The Galapagos In-Depth and Up-Close - AAA Mid

presents...
The Galapagos In-Depth and Up-Close
Quito & The Galapagos Islands
Blue-footed Boobies
Quito, Ecuador
11 days • Small Group Escorted • Never more than 20 guests
Small Group Escorted
S
The Galapagos In-Depth & Up-Close
tep aboard the MV Galapagos Explorer II for an unforgettable 6-night cruise! With one week on our ship, built for
ocean cruising, you’ll travel farther to explore all of the Galapagos! Join our handpicked naturalist guides and visit
12 unique landing sites, from the oldest islands at the eastern edge to remote Fernandina in the west. Your small group
excursions promise intimate face-to-face encounters with some of the most amazing creatures on the planet.
Engaging Experiences...
O N LY F O R A A A M E M B E R S !
• Discover Quito’s splendid Colonial district
and dine at Theatrum, one of the city’s finest
and most stylish restaurants.
• Venture off the beaten path to Saquisilí,
where Andean villagers come to barter
goods as they have for generations.
• Get up-close to exotic fish and marine
creatures like penguins and seals with free
snorkeling gear throughout your cruise.
• Relax after your Galapagos shore
excursions with a complimentary
bottle of wine and a free
30-minute onboard massage.
2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites c
Your Unforgettable Voyage
Day 1 – Arrive Quitoc, Ecuador
Check in and relax at the luxury JW Marriott, ideally situated close to Old Town.
Day 2 – Experience all the colors of Ecuador
Embark on a magnificent drive along the Avenue of Volcanoes to La Estacion Hosteria, a
charming hacienda in the lovely Machachi Valley. Learn about life on the estate as you
enjoy a refreshing beverage. Continue your scenic drive to the timeless village of Saquisilí,
where an authentic indigenous market offers a true look into ancient Andean ways.
Visit La Victoria, famed for the skill of its ceramic artisans, and return to Quito. Dine this
evening at Theatrum, an elegant restaurant in the historic National Theater. Meals B,L,D
Day 3 – Colonial Quito and the Middle of the World
Enjoy the view over Quito from the Guapulo Lookout and then discover the city’s most
important Colonial-era landmarks, including the Cathedral and Presidential Palace.
Ascend Pululahua Volcano for lunch at the aptly-named El Crater Restaurant and
then stop at Latitude O, where the Middle of the World Monument marks the
Equatorial Line. Be sure to have your photo taken as you stand simultaneously in
both the northern and southern hemispheres! Meals B,L
Day 4 – Fly to the Galapagosc
Fly to Baltra Island and board the MV Galapagos Explorer II, where a bottle of
wine awaits in your suite. Step ashore with your expert naturalist guide to
explore across the lava flows of Sullivan Bay, home to lava lizards,
Galapagos penguins and numerous bird species. Meals B,L,D
AAA Vacations
GALAPAGOS
Day 5 – Ascend Bartolomé Island / Hike Santiago Island
Bartolomé is famous for its dramatic geological formations, including
the much-photographed Pinnacle Rock. Ascend to the summit for a
panoramic view and then walk along a sandy beach where stingrays and
white-tipped sharks come close to shore. On Santiago, a beach walk leads
to a pristine lagoon, home to greater flamingos and white-cheeked pintail
ducks. Meals B,L,D
Day 6 – The seas and shores of Fernandina and Isabela Islands
The islands here at the archipelago’s western edge are usually visited only
by faster vessels like the Explorer II. Your excursions today by land and boat
reveal unique species like flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins, and
large colonies of marine iguanas. Meals B,L,D
Day 7 – Tagus Cove and Elizabeth Bay on Isabela Island
Discover the astonishing geological and wildlife diversity of this remote
island on a guided morning walk to marvel at the lava fields of the Darwin
Volcano. An afternoon Zodiac excursion across the pristine waters of
Elizabeth Bay is a great chance to observe masked boobies, graceful rays,
sharks, playful sea lions and penguins. Meals B,L,D
Day 8 – Explore Floreana Island
Step ashore at historic Post Office Bay on Floreana, one of only four
inhabited islands in the Galapagos. Morning and afternoon landings
reveal sea lions, brown pelicans, warbler finches and numerous other bird
species. Floreana is also famed for excellent snorkeling. Meals B,L,D
Day 9 – Discover San Cristobal Island
Step ashore on San Cristobal this morning for a motorcoach excursion to
the Cerro Colorado Reserve, home to the elusive Galapagos tortoise. After
lunch, set out on a guided nature walk on Ochoa Beach, home to hermit
crabs, marine iguanas, the magnificent frigate bird and raucous colonies
of Galapagos sea lions. Meals B,L,D
ECUADOR
PERU
Machu Picchu
Genovesa Is.
