Galapagos 8-day Cruise

San Cristobal, Santa Fe, Santa Cruz, Santiago, Isabela... Join us for an 8-day cruise through the magnificent Galapagos, where we'll uncover its stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife.

Galapagos 8-day Cruise

Day 1: San Cristobal Island

Your journey begins as we meet you at the San Cristobal airport, welcoming you to the enchanting Galapagos Islands. Over the next eight days, we will explore the archipelago aboard the Archipel I cruise ship.

After settling in with lunch on the ship, we’ll visit the interpretation center in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Through engaging exhibits, you will learn about the volcanic origins of this unique island and delve into its fascinating geology.

Next, we’ll embark on a trek up to Tijeretas Hill, where a breathtaking panoramic view of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno awaits you.

We’ll also stop at the location of the Charles Darwin statue, commemorating his visit to this island in 1835 with the HMS Beagle, a significant event in the history of science.

The first day concludes with a delightful dinner on board.

Day 2: Santa Fe Island

Day two brings us to Santa Fe, situated in the heart of the Galapagos and recognized as the oldest island in the archipelago. This island hosts a variety of native species, including the Galapagos hawk, the Galapagos snake, and the Santa Fe land iguana. We’ll meander along its trails, encountering its diverse plant life such as salt bushes and giant prickly pear cacti.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll set sail eastward to Santa Cruz Island, home to hybrid iguanas and numerous birds including swallow-tailed gulls and brown pelicans.

At day's end, we'll share another wonderful dinner on the ship.

Day 3: North Seymour Island – Santiago Island

Our exploration continues at North Seymour Island, a remarkable islet characterized by its rugged cliffs that serve as nesting grounds for birds like the frigate bird and blue-footed booby.

Following this, we’ll visit Santiago Island. Along the way, we’ll catch sight of Sombrero Chino, a volcanic cone sheltering a colony of Galapagos penguins. Once we dock at Santiago, we’ll experience its stunning beaches made of white corals and observe Galapagos sea lions and marine iguanas.

The day wraps up with dinner onboard.

Day 4: Santa Cruz Island

On our fourth day, we’ll explore Santa Cruz Island, visiting Los Gemelos, two extinct craters along the road to Puerto Ayora. These expansive depressions are actually formed by magma deposits, not true craters, and during our visit, we’ll admire the endemic scalesias forest.

Next, we’ll tour the El Chato giant tortoise reserve, observing tortoise hatcheries and getting up close with these iconic reptiles of the Galapagos.

We will also visit the Fausto Llerena Center, dedicated to breeding species in captivity for later reintroduction into their natural habitats. Here lies the preserved body of Lonesome George, the last of the species Chelonoidis abingdonii.

The fourth day concludes with an enjoyable dinner onboard.

Day 5: Isabela Island

On day five, we will delve into Isabela Island, the largest of the archipelago. Our adventure starts on the northern side at Punta Moreno, situated between Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes. We’ll journey along a trail of hardened lava, observing its lakes and mangroves before heading to Urbina Bay, where we may spot Darwin's penguins, land iguanas, and the towering giant tortoises native to the Alcedo volcano.

The day will conclude with dinner aboard the ship.

Day 6: Fernandina Island – Punta Vicente Roca

Fernandina Island, the third largest of the Galapagos, is our destination today. We’ll dock and head to Punta Espinoza, the island’s sole entry point. Here, you can witness marine iguanas basking in the sun and flightless cormorants, remarkable birds adapted to both land and sea.

While enjoying lunch on board, we’ll traverse the Bolivar Channel towards Punta Vicente Roca. We’ll explore a sea cave beneath an impressive arch, with views of the Ecuador Volcano, and take breaks at secluded coves for some snorkeling, where you might encounter puffer fish, seahorses, and even sharks.

The sixth evening ends with dinner on the ship.

Day 7: Santiago Island - Rabida Island

Our penultimate day will focus on Santiago Island, distinguished by its stunning black beaches, such as those found at Puerto Egas.

After soaking in the sights, we’ll head to Rabida Island, known as the red island due to its unique coloration. This island is the only one in the Galapagos revealing this reddish hue in its rocks and sands. We’ll take a brief hike along the coast, watching for finches, doves, yellow warblers, mockingbirds, and flamingos.

Our day will conclude with a dinner aboard the cruise ship.

Day 8: Santa Cruz Island- Baltra Island

As our 8-day adventure wraps up, we'll further explore Santa Cruz Island before disembarking after breakfast for one last excursion.

We'll visit the black turtle cave, a rich ecosystem filled with mangrove trees that provide habitat for turtles and sharks.

Following this exploration, we’ll take you to Baltra airport, marking the end of our 8-day journey.

Accommodation

Your journey includes 7 nights of full board accommodation on the Archipel I cruise ship. When reserving, you have the option of a double or triple cabin. For quadruple cabins, please contact us for details and availability.

Flights

To participate in this cruise, please arrange your round-trip flights as follows:

From Quito

• Departure flight: AVIANCA AV1630. Departure at 9:30 am from Quito, arriving at 12:06 pm in San Cristobal Island.
• Return flight: AVIANCA AV1633. Departure at 11:38 am from Baltra Island, arriving at 4:15 pm in Quito.

From Guayaquil

• Departure flight: AVIANCA AV1630. Departure at 11:19 am from Guayaquil, arriving at 12:06 pm in San Cristobal Island.
• Return flight: AVIANCA AV1633. Departure at 11:38 am from Baltra Island, arriving at 2:29 pm in Guayaquil.