Galapagos Luxury Cruise

Welcome to Ecuador! Arrive at Quito’s Mariscal Sucres International Airport and transfer to your boutique accommodation.

Depart Quito for San Cristobal and the Galapagos. Upon arrival your guides will be waiting to escort you to a Zodiac transfer to the yacht anchored in the bay. Settle in to your cabin and then enjoy a delicious buffet lunch. You will be required to participate in a brief safety drill and then choose your snorkel equipment. Before the yacht pulls anchor, you’ll return to San Cristobal to explore El Junco Lake. Spanish for “sedge”, El Junco is the caldera of an extinct volcano and the only large freshwater lake in the Galapagos. Upon your return to the yacht, the Captain and crew will welcome you on board with a cocktail, and a briefing of the next day’s activities. Enjoy meeting your fellow passengers as the kitchen staff treats you to a multi-course dinner complete with complimentary wine.

Start your exploration today with a Zodiac ride to look for wildlife at Cerro Brujo (Wizard Hill). Your guide will point out the wide variety of birds soaring around you, from brown pelicans and brown noddy terns to blue-footed boobies dive-bombing the water as they fish. Sally Lightfoot crabs scurry all over the rocks, black when they’re young but a colorful mosaic of reds and yellows once fully grown. After the Zodiac tour, you’ll be able to stroll the gorgeous coral sand beach at your own pace. Walk along the beach, swim with sea lions, or maybe choose to SUP or kayak. There is an opportunity to become familiar with your snorkeling gear from the beach before snorkeling in deep water. Return to the yacht for lunch served on the sun deck before going ashore again this afternoon to Punta Pitt for a rugged hike. This is considered one of the best sites for bird-watching, primarily because it is the only place where you’ll see all three species of boobies: blue-footed, red-footed, and the Nazca. Look for fluffy, white, baby blue-footed boobies while frigates, swallow-tailed gulls, and storm petrels sail overhead. There is also an option to snorkel with sea lions and colorful King Angelfish and Surgeonfish. A Zodiac transfers you back to the boat in time for dinner. As the yacht sets sail, choose from a selection of guidebooks or fiction in the library, or climb to the top deck for a distant view of the “Sleeping Lion”. Join your guide on deck for an exploration of the southern skies full of stars.

This morning you’ll land at Punta Suarez on Espanola Island. Your expert, naturalist guides will explain how the waved albatross spends the first several years of their lives in the open ocean, only returning to land to mate. If your visit is between April and December, you will witness their intricate courtship dance. As you walk, take care not to step on the camouflaged marine iguanas sunbathing on the dark rocks. These iguanas acquire bright red and green coloration during mating season from the algae they eat. As the trail winds its way to the dramatic ocean blowhole you’ll find Darwin’s Finches, Hood mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, red-billed tropicbirds, Galapagos hawks, and swallow-tailed gulls, the only nocturnal gull in the world. Return to the yacht for lunch served on deck and a cooking demonstration on how to make traditional Ecuadorian ceviche. After lunch, you’ll have the option to snorkel at Tortuga Rock and explore the caves covered with invertebrates. Disembark at Gardner Bay, the site of a beautiful white-sand beach where colonies of sea lions dot the shoreline. The dominant males of a sea lion colony keep watch over their harems to keep them safe. Snorkel from the beach, kayak or paddle-board, or walk along the beach, soaking up the sun. Return to the yacht for dinner. Afterward, your guide will offer a lecture on marine currents, climate, and the geology of the archipelago.

Step ashore at Punta Cormorant’s olive-sand beach with the sounds of sea lions, lava herons, yellow-crowned night herons, and blue-footed boobies. The green mineral you’ll see on the beach is caused by a high concentration of iron and manganese from the same basaltic lava found in Hawaii. As you walk to the lagoon, home to Bahama ducks, common stilts, Galapagos flycatchers, and bright pink flamingos, the guides will point out the rich variety of plant life, including morning glories, cut-leaf daisies, black, red, and white mangroves, palo verde, and Scalesia. Sea turtles lay their eggs in the powdery sand dunes and sting rays swim in the shallow water. Don’t miss the opportunity to snorkel at Devil’s Crown or Champion Islet, a shallow sunken crater colonized by a brilliant array of colorful fish and coral, white-tipped sharks, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and sea stars. Return to the yacht for lunch and a brief history of the human history of the Galapagos and the fascinating story of why this island is sometimes called the Island of Mysteries. In the afternoon, you’ll be able to participate in a Galapagos tradition at Post Office Bay. This site is where English whaling vessels erected a post barrel in the late 18th century. When you drop a postcard in the barrel, no postage is required! Take a Zodiac excursion to Baroness Point to look for sea turtles and rays. If you have an underwater camera, you’ll be busy snapping photos of sea stars and a brilliant array of colorful fish. Return to the yacht for dinner.