James Is.
(Santiago Is.) Bartolomé Is.
North
Seymour Is.
Baltra
Is.
Rabida Is.
Fernandina Is.
Santa
Cruz Is.
Santa Fé Is.
San Cristóbal Is.
Isabela Is.
Floreana Is.
Hood Is. (Española Is.)
We include all internal flights and a 6-night cruise.
Day 10 – Santa Cruz Island... Then back to the Mainland
A morning landing at The Twins on Santa Cruz Island reveals lush
vegetation and a rich variety of bird life. At mid-day, you’ll be escorted to
the airport for your return flight to the mainland. You have the option of
returning to the JW Marriott in Quito or flying to the bustling Pacific port
of Guayaquil for an overnight at the deluxe Hilton Colon Hotel. Meals B
Day 11 – Depart Ecuador
Your tour finishes this morning after breakfast. Or why not complement
your Galapagos voyage with our 5-night journey to Peru? Meals B
The Explorer II gets you closer to the islands.
Call or visit your AAA Travel Office . AAAtravel.com
5-star Accommodations on Land and Sea
The deluxe, all-suite Galapagos Explorer II
Our intimate ship offers just 50 spacious outside suites and operates in
full compliance with the highest environmental standards. Enjoy inviting
lounges, informative briefings with our naturalist guides and fine cuisine.
Your Small Group Value...
• Comprehensive escorted sightseeing with never more than
20 guests including all entry fees
• Our complete program of naturalist guided Galapagos shore
excursions with no more than 16 guests in a landing party
• 25 meals: 10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 7 dinners
• 4 nights accommodation in our deluxe hotel and 6 nights in an
outside suite aboard our deluxe Galapagos ship
• All on-tour transportation and both internal flights
• Luggage handling, all hotel taxes and service charges, port charges,
$100 National Park fee and required Galapagos Transit Card
11 days from $5,199
All departures guaranteed
JW Marriott, Quito
This contemporary luxury hotel offers a prime city-center location. Air-conditioned
rooms are generously appointed with in-room safe, coffee maker, complimentary
bottled water, minibar, hairdryer and LCD satellite TV.
2012
Classic Cabin Deluxe Balcony
May 2, 16
$5199
$6099
May 30 • Jun 13, 27 • Jul 11, 25
Aug 8, 22 • Oct 3, 17, 31
Nov 14, 28 • Dec 12, 26
$5399
$6299
2013
Jan 9, 23 • Feb 6, 20
Mar 6, 20 • Apr 3, 17
$5399
$6299
Single Supplement from $1600. Upgrades to other cabin categories are available.
Call your AAA Travel Professional for international economy or business airfare
which includes arrival and departure transfers. Prices are per person, double.
National Park fee of $100 per person and required Galapagos Transit Control
Card are included.
Experience the wonders of Peru...
With our perfectly-planned post-cruise extension!
6 days from $2,799
Your 6-day Small Group extension includes:
• All 3-on tour flights between Ecuador, Lima and Cuzco.
• 5 nights in our handpicked superior first class and deluxe hotels
• 7 meals: 5 breakfasts and 2 lunches
• In-depth sightseeing with all entrance fees
Day 11: Fly from Ecuador to Limac, Peru... and transfer to the Casa
Andina Private Collection Hotel. Your tour features the city’s architectural
highlights and a special visit to the Larco Herrera Museum with a curator.
