8-day Galápagos cruise expedition

Saturday (day 1) - Baltra & Daphne Major

Including: lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: cruise

Morning

This morning you will fly to Baltra in the Galápagos. Upon arrival you will board M/Y Grace, where you will have lunch and receive a short briefing en route to your first site: the island of Daphne Major.

Afternoon

We sail around the island of Daphne Major. This island is an important breeding ground for a wide variety of birds, including nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies and red-billed tropic birds.

Sunday (day 2) - Santa Fe & Plaza Sur

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking, snorkelling, panga rides, kayaking

Morning

In the morning you will visit the island of Santa Fe, home of one of the most beautiful and sheltered bays in the archipelago, and one of the best snorkeling areas in the Galápagos – with its crystal clear waters. Certainly one of the best locations to see sea turtles, to swim with sea lions and catch a glimpse of the Galapagos whitetipped reef sharks.

After snorkeling you will go hiking on the island. You walk from the beach through an area of giant cacti to a nearby cliff to see the land iguanas. The land iguana on Sante Fe is unique in its kind and is found nowhere else in the world! This Santa Fe land iguana is slightly less yellow in colour than its cousins in the archipelago and the head is slightly more pointed.

Afternoon

In the afternoon you will visit Plaza Sur, the smallest island that can be visited by tourists, but also the most colourful island in the Galápagos and with great diversity. You will be welcomed by the brightly coloured sally lightfoot crabs, sitting on the black lava where you come to shore. The island is covered with the endemic plant Sesuvium microphyllum which turns beautifully red in the dry season. Yellow land iguanas (a species different from the Santa Fe iguana) roam through this bright red carpet, waiting to eat prickly  pears that fall from the green cacti. All these wonderful colours contrast beautifully with the turquoise waters that surround the island. You enter the island at the quiet flat bay on the norther shore. The southern part, however, consists of high cliffs where the sea crashes on the island. A paradise for a wide variety of birds. We see swallow-tailed gulls nesting, while swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds, Galapagos storm-petrels and frigate birds dance to the wind.

Monday (day 3) - Genovesa: El Barranco & Bahía Darwin

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking, snorkelling, panga rides, kayaking

Morning

Today it is advisable to rise before the wake-up call. The arrival in the early morning at Genovesa is spectacular. You sail into the caldera of the volcano, after which the island embraces the ship like a circle. Genovesa, also known as Tower Island, is located in the northwest, slightly removed from other islands in the Galápagos Archipelago. It is also known as “bird island”, and certainly lives up to its name. Our first visit is to El Barranco, the Prince Phillips Steps. After the short climb up the stairs you will arrive at the top of the island and you will be welcomed by many nazca and red legged boobies. They are curious birds and don’t mind posing in front of your camera. We walk a short distance to look for the Galápagos short eared owl that hunts for storm petrels on the lava rocks.

After the walk, a wonderful snorkelling adventure awaits. You see brightly coloured tropical fish and you have the chance to come face to face with hammerhead sharks.

Afternoon

After lunch you have time to kayak along the walls of the sunken caldera.

In the afternoon you will visit Bahía Darwin. You reach the bay with a wet landing (just barefoot in the water from the panga) on a small sandy and coral beach. You will find an abundance of birds in this bay. Here we see swallowtail and lava gulls, mocking birds, the endemic Galápagos Heron and Galápagos Dove and Yellow Warbler.

The salty bushes of the island are dominated by large frigate birds and red-legged boobies that breed in abundance on this island. Their red legs stand out beautifully against the green-leaved bushes.

A path leads from the beach along tidal pools and lava ledges to a high point overlooking the bay. From this point you have one of the most rewarding views in the Galápagos.

Tuesday (day 4) - Fernandina: Punta Espinoza & Isabela: Bahía Urbina

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking, snorkelling, panga rides, kayaking

Morning

In the morning we visit the island of Fernandina, home of the active volcano La Cumbre, which still erupts regularly (even very recently on 16 June 2018). We visit Punta Espinoza, a narrow headland, where a number of unique animal species can be seen, such as marine iguanas, sea lions, herons, egrets and Galápagos hawks. Perhaps the most extraordinary is the endemic Galápagos flightless cormorant. This cormorant is the heaviest of its kind, but also the only cormorant (out of 29 cormorant species) that cannot fly! Because of this they only appear on Fernandina and Isabela and nowhere else in the world.

Afternoon

This afternoon you will visit Bahía Urbina, directly west of Isabela’s Volcano Alcedo. Bahía Urbina is very special. This land was formed in 1954 as a result of volcanic activities. The bottom of the ocean was pushed up by no less than 4 meters, extending the coast by more than 1 km! We reach this unique area with a wet landing, a small jump from the panga in a few centimetres of water. After you have dried your feet, we walk a distance of approximately 5 km through this newly formed landscape. During the walk you can encounter remains of aquatic organisms and even parts of the coral reef, elements that remind you of the time that all this was still a seabed. A highlight of this excursion are the giant marine iguanas and giant tortoises. You also have a second chance here (after visiting Fernandina) to see the Galápagos flightless cormorant. Finally you have the opportunity to snorkel or just relax on the coast.