A bustling harbor of boats will greet you this morning at Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island. You’ll travel by bus to a higher altitude with beautiful geological formations including the lava tunnels at El Mirador and Los Gemelos (the twins), a pair of massive craters. The highlight of the morning is a visit to a privately owned ranch where giant tortoises roam free. These slow-moving giants can grow to be over 500 pounds! Lunch will be served back on board the yacht, and in the afternoon you’ll learn about the most famous visitor to the Galapagos – Charles Darwin – as well as current conservation efforts, when you visit the Centro de Crianza Fausto Llerena and Charles Darwin Research Station. A powerful highlight is a visit to the exhibit honoring Lonesome George, whose death marked the extinction of his species of tortoise from Pinta Island. There’s also the uplifting story of Diego, a tortoise from the San Diego Zoo, who brought his species back from the brink of extinction by fathering hundreds of offspring. You’ll have free time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora as you walk back to the main dock. Stop at the artisan chocolate shop to select a truffle, or visit an art gallery for a painting or ceramic piece. It’s your choice tonight to either stay on land for dinner with transfers provided by Zodiac or return to the yacht for the usual delicious multi-course dinner.

Wake up to solitude once again, with no other boats in sight. You’ll have two options for a morning activity. Today’s hike is a challenge, with about 400 wooden steps winding around Bartolome Island, ending in a gorgeous panoramic view of Pinnacle Rock. Your guide will stop along the way to describe the geology – mini lava cones and bombs formed by flowing magma from past volcanic eruptions. Otherwise, skip the hike, and enjoy a Zodiac ride around the island to look for Galapagos penguins. You’ll see these adorable birds – the second smallest type of penguin – swimming and diving playfully or grooming themselves on rocks. Crystal clear water beckons you to wade in from the beach. Snorkel with schools of tropical fish, white-tipped reef sharks, and perhaps even the penguins may join you! Return to the vessel for lunch served on the sundeck. The itinerary for this afternoon varies depending on the yacht, but all visitors will enjoy lovely views and some of the Galapagos’ renowned wildlife. Guests on the Origin go ashore at Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat), a small island off the southern tip of Santiago that owes its name to its shape. Sea lions await on the beach, and as you explore, you’ll see marine iguanas and oystercatchers. Along the trail, you’ll see remnants of the island’s geological history, with volcanic rubble and cracked lava formations. Guests on Theory visit Playa las Bachas, on the northern side of Santa Cruz. You’ll also have a wonderful opportunity for snorkeling after exploring interior lagoons with vivid flamingos. Your guide will offer a lecture tonight after dinner on Charles Darwin, evolution, and the social and environmental projects that are supported by these yachts.

Start the day at South Plaza, an islet with towering cliffs formed by geologic uplift. This island’s species of Opuntia prickly-pear cactus has been decimated by invasive species, so you’ll see young plants surrounded by nets to protect them. Look for a variety of nesting birds, such as swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters, ground finches, and red-billed tropicbirds. This unique island is home to a colony of bachelor sea lions, with dominant bulls in various stages of recovery from battles over prime beach territory. Get up close to magnificent land iguanas, and learn what differentiates them from marine iguanas. During lunch, you’ll cruise to North Seymour Island, where at the height of mating season, dozens of frigate birds inflate their scarlet chest sacs to impress a mate. You’ll have an opportunity to snorkel in deeper water here to look for sharks, sea lions, and starfish, along with a variety of resident tropical fish. Before dinner, the captain and crew join you for a champagne toast to celebrate a wonderful week. Tonight you’ll be briefed about disembarking tomorrow.

This morning you’ll disembark the yacht after breakfast. As a perfect way to sum up the trip, you’ll visit the Interpretation Center on San Cristobal to discover more about the human history of the Galapagos Islands. There’s also a paved trail where you can enjoy a brief walk before a bus ride to town. You’ll have some free time for last-minute photos before your transfer to the airport. It’s a quick flight back to the mainland, where you’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your boutique hotel.

Enjoy a final full day before your evening departure. Start with a walk through the historic city center of Quito where markets, cathedrals, sculptures, and fountains all have an interesting story to reveal. Your guide will lead the way, showing you the places that only a local knows about. Head for the hills after lunch, where a drive out of the city reveals panoramic views of snow-capped volcanoes towering over lush and verdant valleys. You’ll finish the day at Papallacta Hot Springs, where a hot soak and dinner is the perfect way to punctuate your equatorial adventures. Arrive at the international airport in time to check-in for your departing flight.