Day 12: Fly to Cuzco c... and join your guide for a tour including the
Temple of the Sun and Sacsayhuaman. Then visit a child care center that
provides food, clothing and shelter; it’s your chance for you to “Make a
Difference.” Overnight at the deluxe Casa Andina Private Collection. Meals B
Day 13: Explore the Sacred Valley... Including Ollantaytambo and
Chinchero where you learn about ancient weaving techniques. Meals B,L
Day 14: Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu c... Enjoy a scenic rail
journey to Machu Picchu and tour the Lost City with our expert guide. Spend
a delightful night at the enchanting Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel. Meals B,L,D
Day 15: Return to Machu Picchu and back to Cuzco... We’ve
included your transportation and entry ticket so you can explore Machu
Picchu again - this time at your own pace before the day visitors arrive!
Return to Cuzco by the afternoon train and transfer to your hotel. Meals B
Day 16: Fly to Lima... before your onward flight. Meals B
3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites c
AAA Vacations
Important Things You Should Know
Forms of Payments
You may make payment by Visa, MasterCard, Discover,
American Express, check or electronic cash withdrawal.
Rates
Prices are land only, and do not include international
airfare to or from the US. On-tour transportation is
included as indicated on each tour program. Land only
rates are guaranteed upon receipt of deposit. Printed
rates are subject to change without notice.
We are pleased to book international air for you at an
additional cost.
Holiday Rates and Programs
Trade fair periods, holidays and festivals may carry
additional surcharges, payment requirements and
cancellation penalties. During holidays or special
events, sites such as museums, restaurants and
shopping may be limited or not available.
Transfers
Transfers are included as indicated or if international
air is purchased through General Tours. Transfers
for land only travelers who have made their own
arrangements for international air are available at
additional cost.
Mandatory Guest Information including
Passports
The Transportation Security Administration requires all
passengers to provide their name exactly as it appears
on their passport, their date of birth and gender when
making airline reservations. Your confirmation includes
a Mandatory Guest Information form to make it easy
for you to provide this information to us.
Deposit
A deposit of $100 per person is due within 7 days
of booking to secure your reservation. Please have
credit card information, along with home address, and
telephone number at time of booking. Reservations
made within final payment periods require full
payment at the time of booking.
Final Payment
90 days prior to departure.
Changes to Reservations
After any payment has been made a minimum $50
fee will be charged for any change made to hotels,
sightseeing, ground or air transportation. Changes
are considered cancelled services and additional
cancellation penalties may apply. Changes are subject
to additional airline or hotel charges should the
original rates no longer be available for your revised
travel dates. Revisions to air tickets are subject to the
airline fare rules, change fees and cancellation policies.
Changes from double occupancy to single occupancy
will incur a single supplement.
Cancellations
Cancellations are subject to the following per person
fees:
• Up to 91 days prior to departure: $100 plus airline
cancellation penalties
• 90-61 days prior to departure: 25% of program price
plus airline cancellation penalties
• 60-45 days prior to departure: 50% of the program
price plus airline cancellation penalties
• 44-31 days prior to departure: 75% of the program
price plus airline cancellation penalties
• Within 30 days of departure: 100% of the program
price
Refunds
All requests for refunds will be considered promptly,
but they must be in writing and received within 30
days of the return date of the tour. There is no refund
for unused services or unused portions of your trip. We
recommend that guests purchase travel insurance prior
to travel.
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Changes to our Programs
We will make every effort to operate all programs as
disclosed in this brochure. However, circumstances
beyond our control may arise which would require
an adjustment to the tour, its inclusions or the staff
accompanying the trip. We will do all that is possible
to avoid such changes but we must reserve the right to
make such modifications. Modes of transportation and
itinerary routings may change based on the number
of passengers on a guaranteed departure. More than
one trip leader or host may accompany you on your
escorted itinerary. Problems beyond our control (such
as civil unrest or acts of nature) may force a change in
itinerary.
Tour Documents
Documents are mailed approximately 21 days prior to
departure for all tours. Documents for all passengers
cannot be released until full payment and the
Mandatory Guest Information form have been received.
Hotels
We must reserve the right to substitute hotels if
absolutely necessary. Please note that it is standard
policy that hotel rooms are not available for check-in
before 3 p.m. Single rooms/cabins are often smaller
than twin rooms/cabins. Triple rooms may not be
available or may consist of a rollaway, cot, temporary
bed or mattress in a twin room, and may not be
comfortable for three adults.