Wednesday (day 5) - Isla Isabela: Caleta Tagus & Punta Vicente Roca

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking, snorkelling, panga rides, kayaking

Morning

Today you will go back in time  to the 1800’s when pirates and whalers dominated the waters: you take a walk at Caleta Tagus. Pirates anchored their ships in this bay. When you go ashore you will find a small cave with ancient inscriptions, left by the crew members of these ships. Via a wooden staircase you climb up to the edge of the crater to continue the path along Lake Darwin, a salt water lake with a depth of 9 meters. At the end of the hiking trail you have a spectacular view of the Grace in the bay and of the Darwin and Wolf volcanoes.

After the hike you return to the ship for a delicious breakfast, after which we go snorkelling with marine iguanas, sea turtles, penguins and seahorses.

Afternoon

In the afternoon you will visit Punta Vicente Roca on the island of Isabela. Snorkelling is incredibly beautiful here because of the very nutrient-rich water. You have the chance to see colourful fish, sea lions, penguins and sea turtles in the water.

Thursday (day 6) - Santiago: Puerto Egas & Playa Espumilla

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking, snorkelling, panga rides, kayaking

Morning

The island of Santiago is also called San Salvador or James Island. Geologically it is one of the most fascinating islands in the archipelago. In the morning you will visit Puerto Egas on the northwest side of this island. The visit starts with a wet landing on an intriguing black beach. Here you will find beautifully eroded rock formations, full of sally lightfoot crabs. From this beach you continue a path inland to reach the coast again. The liquid lava has formed a surreal landscape. You will marvel at a seemingly endless empty plain and the beautiful structures in the lava. The lava has formed caves that offer a home to the Galápagos fur seal. This is even the best location in the Galápagos archipelago to see this endemic species! It is the smallest type of fur seal. The fur seal looks a lot like the Galápagos sea lion, but distinguishes itself especially by its much thicker fur. That is why you will find it during the walk in the shade of the lava caves, shielded from the hot sun.

Afternoon

Espumilla beach is located on the north side of this island. “Espumilla” is Spanish for “foam”, which refers to the foamy white caps on the waves breaking on the beach. In the afternoon you walk on this idyllic, golden beach surrounded by mangroves. Behind the mangroves is an important breeding ground for turtles. At this place you have a chance to spot the Galápagos hawk. Pelicans dive for food in the ocean and on the beach you see a countless number of ghost crabs.

Today you will go snorkelling for the last time this week, but at one of the most beautiful locations. You snorkel from the beach, which slowly ends in the sea and turns into rocks. Between these rocks you will see many green sea turtles, you have a chance to swim with the Galápagos penguin and it is possible to encounter large schools of rays here.

Friday (day 7) - Santa Cruz: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Center

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking

Morning

If during this wonderful trip you have not yet experienced the joy of seeing the giant tortoises, this will certainly happen today. Santa Cruz is the second largest island of the Galápagos and the capital, Puerto Ayora, is the economic centre of the islands. In the morning we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. This is an important research institution where more than 200 scientists and volunteers work on research and nature conservation in the Galápagos Islands. You visit the extensive breeding program of the giant tortoises and land iguanas.

Afternoon

In the afternoon we visit the highlands of Santa Cruz. You will see how the dry vegetation on the coast slowly turns into green moist fields and forests covered with moss as we drive up. In the highlands you will visit a tortoise sanctuary. This reserve is not fenced and the giant tortoises are completely free to leave the site and roam the island. Keep your eyes on the side of the road during the bus trip, you have a good chance to see a tortoise walking along the road during the ride! In addition to the tortoise reserve, you will visit a lava tunnel and “los gemelos”. Los gemelos means the twins: you walk past two giant sinkholes created by the collapse of volcanic magma chambers.

Today you also have time to visit Puerto Ayora. At the small, fun fish market, fresh fish is processed and sold and you can see sea lions and pelicans begging for leftover pieces. Here you also have the chance to buy beautiful souvenirs.

Saturday (day 8) - San Cristóbal: Centro de Interpretación

Including: breakfast, lunch, diner
Overnight: 2-persons cabin
Activities: hiking

Morning

Unfortunately your beautiful expedition cruise ends today, but before we say goodbye to the islands, you will visit  the visitor centre of the Galápagos National Park with an extensive exhibition about the natural history of the islands, human interaction, ecosystems, flora and fauna. It is a great time to reflect back on your cruise expedition, summarise everything that you have seen and put it into context.

Your options

From here you can go to the airport to fly back to mainland Ecuador. However, you also have the choice to extend your stay in the Galápagos with one or more nights in a nice hotel. Contact us to discuss the options. We are happy to offer you a customised offer.

The Galápagos Islands are a protected nature reserve. It is therefore always possible that your trip or activities must be adjusted as a result of decisions made by the National Park Directorate. The captain of your ship may also decide to change the program if the weather or other circumstances so require.