters
ENGINES 8 cylinder - Twin Deutz - 500 bhp ea.
GENERATORS 2 Caterpillar 75W ea.
BUILDER Camper & Nicholsons: South Hampton, England
CRUISING SPEED 10-12 knots
ACCOMMODATIONS 2 Master Suites on Albert Deck - A deck
CREW 9 crew members plus 2 naturalist guides (on a full ship) & 1 cruise director.
DINGIES 2 dinghies (pangas/zodiacs) for 12 pax each
