Luxury Galápagos Cruise & Classic Wildlife Highlights - 8 Days

Highlights

• Walk with giant Galápagos tortoises in their natural habitat
• Trek across volcanic landscapes on Isla Santa Cruz to see Darwin's finches
• Hike up to the Sierra Negra caldera, one of the world's largest volcanoes
• Go snorkeling and laze on white-sand beaches next to friendly sea lions

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive on Isla Santa Cruz, Visit Playa Bachas, Board Cruise

Welcome to the Galápagos! This far-flung archipelago off the coast of Ecuador is almost single-handedly responsible for inspiring Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. That's because animals exist in these islands that are wholly unique to this ecosystem and have adapted over the ages accordingly. You'll see all the star species and natural highlights, beginning with your arrival in Baltra, an islet just north of Santa Cruz, one of the Galápagos 13 main islands.

The fun starts immediately, as your driver will pick you up at the airport for the ride to Santa Cruz's Playa Bachas. The soft white sands and turquoise waters are the perfect introduction to these islands. Not only is it beautiful, but it's also home to exotic animals like flamingoes and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Bachas is also a popular nesting spot for sea turtles.

After spending time at the beach, you'll transfer to the island's south side and Puerto Ayora, the main town. At the pier, you'll board your accommodation for the duration of this adventure. The M/C Endemic is a new luxury catamaran purpose-built to cruise the azure waters of the Galápagos in style. With a capacity for 16 guests, it features luxurious staterooms with panoramic windows and private balconies. Other welcome amenities include a sun deck, Jacuzzi and a friendly crew dedicated to making your Galápagos experience a memorable one.

Day 2: Cruise to Isla Genovesa & Darwin Bay

Get ready for some island hopping, as today you'll cruise north from Santa Cruz to Isla Genovesa. You'll disembark and hike along El Barranco (also known as Prince Philip's Steps) up to a rocky plateau. During the walk, you can observe large colonies of Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, and storm petrels. Those not wishing to disembark can enjoy a longer panga (outboard boat) ride along the cliffs (depending on weather conditions).

In the afternoon, you'll land at Darwin Bay, a beautiful beach where you can enjoy some free time for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. Then, take a stroll and watch for avian residents like frigatebirds, red-footed and Nazca boobies, gulls, herons, finches, and mockingbirds, before returning to your ship.

Day 3: Cruise to Sullivan Bay, Visit Los Gemelos

This morning, the ship will cruise south back toward Santa Cruz. On the way there, you'll stop at Sullivan Bay on Isla Santiago. This otherworldly locale features a sandy shore surrounded by lava fields. The lava is relatively recent, only about 100 years old, and though it appears desolate, you can find animals here like green sea turtles, blue herons, and oystercatchers. After a hike, you can enjoy a refreshing swim with the option to do some snorkeling.

After spending time at Santiago, you'll return to Santa Cruz for more time on shore. Specifically, you'll head into the highlands and visit Los Gemelos (The Twins). These volcanic sinkholes are home to bird species like flycatchers, Galápagos doves, Darwin's finches, short-eared owls, and more. The views are nothing short of incredible, so you'll want to snap plenty of pics before departing. Then, your driver will take you back to the port, and you'll return to the ship in time for dinner.

Day 4: Cruise to Isla Isabela: Visit Wetlands, Sierra Negra Volcano & Turtle Center

Enjoy an al fresco breakfast as the ship cruises west to Isla Isabela, the largest of the Galápagos islands. During another land excursion, you'll visit the wetlands. Characterized by sandy beaches, rocky shores, and mangroves, this area has many trails where you can see all four species of mangroves found in the Galápagos and various migratory birds. You'll also visit the Wall of Tears, constructed between 1946 and 1959 when Isabela was a penal colony. As punishment, the prisoners were forced to build this wall from huge blocks of lava.

Afterward, you'll transfer to the island's interior to hike the famous Sierra Negra volcano. As you explore the second-largest volcano crater on the planet (it measures 6 miles/9.6 km in diameter), you'll walk along lava paths abounding with plant and animal life. Watch for different bird species while hiking to the crater rim, like Galápagos hawks, vermilion flycatchers, and Darwin's finches. Parts of the caldera provide evidence of its last eruption in 2018.