Gratuities
Gratuities for the trip leader, local guides, drivers, and
cruise staff are not included unless indicated and are
at the discretion of the individual traveler.
Smoking Policy
There is a no-smoking policy on all of our
transportation. Cruise ships have a non-smoking policy,
except where permitted in designated areas of the
open decks.
Travelers Requiring Special Assistance
Any disability requiring special attention should be
reported at the time the reservation is made. We will
make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special
needs of such travelers, but are not responsible for
any denial of services by carriers, hotels, and other
independent suppliers.
Many Sites Around the World Require Careful
Walking and Alertness
Sightseeing, either guided or “on your own,” requires
walking over uneven stones and unpaved surfaces,
climbing steep stairs and paths that may have no
railings, and exploring when weather conditions are
wet. Travelers who choose to travel with General Tours
assume responsibility for their personal safety, whether
guided or during free time. Activities, lodges, camps
and cruise ships in natural settings may require a
signed liability waiver.
Responsibility
General Tours (the “Operator”) packages and operates
these programs solely as an independent contractor.
The tour services described in this brochure, including
without limitation transportation, lodging, and
sightseeing, are provided by the carrier, hoteliers, and
other suppliers that are independent contractors and
not agents for, employees, partners, or joint ventures
of the Operator. The Operator issues tickets, vouchers,
and other travel documents for such services merely as
an agent for the companies that furnish such services.
Such tickets, vouchers, and other travel documents are
subject to all terms and conditions of the respective
suppliers (some of them may limit or exclude the
supplier’s liability). The Operator is not responsible for
any loss of or damage to property or death or injury
to persons, resulting from any act or omission of any
supplier providing any tour service or any other person
or entity or caused by strike, war, weather, quarantine,
sickness, government restriction or regulation, or any
other cause beyond its reasonable control, including
supplier’s decision to withdraw and/or cancel a tour
for any reason. The tour participant expressly waives
all rights, which he or she may have against the
Operator in connection with the foregoing. Under
no circumstances is the Operator to be construed
as a carrier under contract for safe carriage of the
passenger or his or her baggage and belongings. The
Operator reserves the right to remove a client from a
tour and provide a full refund for unused services.
Disputes
All matters concerning these tour programs and
services shall be governed by, and administered and
interpreted according to the laws of the State of
New Hampshire (without regard to conflicts of laws
principles).
Any unresolved dispute or controversy arising under
or in connection with the services provided by the
Operator shall be settled exclusively by arbitration,
conducted before the American Arbitration Association
in Boston, Massachusetts, in accordance with the
rules of that body then in effect. In addition, the
arbitrator and not any federal, state, or local court or
agency shall have exclusive authority to resolve any
dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability,
enforceability, conscionability, or formation of this
contract, including but not limited to a claim that
all or any part of this contract is void or voidable.
The arbitrator shall not have the authority to add
to, detract from, or modify any provision hereof nor
to award punitive damages to any injured party. A
decision by the arbitrator shall be final and binding.
Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator’s award
in any court having jurisdiction. Each party shall be
responsible for the respective fees and expenses of
their legal representation and the costs of arbitration
shall be shared equally.
Legal proceedings against the Operator may be
instituted only in a state or federal court within the
State of New Hampshire, and any claim involved in
such proceedings shall be decided in accordance with
the laws of the State of New Hampshire. Any legal
proceeding against the Operator must be commenced
within one year following the date of tour completion.
Neither the Operator nor any affiliate shall in any case
be liable for other than compensatory damages, and
you hereby waive any right to punitive damages.
We reserve the right to correct errors.
Visa & Passport Information
A U.S. Passport valid for six months upon return to the
U.S. is required of all guests. AAA Vacations includes
standard visa fees when they are required for U.S.
citizens. It is each traveler’s responsibility to complete
the application and to submit it on time. For travelers
who are not citizens of the United States, please advise
your travel counsellor.
Please note that visa requirements and charges are
subject to change, and should be confirmed at the time
of booking. General Tours is not responsible for the
refusal or delayed processing of visas and passports by
Consular offices.
Program validity:
January 2012-April 2013
CST: 2009641-20
Call or visit your AAA Travel Office . AAAtravel.com