An optional finale to this exciting day is a trip to the Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center. The center is home to hundreds of juvenile and adult tortoises, including populations from all over the archipelago. Giant tortoise eggs are carefully incubated here in a special hatchery, and the adults are cared for in large supervised corrals. 

Day 5: Visit Elizabeth Bay & Urbina Bay

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Spend another day cruising the coast of Isabela. In the morning, you'll disembark at Elizabeth Bay, on the island's east coast. This area contains many rocky islets you can cruise around by Zodiac as you search for penguins and blue-footed boobies. Also, with abundant marine life and clear water, the area is perfect for snorkeling amid schools of colorful fish, sea lions, and even sea turtles.

Continue the exploration of Isabela's east coast this afternoon with a visit to Urbina Bay. This is another fascinating area formed by volcanic activity, resulting in fascinating rock and coral formations. During a walk, you'll see abundant wildlife, including land iguanas, giant tortoises, and lava lizards. Birdlife includes finches, hawks, and mockingbirds. The moderate hike, a relatively long one at 9,843 feet (3,000 m), is followed by a refreshing swim or snorkeling in the bay.

Day 6: Visit Tagus Cove, Cruise to Isla Fernandina & Espinoza Point

Visit another highlight of Isabela's east coast this morning when you stop at Tagus Cove. Here, you'll stroll along the sea cliffs searching for penguins, flightless cormorants, and other aquatic birds. You can also hike to a viewpoint overlooking Darwin Lake, which has a saline content higher than the sea. During the hike, notice the graffiti on the surrounding cliffs and cove—it's been written over the centuries by pirates, whalers, and buccaneers.

Afterward, the ship will cross the Bolivar Channel that divides Isabela and Fernandina, the third-largest island in the Galápagos. You'll land at Espinoza Point and, after disembarking, hike past colonies of marine iguanas and sea lions on your way to a nesting site of flightless cormorants. This cormorant is one of the many animals that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution, as, over time, the environment forced its wings and feet to adapt more to water. This famous area also provides an excellent opportunity to see the noble Galápagos hawk.

Day 7: Cruise to Isla Santiago: Visit Buccaneer Cove & Isla Rábida

The journey continues as you return to Isla Santiago this morning, arriving at the dramatic coastal cliffs of Buccaneer Cove. This scenic inlet is home to many marine birds, sea lions, and intertidal organisms. You'll definitely want to snap photos of the seaside caves and otherworldly rock formations, like The Bishop and Elephant Rock. There's also the opportunity for snorkeling and a ride on a glass-bottom boat.

From here, head to a pristine sandy beach on the north end of Isla Santiago called Playa Espumilla. At either end of the beach, trails lead through some mangroves to a salty lagoon, where lucky visitors may get to see flamingoes, pintail ducks, stilts, or other wading birds. There's good snorkeling and kayaking off the coast, as well.

After lunch, sail to the remarkable Isla Rábida, famous for its cactus groves and scenic rock formations. Finches and other small land birds are commonly seen flitting around the cactuses alongside the trails. The hike starts along a red sand beach where brown pelicans nest in mangroves. Short trails lead from the beach to lagoons, where flamingoes are sometimes seen. After the hike, cool off with a swim or some snorkeling, and keep an eye out for colorful fish, marine iguanas, sea lions, and turtles.

Day 8: Visit Mosquera Islet, Cruise to Isla Baltra, Depart

For your last morning in the Galápagos, cruise to Mosquera, an islet north of Baltra. Here, you'll embark on a short hike on a sandy, sparsely vegetated sandbar home to sea lions, lava gulls, shorebirds, and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Lucky visitors might also see a yellow-crowned heron. The stop also includes a guided walk around the islet and snorkeling offshore. Later, you'll say goodbye to the islands as you disembark and transfer to the airport in Baltra for your connecting flight home. See you next time!

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